"I'm leaving in a Mustang" just doesn't have that "hit song" feel to it.

So, I'm ready to go tomorrow.  A couple more hours of work and then I'll change my voicemail message (always a happy moment) and then we're off.  Mary will be in charge of the house and the various animals, who will inevitably suck up to her and tell her they like her better than us, because they are all pretty much whores for treats and scritches.  ESPECIALLY the dog.  But, such is the way of pets.  They like the pettin'.

I have mixed emotions.  I'm more than ready for a vacation.  I need to do some serious vacating.  I need to clear my mind and use my muscles.  But I can't take the pets with me, and JD neither has enough vacation time nor the desire to spend a month hiking.  (A couple of hours, yes.  A month, no.)  So, no husband for talking and cuddling and general husbandly activities (I'm going to have to take out my own trash!  And cook!) and no dog to sleep on my feet.  You have no idea how big of a problem this is.  I jam my feet under that poor mutt every night and she comforts me with her presence.  And her weight. There is NO COMFORTING in the tent.  It's just me and my stinky clothes and my crinkly sleeping pad.  And my benadryl.  Because I find it hard to get to sleep without the dog.  Also, the other hikers don't like it when you jam your feet under them.

Also I am not looking forward to the drive.  JD is.  JD loves to drive.  But his driving makes me anxious and then he gets mad because I'm anxious and then we are in a car full of anger and it's bad.  It's really bad.  I have xanax to take but still, here I sit full of perturbation and unhappiness and we haven't even gotten in the car yet.

I'm thinking it's going to be a whole tablet day tomorrow.  Maybe starting tonight.

(PS JD?  If you just, say, doubled your following distance while I was in the car on long distance trips, probably there would be less clutching and more conversating.  Just sayin'.  Everything else is fine, driving-wise.)

Then of course there is Katahdin.  I'm going to see friends, which is awesome, but the mountain itself is intimidating.  On the other hand little kids and little old ladies climb it all the time, so I should be okay.  Slow, but okay.  MOM DON'T READ THIS PART.  Unless I fall off the mountain.  OKAY MOM START READING AGAIN.

The forecast for Millinocket on Sunday is currently a high of 79 and clear.  Of course, it could easily be in the 40's way up on the mountain, but clear is good.  Clear = probably not raining = probably not slick rocks.  I like not slick rocks on mountains.

CRAP!  I just realized what I forgot to pack.  I have no booze.  I'm going to have to hike sober.  Dammit.

Mary?  Mary is coming?  Does she have chewies?  Does she know I'm not allowed to take chewies outside?

Mary's coming?  I'll be under the couch.

Meh.  Don't care about stupid Mary.  I have laundry.

Meh.  Don't care about stupid Mary.  We have each other.

Oh, and btw?  This blog is going on hiatus while I hike.  Because two blogs a day is beyond my mental capabilities.  I'll be posting to my trailjournal as I get signal.  If you care to read, follow the link in the upper right hand corner, there.  No, your other right hand. (Your right hand is the one that doesn't make an "L" when you hold your thumb out. )  (Well, I guess it makes a backwards L.  Anyway, there's a link somewhere on the page.)