* Last Day to Make Hay

You know the old saying, "Make hay while the sunshines.".  Well, this was my last day, my last chance, my last hurrah!  Get it done or leave it lying on Diane's floor.  I was motivated.  I was driven. In the last two days, I've re packed fifteen boxes, tapped, numbered, labeled, made lists of their contents, and filled out the forms for Canada Post and US customs.  I was completely done (in more ways than one) by exactly 6:00 pm.  Diane reved the truck.  (She's good at that.)  She's had enough.  Roaring it up  to the side entrance we huffed and puffed our way from her suite to the truck, one bloody box at a time.  The large ones took two of us to carry.  Putting pedal to the metal, she blazed a trail to Country Grocer who has a post office.  In their parking lot, we struggled with grocery carts who had a mind of their own and wandered off among the cars if we didn't hang on to them.  We huffed and puffed and loaded those damn carts, one box at a time.  Wheeling them into the store, avoiding other more gentle, less motivated shoppers, we balanced large boxes which didn't quite fit in the cart, while keeping a smile pasted on our faces and murmuring polite, excuse me's and I'm sorry's.  Grace held us together, we didn't faulter on this last task.  We kept our cool, our patience and our sense of humour.  (Who's Grace you may ask? ....  : o )  The Canada Post women who assisted in weighing, measuring, labeling and stamping these boxes were angels.  Not a glitch in the system.  The waters were smooth as glass.  We repeated this entire process four times.  On the fourth return home, we went straight to the fridge, and yes, that was a cork you heard pop!  Our completion time was 7:45 pm.  Happy hour had resumed for another day.  Better late than not at all.  We looked at each other, surprised.  Suddenly, we both realized this was our last happy hour together.  Bitter sweet.

Tomorrow, I have to take the rented car back.  Pack my small suitcase.  Get my paper work, e-tickets, money, passport, FM3, doggie health certificates all in order for easy access.  My plane leaves for Vancouver at 5:00 pm.

Physically, I am a mess. Mentally, I am somewhat numb.  I am so much more balanced now, however, stress I still have some issues with stress.   I open the fridge door and pull up a chair.  I have gained at least 20 pounds.  It feel like rolly and polly, the twins.  It's not comfortable.  I am not comfortable .... oh, did I say that?  My nails are broken, chipped, short and dirty.  Old nail polish clings here and there.  Why don't they have a spa on these long flights?  I need a hair cut.  I look 10 years older than when I arrived (at which time I looked 10 years younger).  Now I look exactly my age ..... did you get that?  I did manage to colour my hair (top secret of course) late this evening before I went to bed.  It's now 3:00 am in the morning ... I'm wide awake and there is no one to dance with!  Damn!

Habibi knows something is afoot.  For every step I take, he takes two. His big brown eyes lock with mine and question me.  He's like glue.  A lovely little pot of white glue.

Tomorrow night I stay at the Fairmont Airport.  I'm having dinner with an old and dear friend.  It will be fun.  The next day I fly out around noon, arriving in Mexico City at 8:00 pm.  After customs, a driver is meeting us to take us straight home.  It will probably be a 4 hour drive at night.  As you know, Quinta de Luz is not ready.  We will be staying in Sylvia's guest room, in her beautiful home.  Her guest room has it's own private terrace with a fountain.  Bliss.  I'll keep you posted.  By the way, do they have a happy hour on the airplane?  I think I will recommend it.  Two for one from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  Just what they need, a plane full of drunks at 38,000 ft.!

 'Aunty Diane' with the 'baby' shortly after arriving from Mexico.

Habibi, Aunty Diane and Tippie Girl.