The chaos before the dawn

Is there any way to slow down the days? Please?

A hint as to what possibly goes through my brain in any given five-minute period: Vet check ... health certificate ... final vaccinations ... trip to the dentist (for me, not Quincy) before I leave ... renter's insurance for VA ... travel funding needs to be in place before March 22 ... am I ready for mediation on Monday? ... 45 student presentations starting tomorrow -- grading, sigh ... final edits on Director's message for the Year in Review due this week ... when the hell can I get my hair cut? ... gotta get my academic books shipped because there's no way I've got room to bring them with all Quincy's stuff ... I haven't gotten my license plates yet for my truck, which I need to deal with, and that means a DMV nightmare ... speaking of which, where are all the proofs of insurance on all my vehicles? ... How can I possibly have dinner with all the people I care about before I leave? (hint: I can't) ... security clearance transfer ... 2011 faculty activity report is due before I leave ... I need a new bank in VA, a national one ... which means I have to change all my direct deposit stuff ... gotta call and get final, clear directions to all the barns on my way so I keep myself from getting lost and having to back up my rig, EVER ... Final budget numbers due for my VA gig Wednesday afternoon ... Did I forget clothes at the drycleaners? ... forwarding my mail ... why can't I find a matched pair of black socks for the last couple days of grown-up clothes for teaching? ... cleaning up my office at work after months of neglect and paper collection ... Will Quincy be ready to travel? ... Will he load on the road? ... Will he survive this intact? ... Will I?

OK, now that I've gotten that out, let me say this:

• Just driving onto Morning Sun Ranch (where my humble abode is located) is a breath of fresh air. Wow, I will miss it and my family here.
• My dad drove five hours from southern California, both ways, to take me to dinner Friday and run errands with me on Saturday. Awesome. 
• Sarah, my right arm, keeps me organized and sane even within my chaos. She makes me look smarter than I am. 
• My pastor is full of encouragement for just about everything I'm going through.
• I have the most beautiful, amazing horse on the planet.
• Bridget, my faithful truck, is ready and eager for the trip. She'll take care of us all. 
• Lisa, my colleague, is going to make sure we get the last two years' of work out to the academic community this year.
• Pam, my best friend since I was 11 years old, is flying out to drive down with me on the first leg of my trip. 
• I could go on (really, I could). 

So, who cares about some DMV errands? Hell, I've got two vehicles to get there. What do I possibly have to complain about?

15 days until blast off.