Just stuffing, really.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm spending the day with my family, cooking, eating, and sewing. Tomorrow, it's back to LA and trying to figure out how to start my car. Clementine's been really well behaved since January so the most recent break-down was actually a relief. I was going nuts anticipating constantly for the last few months. 'Sides, this was just a little break-down: I parked on a slope and flooded the engine. Once I wrangle some muscle-y friends into helping me push the car, I'll be able to pop the clutch and get Clemmy back home.


Thanksgiving. Right. So, we're having ham and potatoes and cranberry sauce and corn and yams and it's going to be amazing. We're doing what we always do: cook, eat, start wrapping the Christmas presents, and watch lots and lots of movies. It's tradition. Traditions are important.


I hope you have a fantastic day with the ones you love and don't get chased by giant turkeys.

This is Ferris, my carry-on.

As of two minutes ago, I am able to say that I leave for Australia tomorrow. The passport has been located, the luggage has been packed, the apartment is (mostly) clean, and I think I'm ready to go.
Originally, I was going to fly alone but there's been a change of plan.Ferris will be coming with me after all. I tried to keep him out of the luggage, I really did. He'd hop in, I'd scoop him out, he'd hop in again, I'd scoop, he'd hop... It was ridiculous and there was really no way to keep him out, short of locking him in the bathroom so I developed a system - every time I needed to put something in the case, I'd lift him up with one hand, set the item down with the other, and set him on top of the newly packed item. There was no other way. He was going to hang out in that case if it killed him. After all, there might be ninjas in Australia! Who else is going to protect me? Who else really understands how sneaky those dastardly ninjas are?


Look at that. A face like that will let you get away with anything. Knock over the water glass? It's okay. He's cute. Tear the shower curtain? Aw, so sweet! (He thinks it's coming between us. ) Rip my arm to shreds? No problem. He's just practicing his ninja killing moves.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of my adorably vicious kitten, this apartment is a ninja-free zone and soon, if everything goes according to his tiny-brained plan, Australia will be, too.

counting down...

View Larger Map

It's only begun to hit me this week. I'm going to Australia. I'll be in Australia this time next week. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO AUSTRALIA WHICH IS BOTH A COUNTRY AND A CONTINENT AND I WILL BE THERE. Honestly, it's kinda freaking me out a little. I'm prepared. Sort of. While I don't have my passport in hand, I know I've got one. That's important, I think. A start, anyway. Once I find it, I'll have it, and that's one item I can check off the list. Passport? Check (once I've remembered where I've put it). Clothes? Check (as soon as they're laundered). Plane ticket? Check (as soon as I've gone to work and printed it out because I've run out of ink at home). Camera? Check. I could practically run out that door and straight to Australia right now!
Really, it's not so bad as all that. I've got the next two days to sort everything out - I'm not working and I've made no plans for fun stuff. I will find the things I need to find, wash the clothes, clean the apartment, all that necessary-for-travel stuff and by Saturday, I will be heading to the airport knowing that I am Totally Prepared for Anything.

Image via Wikipedia

The Australian friend has given me a mini-itinerary. As far as I'm concerned, most of it is gibberish (I had no idea that Melbourne was in the state of Victoria. I thought Victoria was an island and that I'd be visiting it later in the week, as opposed to being in it the entire time). So far, the plan is to spend the first couple of days in Melbourne, then a couple of days on Prince Philip Island (I am geographically dense about Australia [Victoria's a state! Who knew?!] so I have no idea what it means that I'll be staying there but it sounds awesome. Anything involving royalty is a win for me.) From Prince Philip Island, we'll spend a few days exploring the Great Ocean Road or we'll head to Sydney and play in the city. Hiking or bar-crawling, we'll decide once I get there.
I'm bringing my laptop with me and hopefully I'll be able to update once in a while, with pictures.


And that's it. What my life is all about right now. The job's good, the cat's great, my friends are lots of fun, my family is doing well, and when people ask me what I'm doing this weekend, I very casually shriek into their faces, "I'M GOING TO AUSTRALIA!!!"