Off to Paris Wednesday

I'm flipping out cause we leave for Paris on Wednesday. My biggest anxiety has nothing to do with the trip...but with my cat. She is very, very old and I hate to leave her. She has good days and bad. Sometimes I think she will live another year...other times I think she's about ready to leave me. She rarely goes upstairs anymore...she is too arthritic. She stays on the first level. I just hope she makes it through the next 2 weeks. Maybe I putting too much emotion into it. Will she even realize that I am gone if someone is here to feed her? Who knows? I think she gets lonely. When I go away...she follows me around for days after I get back. Probably sounds stupid that this is what I am concerned about. I guess it's cause I expect the rest of the trip will be great.

I have a number of restaurant recommendations from people who have been there or who live there. There are more museums, parks and historical sites than we have time for. The weekend that we are there is The 24th Annual Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). That weekend historical sites that are normally closed to the public are open. You can even visit President Sarkozy's office and the grounds of Elysée Palace. Just like stopping in the Oval Office to see GW...not that I would ever want to do that. I have too many travel guides. I have to narrow it down to one and a map. I have a moleskin specifically for Paris that I bought at the bookstore. It has street maps and lots of rooms for notes and drawings. The camera is ready. All I need to do now is pack. Someone at work asked if I was buying new clothes to take to Paris or if I was planning on buying clothes there. No and No. First....I have no desire to buy a whole new wardrobe to take this trip....primarily because it is cosing so much to go....can't afford to buy new clothes. Second....from what I understand the clothes in the boutiques were made for stick people and they are expensive. I can't imagine I will find anything in my size. But I love to window shop and if I buy anything it will be purses and shoes and beads if I manage to find a bead shop.

Mostly I think we will spend the entire week walking. In Amsterdam last year we would head out in the morning (OK...late morning for those of you who know me well) and have a destination in mind...but just stroll there and back taking detours that look inviting. And I've heard that Paris is extremely walkable. So I have to pack my walking shoes (ugly but comfortable), black jeans (which I never seem to be without...cause I have about 10 pairs) and assorted jackets and I am ready to go.

I'll post when I am back. We're back on the 19th, but I won't go back to work until the 24th YEAH!!! A few days off after the trip to recoup.