Where did Mary Poppins get that bag?

So I realize that I am writing things a bit in reverse….I now see that you really have to keep up with these blogs or you fall amazingly behind! But I have to dedicate a few words to the packing experience.

I am my grandmother’s granddaughter (my mother’s mother) without a doubt. Now, maybe she would dispute this…but my guess is a lot of my family would know what I am talking about. We are both outspoken, adventurous, determined, a little controlling, absolutely type A, wonderful women. I did not however, get my grandmother’s ability to pack lightly. So sad considering my addiction to moving and travel.

I used to watch my grandmother pack for two week trips in a carry-on. Her travel clothes were always black and white so everything matched. She had the most amazing travel case for all her make-up…she had everything you could dream of needing and more. I remember my cousin and I were on a night train in Italy with her when we were 15 and she pulled out this little spray of rosewater to freshen our dry faces. Rosewater?! Who carries rosewater? I have always tried to emulate her by having band-aids, safety-pin, a lint roller, etc. with me at all times. I want to be the one can pull what anyone might be looking from her bag and hand it over to the surprised recipient. I do pretty well, but unlike my grandmother, it usually looks like I have everything but the kitchen sink with me.

You would have thought that considering I have changed addresses 10 times in 10 years (three of those being cross country moves) I would have learned to reduce. No. I now have two households worth of stuff. One sitting nicely packed in my mother’s garage, the other integrated into a lovely friend’s new digs in Manhattan.

I hate brown boxes. My cat hates them too. Boxes and suitcases. He knows what packing means – and it is never good in his opinion. I think of myself as organized and neat, not a pack rat at all, so where does all the stuff come from? I knew I was in trouble when I actually developed the talent to predict if my suitcase was over 50 lbs. I am good…frequently it would weigh in at 48 or 49, sometimes even 49.5. I can feel my grandmother shudder from here.

I was determined to pack light for this trip. I needed to be able to carry everything on my back. Well, it all will be going on my back. All 42 lbs. of it.