Final Count Down. Saturday/ Sunday

Saturday was a back breaking packing day. It is amazing the crap you collect over 9 1/2 years. I must have taken down 5 overstuffed bags of trash. I was becoming very upset about saying goodbye to my Denby dinner set. To put this in context, over the 6 months prior to moving in with my first boyfriend when I was 18, I scrimped and saved every week to buy that set, one piece at a time. Its also kind of pretty and very practical. Then I came across a diary that I'd written the first summer I'd spent in America when I was 21 (after breaking up with that boyfriend an dismantling that apartment). I'd written how funny it was that I'd gone through such angst leaving my old apartment (56 Dean Street) and how little all of that 'stuff' meant to me only 6 months later. Heck, I could hardly remember what I'd had. That was it the Denby plates came out of the car pile and hit the storage pile:)
At lunch time I met Willie and Jerry at Precious. Willie had got a cell phone for me in Cozumel so I have a phone for the Mexican leg of the journey which will also be my permanent phone in Cozumel. Saturday evening Jose's girlfriend Steff had invited me for dinner to an all you can eat Sushi place - Jeff came too. It was nice and the food was awesome. Jeff and I had a final beer at Zack's afterwards.
Sunday was much the same except for a break, at lunch time, I went to Katherine and Fernando's son's First Birthday party in a park in Paramus. It was a lovely day. Jose an Steph came along too. The sun was shining but there was no humidity. They'd ordered a clown for the kids. I have to say she was a bit miserable - luckily (and to my surprise) this seemed to go right over the heads of the kids, who loved it. Even Fernando Jr. was mesmirized with the bright colors.Katherine about to cut the cake with Fernando Jr.
Fernando helping the kids with the pinada.
After the picnic I came home and did another few hours of packing.
That night I went to dinner with Carey. Carey always gives the best gifts. She got me a cute book and best of all some small pots of Burt's Bees products, including 3 hand creams which will be great for the journey. I had two glasses of wine which took the sting out of saying goodbye to Carey. She's been a really good friend for all of the time I've been in New York (a definite keeper!). Carey says she's coming to stay soon - possibly over Christmas which would be great.
When I came home I found a man rifling through my trash. I tolf him wait there and ran up and got him my old stereo, lamp and some other odds and ends (save me another trip to the thrift store!