Three more days. Three more working days until my vacation. Three more days until Rangey and I will take our trip home. Home to Austria. (Well, at least my home, Rangey’s home will have to wait for another time!) Nervously following the news regarding the Corona virus situation, fearing I would have to cancel everything again. But now, three days before getting into my car and driving the roughly 1000 km to my first stop, Vienna, I actually can breathe more easily and believe that it’s actually going to happen. I’m fully vaccinated, after all, so I do have an advantage to the unvaccinated stupids. (And rightly so!)
After two years, it will be my first time back and I’m so looking forward to meeting everyone, to stock up on my most essential groceries, to enjoy good food … and to just be home.
Of course, I have been planning my trip for weeks … alright, I admit it, it’s more like months. Since I had to book the cat hotel for my cat’s vacation stay at the beginning of the year. Followed by calculating and budgeting my expected costs and starting my endless lists. Time table, grocery shopping list, wardrobe list, packing list, cat feeding schedule, To Do lists for the last two weeks … and the closer the date comes, the busier I got. So much to do, so much to think of. But to me that’s all part of the fun. And I enjoy the preparations at least as much as the actual journey.
I got the little gifts to bring back to my family and friends, Rangey has received his usual pre-vacation check-up, is shining like new and filled to the brink with fresh Diesel. My balcony plants have either been thrown out or are getting an automatic watering system installed. In the hope that this actually works and they will survive this one Austria week. Well,lucky me that I could harvest my pot potatoes (twoless plants to take care of) and my tomatoes are on their last toes as well. Ready to be picked and the plants discarded in the next couple of days. Sadly,my green beans won’t survive the ant invasion anyway. So, my balcony garden: done! The last laundry: done! Apartment cleaning: done! Fridge and freezer are more or less empty, ready for my return and all those wonderful groceries I will bring back from Austria. Starting with meat, cheese, bacon … ending with pastries, pumpkin oil, Austrian apples and my favourite lettuce “Grazer Krauthäuptel”. (Which I still hope will keep growing in my balcony raised bed for me to enjoy in a few weeks!)
All that’s basically left now is packing! (Usually a thing of 10 minutes, since I just have to follow my list and know what to take! Ohhh … I’m so bloody organized and efficient!) And ME! Getting hair and nails done is the perfect start of my holidays!
I do dread the upcoming dropping-off of my darling cat, though! After all, we spent the past one and a half years, since I’ve had him, together day in day out. My consolation? At a whopping 15,50€ per day at a nice “Suite” with winter garden, I hope he will enjoy his vacation as well. Experiencing new surroundings and views. And of course, I will pack his cuddly cat bed, blankets, his favourite pillow he currently likes to lie on when I’m working and his favourite mouse toys to be surrounded by familiar things.
Well, that’s it for now! In just a few days I will start up my MacBook in Austria … doing, what I love to do above all. (Apart from shopping …) Sitting in a typical Viennese café, writing. I can’t wait!
ABOUT EVERYTHING AND NOTHING 
Wow, wish you a wonderful vacation. A vacation is a pleasure even before it starts, and a pleasure long after it’s gone. I am intrigued how you install an automatic watering system for your plant. That will be nice for a lazy person like me. LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 😁. I’ve discovered the best way is to use a watering rope after all … to be cut into the individual lengths you need. Put one end into the earth and one end in a large bin of water …
LikeLike