Getting Ready for a Trial Run

11/25/2016
As the year starts drawing to an end, our preparations heat up.  Soon the months will turn to weeks and it seems as though we still have so much to do but there is so little that we can actually do until closer to Rday (Retirement day) .  Right now we are concentrating on transferring all our knowledge at work, ensuring that we can hand over and everything that we handle will be capably covered after we are gone - that is a big responsibility and the logistics are not always so easy when you have to get everyone lined up and available in order to pass on the knowledge and understanding of so many years.  Thank goodness for documentation and collaboration services such as O365.

December is going to be hectic with another 2 weeks scheduled in California for work but as soon as we get back (December 17th) we will repack our suitcase and head out for Mexico on December 19th (Happy Birthday Angela!!).  When we get back it will be 1 day before Christmas - how is that for a chockablock full month?

We have our Mexico auto insurance, copies of drivers licenses, car registration and title, dinero is in our hands, map of Mexico was just delivered along with the soft collapsible backpacks that we got on sale.  Accommodation has been booked and confirmed by way of Airbnb (where else can you get a whole apartment too big for your needs for $100 for 4 nights?).  We have a super host who happens to live in Austin but is being so helpful already with tips and ideas for us.

Along with the delivery of our map etc. we even got tips from the delivery driver - he said that we can get a phone in Walmart with coverage in Mexico - guess where we are headed this weekend.  This is going to be our only full weekend at home before the chaos of December so maybe we will also hit REI to see if they have any summer clothing on super-sale.  They have those nice light, quick dry clothes with little zip pockets that are so handy for travelling and hiking.  I have a pair of REI shorts that I bought  before I even met Gerald and they are STILL going strong - I have been drenched in one of our incredible TX rainstorms a couple of times and they dry while finishing a hike wearing them!

Can you feel the excitement mounting?  Stay tuned for more fun and adventures Pattyn style :)
three and a half months/15 weeks and counting.