And so it begins...

So the countdown is on!  We leave for Japan on the 26th.  Our flight is super early so technically we have to packed and ready Monday night.  Now begins the insanity...

Not really.... Buuut for those of you who know me well, I start getting slightly OCD before trips.  Today I made David clean out the fridge for weird leftovers. Cuz if we haven't eaten them by now...who knows what they used to be.  And I made him promise not to keep anything unless he's really gonna eat it. The boy will save like two spoons of rice for pete's sake. And then never eat it.

Yesterday we went to the Greensboro Historical Museum (yes they have one). Didn't really go thru the museum but skipped ahead to the gift shop.  In my Frommer's Japan book it says you need little gifts for people who help you out.  And that they should be relevant to where you're from or that they like candy. So why did we end up at the Museum? #1 half of the stuff we found elsewhere was probably made in Japan or China so that was a no go. #2 does a Japanese person even know where North Carolina is, nevermind Greensboro?  Honestly, every time someone overseas asks me where I'm from it doesn't really matter unless you say NY or CA. But still a "historical" place seemed the most likely to have NC stuff.  I told David we should just lie and buy NYC stuff at the Newark Airport.  But instead we got some really lame Greensboro postcards (so sad really, I should send them out to my FL friends) and some pins.  David and I imagine that tour guides and hotel staff have a room solely dedicated to cheap Americana collectables.

And then I have sectioned off a part of my closet for shirts I intend to pack. Um..yeah maybe I do have a shopping problem.  Sheesh!  I count at least 20 shirts I want to bring.  Luckily they aren't large or bulky so I will make them fit.  Now for the next week I'll wear the stuff in my closet that hasn't seen the light of day in who knows how long.  And I know what you're thinking, that I can just do laundry next weekend. No, b/c my lovely husband will procrastinate until then and will want to do large loads of laundry.  I will just sneak a few things in with his.  Oh, and I have counted my socks.  Sounds lame but when you need enough for 2 weeks, you had better make sure.

Now it's time to make the ultimate packing list...