W and I are going away for the weekend.
It’s our anniversary month. We celebrate the entire month of October because we have an October 1st commitment ceremony to celebrate and an October 11th wedding ceremony to celebrate. We figure we are owed that much for not being able to legally wed when we wanted to.
Early tomorrow morning, we are headed to Philadelphia, which is less than an hour away. It’s not a big trip or a far trip or a long trip, but still being away from home overnight is usually enough to make me feel anxious and out of sorts.
Plus, we are taking a train into the city and then busing and Ubering from there to wherever we need to go.
Just added to my T-shirt collection.
I like to pack a big duffle bag for a weekend away. I like options. I like my Wonder Woman chucks and my Dr. Martens. I like a T-shirt worn over a thermal shirt for walking around on a fall day. I’ll need a sweatshirt for the morning. I hate being cold. Plus, I’ll need a change of clothes for dinner. A crisp, button-down dress shirt to wear over a clean tee. At night, I can’t sleep without my fleece pajama bottoms and a fresh T-shirt. On Sunday, we’ll be attending a pride event. Do I want to go with traditional rainbow or something more cheeky? My new Hooters T-shirt or the I Love My Awesome Wife tee that makes W smile? Gosh, I need so many T-shirts. We haven’t even gotten to books–I always bring at least two–or writing paraphernalia. And ball caps. Penn State for Saturday, Steelers for Sunday and Phillies for just in case.
But that’s too much stuff to take as we traipse across the city. Saturday morning, I will wear the versatile combo of jeans and Dr. Martens (also known as standard butch uniform). I will bring a small messenger bag. I will pack lightly: underwear, socks and a T-shirt for Sunday; a toothbrush, one book, one small Moleskine notebook, one pen that fits in my pocket. I will sleep in my boxers.
I will be glad for the small load, the light burden as we go places and see things and remember what it felt like to fall in love all those years ago.
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What about you? Are you a light packer or not? And yes, I am aware of how that sounds. What can you not live without, even for one night?
The Flannel Files 
I’ve been known to pack only a backpack for a 4-day weekend. I definitely pack light. It helps that I’m pretty low maintenance. No makeup, curling irons, or other ‘foof’ – as my mother refers to such things – required.
Of course, traveling is the one situation where it helps that I’m a walking hot flash. Which means I don’t require much in the way of warm gear or layers. One pair of jammies will do me (I’ll throw them off after the first hour of wear anyway), and I’m not big on undergarments, so that saves room as well. And I generally plan to launder. I try to pick vacation rentals and hotels that have laundry on site.
You would think as a butch I’d be low maintenance, but apparently that is not the case.
I am NOT a light packer. I keep telling myself that I will learn to lug along less, but it never seems to work out that way. One thing I can’t go without, well, two – a book and reading glasses. Can’t have one without the other. Happy Anniversary to the both of you. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Nice Hooters…t-shirt. 🙂
Thanks! Yes, I always bring along a book. I like to have two, depending on my mood.
I always bring more stuff than I need usually. I also bring with me writing or reading materials as well. You just never know.
You never do know. Which is why I always lean toward over packing.
Yep me too
Happy anniversary!! We are also celebrating our anniversary Saturday. Twenty-two years! Hard to believe and instead of date with just the two of us, we’re taking the kids to dinner and a play. Go figure. Anyhoo, when it comes to packing, “Be prepared” is my motto. I have to have LOTS of options because weather is unpredictable. And so is my mood. I don’t go anywhere with less than three pairs of shoes plus my slippers. A variety of t-shirts (I never know if I’ll be in a Harry Potter mood or Star Wars or Doctor Who or even Batgirl), two pairs of jeans (straight leg to go with my sneakers or jeggins for with my boots or sandals), at least two dressier tops and a sweater (I’m always cold), three hoodies (of different weights and colors), plenty of underwear because you never know and several pairs of socks. If we’re going to the beach, add to all that at least two bathing suits, beach towel and a couple of pairs of shorts and flip flops. Other things I pack are two kindles (kindle fire and old kindle with 3G for reading outside), my computer, several notebooks, my Star Wars backpack, colored pens, pencils, two tote bags (filled with all these things), not to mention my toiletry bag which is the size of a small carry on. Oh, and my purse. Yeah, if I had to pack light…not sure if I could do it. Just knowing how little you packed makes me uncomfortable. Like packing vertigo or something. What if??? I guess the upside is that you’re not in another country and are close to home. That should give you some comfort. At least I feel better. 😉
Enjoy your adventure and embrace the lightness of your pack (and your lack of options). 😀
Never responded to this … I think I was intimidated with all of your packing needs. Hope you had a great anniversary celebration. I packed light … everything in that messenger’s bag I bring to group. I was so proud of myself!
I’m a *just in case* packer, so not light. Happy anniversary!
Thanks, Kris. Still celebrating. Melissa Etheridge concert tonight.
We’re both ‘just in case’ packers too 😀 … but we tend to go ‘into the woods’ to get away so almost all those ‘just-in-cases’ end up getting used.
Since we were headed to the city, I figured I could buy anything I forgot. Didn’t need to. I had everything I needed. So proud of myself.