This summer has broken one record after the other – it’s been unbelievably hot for the last two months. Slowly I’m beginning to seriously look forward to lower temperatures in New Zealand… 🙂

I finished my paper on Sunday – it’s now in Chicago, with my friend Cindy, who’s proofreading the thing for me during her vacation.
Since then I’ve been domestic – my parents are gone, on a two weeks vacation in Cornwall, so my brother and I are on our own and doing household stuff in between complaining about the heat.

I won’t see my parents again until I get back from down under on October 8, which feels kind of weird. Not because of the time, but because they’re not here to see me off and to get on my nerves while I’m preparing.
I think I’ll start packing tomorrow, making a list of things and getting a feel if they can possibly fit into my backpack and handluggage-suitcase. Looking at the enormous mountain of gifts on my floor, chances are slim… *g*