News from the home front

• Packing today -- much of the kitchen is now boxed up. We're also working on the packing list to keep the US Customs guys happy once our container hits Long Beach. We are color coded and numbered -- totally organized -- just shy of bar coding everything.

• Our real estate agent says that we're on track for closing this week. He's trying to schedule for Thursday afternoon.

• The fire alarm went off again this morning -- but at 8 a.m. it wasn't too painful. The repair guy came an hour later and it hasn't gone off since then. Fixed?

• It's looking like the cheapest way off the island will be on American Airlines -- partnering with JAL. American is one of the carriers that we don't have air miles with. So now, as of this afternoon, we are proud members of the AAdvantage program.