Packing

Hello travel fans!

Yes, the final week has arrived and the house is sight to behold. Boxes everywhere, large black trash bags full of donations in the launching station at the front door as the car is packed to the gills with things to go to ARC.

Here is picture of what the living room looked like the night I finalized my itinerary on paper.

The tenant/cat sitter is currently still searching for this wonderful opportunity for cat companionship and retreat space. If you have any candidates, please feel free to contact Karen Stickland at 303/716-0146 (the cat's personal friend, secretary and interview agent) or my rental agent Tamara Vander Vliet at 303/832-8312. Both of these ladies know the details of the space and the arrangments and can answer any questions.

I am getting very excited as I am talking to people and can't believe the last 5 weeks have just flown past.

People keep asking if I am traveling by myself and now the answer is NO! Don't get too excited, it is not a human.

Quen (pronounced Kwin), short for Quentin Everest Deverill, will be accompanying me around the world. He is currently packing in the kitchen (see photo) or he would send his own personal message. We have already been planning some of his photos and he is very excited about Peru, NZ and Australia and the possibility of seeing some cousins, etc.

Quen's outlook on life is " Quite Easily Done" and that will be the watch word for the year.

Quen and I would like to say special thank you's to everyone who has helped in the last few weeks to get us out the door, Karen Stickland, Tamara Vander Vliet, Brett at Companion Pet Service, Bill, Sherry and Ryan Scebbi, Ray and Angela Berry, Peter Hughes and Shane Delavan, Diane Ahonen (not a complete list).

Also special thank you's to everyone who contributed little things to take with me such as the fabulous custom made computer bag from MKICOUNTRY.com from Carole Wood, my new boots and socks c/o Meredith, sheets and bug spray c/o Sharon (I am walking in love), good smellies and lovely dangles from Annemarie, Susy and Bonnie Hickey (12 special items muchly appreciated), packable photo album from Paulette, my carry on luggage and Master Quen from Miss Lana, scarf from Mary, and the lovely bracelet from Janis.

I have also been incredibly well fed both bodily and spiritually these last few weeks with dinners, lunches, cups of coffee, send off parties and tons of hugs and kisses. Robbie and David, the champagne was FABU!

I am so blessed with my friends. Thank you.

We are sigining off because Quen is insisting that we turn our attention to the downstairs and start moving all the boxes up the the top for storage.

Peter and I at the party.

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Saturday, July 16

Hello All,

I am in Virginia and will be at the airport in three hours to leave for France.

Missions accomplished so far - See the grave at Arlington and post my first message on the blog.

I feel so accomplished.

I am very excited and a little distracted and have already had one instance where I thought I had mislaid the passport. Luckily, Anthony came through and we are still together.

I am very much looking forward to my first adventure, buying train tickets and finding my hotel with a map that does not have all the streets listed.

Many thanks to everyone who has had a hand in helping me prepare for this part of my adventure: (only a partial list)including Arlene and her french tapes, Janis and my lovely Eifel Tower pocket book, Mary and Kathy for the lovely cards with helpful hints on what to do and what to say and Peter and Shane for their coaching.

I have taken a few pictures for the trip including one of my lovely cab driver, Susy H. who met me with beret, red lips, red purse, eye liner and multiple kisses on each check.

My watch word for this adventure is an open mind. As you think of me in France,dusty and warm from moving rocks, please add open mind to your thoughts.

My next posting will be from France.

Au Revior (spelling not my forte in any language)
(Good By, for now)

Lady Jane