Less than 48 hours until departure. My suitcases have lain open on the bedroom floor these past few days as I hurl things at them in passing . . . non-clothing items that I don’t want to forget – books, vaccination record, electrical adapters & converters, 50 Christmas cards which in my wildest fantasy I imagine writing, addressing and having ready to mail when we arrive home. (There’s a laugh for the day).

My husband, Ken, and I are taking a rather convoluted route this time which will depart from Kelowna and include plane changes in Vancouver, Toronto and Paris before arriving in Johannesburg. It also includes a change of airlines which means our luggage can not be checked all the way through and we must heave-ho it ourselves when switching.

After last night’s Grannies à Gogo steering committee meeting, I have carefully added two boxes with 100 signed calendars as Christmas gifts to our gogos. What amazing support we’ve had from our Vernon area grannies and community – we have completely covered our costs, and then some. Also in the suitcase now are 25 letters (count ’em!) from our letter-writing grannies. Yikes! That will keep me out of trouble 24/7 just hand delivering all of them. I’m looking forward to the adventure. “Salani kahle” (Zulu for goodbye, specifically to a group of people who are staying behind . . . there are different forms of ‘goodbye’ depending on singular, plural, staying or departing).