So long... farewell... auf wiedersehen... adieu...

Today's the day... Take off.  Took one last walk and peeked at flowers that I will miss blooming... so close. All the herbs in and now with watering they should be ready for cooking upon my return. One thing I will definitely not miss is deer fly season. They will have to live without me!

One day and counting. The word of the day is ELIMINATE...

Oh my goodness… ONE day to go!

Today is the day of  ‘ELIMINATION .’

Eliminate some dust in the house. I love those microfiber cloths.

Eliminate 'giveaway' sacks in the car.  Someone else can use it.

Eliminate some stress. Go JAZZERCISE and coffee with the girls.

Eliminate extra clutter in the entryways. 

Eliminate some suitcase items. Travel lighter.

Eliminate some worries… notice I said SOME?

Day 2 ... oh no, the list is a long one today!

2 days and counting… AND Yesterday was such a productive day that I am worn out just thinking about all that got done.  It really was a dilemma having so much to do inside with a drop dead gorgeous day outside. I am so bad that I even moved parts of inside projects out just to be in the fresh air and sunshine.  There were moments that I was chasing after flying pics as the wind got a bit rambunctious. I had two photo projects, one that took me down memory lane and the other which would be a hostess gift... Mom always said gifts from the heart are the most appreciated. Therefore I decided that a homemade gift would definitely be the most appropriate for this cultural exchange and I would come up with a project that would share where I live and one of my passions with my hosts…

For a first time endeavor I made cards using my botanical photographs of plants found here in the End of the Rainbow Valley. AND you know what? They came out so nice that I don’t want to give them away!   If I had bought them, I would just buy an extra set for myself. :) It almost took as long to decide what  groupings would make up each gift then the actual production. Anyhow, after seeing them, Irv began to have grandiose ideas of a cottage industry with botanical notecards. 'Natureman' is always trying to sway me into the craft art industry. Man can not live by ‘art’ alone is my retort. But it sure would be nice if it could pay for health insurance!

Well onto the long trip list of things to accomplish today. Oh no, the sun is out. Maybe a little weed pulling before I start that list today. One really appreciates these perfect spring days after such a long, long winter… Ok I 'have to' share the newest addition to the flower bed anyway-

Isn't he the cutest?  You have heard of June bugs, right? This is a Spoon Bug.

3 to go... Cleaning Before a Trip

Ah thank goodness today is a day that I did not have to ‘go to town.’ Those that have visited know that ‘going to town’ means ‘ heading to the big city of La Crosse versus the small town of Chaseburg. Chaseburg is 5 minutes east while La Crosse is about 20-30 minutes northwest.

It’s a good thing I have one day to stay home since there is plenty to do before departure.  Does anybody else like to come home after a trip to a straightened clean house?  The place is never as straightened until I leave to go out of town...  

Awaiting me are these dreadful piles. I don't work that hard to make these piles but they are a result of a semester's worth of accumulation. AND if I leave these piles anywhere else, Irv will make them into one very large pile. These piles consist of papers that need to be filed, work papers that need to be sorted and reorganized, mail that needs to be answered/ paid, papers saved for all sorts of reasons… You get the picture. I can’t see the top of my desk.

Wait here’s a visual. It took me all semester to get this lived - in look. I call this a workroom. LOL.

So whether your pre- trip projects are self imposed/someone else’s idea you know that you might as well tackle them ASAP especially if you are leaving with our group on Wednesday.

AND

when you finish them, you will feel a lot better.  I know my desk does...  

          

 

Day 4 ..Toughest part of the trip...

You might be surprised as to what the toughest part of this trip is?   Drumroll...................... LEAVING. 

In one week’s time End of the Rainbow Valley is no longer gray brown but has exploded into green.  As a gardener this is the perfect time to be outside here in the valley. No bugs, nice temps, easy time to dig in the soil and great plant selections in the garden centers… I have dedicated the majority of my free time at home this past week mulching the flower beds along with the impossible task of weeding in addition to establishing recent purchases. 

This year we have a bumper crop of dandelions. I think we grow them better than anybody. I spent an entire afternoon digging them out of the major flower beds only to see a new crop blooming after the rainfall. Hmmm… maybe that’s why yellow is my least favorite color in the garden… 

All the plants that were brought inside last fall are back outside.  My 7 yr old lantana may have succumbed to white fly but only time will tell if it can really come back. It has been severely pruned.Winter has done its own pruning and now there will be 2 great looking Japanese maple bushes since  they really can’t be trees in our valley. Planters are being refilled and Irv will have the major task of watering those in my absence. Not exactly low maintenance for my low maintenance guy… but you can bet he will be thinking about me every time he waters!

Day 5 and PACKING...

One good thing about having a job is it removes endless shopping possibilities.  Whether you have funds/not doesn’t deter a real shopper but a job removes that free time to go to one’s favorite stores.  A real shopper knows shopping has absolutely nothing to do if one needs anything or not.  Now that I am done with school and going on a trip and TJ MAXX is my favorite store, here I come… I do have a

 mission… cotton apparel. 

These last unseasonably warm days here have reminded me about clothing that breathes.  El Salvador will be in its rainy season during our month’s stay. We were also instructed to dress moderately.  No sleeveless shirts. EEGADS! Therefore, the chore of packing the appropriate type and amount of clothing will consume my thoughts these last 5 days before departure. I come by this ‘packing procedure’ honestly as my Dad was Navy trained…  we have lists and we roll everything. My daughter has inherited this skill so well that she even packs others’ suitcases ... but my son must have a derivative gene … he can just throw things into a suitcase before he heads to the airport. Of course he usually arrives with wrinkled clothes without socks, a dress shirt or some other essentials…What I have learned through all my travels is that there are stores elsewhere…

Thank goodness for space to start the arduous packing procedure. The guest bedroom has become ‘packing central’ and as I find items that ‘need’ to travel with me, the guest bed will become the collecting place. Sorry, no room for couchsurfing guests nor scrapbook projects this week…  The piles will continuously change as I opt for different combos/add and eliminate choices. This procedure will not end until the ‘last’ zipping en route to the airport when I find something in the car that I can not live without.

Usually I travel with a hiking back pack as it frees one’s hands and doesn’t require check in nor waiting at the baggage carousel . Nowadays it evens saves that additional airlines charge. BUT a month’s stay and being Mother Hen may necessitate a suitcase. Hmmm backpack/suitcase? BOTH options will sit as I decide what all will go…  would you like to take a guess?

I know you are excited to think you could be hearing about clothing selection for these next entries… but I promise you other topics will be broached as in ‘ Am I losing my mind?  Where did I put the signed trip contracts that need to be returned to the University?

MOM always knows BEST/ These shoes are meant for walking...

My Mom was really on my mind yesterday as I began the search for the perfect ‘travelling’ shoes. You see she always stressed the importance of good shoes… that looks didn’t matter when it came to comfort and durability.  AND ‘Mom always knows best’ although I have to admit that she had some ‘pretty ugly’ shoes. It did seem to take me way too long to understand the wisdom of her words after numerous blisters/aching feet throughout the years. Gee what women sacrifice for ‘good looking’ very ‘uncomfortable’ shoes. 

(*My friend Pinque just won an photography award for these silver beauties.)

Most countries' citizens use their feet not their cars to go everywhere. So I knew that my really broken in favorite shoes were not the answers for this Salvadoran adventure. It’s not like we have oodles of shoe stores to choose from in La Crosse but I did have to spend the entire afternoon scouring store after store after a style of ‘Merrills’ that I would soon discover didn’t exist any smaller than a ‘6’. Grrrrrrrr. The problems of having small ‘kid’ sized feet.  Are you ready for this?  Size 3 Kids/ Size 4/5 women’s.

You might think that wow one could really save a lot of money because kids shoes are cheaper than women’s but 2 major facts exist regarding the different categories;1) most kids shoes look like kid shoes and 2) many tend to not be made as well since kids grow out of their shoes very quickly… So the shoe quest is always on and when I find a shoe that fits, I usually buy it. Irv calls me the Imelda Marcos of Chaseburg due to the number of shoes that fill my closet. I can't help it, I tell him, "my feet don't grow."

I am proud to admit that I experienced success. I found not only one but two pairs that should fare me well for lots of walking.  

Now be honest - Do you think that they're ugly?