Not Done Yet List - Reprise

I am beginning to panic. Just so tired I need to sleep rather than pack. John has been helping by getting dinner. Also, today he bought coffee for me. Margot requested that we bring Starbucks, ground for French press. The coffee is terrible apparently. And, little epicure that she is, she took her French press with her. So I am packing mine as well and John got enough coffee for all of us.

My awesome team gave me a card for Margot and I have one from my friend Carol as well and I have them all in my travel folder. This will mean so much to her (and me).

I have to travel to the East side tomorrow afternoon for a couple of meetings, so if I get enough done in the office before I leave, I may come home a bit early and have enough energy to get everything packed. 

I've done all the tedious stuff: laundry, printing out taxi cab cards for the hotel and a few other places. Taxi cards are very useful. Because few people in China speak English and few of us who speak English speak Chinese, you copy down the name and address of the places where you want to go and simply point. The drivers will then take you there. So, I have some for our hotel, a few for the Bank of America facility where we families can go for free food (lunches and dinners) and laptop access (which we won't need because Nate and I will have ours), and in general, R&R in Beijing. Then I have one for the best place in Asia for Peking Duck that I learned about on one of Anthony Bourdain's recent shows. (Margot and I both adore him). And also a tea house which is supposed to be the best place to renew your spirit in Asia. It's in Beijing right across the street from the Confucius temple, south of Tienenman Square.

We are proud of all of our children. I'll start tonight with our oldest, Nathan, since he is going with us and has helped us with preparations and bought cool travel stuff for us. Nathan lives in San Antonio. Margot lived with he and his wife Judy for a while in DC. She was able to take care of her nephew Adam for a while after he was born. Something that initially terrified her, but became a real labor of love.
 

This spring, Nathan finished his fellowship in Hematology Oncology and he was also promoted to Major in the US Army. At the top is a photo of him (he's the one on the right!). He will be cheering Margot on and keeping track of his folks (aging parents).
 

I'm also posting a picture of my amazing daughter-in-law Judy, so talented! She sings like a Broadway star, plays the piano beautifully, and is a terrific mom! In addition, she is also a physician who interrupted her Nephrology fellowship to be a mom. She is a hospitalist at a nearby hospital. And of course, my dearest grandsons, Adam and Jack are also in the picture at the top right. Adam turned four in April and Jackie turned 3 in July. They will be cheering Auntie Margot on from Texas! Adam and Jack are both Skype stars and enjoy showing their feet up close and personal!