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| possibilities from a friendly quilter...just in case?? |
JUST IN CASE...to my mind means all possibilities of emergency, including multi-maybe's when traveling, thus packing assorted products to cover the random chance that any event might happen. Make sense? I've always packed, bought groceries, collected fabric and books, just in case...to be prepared for all possibilities.
To reinforce this obvious thought process, I recently observed a second style of woman's logic. I was privy to a series of business announcements at a quilter's meeting, only to hear the spokeswoman say " The September meeting will meet the last Thursday of August." No one questioned the statement. No one seemed confused. It made perfect sense....exactly like just in case.
Reinforcing this logical thinking style I heard a writing artist read her clever poem just in case. It caused my mind to wander across the multi-hat, multi-task, multi-focus paths I and all women have traveled for eons--just in case we are called upon to make life more convenient.
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| take it all--take it all! |
Third week of August, the date had been on the calendar for weeks. We decided to meet the kids (big and little) in the New Mexico mountains.
Preprep first involved food for a week, buying veggies and fruit, snack foods, G's muffins and more. It involved a Saturday of cooking--soup, chicken and rice, taco meat, peach cobbler and organizing assorted fresh and frozen breakfast, lunch and snackies. I felt like the local grocer, chef and I were loading for our departure. Oh, I forgot to mention spices, paper goods, trash bags and more...just in case.
Next came the packing of things I might want to use. I had to finish "Kate's quilt", so perle #8 and hand threads, darners, needle threaders and measuring tape were packed. Book favorites, Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott, Thunder and Lighting by Natalie Goldberg and sorted new issues of Bella Quilt, American Patchwork and Quilts, Poets and Writer magazines unread. I "needed" my writing notebook, mini computer and the larger one too. My son-in-law (computer pro) is meeting us and I have computer questions. And is a trip possible without necessary office scissors, tape, paper clips?...just in case.
Organization of carefully considered clothing included my umbrella, walking shoes and fleece (even if it is 100 degrees as I pack) and a mirage of other emergency possibilities--short and long sleeves, capri and long pants and one choice of dressy...just in case.
And modern technology included a zip case of additional emergency considerations. Charge cords, batteries, screen cleaners, camera and an extra memory card, just in case. Oh, the home telephone book, some note cards and stamps and a few "surprise" gifts for Michael and Kate. ...just in case.
And the departure time. G says "I don't want to drive when it is hot." My brain says "I don't want to get up before daylight to avoid that possibility." Well...he won and we were out of our driveway by 6:30 a.m., which meant I had a five a.m. alarm. I knew all the possibilities must be pre-ordered.
Extreme early mornings are painful for me, so the organization had to fall the day before departure. I created a plan. First, pack G's truck with luggage inside...just in case of rain, then ice chests to the pickup bed, stuffed with pork tenderloin, frozen salmon filet, farm fresh veggies and organic carrots for the cabin. Next organize the hard cooked eggs, avocado, fresh cherries, raw almonds, peanut butter sandwiches-- the car food and just in case, water and energy bars. Oh, and fresh coffee in mugs. It is 6:30 a.m.
The next nine hours we moved 80 miles an hour down Interstate 10 then took a turn through the desert of Texas, the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains and finally into the cool, beautiful pine and spruce trees located at 8000 feet elevation. "Is it really 100 degrees at home?" "Please grab that fleece jacket for me, then I'll help unload the car." "Hungry?, "Yeah, the soup is still frozen in the ice chest, but I'll microwave it. Be ready shortly." Did you bring my walking shoes?" "Think they are in the black bag." and on it went...just in case.
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| maybe we forgot...does it really matter? |
Random thoughts, random needs, random wants...but one never knows...just in case.
'til next time,
Alice
Consider a favorite read and I promise, laugh 'til you drop. I checked a library copy of the Erma Bombeck treasury of four books --Four of a Kind. What a talent--Bombeck wrote as if she wore our shoes. She saw life as we see it --daily!!
And a favorite scripture: II Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God." --let us always remember
