Dear Crabby,
We are going on a vacation next week and I need to figure out how to pack. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Sincerely, Ned Newtravel
Dear Mr. Newtravel,
Traveling has never really been my strong suit. I have no problem with the actual traveling part, but the preparation has always been difficult. I remember one of the first trips Mrs. Crabby and I took together when we were first married. She started fretting and stressing over getting ready for the trip weeks in advance. I had no idea what she was so concerned about. I usually threw some things in a bag about 5 minutes before we left and headed out. She started talking about laundry that needed to be done,
then about how she had to go shopping for new stuff she would be needing for the trip, then about making lists to remember all the stuff she wanted to take with us. I figured this was all fine and dandy as long as she was ready to go when I was. But sure as rain on your day off, she was not! The day of our scheduled departure had arrived and I told her were were rolling out at high noon. Around 11:30 I grabbed a few changes of clothes and my shaving kit and tossed them in the car. I looked around a quick second for anything else I might need and then went to load the better half’s bag. When I walked into our bedroom, I saw several bags partially packed on our bed and Mrs. Crabby marching around reading a list off to me. She was asking things like, “Will we need our umbrellas? What about sleeping bags? Have you thought about what we will do for food yet?” I about lost my composure right then and there. I somehow managed to remain calm and said, “Dear, I am leaving in 10 minutes and you need to be in that car when I pull out.” She ignored me and continued on her path as if I wasn’t even there. We finally made it out to the car, with kitchen sink in tow, at about 4pm that day. We ended up sitting in rush hour traffic and eating dinner at some truck stop instead of my favorite restaurant. The next morning when we got up I couldn’t find my toothbrush anywhere – I guess I forgot to pack it. When I got dressed for the day, I only had shorts and short-sleeve shirts, and it was cold and rainy out. Mrs. Crabby had thought of all those possibilities and had packed herself a nice warm outfit and had all her toiletries with her too. As the vacation went on, there were a few more items that I had forgotten, but that the missus had thought of and remembered to bring. I guess after doing this routine a few dozen times together, I finally learned to take more time in my planning and be more prepared. I suggest you learn from my mistakes and take some time to plan and don’t pick on those that already do.
Sincerely, Dear Crabby
Stuck in a rut? Need some advice? Contact Dear Crabby at DearCrabby@RochesterMedia.com
About Dear Crabby