Good morning dear ones. The days are passing and I am completing some tasks needed to do before I leave on my great Europe adventure.

1. Pack a lot of appropriate clothes and items of convenience in small carry on size suitcase, to satisfy 5 weeks of various romantic and formal dinners, shared accommodations and walking adventure travel with a group of women.

2. Finish up last minute details for travel clients, friends and womens travel club members for trips upcoming for them

3. Keep my condo in good showing shape as it is on the market for sale

4. Enjoy this first month of my retirement from government service, letting go of almost 30 years in social service sector as a probation officer

5. Keep practicing mindfulness, gratitude, inspiration, peaceful communications and love.

6. Write, write and write.

7. Gather up my artist supplies for creative expression

8. Practice speaking Italian. Mondo facile! Grazie and Ti Amo!

I am excited about this adventure … So much I can hardly sleep. And I love to sleep! Packing lists and visualizations of the days to come are dancing in my head.

An exchange is happening between me and my clothes. “Take me, you know I am your favorite! You took that thing last trip, now it is my turn. I can squeeze up small and fit in”. I love to dress up.

I have a wonderful abundant wardrobe of some of the very best clothes gathered from designers and voyages with shopping all around the world. I am not intending to look like a tourist!

How do I want to feel? What is the journey all about? If this is the day my world changes and it is photographed, how will I be portrayed? On this epic world stage, what is my intention? Who am I with and how do I want to inspire them? Who will catch my eye and how will I feel that I showed up dressed as my authentic self? How does my authentic self dress? What to leave behind?

As with the climb of My Everest, it is a dance …. of waves …. What to take and what to leave behind? Decisions … decisions….. To give my self time to reconsider? Be inspired? Second guesses are often helpful in reducing impulsive decisions.

I have the basic formal items, dresses, and sequins all packed, one half of the small carry on suitcase. Scarves are selected and rolled, with air removed, sealed in large plastic reusable freezer bags.

Next is the dance of the shoes and hats! There was a time a few short years ago that I would fill a small carry on suitcase with just shoes! Lol. I have come home from a vacation with four hats stacked one on the other on top of my head for the flight, so none would be crushed in my luggage.

My goals are different now and I have intention to be more selective, de clutter and simplify my choices. The wardrobe options are many as I have perfected the art of shopping for dresses for probably in excess of fifty years! And my mother, a great teacher, is famous in our family for her shopping expertise. She encouraged me to dress with flare and style. She would say “humour me” and send me to the change room with items that I would have overlooked and then subsequently fell madly in love with.

Having witness to our wardrobe is a glimpse into our soul. Welcome to my world of packing and travel!

Just a few more days and I will be scribing with you of my exotic travels in the Baltic region of Europe. Where old places hold ancient and modern energy of women from the past. I will be there soon walking among them and enjoying, and to be forever influenced and inspired by their musings.

Ciao for now!

Bella Pamela
Xoxo