Moving right along...

This will most likely be my last post from Hull for a long, long time. The packers arrived bright and early yesterday morning, doing a super-efficient job, leaving only the basement, G's office and various odds and ends for today. We thought at first that one day would have been sufficient, but now I'm glad it was two because I accidentally left a big wad of cash in a box of papers that was packed. Being the organised *ahem* person that I am, I'd stowed the money (yen and U.S. dollars) with my passport, but then I took my passport out to prepare for our departure and put it in my suitcase, I completely forgot about the money, only remembering late last night. If it had been a smaller sum I wouldn't have minded so much, but as 800$ worth of cash isn't in our inventory, it won't be insured and thus we'd lose it if anything went wrong with the shipment. So I had to ask one of the packers to open boxes until we found it; luckily, it was in the third one we tried.

It's odd how now that everything's in boxes, it still doesn't seem real that I'm moving halfway around the world. I'm expecting it to be like my first big trip -- growing anticipation, a little episode of freaking out from stress (been there, done that), then a feeling of "Wow, I can't believe I'm doing this!" as I board the plane, a feeling that won't dissipate until a few days in. Though with this being a rather longer journey, I'm prepared to live for a couple of weeks with that feeling once we're actually in Japan.

I'm trying to not be such a fountain of tears when I say goodbye, but it's hard to go against my nature so. In this day and age of supremely easy communication, with internet access and telephones, certainly, a fact of life, I wonder how I would have fared a mere two generations ago, knowing the wait between letters would be long.

Last night we bought a scratching post/climbing station/pedestal for the cats, who are justly pleased that their specific needs have been catered to: two tall scrathing posts, a little platform up high so they can see out the window and sun themselves, with a hollow barrel-type thing on its side below the platform, to serve as a stair to the platform, a place from which to plan a sneak-attack as well as hiding place to curl up in. They've been taking turns on the platform since early this morning, observing the packing and enjoying the slight breeze from the open window.

Though I will keep writing here, I must also direct your attention to my tavelpod (http://www.travelpod.com/members/gadelle), where I'll be posting entries more specifically related to travelling and other places (with pictures! when possible), once we leave.

So tomorrow the movers arrive to cart our things away, we hand in the car, leave the house keys with the notary and spend the night at a motel, then an early flight to Vancouver. Until then, au reservoir! :D