5 weeks and counting...

So much can happen in just two short weeks.

First of all, we met the nicest Jeffrey from Pioneer Square and we took a load of cooking/camping gear off his hands. Some of the stuff is completely foreign to me and I'm sure it will be used totally improperly. Kinda like the dinglehopper from Little Mermaid. But to Jeffrey I am sincerely greatful for all the camping gear-type treasures.

The chariot has had a facelift and runs like new. First we put on new brakes, so we can stop. That's always handy. Very. Then new tires. Four of them. The air conditioner blows at 40 degrees, and the serpentine belt is brand spankin' new. Of course I had to put a second mortgage on the house to get it all done, but done it is. And in a very timely fashion thanks to Dawn. "Thanks, Dawn."

We have purchased a tent and it is HUGE, like 10x15 feet huge. It sleeps eight supposedly, but it will sleep four with room to spare. Kris says he's bummed because it doesn't have a vestibule. Some people are just impossible to please. ;o) Anyway, we have put the tent up twice now for practice and just to make sure the blasted thing is all in one piece, and thankfully it seems to be in superb working order. The rain fly on it is a rather startling orange, so you'll be able to track our progress from the Hubble telescope, no problem.

This week is for wrapping up the sleeping gear and securing a car-top carrier. Hopefully we will accomplish the mission!

We have 7 weeks to prepare to be gone for 3 months. EEEEK!!

Passed out and hit my head... sorry about that.

Anyhoo, preparations are under way. Had to put my health club membership on hold for the summer. You know the health club membership I haven't even had for a week?? Yah, that's the one. They looked at me like I had an eye in the middle of my forehead. I paid for a year in advance to get the reduced rate, so I bet they were thinkin' I was there to cancel.

Their bookkeeping system is so advanced, they asked me to hold-off on that supsension until the first part of May... because they were less likely to lose my information if I waited. BUT I was advised to not wait too long, or it might not get processed by June 1st. So my assessment of the situation is that I have a 30-second window on May 3rd at approximately 2:30 a.m., at which time I can submit my request for a hold and not risk being too early or too late. The only challenge being that the building is closed. Technicalities everywhere I turn... ;o)

Now comes the part of getting the chariot roadworthy. New tires have been ordered and will be in next week. New shoes for the horse, that's always good. Then I have to get a new belt thingy, and my dear brother says to bring the old one in case I get stuck out in Sticksville with a broken belt and they can't get a new one til next year. It's so awesome having a brother who has broken down in Sticksville. The bigger issue here is that my air conditioner is broken. That's a grand to get fixed, and I don't mean 'grand' like a grand ball or a grand piano. I mean a grand like a bazillion dollars. Kris says we can make it without it, but Sticksville brother says that would be unwise, which is his way of telling me not to be a tard. Outside of those repairs there will be a lube/oil/filter/wiper blades/laying-on-of-hands right before we go. Oh, and the van will break 200,000 miles about 30 minutes into aforementioned journey. Nothing like living on that razor-sharp edge... ;o)

Walsh Tribe USA vacation.

We are not gone yet so there is nothing to post. But we are getting ready to get ready.