It would be embarrassing to admit how many hours I spent packing up for this trip. I would like to claim I was organized and efficient. That truly, I thought out every piece and item, only packing based on significance and true need. I’d love to claim I was a harsh critic and spared no personal effects feeling…. what gets to go and what has to stay. Wish I could, but…… 

At one point last night Robert walked out into the living room where I was stacking and arranging, piling, sifting and stuffing. He stopped short to gaze upon the entire bounty of suitcases and handbags, and carefully stacked “needs” and I believe his mumble was, “Jesus Rebecca, we’ll only be gone for 7 days, we don’t need to take everything in the house!”

Back off buddy ~ Oh yes we do!

I’m a pack whore. There, I admitted it. Hundred bucks for a 5 minute stuff job…I stuff real good….

I need it all. I want everything and that potentially includes the kitchen sink. Not that I plan on washing a single dish while I am away, but just in case my hand brushed across something nasty and I would need instant hand washing abilities. Those who are prepared need not worry about unexpected nastiness. Just saying…..

I need my things like I need the air around me. If I’m missing a certain notebook while we are away, my mind will instantly crave it and all writing will feel lackluster and irrelevant because I’d be forced to write in the wrong notebook. If I leave one shirt, then inevitably, that’s the one I’ll want to wear for an evening and everything else I try on will look like shit. It’s so aggravating to be 500 miles from my house and realize, damn, I soooo need that one thing. Why didn’t I pack it! So it’s just safer to pack anything that’s not firmly attached to the house. Now, if I could just figure out how to smuggle one cat and my golden retriever into the car I’d be a happy camper~

This admission either makes me compulsive obsessive, or it simply demonstrates the females natural tendency to gather what is hers, relocate and begin nesting. In my case, I’ll be nesting in a suite in Reno, Nevada. It took 4 hours strategically gathering what was blessed enough to come on the trip. 30 minutes watching Robert try to stuff it all into the car, and once we get there, a mere 15 minutes to nest up my new home away from home, candles included. Yes, candles are just as important to pack as say, underwear. Pack whoring is about meeting the needs of all the senses and body parts~

I know I’m not the only pack glutton who grabs everything not bolted down…..right my gathering lady friends?

Ok, that’s it. Time to hit the road. Let the passenger seat driving begin (Robert loves my instructions, ha) , the battle for the stereo commence (I’ve already hid a few of his worst CD’s) and may I make it out the door of this house without the need to run back inside 10 times to make sure I didn’t forget something~