A Practice Run...

First of all, we should all be very afraid that the blog-o-sphere has been made accessible to the likes of me by the good people at gmail.  Yes, if I can successfully blog with my limited technological intelligence it probably means that Toby will be next, and who knows what HE wants to share with the world...but that is neither here nor there...

Our adventure began last Sunday with a practice run for leaving the country with a six day trip to Punta Mita, Mexico.  We all had a fabulous time playing on the beach, and Georgia passed many a happy hour using her nature guide and identifying the various birds and giant iguanas that frequented our patio.  We are now home for less than 48 hours to tie up all the loose ends, say our last goodbyes, and pack the 57 stuffed animals that didn't get shipped but that we simply cannot live without for the next nine months. 

We will leave Sunday for the next leg of our adventure - One week in London and Paris and then on to Dubai. It was incredibly hard to say goodbye to our beloved doggies - our human friends we can skype with - but we've tried to skype with Toby, but we're talking about an animal who can't find his water dish on a regular basis.  He just turns in circles looking befuddled and then goes to get his security duck.  And our sweet old lady Chloe is breaking our hearts - we hope she stays well and healthy until Christmas! 

The house in Dubai is completely furnished and awaiting our arrival; the kids are enrolled in The American School of Dubai and we have their (very modest) uniforms, the dogs have been shipped off with Roger (the best dog hiker/sitter in the world), and our worldly posessions are currently en route and should arrive shortly.  In London we've already signed up for the Harry Potter Tour (I'm bracing for the disappointment when Hermione isn't ACUTUALLY there), and will be staying at Mews House in Knightsbridge (really, I don't know anything about London accomodations, but I thought it sounded very quaint and British, so I booked it).  We're going to take the Eurostar to Paris for a few days, and then back to London where we'll eventually fly to Dubai.