Last weekend State-side.

So this past weekend was my last one at home for a good while and it was pretty nice. Turns out that my surprise (referenced a couple of posts ago) was a going away party for me with a handful of family and friends and quite a bit more than a handful of amazing food. My father is an excellent cook and made a variety of stuff - pesto pasta, swordfish chunks, rice salad, regular salad, pork loin, rib roast...there's never a shortage when he cooks. I should have taken a picture of the cake (complete with pink, from-scratch icing!) they made me but it's long gone by now.

On Sunday I managed to move the couch and chair to my parents garage with Danny's help (by which I mean Danny did everything but I drove!) and then proceeded to the county fair to browse the animals and eat some fair food. It was bittersweet because the fair always marks the end of summer in my mind and now it isn't only the end of summer, it's the end of this...period of my life, I guess you could say. Fitting but also kind of sad. The whole weekend was a little sad if I'm being honest, but that's what this change is about in some ways. So I'm not dwelling.

Today was my first day of actual packing and I didn't do much. I kind of drift around my apartment wondering where to start and it's probably a little more than pathetic. Today I managed to pack up the bathroom and ended up tossing a ton of lotion/spritz/etc that people seem to buy as default gifts for girls. I felt bad but if I haven't used it in the years since I've had it, it isn't worth lugging to Canada. In fact, I have to be a little severe with myself when it comes to what to keep and what to toss, but it isn't too bad just yet. So the bathroom is packed as well as my desk contents (pens, paper, etc) and neatly labeled in my plastic drawers. I took the desk and little end table that Danny's grandfather built himself over to my parents to store as well as a box of shoes, purses and paperwork.

I think the next biggest project is going to be the kitchen, what with all of the dishes and such, but I have all week. I can't bring myself to take down my art or disassemble anything in my bedroom just yet, so that will be left until Friday. Tomorrow I think I'll tackle my Visa paperwork and bring some more stuff to my parents. Going to be a busy week!