Friday Night Posted on Saturday Afternoon

I think it’s time for that “things” blog. The one about all the stuff that I don’t want and don’t need and could definitely stand to get rid of.

Right. I got to Oxford on January 12, 2009 and I had new beautiful red luggage. They were both massive weighing about 50 lbs each after I’d had my fill of them. I had a pink book bag and a black purse. I couldn’t believe how little I had. It took me 40 minutes to unpack and put everything away in my new room. It took me a very short time to pack it all up again there at the end of term.

I’ve been hopping from place to place for about a month now and I can’t believe how much stuff I have. Way too much. I’ve already sent some stuff home and now I’m on my way back to London for one night to reckon with the remaining luggage I left there. I think I’m gonna post that home too after trading out a select few tee shirts. I’m honestly thinking I’m gonna donate a lot of it to a Salvation Army or something. It’s absurd how many pairs of jeans I brought.

Speaking of pants - funny story for you:

So I’ve been in Southampton catching up with my friend Flick from Raquette Lake and today we decided to go to Brighton. I have 2 pairs of jeans and a pair of corduroy khakis. The courds I’ve had since probably my sophomore year in high school and I’m pretty surprised they’ve lasted this long. I’ve already patched them once by the back pocket. I knew Europe would be their last leg, so to speak, but I didn’t think they’d go today. Which is exactly what happened.

Flick and I were getting ready this morning and I’d commented to her about how the couds were gonna go soon so I might as well wear them till they gave. We loaded up the car. We went to the post office. We got back into the car and (not an hour after I’d commented on the limited longevity of my pants) they split. Vertically. Right down back. We couldn’t leave the parking lot right away because we were laughing so hard. I mean, I knew their time was limited but I didn’t think they’d go within the hour.

So on the one hand I’m down a pair of pants but on the other I was gonna get rid of stuff anyway. One less thing I feel tempted to ship home.

I think it’ll be awesome when I show up in France with nothing but a backpack and a book bag. They said we should pack light and by God, I’ve been lightening my load since I got here.

I have these wonderful, slightly bohemian, visions of an apartment in Boulder, Colorado that has wood floors. A kitchen table with 4 chairs. A couch and a love seat. A bed. A dresser. 2 desks. And a room with 2 kayaks, 2 snowboards, all the necessary accompanying accessories, a tent, 2 sleeping bags and 2 travel backpacks. Josh will be studying. I’ll be working. We’ll be living. I’m looking forward to making dinner for two and serving it on an old set of dishes found in his grandparent’s basement.

I’ll probably be in Holland by the time you read this. I’ve gotten in the habit of writing blogs in Word when I’ve got a nice bit of travel from here to there but haven’t got any internet. Then when I get a bit of wifi copy/paste does wonders.