and, we're off!

• departure time: 5 am Sunday (approximately!), after dropping the dogs off at the sitter's house.
• destination: Northwestern Illinois (approximately 28 hours of solid driving) to visit my parents, then south-central Wisconsin, to hang out in 80 acres of pine woods with Tom's extended family for the annual "Family Gathering" where much relaxing and eating (maybe some target shooting) will ensue.
• taking with: plenty of snacks and Diet Mountain Dew for the drive; three new library books (one on movie costume design, two novels); at least two or three of my journals and all the journaling supplies I can carry; a counted cross-stitch project; the camera and rechargeable batteries; plenty of mosquito repellant (!); and warm clothes, just in case; and whatever else I think of between now and tomorrow morning.
• back in about a week!!