To Do List:

In an effort to stop panicking about my trip to Chicago in 3 days, I give you my "To Do List:"

1. Pack: This of course is essential to all travel. Unless of course you plan to wear the same thing for 5 days or however long the duration of your trip is.

Le Yarn Harlot however has proved in the past that forgetting something major, like pants*, can be remedied by said wearing repeatedly or running out to buy new if affordable...

*For me, not so much pants as underpants. I have this weird thing where I like to forget to pack my underwear.

2. Clean House: We have friends coming to take care of "the kids" (read: the kitties, Monty and Clyde) and I don't want them thinking we are complete heathens. I mean underwear hanging off the door knobs? socks on the coffee table? dishes unwashed and beds looking as if WWIII took place on them is a little embarrassing right? Not to mention the massive amounts of fur said kitties tend to shed*.

*Shed really isn't the appropriate term, more like "what Clyde rips out of Monty's back when she plows him down at full speed. Claws glistening in the sunlight as she soars through the air at his unsuspecting butt.

3. Don't Panic: After 7 years together, Chris is finally meeting my family.

I know, you're saying, "What?!"

Yes, they have never met and I believe that my family thinks he is a figment of my imagination. In the past, we just haven't had the money or opportunity to all get together, so finally after much pressure from the fam., I'm making him meet them. I'm just terrified that Chris will meet them and run screaming "your family is nuts!!! I'm outta here!!"

4. Stop involuntary eye twitch: See #3

5. Stop trying to start every yarn project all at once: This I believe is due to my nervousness. Also, since my knitting mojo has come back, I'm picking up a lot of where I left off and picking up a lot of what I've wanted to do for a while.

Now I have about 27 projects that I want to take with me for the trip, and I know that I'll knit for all of 8 minutes at best.

... And I used to be a one-project at a time gal... what happened to me?!

6. Did I mention pack?

7. Hem Chris' pants: Why oh why do I have to have a man with a short inseam!? (We bought the shortest available and it was still too baggy at the ankles)

8. Clean out fridge: Remember that story in Creepshow where Stephen King played the farmer who touched the meteor and then all the plants started growing crazy and covering everything including him?

I don't want to find our fridge in the same condition when I get back...

And no "clean out" doesn't translate into "wreck diet." I've dropped 2 clothing sizes since June and I don't want to go back up! (Plus I'm saving the pigging out for Chicago, mmmm Portillos, mmmm Geno's East, mmmm Giordano's, mmmm everything else!)

9. Did I mention "don't panic?"

10. Check and re-check all reservations: I have become Monk himself, checking and re-checking every reservation.

I have this odd fear that I entered the wrong date or time for travel and I have to re-check it to be sure I'm getting on and off the plane at the right time.

11. Laundry This is important if I don't wish my family to think Chris and I have absolutely no hygiene whatsoever, I guess "Shower" would fall under this as well.

12. Buy Cat Food: I don't want my babies to starve while I'm gone.

I think that's it for now. It feels like I have a whole lot more to do and I can't think of anything. All I want to do is curl up in the fetal position and knit until it all goes away.