Sunday, April 29, 2018

obsessing over packing and other distractions


My medium sized suitcase is bigger than I need and my small, carry-on size is too small. Small suitcase and backpack would be enough but no extra space if I buy stuff and want to bring it back. Small suitcase plus backpack plus shoulder/carry bag would give me more room...check small bag, carry on backpack and shoulder bag. My sister has a medium sized bag that is a bit smaller than my medium so I'm going to add it into the mix. What I want is the smallest checked bag I can get away with and carry-on backpack giving me enough room for items I may want to bring back. Volume of space is a major consideration since five of us will share the car for the first two weeks. And apparently they don't have big cars in Portugal, or even Europe. The whole world is not like Texas where the road is open and vast and things are big, even now.

And so, because we are bleeding money over this remodel/recovery and somehow that has made us think that well, hell, as long as the spending is out of control, why the fuck not, I bought two new lightweight long sleeve shirts today that aren't basic or 20 fucking years old (that's how often I wear 'nice' clothing it lasts that long) or torn or missing a button. They are still V-neck pullovers with regular sleeves which is a thing since apparently belled sleeves are now back in fashion and I didn't like them then to begin with, but they both have lace! And one of them is a light sort of mint green. The other is my comfortable gray.


Gray is not a color, my daughter tells me, when I say it's my favorite. I wear gray a lot. I don't wear white (well, yes I do have one white blouse) because I'm up front and personal with life. I wipe my hands on my pants. I get around messy stuff. I don't have the interest needed for keeping white white. I don't wear black because it was ingrained in me early, black in clothing was not allowed by my father who associated it with death, but even though I long ago outgrew that restriction, it has still been a rare choice for me. Besides, gray reflects my belief that there are no absolutes, it's all shades of gray.

So two new shirts replace two old shirts. And I got notification that the last of my ordered items, in this case the jeans, did indeed arrive in time but I must go pick them up at the store and then wash all the sizing out of all the new items.

In the not packing news department, the garden has just exploded in the last week or so, easily more than twice as big as two weeks ago, just in time for me to leave.





And I went and picked up my lamp and the two bedside tables from the antique store yesterday since she has decided to close it again because no customers and she has better things to do with her time than sit in the store two days every week.


I love this lamp with it's main bulb and three candle lights and the blue glass ornament on the pole and I'm pretty sure the onyx base lights up too because there are three switches though I haven't figured out how to open it up to change the bulb. Surely it opens so the bulb can be replaced.

And the bedside tables are so cool even though someone did paint them black. The bottom section pulls out, to provide a step up to the bed?


Now all I need is a bed to go with them.





11 comments:

  1. All beautiful! And your garden is so far ahead of mine. I finally pulled the very, very dead arugula yesterday and did a bit of desultory weeding. My best plants are volunteers that have come up in a bed that doesn't get nearly enough sun.
    You get ready for your trips the exact same way I get ready for mine. Fretting and dithering and this-ing and that-ing. It is a way to deal with the anxiety.
    That lamp is spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tomatoes! I can be there in two days! I like darker shades of shirt colors, though I can tell you for a fact, you can't see the back of your shirt if you wipe your hands there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those tops are great! I need to assess the spring/summer clothing situation now that I work outside the home...

    Is that ladybug sex? Very cool! And I love the lamp & bedside tables. We stayed in a hotel once where I could have used that step up - my feet didn't hit the floor when I sat on the bed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am with you in packing for a trip. To take or not to take, too much, too little, seat room, overhead room, etc., etc. etc. I am sure everything will go well on your trip and if there are any blips, they will make for some good stories.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That IS a great lamp. My rule with packing is to take as little as possible. The great thing about Europe is, if you don't bring something, you can always buy it (or some semblance of it) when you get here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had someone else tell me not to overpack so I'm going with the minimum especially since I will have laundry facilities available. I think the small bag and backpack will work.

      Delete
  6. Can you grow large tomatoes in a container? I didn't know and thought only cherry tomatoes. Let me know as I am going to hurry to the plant store and buy a large container.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. my tomatoes are not in a container but in one of the large raised beds. the picture is misleading as I wrapped the bottom 6" of the cage in plastic to hold in a layer of oak leaves or mulch which I never added. but you should be able to grow large tomatoes in a large container, just keep it watered and fertilized.

      Delete
  7. That garden is looking great, want to have a tomatoe. still a bit early to plany here

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would not be able to tear myself away from that squash blossom. Even for Portugal. I love grey and have multiple shades of it. Same with the white. My mother tried - without effect - to keep me pristine as a child. I find being pristine to be a major character flaw. The lamp is awesome!

    ReplyDelete

I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.