Saturday - October 4, 3 pm

3 days and counting down! Refrigerator is getting pretty empty. I wanted to make a note of all the obstacles we've encountered in the last month, so I don't forget any of them. We are going on Tuesday come hell or literally high water <g> Except I gotta' wonder if there's a message here.

1. Icelandic volcano affecting European airports
2. a plane from Washington DC to near east encountered problems. Never heard more about that so I guess it went away
3, ISIS
4. Ebola
5. Fire in Chicago airport (we aren't going there but still...) affecting all flights in country
6. German and French pilot strike which could have affected airport functioning. All resolved!!
7. Found out European automatic machines only use chip/pin credit cards (railroads, métro...) Thought that one was resolved: 2nd day expedited cards. Someone screwed up and they sent the same magnetic strip cards we already had. By then - down to 2 working days. To send chip card, they would have had to cancel our original card entirely. What if it didn't get here? We'll make do with old-fashioned go to a bank and withdraw cash. What a concept...
8. Polio virus released into environment in Belgium by pharmaceutical firm. Fortunately we are both vaccinated. Hope it still holds valid!
9. 12 inches of rain inundates southern France near Montpelier Monday - just southwest of where we will be traveling. Most of the time we will spend in mountainous hills. We both have raincoats - just no rubber duckies. If the water is that deep, we'll just have to stay inside and eat/drink. Brian says that's all we do when we travel anyhow. He could be very right <grin>
10. Reservations made in Paris at lovely B&B in 18th arrondissement (not too far from the CDG airport, on the 9th floor (elevator and terrace included). Harder time in Nice (where we leave France from). Finally a lovely vacancy at Eden Cap, up on a hill. I took the time to write my reply all in French and got a lovely French reply saying if I would give her the time the train will arrive from Avignon, she will pick us up. Isn't that 'gentil'? (French for gracious :)
11. Problems with tenant in Gunnison. Management company is on top of it. May have new tenants when we return.

Furniture all moved back into its winter place today. Gathering things we don't want to forget, like passports and camera. All accounts are as current as I can make them before we go, so if we get delayed somehow, returning (or Mike says 'quarantined') no worries here at least. Garden is frozen (30 degrees last night) except for two flower pots and parsley. Interesting what is hardy. Gathered my zinnia and marigold seeds for next year. And house cleaning! Family tradition - leave a clean house. If you don't make it back...

Sorry for the length - didn't want to forget anything :) J