with apologies to R. Barker

Tomorrow morning the family Shepard is leaving town for Maine. Hard to believe we haven’t had a proper family vacation since 2006, but it’s true. Maine beckons in all its northwoods glory. Blueberries, lobsters, rocky outcroppings, salty accents, lighthouses, the easternmost tip of the continental US, colonial farmhouse architecture, villages. Much remains on my to-do list (apply for a job, e-mail soccer team about events happening while we’re away, dash a thank-you note, register boys for summer camp, finish final load of laundry, wash dishes, empty dishwasher, take out trash and recycling). Oh, yeah, pack whole family—clothes and amusements—into foot locker and carry-ons must get done by decent hour. Just a couple things to do.

Vacation is much needed as I’m in a deep shithole of yucky stuff with my parents and a few siblings. Also, I’m still unemployed.

With a delightful backdrop of Eat, Pray, Love audio* on the car stereo, managed to do all the running around today:

~ Lunch with John. Lamb burgers with feta and hummus at Shish, followed by Wet Paint where John arranged for poster framing and I replenish the little boys’ drawing pad supply.
~ Trip to Minneapolis in pissing rain to pick up John’s new suit at tailor. We’re going to be such a sharp-looking couple. Take that, Manhattanites! Manage not to be distracted by beautiful produce at farmers market stalls (small red potatoes, baby zucchini, onions, snap peas). Realize we haven’t been to St. Paul Farmers Market in weeks and miss it. Make note to go as soon as we get home. Manage not to trip or stub toe in flip-flops as I motor down Nicollet Mall.
~ Done: Stopped mail; printed itinerary, boarding pass, and car rental confirmation
~ At Patina, found clutch for the wedding—black patent with groovy silver, square chainlink handle. Had straw clutch in mind (Maine, outdoor wedding, would enjoy future use) but short on time to find one. In pique of retail therapy, also bought dream summer purse, in white leather with very feminine pleating for slightly vintage look.
~ Returned videos—Juno and Harold and Kumar—unwatched after a week. Yes, we’re the only family still not signed up for Netflix or equivalent. I’m a browser, always have been. Same goes for books and groceries, which I buy at brick and mortar stores. Though I admit a certain weakness for buying trinkets and baubles online (etsy).
~ Toe buffing and polishing (brilliant orange) at favorite Vietnamese nail place. Who thought giving Rachael Ray an hour-long talk show was a good idea? Read last twenty pages of Hens Dancing. Look up from book to full-fledged sunshower. Marvelous!
~ Think about the important items on my packing list: books and shoes. These two items represent the most difficult decisions when it comes to travel. As to shoes, you want to look good, but if you’re going to do a lot of walking, you’ll want to be comfortable. Often aesthetics and comfort are at great odds when it comes to footwear. Also, factor in whether shoes will be worn with skirts or pants or both. One may need two or more pairs, space permitting. For this trip, I have no idea what shoes to bring. Hideous blisters on heels have had me in flip-flops all week, making me feel underdressed. Books. Well certainly you need something for the plane and something to span the time until your return flight. Maybe there’s a long car ride from the airport to your destination so you’ll need something to read aloud to the driver. Mass market mysteries are perfect for leaving in plane seat pockets if you finish in-flight or if the book is too unbearable stinky to finish. A book related to the place you’re visiting can be nice. Something literary can keep you busy for a while, especially if you like to re-read stunningly written passages. Story collections or essays serve up short pieces, ideal for short attention spans and for when you’re short on time. No hardcovers as they’re too heavy in the carry-on and too unwieldy to hold.

How will I survive this vacation without my laptop?

*reminder to self: at some point talk about why I’m an evangelist for this book