Thursday, January 15, 2009

Packing Choices

When you travel by car, you have choices to make about what you can pack. Obviously, you can't take everything along, although you can bring more than if you were packing for an flight somewhere. This trip, I'm bringing my guitar and assorted paraphernalia along so I can play for some new friends at an assisted living facility in Thousand Oaks. One of the ladies there, Flo, does knitting for charity, and that's how I met her. She's a sweetheart, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again.

If I pack the guitar, though, there's really no room for my computer, since I don't have a laptop anymore. Someday I will again, but packing my computer would mean monitor, drive, CPU, keyboard—all of it. Since John will be bringing along his new laptop, I guess we'll leave the Mac behind and opt for music on this trip. 

Since we're saving money by staying in a kitchenette on base, we're packing food. The difference in the price of food between Colorado and California is shocking. Last time we bought the food in California. Big mistake. This time we're bringing it with us. Food prices here, overall, are about 60% of what they are on the coast.

Some things I can't leave home without. My special feather pillows. I get headaches if I sleep on foam. Books and audio books. Knitting bag. Writing stuff. Presents. Camera Bag. Headphones. Music. Bingo Bag. Books to donate to the Senior Center.

Poor John. I pack everything, and he loads and unloads, fitting things in so carefully. His engineering degree really comes in handy. The interior of the Tahoe resembles a geometric jigsaw puzzle by the time he gets the doors closed. 

Then we pull out and a few miles down the road I look at him and say, "Hey, honey, look at the elk! Where's the camera?" If looks could kill, I'd never make it to our destination. It's a good thing he loves me.

1 comment:

Sharon and Marvin said...

We don't nearly have as far to go as you....but can relate a little as we pack up a few weekends a month and head to NP. Dan calls us the gypsies. And like you, Marv is great about going up and down the stairs of our apt to load the car, then in and out of our house in NP. On the way back to SM we stop at the store and then up and down the stairs once again. But we love being home to see family and enjoy so much our call serving in the temple each day. So the trips are worth it.