Aargh! 9 days to go!

Oh dear, where did all that time go! Just 2 seconds ago it seemed we had a month to go, now it's just 9 days!

Not that we have a huge amount to do...
Just

Sort out entire house ( including putting away the Christmas decorations!)
Email Bank
Email about 15 others to do with the trip
Prune roses and a few other things I haven't got round to yet...
Sort out post arrangements with daughter Jen
Pack
Get plants to their plant sitter (thank you Jess!)
Book 1 more car and a few more hotel rooms
Get Simba up to his temporary home in Kent..
And probably 1500 thngs I haven't remembered!

Oh well, I suppose we'll get there! It has been Christmas after all!

Father Christmas (in the guise of family and friends!) has come up with some very useful "bits" for our holiday including

2 new hang up wash kits - thanks Jen and Dan
Small toiletries you can take on the plane -thanks Simon and Kirsty
Bite cream
Ear plugs
Washing line (tiny!) -Last 3 were Rons gifts to me...are you trying to tell me something?!
NZ Dollars for a boat trip, cable car ride, nicemeal, or what ever we fancy! and a travel journal and travel Game -Thanks for the very imaginative present Tricia and Jacques
and lots more besides!

On the positive side, we have got the notepad we'll be using to update the blog up and running -
I'm using it now in the hopes I can get used to the tiny keyboard before we go!

It's really good to see that we've already got a couple of people following the blog already. Obviously we knew we were going to miss family and friends while we were away, so it'll be great to see any comments people wish to post. Several people reckoned they'd add rude comments - tough luck, folks, we edit before publication!!! Cheeky ones will, of course, be allowed through!

Requests to carry luggage, whilst the idea is great, will be sadly declined! Margery's Dad was the first to request the privilege! - not bad at 85 Dad!! Sadly we don't have enough luggage allowance to take you!

There may be some more posts before we go, if not, the list of things to do was longer than I thought and I'll have to catch up with you in the States!!! LA and then Las Vegas (for the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam) are the first stops....so watch this space!

Margery