Today I am contemplating packing for our grand tour of the East Coast (contemplating y’all, not actually DOING, that is what 3am Saturday is for, sheesh). I have done this trip every summer for 25 years or so, minus that one year when I was 19 and for some stupid reason thought painting houses to make money was way more important than sitting on a beach (note to 19-year-old-self, the jeans you spent that money on never, ever fit right. You should have gone to the beach.). But yet, every year I get the packing part wrong.
Generally, I end up packing for a trip to southern Florida rather than the breezy New England coast line. There is the infamous year that I packed ten tank tops, two pair of shorts and three bathing suits. Not a sweatshirt in the suitcase, which I deeply regretted when the evening temps dipped into the 40′s. Or the year that I forgot my raincoat and it rained. Every day. One would think after 25 years I would have this down to a science, but earlier this summer I once again packed for the vacation that wasn’t, so clearly I am a slow learner.
But I fooled myself, you see. A few years ago, I wrote this. A packing list. Complete with information on exactly which pair of sweatpants to bring (too bad I seem to have lost them). Thank you 2007 self, from the bottom of my 2009 heart. I am pre-packing my pillows in the back of the car as soon as I post this.
Heh. And I thought my blog was only going to be helpful to the kids’ psychiatrists when they’re older. I’ll have to start including items such as packing lists.
Packing lists are great. But, no matter how well you plan for a vacation at the beach there is always something you miss. Especially packing for the Atlantic.
Have a great time! (I could use a sweatshirt now–and don’t know which of the 7 suitcases it’s in. Only 2 of which are with me. Sigh.)
This year I found a previous packing list for my ND trip. Very handy indeed! Of course, it had things like diapers, wipes, stroller, and so on … which THANKFULLY I don’t need anymore!