Well, I'm off to Orlando, FL for the Dream Events SDV (Scrapper's Dream Vacation) tomorrow afternoon.  And while I am always nervous about traveling via plane for an event such as this, because frankly – I always leave SOMETHING I *need* at home… this time luck seems to be coming at me in many forms.

First, I've been packing all night and just was silently cursing my luck that one box had been shipped to my home by mistake.  Not the 7lb. box.  Oh no, it arrived in Orlando yesterday.  It was the 45lb. box that graced my front steps on Monday afternoon.

And then I went online to see just how much that extra piece of luggage was going to cost me…. well guess what? ZERO.  That's right.  ZERO.  Because I am booked on Jet Blue, and I booked before May 1st, 2008.  So I get the standard two bags of checked luggage that we all took for granted not so long ago.  YIPPEE!!  Little things make me happy.  And a 45lb. box of scrapbook supplies, while not little, is no longer making me kvetch.  It is packed into a 45 lb. piece of luggage now!

Speaking of packages, I am very thankful to my sponsoring manufacturers, Prima, Clearscraps and Tattered Angels, for getting everthing shipped so quickly and all over the place for me.  And to my former CTMH colleague, Sherri T. who lives in Orlando and will be a vendor at the event; and has graciously received at least one of those shipments for me.  THANK YOU!

Secondly, I am also very happy that Little C's front tooth decided to come out early this morning so that the resident Tooth Fairy helper could make sure it was properly celebrated before I hopped on a plane.

I had among my treasure box, a pretty sterling silver mirror compact that was given to me as a hostess gift several years ago, and I promptly determined it was too pretty to go in my purse.  So in the drawer it sat.  Now it has come out to be properly admired by a 7 year old girl.  I've polished it up and placed a lovely blue cameo and setting from Renaissance Art Stamps, that shows three lovely ladies (hey, they look like pretty fairies to me!)on the front.  Inside is a $2.00 bill (we have a small stash of these), sprayed with Patina Glimmer Mist.  Blue is this particular young lady's favorite color.

Third, it is looking like my travel plans will not be affected by Tropical Storm Fay.  I think it was about fifteen years ago, this very weekend, that Neil and I were living in South Florida when Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, came through and caused such massive devastation.  On his birthday no less.  So I am thankful that this storm appears to be slowing down and losing steam.  And one more thanks to Jet Blue for getting me an earlier flight out on Sunday morning so I can come home and make Neil's traditional birthday cheesecake.

It's funny, my day started out with a bit of a bummer, as I wasn't accepted for the October Ranger U.  I really wanted to go, to focus on the fabulous products by their newest licensed artist, Claudine Hellmuth.  But later in the day I realized that instead of getting just ONE day of Claudine, perhaps I could attend an event where she was teaching with those products over SEVERAL days.  True, not as inexpensive as Ranger U, but more in tune with my goals as I've already got a handle on the products that Tim Holtz and Suze Weinburg have created.  I've already found something in November.  I'm feeling a birthday trip coming on… anybody want to join me?

It's all good.  See you in Orlando.  If not, I hope to see you here when I get home next week.  SL