DEARTURE ANXIETY

MAY 5-10, 2011

At our house the week before departure on one of our trips is always stressful. As the route is planned, the home exchanges solidified, and the packing begins, tensions rise and the stress level goes with it until finally, whew! The plane leaves the runway and takes to the air and we both breathe a deep sigh of satisfaction.

This year things were even more stressful than usual. Leading up to our trip I wanted to be sure that my water system was operating properly and the flower gardens would be looking pretty when we returned. Don and I spent several days replacing the pvc and creating new sprayer systems and got the timer set up to water on schedule and everything was looking good.

Also, we arranged for a gas fireplace to be installed in Mt. Hermon and so we had to be sure that that installation also got completed before our departure.

For several years I had requested a watering system in Mt. Hermon so the rhododendrons and azaleas could be kept alive. Finally I gave a deadline of April 30 to get it done and I bought the pvc and other attachments so that everything was ready for that to go in.

In addition, our very wet winter and spring resulted in neighborhood fences blowing over and requiring repair. Bids were obtained, neighbors were coerced, and checks were collected and the fence project also was butting right up into the final week before our departure.

.So much to do, so little time. Tension, stress, anxiety, worry, deadlines. Yikes!

Of course a few glitches occurred to add to the stress,. Some neighbors balked at the fence project and had to be negotiated with, but that was all smoothed out. May 1 we went to Mt. Hermon for the fireplace installation, and although the guys did a great job and the fireplace is great, they had to work until 8pm. There was no sign of my April 30th watering system, so Don had to start working on that. Meanwhile, back at the Ticonderoga ranch, the fence guys arrived and began their work, only to drill a post hole right into my new pvc pipe for my water system….Aie yii yiii!
The packing project was more of a challenge than usual too, because the airlines have started allowing one checked bag and one carry-on. We had to pack our clothes and toiletries in our carry-on bag, and of course there were the bicycle parts and equipment we had to pull out of the bike bags to get the weight to 50 lbs.

Well, somehow everything got done. I don’t know how because even on the day before departure we were still trying to get the backyard sprinklers to work and ended up having to recipe one whole section.

It WAS a big relief when we could finally go to the airport and sink down into our seat and just let it all go.

Our neighbor, Jim, took us to the airport and drove off with our Prius. The flight to DFW, and the connection to CDG went very well. We arrived just a few minutes late and collected our bags and headed over to get our rental car. We were glad to be in Paris again.

The rental car took at least 2 hours to get., Why, we don’t know. We had a reservation, but there was a long line and two agents. The agents seemed to be in no hurry to process paperwork and from time to time would take telephone calls, wander out to the parking garage, or just sit and stare into space. After a long wait we finally got our little red car, packed up, and headed out into the countryside. A few wrong turns, (we can never seem to get out of the labyrinthine CDG without driving around in circles three or four times.), we finally made it out to green fields and country lanes.

This region must have been very active during WWI and WWII. We saw many monuments, military cemeteries, and bunkers as we drove through the countryside, and eventually we stopped at a huge war memorial on a bluff commemorating 15 divisions and 170000 men who lost there lives. Marne_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial.Because my vision is still sketchy Don set up the route and GPS on his computer. After a bit I learned how to use the system and we eventually made our way to the Balladins hotel in Chalons en Champagen. This chain is similar to the B&B hotels we sometimes use in France. Very small room, basic necessities, low price.

After checking in we walked across the street to the supermarket and picked up some salad for dinner, a few fixings for breakfast and lunch. Then we settled into our 10’ x 10’ monks cell space for the night.

I stayed awake until 9pm, patted myself on the back for a valiant effort, rolled over and I was out until 3am. Don stayed up later, but I never felt him hit the sack.

A busy first day is under our belt.