Well, friends, I am in my usual quasi-frantic packing/organizing mode as we prepare to fly out to Wisconsin on Wednesday for a 5-day trip. We will leave our house and our Yorkies in Sarah and Gage’s capable hands.
but at the advanced age of sixty-three, I think I should be better at packing. I mean, how stressful can it be? We have no galas, no TV appearances, no meetings with heads of state, no soirees, no grand balls. We are talking jeans. And sweatpants. And casualness galore.
We are talking about quaint buildings on County Roads.
And cows.
And men with earplugs stuck in their nostrils.
And hen houses.
And cheese curds.
And hay-less hayrides where you BYOC. (Bring your own chair.)
In other words, what we are talking about is a simple, low-key vacation. But not for me! I am managing to complicate it.
Do I really need 62 shirts for a 5-day trip? Probably not. But who knows what kind of “shirt mood” I might be in on any given day? The struggle is real.
I pre-pack, and then pack, and then re-pack and then ponder and then prepack, pack, and re-pack all over again. And Steve? He gets up the morning of the flight, throws a few things in a suitcase, and is good to go. Sigh.
that is almost amusing by this point is finding my laptop sleeve, which I got for free many years ago on Facebook. Although it didn’t cost anything it did come with a hidden feature that the seller neglected to mention. It can only be found when it’s not needed.
Throughout all my non-traveling months, when I am cleaning house or straightening closets, I’ll come across the sleeve. Just sitting there. In plain sight. I’ll grab it and put it in a certain spot so I know I can find it the next time I pack.
And when packing time arrives? I can’t find the sleeve anywhere. Sarah and Gage can attest to this phenomenon because, in the past, when they arrived to watch the dogs, I put them to work looking for it, too.
So here I am. Two days from take off and no sleeve.
The next time I find it, I am going to nail it to a wall in our living room and have spotlights installed to shine on it 24 hours a day so it can’t escape. I am done with losing that sleeve!
I write about packing, I really am not complaining. Even though packing isn’t my favorite thing, it is a necessary prelude to the joy of spending time with people I love. They don’t care what I am wearing. They only care that we are all together one more time.
Since my siblings and I are all in, or near, our sixties, it sometimes occurs to me that we never know which reunion might be the last one with everyone present. None of us is a spring chicken anymore; indeed, we have all advanced with arthritic alacrity into autumn chicken territory.
My siblings and I share over sixty years of memories and stories, and our small original circle has expanded to include in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. (And even a few second cousins twice removed.)
we’ve had new chapters written by the spouses of two nephews and our daughter; they are bringing their own stories to their newly acquired family.
We are so grateful to see the younger generation arrive on the scene; they are the ones who will carry the family into the future when my siblings and I are gone.
there is always a time for the generations to gather for prayer. Heads bowed, hearts full, grateful for the years we’ve had–also knowing that the years ahead won’t always hold the same people present that very moment. And that makes the time all the more precious.
Family reunions are a patchwork of all the people telling all the stories from all the years. Some of the stories have been told and retold and burnished with each re-telling. Some stories are new, from recent days and months. But they are all an integral part of being together.
Two years have been way too long to go without hearing those stories, without seeing the land and people I love.
My heart is ready for the gathering of the clan.
What about you?
What is your favorite thing about being with family? What is your least favorite thing?
Is there anything you tend to lose, just when you really need it?
Where is your favorite place to travel that makes you feel at home?
Do you like cheese curds? If so, do you have a favorite flavor? (Steve’s is dill.)
Are you one of those amazing people who can travel for a 3 weeks with just a carryon? (I am in awe.)
Packing hack: store the laptop sleeve inside your suitcase! Then you will always have it! Or be like me and store it there and still look everywhere for it just to be surprised when you open your suitcase and find it right inside! 🤣🤣
Well, I guess this Viking fan can continue to correspond with the Packer fan – if you aren’t one, then to all those Packer fans you will be visiting. Loved all the pictures especially where you are all joined together in prayer. Outside of pictures of babies and kids, that is one of the most cherished pictures we can see. Have a blessed and enjoyable time!
Sharyn,
Yes, I guess Vikings and Packer folks can still be friends!
Babies, kids, and prayer. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Ooohhh!! I do love cheese curds!! Any flavor will do!! And I love to travel, especially by air. However, the 3 Oz. rule is tricky for me. We just went to Vegas for 5 days with only a backpack each. Now that was a challenge!!
Family time is the best! We usually play games and get everyone involved. So much fun!
Have a wonderful time! I’ll look forward to your photos. 😊
LeeAnne,
A backpack each? I can’t even. You deserve an award.
Yes, family time is the best time.
Story telling, and the laughter & memories they bring are my favorite thing about being with family…I’ve never tried cheese curds, maybe one day…When you find your laptop sleeve, maybe store it IN your suitcase. That’s what I do with my curling iron sleeve – if not, I could probably never find it. I hope you have a wonderful reunion and I look forward to all the pictures to come!
Sue Ellen,
Good idea to store the sleeve in my suitcase. It still hasn’t turned up; I’m quite curious as to where it might have landed. It will be a joyous reunion, for sure. 🙂
I would have pictured you as a totally organized packer. I belong to the “I’m tired of trying to figure this packing out for the fifth time in one day so I’ll just throw it all in and hope for the best” packing crowd. Have a wonderful trip!
Angela,
That is very kind of you to picture me as organized. I am in many areas, but packing is not one of them! And I usually get to the point you do–throw it all in there and figure it out at some later point.
It’s worked all these years for us, right?
I love to travel! I will take any opportunity to get to pack a suitcase. I’m a huge over-packer and believe very much that 62 shirts sounds completely reasonable for a five-day trip.
I love the chaos, camaraderie, and carefree nature of family get-togethers. As an only child, I was blessed to marry into a huge family. My husband is one of four and we have grown to over 30 since I’ve been in the family. Almost all of the grandchildren are married and have children of their own. It’s wonderful! it’s just hard to get all of us together. We live in 5 states.
The one thing I can never find when it’s time to go is my passport. I always put it in a very safe place, so safe that even I can’t find it. I panic the days building up to a trip frantically searching for the “safe“ place where I put my passport. After I used it the last time, I put it in my husband‘s nightstand drawer. He saw it in there and thought the housekeeper must’ve put it there by mistake and promptly put it back in mine. When I went to get it, it was missing…again!
It’s a good that I always locate it a few days before we travel, or I would have been tearing the house apart trying to find it. As I was typing this, I went and looked, and it is indeed waiting, in my nightstand drawer, for my trip in October.
I hope you and Steve have a fabulous trip! I’m sure the weather is delightful up there. Wisconsin is a beautiful state. I’ll be looking forward to pictures and stories when you return
I’d steer clear of that fellow with the earplugs in his nose. Clearly a nut. 🤭
Lisa,
Oh, how nice to know there’s another 62-shirter in the world.
Perfect alliteration on chaos, camaraderie, and carefree nature and a perfect description of a family reunion!
What a blessing to marry into a big family although I’m sure the gatherings are a little complicated with all the travel.
I put a post it note by our kitchen door, “Passports.” Don’t want to walk out without them!
Ellen,
Yes, good advice. If he happens to be lurking around this year’s gathering I’ll give him a wide berth.
Becky, I hope you have the most wonderful, cup-filling trip! That feeling of “is this the last time we’ll all be together?” sometimes makes me frantic to soak it all in, and I hope you are able to enjoy it without urgency or fear. Wisconsin holds a special place in my heart too, as is the place I met my husband. Enjoy the cheese curds!
I started storing the things I mainly use while traveling IN my suitcase. Now when I go to pack, all those little things that I used to run around the house searching for are already there! It has made packing so much easier. I am indeed one of those people who travels for weeks with just a carry-on, but I definitely push the boundaries of the size of my “personal item.” Even for work trips, I will shamelessly re-wear items that I have washed in the sink. After having my luggage lost at least 5 times, it’s just not worth the hassle to me.
Anyhow, have the very best time!
Robin,
Five times is a lot of times to have your luggage lost! No wonder you have mastered the carry-on.
And I love your idea of storing necessary thing in your luggage. That’s where my pc sleeve is going–as soon as I find it!
And a trip is definitely a great time to repeat outfits, even it does require the sink washing routine!
Glad Wisconsin holds a special place for you, too.
Oooo – I’m looking forward to your photos from Wisconsin! I hope you have a great visit with your family. 🙂
I’m definitely the carry-on-only-for-2-3-weeks traveler. I pack mix/match clothing, and am strategic about what I take. I plan out specific outfits in advance (taking photos as I go and adding them to an album on my phone so I remember), and pack them. I also often take older clothing to pitch or donate along the way, to make room for newly purchased items – especially if we’re in London where I shop at my favorite stores. I use compression ziplock bags for dirty clothes.
For longer trips, I build in 2-3 hours one day for laundry. 🙂
Stefanie,
I like the idea of compressions bags for dirty clothes. I’ve heard they can wrinkle clothes sometimes but dirty laundry? Who cares? Save that space!
Also, your idea of taking pictures of your outfits and saving them for reference is great; no more trying to remember what goes with what
I am in awe that you are carry-on traveler. It is a goal of my life to be one of those someday.