Getting ready

We are leaving tomorrow, so today was packing day. I have been thinking about it, so it didn’t seem like much of a task to get everything ready. I love that I think that every time I have to pack a suitcase. I am delusional. 🙂 But really, today was not a big deal. I had already gone through dresses to find some that fit (oooo scary, boys and girls) and had made Keith do the same with shirts. The thing I hadn’t thought to ask him was, “do your shorts fit and are they somewhere in the mess of clothes you heap on the chair in the corner?” Whoops. A load of laundry slowed things for a bit.

Then I decided to really do a good job of packing. I went through our tour schedule and decided exactly what I would like to wear each day. Then I decided what Keith would like to wear each day. Then I organized the suitcases. I put essentials in the carry-on – concert wear and several days of clothes most importantly. Our friend recently took a trip (not on Delta) and never received his suitcase during his entire 10-day trip. He has been home for 10 days and just today heard that his bag is at MSP and he can come to pick it up! If our luggage disappears, I am prepared.

I used packing cubes today. I got some a few years ago because they came with some new luggage we bought. I had heard testimonial after testimonial about how they save space in your suitcase. THAT MAKES NO SENSE. You cannot ADD something and take up less room. They do not compress your clothes. They keep your clothes in little rectangular packages that are really fun to set into your suitcase. So tidy. I have no need or interest in using them if I am going to one place (like DisneyWorld) and just unpacking, but for a trip like this – when we will be on the move almost every day – I have packing cubes organized for sections of the trip or sections of need (or hopefully not need – like OTC meds and rain gear). We just had a fun text go-between with another cornet player trying to decide whether to carry on the music stand or put it in checked luggage. I said carry-on, because it is necessary. He’s heard someone’s was taken once, because it is pointy metal and heavy, so he thought luggage. I reconsidered. He reconsidered. He said he was going to put it in carry-on. I said luggage – Amazon works in Germany and Delta can buy us a new stand if they lose ours. Luggage it is.

We each have a backpack carry-on, I have a little bag for stuff I might need on the plane, Keith has his horn, and we have two suitcases. We are only going to be gone for 18 days and we know what we are doing (except for that part after the band leaves and we are taking care of ourselves. That’s a bit…unplanned), so we know what we need. One suitcase currently weighs 24 pounds. The other one weighs 13 pounds. The backpacks might be doing more than their usual share, but they aren’t bad. Once we get there, they go into the suitcases. Oh, and we’re also taking two tubas!

I woke up the other night and thought, “How do you get two tubas to the airport? How do you get two tubas anywhere? How big are tubas actually? How much do they weigh? Is this a good idea?” Then I fell asleep. I don’t know how you get them there, because the tubas are meeting us at the airport. It is a good idea, because we get two free checked luggages each and we can help out two friends, so they don’t have to pay extra.

Alexander came for dinner. We made waffle fries with mac and cheese and brisket. It was good. It was good to see him before we leave.