You know it is time to quit when you keep looking down at what is in your hand and you ask yourself “What the hell was I just doing?” So, I have set the alarm for 5AM in the hopes that I will manage to get everything finished tomorrow before leaving for the airport. And it is not that bad, one more last suitcase to pack with the items like frozen tortillas and Field Roast sausages. The dogs get a tortilla every night before bed and the ones in the Netherlands just don’t quite look the same and the boys are tortilla experts. They actually know what the word “tortilla” means. So, far be it from me to disappoint them – hence the 8 packs of organic flour tortillas in my freezer.

The trip down to the USDA outside of Olympia was a success. I have the necessary paperwork and official seals to leave the country with the pets. That doesn’t guarantee admittance into the Netherlands so I will have to have a talk with George about being on his best behavior when we are going through the customs hall. In hoping to impress the authorities with their citizenship, they had a bath today.

And I went to the Department of Licensing to get my new license issued within a year of moving to the Netherlands. I have read horror stories about taking the Dutch driving tests so I am eager to meet the conditions for just exchanging my license.

More goodbyes today. Yesterday it was my Coffee and Community goddess, Sibelle. Today the dynamic duo, Jan and Kerri. Yesterday was also Move Goddess but since she has bible study tomorrow, I feel it is my duty to prank her one last time with a goodbye theme. And another set of good byes today to someone who has been teaching me to look for the truth that is within. I want to roll everyone up into one of my many suitcases and unpack you all in Amsterdam. But I recognize that might be an uncomfortable way to travel so I will practice patience and wait for our paths to cross again.

If Mom was here, she would be awake all night. I thought about her a lot today, especially as I tried to practice being in each place in Seattle one last time. I wasn’t very good at it, I kept going back to my to do list and making progress against it. I was in Madison Park and I remember going to Cactus there with her for the first time and how much she loved the food. It was good to see that they are still in business. And as I drove through the Arboretum, I thought of her. She bought her 1989 Saab 900 Turbo SPG from a family that lived in Madison Park. I remember being so upset because I always wanted the SPG. And instead Mom found one and it was in perfect condition. She was so excited. I am glad she had it. It is in good hands now, with Lawyerella.

When next I write, it will be from Amsterdam. I miss you all, already.