I'd so much rather write a little blog entry than pack, let me tell you. The floor of my room is covered with clothes, toiletries, plastic bags, jackets etc. Gotta pack for two climates: Delhi (like NYC fall, according to MN) and the Hudson Valley of New York (not so like NYC fall anymore).

There are three separate wedding events, all of which require different types of clothing. I've decided to bring a few of everything and wing it... Besides, I'm planning to wear a sari to the wedding reception. I'll have to learn how to bhangra dance -- "pet the kitty and twist the lightbulb," says Ms. AHL -- with all this fabric on me. A welcome challenge...

GG the cat is sticking right by my side, all day long. The second I pulled down the suitcase, she knew. It breaks my heart to leave her, but I know she'll be fine.

I'm a little nervous about being out of regular contact with my mom, dad and brother. It'll be the first time since Morgan died that I can't just hit speed dial to talk with them. It's healthy, I know -- moving forward and all -- but now there's always a "what if" dangling somewhere in the background. At the same time, once the worst thing that can happen does happen, you learn that all that worrying does you no good. So this is Morgan's gift to me: a renewed sense of wonder at the the beauty AND the challenges of life, a commitment to seizing opportunities and living in the moment -- warts and all. (Thanks, Morgie Porgie. I miss you so much.)

Back to packing...