The Countdown

Exactly four weeks from today we shall board a plane in Minneapolis to begin the journey of a year in the UK. This is such a hectic time that I doubt I'll be posting much:

• I'm just today wrapping up grading final exams and posting grades
• I have a stack of papers to read and evaluate for the Couch Award
• I have two book chapters of my own to write, and a book to edit
• Our house is not yet sold (yikes!) and there is much to pack and prepare
• I'm vacating my Decorah apartment this weekend
• I have to change to a new office on campus next week, and also...
• ...Prepare not to be in the office for a year, leaving it to my replacement.
• Oh, and we have to pack our bags for the trip!

So, there are a few things on the plate. But our excitement is building and we are very much looking forward to the adventure.

The college just bought a new car for the Nottingham program -- a Toyota Auris (the European version of the Corolla) -- which will be ours to drive around Britain for the year. I just got my "International Driver's License" (which is quite a joke -- it simply shows I have a DL in my own country, which I still need to carry with me -- no knowledge of driving on the left or reading European road signs required!).

In my zeal to pack things, I have managed to misplace some of the things we actually need. One item was found neatly inserted in a box. Others I've not yet located. Chaos is contagious. More later.