11 hours to go

Rochelle and Rebecca need to be at school at 8:00 a.m. ready to load onto buses for Yosemite and Camp Green Meadows. If it's anything like Elcie's trip, the bus won't get out of there before nine.

I think everything is packed. I didn't forget the p.j.'s but almost forgot hairbrushes and had to buy two small ones at the last minute. I went back down the check list I think. I showed them where everything was stowed. They noticed I had mixed up the colors on their ski caps (toboggans?) so we did a last minute switch. I could have sworn that Rochelle was purple and Rebecca orange.

They're each taking one duffel bag, one backpack, one sleeping bag in its case, one pillow and possibly one extra blankie. Some people never outgrow their blankies. Not bad, I've seen kids show up with enough baggage for a safari.

I packed more than they'll need of course.

Elcie's nose is a little out of joint and I have to keep reminding her that she went two years ago and she doesn't get an extra bite of the apple. She'll be fine and maybe I can take her out for dinner once while they're gone. Tomorrow, possibly.

Today was nuts. Carol and Ray both had doctor appointments, I managed to let the ATM machine eat my card, had to leave groceries and come back, had to deal with the last of the summer to winter clothing transition so I could make sure they had sweaters and warm jammies. I've been putting that off as long as possible. I don't have closet space for both and I need to have enough of both out for a while to allow for weather swings. Now all summer is put away and I think all winter is out (and hung up and in drawers). I pile it all on my bed which forces me to deal with it. Throwing it all on the floor or sleeping on the couch doesn't count as dealing with it. It's been warm here for November and Yosemite shows 60's during day but I know the nights will be chilly.

Just remembered what was missing - envelopes and stamps. Not that R & R will write letters you understand but they were on the list. The stamps were what caused me to lose my ATM card. I bought stamps from the machine and left the card. With cash, you have to remove the card to get the money; with stamps you don't, and I got a little scatterbrained. It's so humiliating at the checkout counter. Anyhow, it meant an extra trip to go back after the purchase which included their cameras or I might have decided to forget it.

Ray asked me how the machine ate my card and I told him it was because I'm an idiot and he still wanted to know the details. I felt like a felon allocuting in court as part of a plea bargain. He never gets mad, just curious. You'd think my admitting I'm an idiot would be enough.

They now have stamped, but not addressed, envelopes. If they don't write letters, I don't want to waste the stamps. I think they're asleep. It's about 9:30 here now.

Mollie, you may sermonize all you wish over here. I do it all the time. Just share a recipe from time to time and I'll be ecstatic.

Our Rescue Mission is about 300 meals short with a little over a week left before Thanksgiving. My group is taking up a collection and we'll buy a gift certificate for them to use from the store which has the buy one-get one on turkeys. We meant to do it at the last meeting and it slipped through the cracks between our discussions about the raceway and Walmart. Oops. I sent a message to the yahoogroup website and we'll see what response we have. Another member will pick up money. Usually we're a little more organized.

Gawdessness, I have now worked my way through the new Neil Young cd twice.
I will probably buy it; meantime, I have it to listen to. Thanks for that.

Hi Dutch - you're right. He gets to have dinner with Presidents instead. Andrea, you're correct as well.

It's almost ten and I'm beginning to fade. I imagine the girls will be dashing around like wild things tomorrow morning and if I'm not paying attention will repack everything or count socks. Rochelle is a stickler for detail and following directions. If the list said 4 pair of socks, I have to convince her that 5 pair is still okay. She's the one who was reading over the list and asking questions. Rebecca managed to stuff her pillow into her duffel bag and was happy. It wouldn't work with Rochelle's which is canvas and not so flexible.

10 hours to go now and counting. Good night.