Preparation

I spent today preparing for my trip. This morning I finally was able to get my hair cut. Yay! I look normal again. On my way home I stopped at the drug store to pick up a couple of things and ended up buying an Easter basket and goodies to take to Mother and Dad. Then the marathon cooking began. First I made a lemon pound cake with fresh blueberries. Next was Scottish shortbread with a hint of lemon thanks to lemon zest. Then I made a double batch of maple-almond scones. I'm off now to make a double batch of chocolate chip cookies. Dad is now the chief cook and bottle washer and he knows how to prepare very plain and simple food. Goodies will thrill him as he always has loved homemade sweets. I bought a few loaves of good, chewy bread because Mother likes that. When I get to their house, I will make casseroles and other main dishes that freeze well. I'll also teach Dad how to use his crock-pot. I bought him a little crock-pot cookbook, but I imagine one came with the one we gave him for Christmas. Once he gets the hang of using it, it could become his favorite kitchen tool.

Packing will be the next chore after the cookies. I'll be gone for a week, so have a lot to pack including my laptops and assignments to grade. The weather in Tennessee will be spring-like but Blacksburg will be nippier. Today I found out that a movie I have been waiting and waiting for will be playing at the Lyric!! On Tuesday night I'll go with Dottie to see "The Last King of Scotland". I hope it's as good as "Amazing Grace" which I saw last weekend and is the best movie I have seen in a long time. I guess I'm a typical American because I always pack too much junk that I end up not needing. I always convince myself that some emergency could arise and I might need this or that. The truth is I lug a bunch of junk that I do not need. So what if I get a run in a pair of hose? I can always buy a pair which is far more sensible than packing half a dozen. Now, I'm off to find the directions Paul sent me about how to make my house livable while I am there. When he left he did a lot of shutting down which I much appreciate. I had the two-page lists of things to do on Tuesday but now I can't find it. ARGH!