Packing Heat.

OK, I'm finished re-packing the kids' suitcases (to add warmth, baby. Gloves, hats, sweaters).

The carry-on bags are nearly packed, too.

Kelly and Nate each have their favourite baby blanket that goes with them everywhere. Skip weaned himself off of his on this last trip to Victoria, so his backpack has room for Ender's Shadow, two Asterix books, his PSP, a case full of games for said PSP, and his "Journal du France" for Social Studies. All 3 kids have a change of clothes (so we're not snookered if the luggage goes to Timbuktu), and Nate and Kelly have a few fave stuffed animals for puppet shows on the plane.

My carry-on?

Oh, you want to know what's in it? Well, this is the bag that I may or may not have alluded to in a previous entry when I let slip that I might have had a little Yarn Accident at the Beehive Wool Shop in Victoria when I was under so much Passport Acquisition Stress. I checked it yesterday for the trip from Seattle to San Fran, but it's actually WAY smaller than an actual carry-on bag. I thought "hey, I'll go modest", and started putting bare minimal essentials into it this evening.

Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe I have discovered The Tardis. I swear, that thing just opens its hungry mouth and swallows up stuff, and it NEVER gets bigger.

I have inside my carry-on (which is NOT even 3/4 full), a complete change of clothes, a pair of running shoes, a bag of turkey jerky (I wonder if that's even something I can import into France. Hmm. We'll find out tomorrow), exercise books for Kelly and Nate to play "school" on the plane, and practice their cursive writing, a 64 pack of unopened crayola goodness, my big fluffy pink scarf, the game "Pickomino", a rather hefty novel (paperback - I'm not COMPLETELY insane), a fold-out map of the south of France, the charger for my camera battery pack, two packs of wet-ones wipes, a pair of gloves, and a stuffed penguin.

Oh yeah, and I might have a *bit* of knitting in there, too.

Like...

1. A 3/4 complete red wool sock for Ken. This one will NOT be felted, as it's made out of Superwash.
2. The yarn to make a second sock for Ken. I figure I'm less likely to get Second Sock Syndrome at 35000 feet.
3. A skein of Inca Silk (Alpaca and Silk) to make a scarf for my Dubai sister-in-law who is currently miserable and freezing in the south of France, and can't get warm at all.
4. A skein of Golden Crown Suri Alpaca lace-weight. This stuff is like gossamer down, and the deepest blood red. I have to make up something wonderful and lacy to make with it. Maybe I will be inspired in Amsterdam.
5. A skein of Fleece Artist Sea Silk, with a half-completed shawl trailing out of it (my going-to-Seattle knitting)
6. A skein of Handmaiden Angel Hair, with which to make "wisp"
7. 2 Skeins of Lorna's Laces sock yarn. Hey, if I finish Ken's socks before we hit Europe, I'll be able to cast on for another pair.
8. A skein of California yarn (Alchemy-Synchronicity) and a skein of Canadian yarn (Fleece Artist Tara) for a woman in Marseille who gave me a map of ALL of Marseille's (and environs) knitting stores. I hope I can connect with her.
9. A few pairs of BAMBOO circular needles. I'm hoping they don't set off any x-ray alarms.

I *did* have my set of Beatrice interchangeable needles in the case, and Ken nearly died laughing. "While one pair of needles makes you look like a knit-nerd, having something like THAT is going to send up so many red flags, they won't know what to do with you. Put. That. In. Your. Checked. Suitcase. Right. Now!"

I dunno. As I was putting my bamboo circulars into the carry-on, I thought "You know, this would work as a very efficient garrote."

Sheesh, I need to go to sleep. My mind is wandering into all sorts of bad places.

And the automatic light-switch just turned the lights off in the living room, so I know that that's set up and working right for the trip.

My list for tomorrow is shorter now. Almost do-able.

I think I'll save my Complete Nervous Breakdown for another day, and go knit for a while.