THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
It is six days before we leave for our trip.  I wish I could say I was ready, but let's be honest, is there any possible way to be "ready" for something like this?  Just trying to pack has proven to be a challenge, because while it is summer, the weather in the UK doesn't coincide with our notion of summer.  I feel ridiculous packing pants and long-sleeves but the average temperature in June doesn't get above 65 degrees where we are headed.  So, if I can somehow retrain my brain to think that summer doesn't equal shorts and tank tops, I could make good progress on filling our suitcases.
The to-do list is long, not only to prepare us for departure, but to also prepare our home for its temporary residents.  Fortunately, we have a family coming to stay here while we are away which is wonderful but has also caused me to view my home through a different set of eyes.  While I personally don't care that my refrigerator has sticky solidified liquid trailing down the inside wall or that my laundry room has enough dust and lent on the floor to knit a sweater, I am embarrassed to allow someone else to see the filth in which we normally reside.  A normal, wipe-down-the-top-layer-of-nastiness isn't going to cut it this time around.  I suppose this is what "spring cleaning" means for ordinary, hygienic people - not a ritual I participate in typically but am beginning to see the benefits of with each passing day.
With that being said, I should really get to work.  The clock is ticking and I can hear my tupperware cabinet screaming to be organized!  Cheers!