Countdown & Thanks

It's getting a little crazed now - 4 days until retirement! I am SO not packed yet because I ran out of bubble wrap and I it rained all weekend. I have GOT to get the rest of the boxes in storage, but I have to figure out how to get the rest of my shelving unit to storage first. Then, I can just put the boxes on the shelves like they were meant to be and have more space for the actual furniture.

I am going to say goodbye and thank you to some people who have made my (almost) 3 years in Birmingham such a joy! The only things I haven't liked in B'ham are the summers and crazy drivers and walkers (who seem to think they can walk wherever drivers drive)!

I would like to send my love, appreciation and happies to the following businesses: the entire RAC/Birmingham ICE office; Karen & Debbie at Dixon/Ballogg Glass Gallery in Pelham; the folks at O'Carrs in Homewood; Lisa at Dave's Pizza, also in Homewood; Jennifer and Donnie from Jennifer Harwell Arts; Joe, Paige and Remy at Sloss Furnice, Wendy and Katie from the Sips 'N Strokes shops; Ivan and the folks at Full Moon BBQ; Fran at Imagination pottery studio; that cute, tall, dark-haired guy at Zoe's in Homewood; Dr. Hinkle and the folks at Cat Haven; the nice lady at the Public Storage; those great guys at the oil change place behind the Texico who took such good care of my baby; Lori and the gals from Studio 21 Salon; the crew from Mr. Wang's and whoever made the crab angels; the folks at Papa Saia's down in Alabaster; Dr. Pino and Elizabeth; and the nice ladies downstairs who bought Avon from me. If I've forgotten anyone, I apologize profusely.

I also need to send out love and kisses to all the wonderful downtowners who adopted me and helped me live a dream of mine. I loved my loft and the time I spent there!

Closer

I was able to have a wonderful dinner with more wonderful friends before leaving at one of my favorite Birmingham haunts, John's City Diner. If you're ever in B'ham you HAVE to go there! It's been one of my greatest joys while living here and will be one of my fondest memories. Thanks to Shannon and Shana Gober and thanks to all the lovely downtowners who have made the last (almost) 3 years so special!!!

I went on a small road trip this weekend and I'll try to upload a couple of photos from it. I went to the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, in the southwestern corner of the state. I took a weaving class for the weekend. Very intense set up necessary of which I was not aware, but very important set up because it sets the grid for all of the patterns for the entire piece. I will definately have more respect for hand-woven items I see in the future! I met some more lovely people and I'm very gratefull to Geri and Annie for putting up with me. ; - )

If the pictures upload correctly (I am computer and electronically challanged, you know) you will see photos of the Ocoee River where Tennessee and NC are joined and my scarf (poor, pathetic little thing) in the process of being woven on the loom. Enjoy!

So Close

Wow - 16 days to retirement! I've still got a lot of stuff to pack, the little stuff. My son Ryan (Will) was very helpful at the storage units on Saturday. He made enough room for more more furniture and boxes of stuff by making the piles I already have even higher. Getting them down will be not be pretty or graceful but I don't plan to have to worry about that for a few years.

I've been saying goodbye to some really nice people, which is not easy, of course. Some really wonderful people threw me a little party and more wonderful people came to it! One of my dreams has always been to live in the smack-dab middle of a city and do the downtown thing, and now I've lived that dream - right in the middle of downtown Birmingham! Another dream come true.  ; - D

Going over my To Do list again. Got all my shots; passport is on the way; retirement papers in order; closing down some accounts/bills; etc. If you can think of anything I may have forgotten, feel free to remind me!

Just waiting for my show-up date in Africa now...