The bear necessities

Reader, I stepped on SoD this morning with trepidation.  I feel so bloated I fear I may pop like Violet Beauregard.  My period is a week late.  My best guess - with a little help from Dr Google - is that it's the perimenopause.  It's early for me - about 8 years before my mum had it.  But as this seems to be a condition no-one talks about, it's difficult to say; I do however have sleeplessness, anxiety and forgetfulness which are all symptoms.  Mind you, they're also symptoms of life, so hey.

But I lost 3lbs!  My best loss for - well, ages.  I was pretty damn good tbh with 2 exemplary starve days (helped by such a crazily busy day at work on Monday that I wouldn't have had time to eat anyway).  Note to self: big work thing at the same time as preparing for a holiday is inordinately stressful.  Actually, the work was less stressful than the packing!  But given a missing, presumed absent period and definite water retention/bloating (my stomach feels huge and I couldn't get my ring off), I feared the worst.  But got the best.  How lovely.  It takes me to a half pound shy of 2stone.  Tantalising and frustrating but I'm being philosophical.  I also know that I'll put on half a stone + over the holiday, even being careful, so it will be a while before I'm back here.  But I'll deal with that post-holiday.

Yesterday P looked and found out that the temperatures for 12 days of our stay will be from mid teens to mid twenties.  Except for our 4 days in the mountain where it's currently -5.  Gulp.  Quite aside from the fact that I'm concerned the bears will have - sensibly - hibernated, I only have a light waterproof jacket and a fleece top and cotton trousers for a day's bear watching.  And we go out at 6.30am each day.  It was far too late to do much about this other than buy a couple of thermal tops and a pair of thermal tights.  Let's hope that the layers thing is not myth and folklore.

So, most of my nervous energy is now focussed on trying to remember to pack everything and fretting about whether I'll be warm enough.  And with that, I need to go and pack more.  Does anyone enjoy packing?  Surely it's not possible.  Even if I fit everything in, I worry I'll be told off for it weighing too much.  We're travelling Premium Economy so get an additional 3kg.  Although we still had to pay almost £180 extra to book our seats together.  Grr.

Right, time and suitcase wait for no woman.  See you in 3 weeks.