making final plans

For the past couple of days, I felt like I could literally feel time passing before me. Especially today as I was preparing for my Paper Portfolio workshop at Paper Source. I have had several large projects keeping me busy. I finished my work for NECTAC on Friday. We finalized the MerriMail first issue. And, I had a few more cootie catcher orders after the July rush. I knew all summer long that the Paper Portfolio workshop was my last major task prior to my trip. I told Margaret that, as I prepared for the workshop, I also felt a huge sense of anticipation. In three hours, the trip would be real. Now I really have to think of all of those things I have been planning to do.

I have packed my clothes. I even have my clothes and underwear laid out for the trip. I have researched a new pair of shoes that I want to buy in Oxford or London, so I don’t have to take an extra pair with me to our first leg to Spain. Everything fits perfectly into my new carry-on luggage that I bought earlier this week. I went to Hecht’s three times to make sure it was the perfect bag for my life of travel. I even deduced that this was a great pick from Shopping Bags web site. And now, it looks like the days of carry-ons are over. But there is always train travel. Right? I still love the bag. Plus it was half off.

People have asked what I plan to do while we are gone for six weeks. I plan to blog. I know that sounds silly, but all I can think that I really want to do is write. I have been so busy since May that I have not had a lot of time to spend writing. So I hope to do that. I bought a new journal, collected some glassine envelopes for memorabilia, and gathered a few non-threatening art supplies/travel essentials. I am sure that will be a blog entry soon.

Henry has done an excellent job planning out all of the details of our first trip. We have hotels lined up and travel plans from our arrival until August 26th, when we arrive in Oxford. We are flying into London this Tuesday. Then we are going to Madrid via plane, we hope. After a couple of days in Madrid, we are traveling to Pamplona to visit Henry’s mother’s family. I really want to take a day trip to Bilbao from there. We will then go to Barcelona, followed by a trip to Alicante. From Alicante, we are going to visit Henry’s father’s family. Then back to Madrid and back to London. Alex will be there to go with us to Oxford. So now I need to figure out the agenda with Alex.

Alex and I are going to take several day trips to London and around England. I also want to visit Scotland and Ireland. So I need to figure out exactly what the best itinerary would be. Maybe I will be able to do that tomorrow. We’ll see. My dad told me tonight that his father’s family lineage is from the Lowlands near the Red Lake. He learned several years ago that Rutledge means Red Lake. So interesting. Do you think that is why I have always loved the color red? Is there even a Red Lake to see? I don’t know. I couldn’t find one on Google.

Anyway, sorry for my rambling. Above is an interior picture of Oxford Castle, our future home for the month of September. Looks quite exciting. Yes, there is even a Krispy Kreme, hometown goodness right downstairs. I hope that I am not tempted by the hot and now sign when I am feeling a little homesick.