I left for a 10 day trip through Europe on Sept. 20, 2001. I was pretty nervous about traveling so soon after 9/11, and had serious "whatif-itis". Well, I had a great trip, very relaxing, and really enjoyed myself. But, when I got home, I found that a small tornado (in Northern Virginia!!) hit a tree in my backyard, knocking down the tree & taking the fence & part of the deck with it (almost hit the house), and I heard from some neighbors that two of my other neighbors' cars were TOTALED by a freak accident in our townhouse parking lot (big SUV jumped the median while parking and ran up & over opposite parked cars). So, while I was so worried about Europe, I could have stayed home and had my house hit by a fallen tree, and my car totaled (and it would have been the good car, since I drive the old one to the airport--in case it gets broken into or stolen in the lot). <BR>Sorry for the long story--the point is that crazy things can happen here at home, so you should just go on your vacation, leave someone with your itinerary and a key to your house, and have a good time.

Now that I know some of your stories, I see whatif-itis is quite common. Thanks for the stories again. LOL, my brain chemicals are fine, I am normal the rest of the time, really. If only those men in the white coats would quit following me....<BR><BR>

Nearly everybody forgets something, or has something happen that he/she wouldn't have wished for. Try to keep it from being a big one - that's the best you can do. On the trip from which we just returned, we remembered to take passports, plane tickets, money, maps and carsick pills. We did forget the bag with 4 kids' worth of underpants and socks in it: that's 24 underpants and 48 socks which were in the middle of the hall to greet us when we walked in the door last Saturday. The kids were in hysterics. And shopping for underpants in Istanbul was fun, too.<BR>But the serious fears can be allayed, as Capo & Nancy suggest, by thinking of terrible but unlikely things that can happen at home. So if Italy is on strike - at least you'll BE there! Remember, you'll be in Italy, and not somewhere where trouble could reasonably be expected.

"pitch a hissy", Elvira? Where did that one come from? I have never heard it before but you make it perfectly clear - love it!

Patsy,<BR>Those men in white coats are only following you to make sure you get everything ready for your trip!<BR><BR>Jenviolin,<BR>when I was growing up <BR>it was called "pitching a hissy fit"<BR>God knows where it comes from. :-)