My Cocker Spaniels know I am leaving. George is whining and Gracie is pouting.

I had to repack this morning.

Ok. “Had to” is a bit of an overstatement EXCEPT that we have 24 hours in Buenos Aires and the temperature there will be near 90 degrees. And we have scheduled a walking tour. That means comfortable walking shoes. Since I just barely got the waterproofed boots in the suitcase, I was going to have to get creative. So that meant repacking.

The point is that Gracie, in all her cuteness, jumps on the bed where I do my repacking every time I touch the suitcase. And since I had to rethink the packing (I think Tetris) everything came out. so Miss Nosey has to stick her nose in EVERYTHING and finds (OMG!) SOCKS.

To Miss Gracie, socks are not for feet. They are for stealing and chewing. She has expert skills in both areas. Not to put too fine a point on the issue, she has trained me to pick my clothes up off the floor. Especially the socks. (There is one former roommate who may faint to learn that the floor is no longer my closet!)

When I took the socks away, she found the slippers. When I took those away, she found the camera strap.

She was banished to the outside where she sat and stared at me through the glass door. So PATHETIC!

George, in the meantime, is running up and down the hall, whining. He wants to go out and chase the ball. He has picked up on my anxiety (well, inner twitching anticipation) and he needs to run off the energy.

He did so much running that he is now asleep on the futon next to my desk. So is Gracie as she has been allowed back into the kingdom.

But the final packing (I swear) has occurred and all the lists have been consolidated. I even put lists in my suitcase and carry-on so I won’t forget anything coming back! I think I have gotten a bit too obsessive about this.

But I have never been on a trip like this and I am SOOO fortunate to have this opportunity that I don’t want to forget ANYTHING.

And I warn you—there may not be as many pictures as are anticipated. I intend to “stay in the moment” and soak it all in.

Besides, there in very little Wi-Fi in ANTARCTICA!!!!!!