I'm in the home stretch. The final stages before "liftoff." All things will pass they say. My stress level is going down. I think the kitchen must be the toughest room to pack for most. I noticed that when I was packing the kitchen it coincided with the peak level of my stress. So many little items. I've cleaned out the cupboards and packed all the dishes. Besides, packing up the kitchen disrupts your whole eating routine. Now, I'm grabbing items out of plastic storage containers - ones that I will put in the back of my truck for the journey ahead. I'm getting adjusted. In the past two days I've also sold my trusty queen bed of 5 1/2 years - very comfortable I might add, and my dining room table and chairs. The latter I wasn't even planning to sell because I wanted to keep a few pieces of furniture with history. But, a nice Indian couple who bought my coffee table, also decided they liked my dining room table. I think the set will find a good home, better than sitting in my storage untouched for a couple of years.

I hesitated at first but then a few thoughts went through my mind - the limited space I have left in storage, and to be selective about what you buy and become attached to. I've become even more aware than I was before about all the material things that surround us. After all, you can't take anything with you when you check out from society (Although many Egyptian and Chinese emprerors would probably disagree!). Every item you own - useful or not - requires your time, energy to care and clean for it, resources from the earth, and space to store / display it.

I'm sleeping on the floor now in my sleeping bag on my Therm-A-Rest inflatable mattress. Last night went pretty well - slept soundly. I figure I'm going to have to "toughen" up for the road. I might as well start while I'm in the cushy confines of my apartment. ...I still have my office desk but when that goes, I'll only have one table left to eat and work on, and I'm not selling that one!