T minus 4.5 days

small rock painted with mountain, trees and flowers on top of a wooded post


We're leaving alarmingly soon. My bag is nearly packed (actually packed, not the endless rounds of test packing required to fit clothes and technology for two months and four countries in a 45 liter pack.)
I still haven't got all my meds, despite at least 6 hours on hold in the last two weeks, and there's a few things I haven't entirely decided about. Do I really need a travel pillow? Long underwear? Knitting?

Somewhat more pressingly, I'm leaving to hike 400 miles in five days and I haven't decided on shoes yet. That's probably kind of important. I like the Altra trail runners better in general, but I've been having arch pain in them and the inserts I got only sort of helped. The Hoka One One boots are less comfortable, but I'm a little more confident in them not actually injuring me. As ridiculous as it would be, I haven't entirely ruled out bringing both of them and deciding later.

Work, oddly, has actually wound down nicely, so we won't be in a panic over that, at least. I'm going to try to go to Mass at St. Leo's tomorrow, to see if they have a stamp to start off my credencial.

I wasn't going to bring a rock to leave at la Cruz de Hierro, but on a shoe testing hike today at Puget Park, I found a painted, PNW themed rock, which seemed like a sign from the universe that my pack should be even heavier.

The rest of my to do list can be broadly described as work, get meds, print tickets, ponder shoes, pack more, and buy even more things. Basically my life is super exciting.

mackerel tabby with white chest, looking at camera with head tilted

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