Papers and balloons

Today is my day off and I planned to get all kinds of things done like packing and planning and sorting and so on. Well, it did not quite go that way.

I slept through my alarm this morning, multiple times (read: I kept turning it off without looking at the time) so I was nearly late to both the groomers and the historic society. After we dropped the dogs off we made it to the historic society to help set up for a silent auction. Unfortunately, I also had to tell them about my new job.

I am so excited about working for the foreign service but my heart just breaks telling everyone around here about it. I was so proactive in trying to meet people and get involved and now after mere months I'm already dating goodbye. The director of the society had to break my heart even more by telling me she was going to have me do research for her next book. I almost told her I would do it anyway, all the way from D.C.

These women at the historic society, the people I work with at the Cheesebarn, and the friends we've made at church have made my short time here so enjoyable. I am truly sad to be leaving but I think that's a good thing. It's better for me to be sad than to hate this place and just want to get out. But I wanted to do that research. I might still find a way....

In FS (foreign service) news, I am not having a UAB shipment anymore. I was already not going to pack out the house at this time since Scott is not moving out yet. But I was informed today that the company doing the moving will not come all the way to Ashland for my little UAB shipment. So I will be taking everything in the car and learning about UABs in the future. Oh well, it's honestly one less thing to worry about now.

Only two and a half weeks left! So crazy. Time is flying by. I am trying to organize all my paperwork today so I know where everything is when I'm asked for it. The house is so hot that I've confined everything to the kitchen table, which is tough when all my scanned documents are on the computer upstairs. But it's like Mordor up there. I'm staying in the Shire.

This weekend is also Ashland's balloon festival! We are going to try to ride a hot air balloon tonight! Should be fun, unless it's crazy hot there too in which I may reconsider getting in a small basket next to a giant flame.