Ms. New Boots my life out loud

I am counting down the days until I leave for my big trip by using an insane-o “To-Do” list, kept at a handy distance on my iPhone.  I knew when I made this decision, that I would only have a mere 3 weeks to get everything lined up.  That alone, was probably the most stressful part of my decision-making process.  I like things to be well-thought out and well-planned.

Not to mention the fact that I’m a bit of a control freak, which somehow translates into an illogical belief that my husband can’t handle simple tasks like buying cat foot while I’m away.

So, although my massive list of things to do includes obvious things like “look into car rental insurance,” “get a haircut,” “find an apartment” (I leave in 10 days and I still don’t have an apartment!!!!), it also includes ridiculous things like “make sure there’s enough cat food,” “get the car washed,” “deposit business cheques” like it’s the end of the world and hubby won’t be able to function without me (sorry hun, it’s not you – it’s me).

Anyways, in all seriousness, can we get back to this “lack of apartment” stresser? I had a wonderfully lovely little French apartment lined up – y’know, the kind you imagine people to live in in quaint French towns in an old stone building (but nicely renovated) with a little balcony that has wrought-iron fencing and pots of flowers, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Well, for some reason my contact is not getting back to me, even though we had agreed on the availability and rent.  Which has left me scouring other rental websites, and being sorely disappointed with the remaining options (sparse “student” housing is not my idea of the perfect French apartment).

And let’s not forget my packing dilemma.  Originally, my trip was 8 days long in Ireland.  Now it is 36 days long, in both rainy Ireland and sunny southern France, straddling the two seasons of summer and early fall.  I am constantly re-evaluating what shoes to bring, what jacket will best suit me, how many pairs of underwear I need (which ties in to the apartment, because it may or may not have laundry facilities), which books to bring with me etc. etc. etc.

Which brings me to yet another dilemma – I’m gone for 36 days, and I’ve got a clean slate for most of them.  Which will allow me for LOADS of reading time.  But books are heavy.  So, how many books do a bring?  Or do I get an e-reader?  And if I get an e-reader, do I still bring the books I already have, or buy new ones???

If I didn’t spend so much time worrying about apartments, and packing, and books, I think I might actually be pretty excited about this trip. Aside from the fact that it’s now starting to set in how much I’ll miss my not-so-incompetent hubby and my ridiculously needy kitties.  But that’s another post altogether.

(on a side note – does anyone have any recommendations for good “soul searching” (yes, cheesy) books I should add to my reading list?  or just some good trash reads?)