The time is almost nigh...

Well, it's T-Minus 53 hours until I get on that plane and head for the UK.  Excited? You bet!  Terrified?  Oh, totally.  I'm heading off for the first leg of my trip all by myself, and I am reasonably certain I will avoid disaster ably enough, but it's always a little daunting to get from Point A to Point B in a foreign country.  Even if the country is England and I've traveled alone there many times.  Traveling solo is awesome, but it's still a little scary for someone like me who tends to prefer safety in numbers.

First stop is Manchester, where the bulk of what this trip is really about will take place.  I have my appointment set up and ready to go with the curators at the Manchester Galleries, and there is a decent chance I may get to look at a few other things while I'm there, aside from the chemise gown.  Specifically, I want to analyze one of the stays they have in their collection that is contemporary to the chemise gown.  Based on the description, I'm hoping its one of the lightly boned stays that were supposedly worn beneath the chemise a la reine, but we shall see. 

My reading has fallen behind, sadly, owing to a number of distractions in the last month or so.  I'm hoping to get caught up somewhat on the flight, having perfected the art of skimming pretty well.  I cannot wait for the day to come where I can once again read for pleasure, not just info.  :P

Anyway, there is so much to get done in the next two days, and as usual, I am having a hard time focusing on it all.  All of my lists have sub-lists!  And it still feels like I'm going to forget something vital!