Ya know, being a jet-setter is not all that it is cracked up to be. In less than 8 hours I’ll be heading for the airport again for an 18-hour trip to the States (I’ve got a long layover on the way there). I’d really hoped to get home from work early today, like at about 4, but thing after thing cropped up and I only just walked in the door now at 7:30.

I’m in pretty good shape though as far as getting ready to go. I’ve got to pack, including transferring a couple of outfits I never unpacked from the last trip from one suitcase to the other. I need to change out litterboxes and then sweep and mop and wash up the 4 dishes that are in the sink, shower, and then put out tons of kitty food and water for the inside critters and Shachori (who I darn near was able to pick up and bring inside this morning but it was no banana at the final get-to-the-door moment) and her outside ‘friends.’ I wouldn’t ordinarily be feeding 5 of the 7 or so cats that have been chowing down on Shachori’s food, since the neighbor in the building next door is feeding 4 of them and one belongs to my neighbor but eats happily whenever he manages to escape outside (he, like several of mine, is an escape artist but he has the sense to go back in). But put out food for all of them I must as Shachori is too timid to lay claims on the food if one of them approaches and so she’d end up with nothing if I didn’t.

Sadly, I did not have time to take those new shoes back to the shoe store and have the right one stretched so it won’t cause blisters. When I got them, the left shoe hurt from the moment I put that puppy on but the saleswoman used this mallot thing to make the leather more supple and afterwards it fit like a dream. I was so rushed for time on the day I bought them though that I didn’t have time for her to strategically whack on the right one and thought it would be ok as it wasn’t uncomfortable just standing there. But oh boy did I get blisters like no one’s business when I wore them in Japan, and all on the right foot. I’m packing a lot of band-aids :)

I’m taking the computer this trip and hopefully will have time to blog –hopefully will have Internet at the hotel to be able to blog. If not, I’ll be back on Saturday night.

Wow, it is kind of wild to think that I’ll be back in the States for the first time in more than 4 years. I’m wondering if I’ll experience culture shock, especially with all that southern-style politeness undoubtedly coming my way. Reminder to self: do not elbow your way to the front of the queue!