I have not dropped off the earth since my last entry.

I've just been bogged down.

Granddaughter Abbie got bitten by a dog, their own dog as a matter of fact, and has stitches and bruises in various parts of her face. Fortunately, the plastic surgeon who was consulted does not anticipate serious scarring.

We're preparing to pack up our lives into our 31-foot RV to move onto the next stage of our journey. Practically everyone we either haven't seen this summer or need to see one more time wants to see us and every night we either have company, or are company.

I took photos of all my mother's musical instruments for insurance and estate purposes (oh, I may have forgotten to mention to those who don't know, I'm a photographer) a couple days ago (should have done weeks ago) and it took many hours today to download, sort, edit, package and print them. And I haven't even transferred them to CD yet.

Yesterday we borrowed a car from our son so that early today we could take our truck for service and have a way home. Later we went back for the truck, and I picked up Abbie from daycare, and went to pick up our son who was stranded at their house since we had his car, and we all went out to dinner. Then we had to go back up to his house to get the big trailer hitch thing we need in the truck to hook up the RV for travel. Then I dropped my husband off to play a last poker game with the guys and I came home and finished my mom's pictures up. Except for the CD.

I think I'm catching a cold. Must be the obligatory pre-IM cold... I'm very familiar with the obligatory pre-marathon cold, but didn't know the same law applied to IM. Anyway, I'm snorting Zicam every 3 hours and taking Vitamin C.

I haven't done any training since my long run on... what day was it, Saturday? So that means I haven't swam or biked or run for 3 days. Oh, well. Invariably such a break has helped me rather than hindered.

I need to mat, sign, frame and package some photos to go to the local artisans' gallery for hopeful sale during the next months while we're gone. This is not strictly a wait-till-the-last minute procrastination. There are only certain dates 3 times a year when work can be submitted, and it's rare that I'm in the area on the right date. It's not something I could have done last month (although I suppose I could have gotten them ready anyway and then had it out of the way.) I am really gratified that nearly everything I have submitted there has been accepted and sold. Not for much, I'm not big-time, but it's a little pin money here and there. And an ego boost... every now and then someone likes my work well enough to buy a piece.

I'm glad my training is essentially over. I don't know when I'd have had time to continue it. After all the preparations are over and we're actually on the road, things will ease up. We'll be at Fort Frederick, MD for a few days (there's a nice paved bike/hike path there, don't know how long it is), and then on MD's Eastern Shore for the next couple weeks will after ChesapeakeMan.

I am really tired. The last couple days have sapped me.