Camping and Housework

Ok. The first week is over and so is the second and what do we have to show for it?

Well, for starters there are several lists: a list of what has to be done before we leave (four pages), a list of where we might go and what we might do (two pages) and a tentative budget (line items only, i.e. no actual $ figures yet). Feeling a bit overwhelmed.

We have actually made some minor progress on the list of things to be done before we leave. We cleaned up the front of the house to satisfy the City of Oakland which had decided that a foot or two of overgrowth over the sidewalk constituted urban blight!!!

Before Pruning

After Pruning

I found the passports (all is in order till 2011) and determined that advance visas are not required where we are going. Organized our initial doctor’s appointment, a conference call with Kaiser’s Travel Nurse, for our shots:

a. Malaria

b. Hep A and B

c. Typhoid

d. Tetanus

e. Yellow/Dengue Fever

f. Diphtheria

g. Rabies

h. Certificate of Vaccinations

Had the first aggravating conversation with Kaiser in regards to said appointment. Of course it is all messed up.

On a much happier note we just spent three days camping in Big Basin State Park (http://www.bigbasin.org/index.html) with our friends Gina and Dan. Very warm during the day and progressively cooler at night – shivering deferred by the obligatory campfire. Some hiking, much eating and drinking and lots of power lounging, all-in-all very successful.

Darcie at the Top of Pine Mountain

Darcie relaxing at the Campsite

The other project on my list which I have started or rather restarted is the construction of a cabinet for the living room to disguise the delightful cold-air-return for the heating system. I have unfortunately discovered that the mahogany plywood I bought has an amazingly thin outer veneer which I already sanded through followed by mild expletives. So now I have to hand veneer the counter – lovely! Hopefully I can find some cool veneer down at Japan Woodworker.