Earl and I leave in the morning for a three week cruise that takes us south to Ft. Lauderdale to board the ship, then north to Halifax, Canada (Don’t ask why. I don’t know.), and then across the North Atlantic to Europe. It’s the first long trip we’ve been on together since the fall of 2013. And it’s the first I’ve been on since leaving the work force.
I cite these dates, because I’m noticing a marked difference in my preparation for this trip over previous ones. I’m more relaxed, less anxious. More organized and less concerned about forgetting something.
At the same time, preparations have taken longer. Maybe because I’m older. Or perhaps because work always expands to fill the time allotted for it. And I allotted almost a week to get ready.
I’ve noticed the small things too: remember lip balm; forget your flippers (This isn’t the Caribbean!); remember layered clothing; forget shorts and sandals (Repeat, this isn’t the Caribbean!); remember a raincoat; forget sunscreen (Well, maybe not.) because the weather where we’re going will be chillier than the weather that we’re leaving.
No matter. Our ultimate goal is to visit the beaches of Normandy, something we’d planned to do in late 2013. That year, we’d made it to England and were within striking distance of the northern French coast. But a hurricane prevented us from leaving Southampton, and we had to return home without seeing D-Day’s historical site. Which is why we’re trying it again. The rest of the trip is really gravy.
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