I am a bad bad woman

not only because tonight I should be visiting, not blogging but because I should also be tidying and ticking things off lists (I can't do that though because I haven't done them)
In a fairly short time we are off to tangle with lions and giraffes and possibly muggers and terrorists (the first three being common occurences in Kenya and the other being recently much associated with air travel).
But there was Avebury Manor. I don't want to forget it.

It has one of those gardens that gardeny TV people talk about 'creating', where the views always lead the eye on to other views and round every corner is a new surprise. But it's also beautiful. The design actually works as well as doing all those things. It's always satisfying and delightful. It has a totally different kind of presence from the stones, intimate and charming.

I am winding up to a major rushing about session and as Frangelita plans to use our house as a birthday party venue the night after we've left I need it to look reasonable (if only so the party people know how I would like it when we get back)
We've organised dog sitting and house sitting and (Oops, haven't organised cat feeding yet) visas and insurance. I have bought items of not-bright coloured clothing.
What I haven't done is find a suitable bag. I need one which is big enough for my camera and all it's bits and pieces and also such essentials as heartburn stuff, mobile phone, purse, writing pad, handcream, passport, (Oh..suncream), anti-insect spray, tobacco.....etc.
And it has to have space for padding to protect the camera and a million little pockets to park the various lenses and do-da's in.
I thought Eldest had found it for me but regrettably, some of the essentials won't quite fit with some of the other essentials. Oh and the camera has to be near the top so I can grab it any time, but not easily accessible to thieves. There must be zippy pockets (a minimum of 6 little ones on the outside) allover and inside it and it must have a shoulder strap. And I can't manage those big flapping-over lids.
Also its dimensions have to be less than 45 x 35 x 16 cms. And not so big and awkward that I keep bumping people with it.

As if this wasn't over the top enough, I need some sort of back pack for one night stops which will carry a pair of knickers, washing gear, sleepwear (mossi-proof) and my two little pillows (for my feet and knees, the first two having a bunion and a painful instep and the other two being too heavy to lie all night on top of each other without support/protection from themselves). Into this magical backpack I must be able to cram my whole other bag. Near the top so if I see something I have to photograph urgently it's all to hand. This back pack must also be easy to protect from thieves.

It's a series of tall orders and I'm not sure if I have time to find the perfect bags.
Oh and I have to make a bean bag. I will take the tripod but there will be times when I can't get at it quickly enough. A bean bag will balance on a post or a knee or a roof and will allow me to keep the camera still enough for close-ups..I hope. I could make a bean bag easily except I haven't got a sewing machine! I've bought all the necessary bits for it but hand sewing just won't do the job tight enough...I can just see the airport security's faces when I start leaving a trail of small plastic beans across the halls.

Actually, having said I'll take the tripod, I'm not sure I can. Certainly not as hand luggage and how on earth can I get it through the baggage checks and safely out the other end?
Must borrow a sewing machine!



Ah well. Not to worry. There always is time to do the things you do get done in time and as for the others, you just do without them. It'll all come out in the wash.
(Must remember to wash all the things I want to take with me).

Update: Borrowed sewing machine from fiddle teacher (aren't fiddle teachers the most wonderful people) and in a most uncharactereistic spurt of activity, divided and sewed up a bean sausage of exactly the right texture so it was also the right size. Have to say, her machine is the most reasonable and co-operative sewing machine I have ever encoutered. when it said "the sewing computer (??) is now ready to sew" it was true. When I did the windy thing to get the threads to mysteriously appear in the right place, they did. When I put my foot on the foot pedal it started sewing...at 1/2 speed just like I told it.
I could get to like a machine like that!