A momentary pause

...In the hectic week leading up to Frankfurt, so I'm taking a minute for me. Actually, I'm taking more than that, since I'm leaving work early tonight (for this week, at least. Any other week, it would be "leaving on time") and heading down to the gym for my NIA class. Will hope to go again on Thursday, with the other days in the week before I leave devoted to laundry, me prep, and packing.

This past weekend, as well as being a veritable cornucopia of family, included two shopping trips to various malls in the tristate area, with delightful success. New suit, new sweater, new jeans, new dress, new tank tops, new fishnets, all ready to go to Europe!

And newly svelte ktbuffy, as I'm down another 4 pounds. Lost a total of 29.6 so far, which was nicely remarked upon by the various family members, in their inimitable ways.

Besides all the work yet to do (I fuss, but it's entirely doable), I have to decide what books I want to bring with me. I'm still only halfway through Specials by Scott Westerfeld, since my Labor Day flight, but I don't want to bring that, since I'm trying to keep it to books I can leave lying around wherever I finish them, and don't have to worry about bringing back home again. The list so far, yet to be whittled down:

• Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
• Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes
• The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice
• Imperium by Robert Harris
• Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Plus my Rough Guide to Prague. Which is way too much! Help!