Like many of you, I'll be heading to Raleigh in a few days.
I do love love love Bouchercon
I'll be arriving on Wednesday and I'll be working at the Registration Desk from 3-5, so those of you who are coming in that day, please drop by and say "Hey!" But no - Harley Barley the Wonder Corgi will not be with me.
He and Donald will be staying in Boone those few days leaving me free to play the role of "Fan Girl" which I do so well without embarrassing the two of them.
I've been discussing packing at Facebook. There are definitely two camps on this packing thing.
Some of us start packing weeks in advance while others can calmly toss things into their suitcase the day before and be all set.
I'm one who starts packing in advance. One, because I'm excited about the trip and it's my way of enjoying part of the journey. Two, because I'm also a person who cannot plan what to wear ahead of time. Not for the life of me can I do that. I can't even get dressed to go out to lunch easily. I will stand in front of a closet for a long time. I will look at what's there. I might try on pants and a shirt, only to take them off and try on a dress. You get the idea.
This means there are a lot of things in that suitcase.
A lot of things that won't get worn. Won't even get a second glance during the "oh, what shall I wear" pondering I go through while standing in front of that closet.
I keep things somewhat under control by sticking to my standby traveling color palette of black, white and red, so our bed tends to look like this while I'm packing
Lots of things go into the suitcase, but as time gets closer, a lot of things come back out.
They have to come back out 'cause I have to make room for make-up, underwear, jammies, boots, shoes, scarves, shawls and jewelry - oh my!
And when did electronics and chargers of all those electronics become a part of packing. A major part!
And I have to remember to put my camera around my neck. It's unusual, really, for me to go anywhere (even the grocery store, believe it or not) without my camera. But, it would be this one trip that it would get left behind. Kinda like that trip Donald I took and realized when we were almost there that the hanging bag of clothes was still hanging on a door back in Boone . . . (shopping emergencies can be huge fun).
And I'm really determined to stick with one suitcase this trip. Just one.
Okay, so it's a big one.
I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, the books I'm taking with me to have signed by some of my favorite authors just might end up in a bag of their own.
Decisions! Argh!
And all this is why I am SO happy to be driving this time. Because, truth be told, I can take all the suitcases I want full of whatever I feel the urge to take AND all the books I want. heh heh heh.
But.
No.
I won't do that.
I'm going to be very practical and very sensible about it all.
I am.
Really.
But now, just this week, I learned of a little kink in my plans.
sigh
I don't know if any of you remember my friend Sissyfriss Sockmonkey or not. I used to write about her along with her wild little running mate, LouLou Skiptoo until their shenanigans got to be a bit too scandalous for Meanderings and Muses.
Well, LouLou has checked herself into rehab after coming to the realization that her life was a disaster and she needed help.
Sissyfriss is missing LouLou something fierce and has decided she wants to travel to Raleigh with me.
Personally, I think she needs to be right where LouLou is, but she refuses to listen.
I have extracted a promise from her that she will behave herself. I have promised her that I will not be coming up with bail money again if she breaks her word.
So now - LordAMercy, I have to go help this crazy little monkey pack HER suitcase . . .
See you in Raleigh!!
But I want to know about you guys and how you handle packing. If you're going to be gone for 4 days, do you pack for 4 days and stick to it, or do you pack for unexpected contingencies and just changing your mind? Do you pack way ahead of time, or the night before the trip? Tell it, Reds!
AND - who's going to be there?!!
