November 7, 2016
Busy packing, as suitcase shows.
Uh-oh. Bullet-point lists usual help in any situation, right? So here goes:
• clothes
[Why is it I can't ever just pack the 5 pieces of clothing I wear every single day and be done with it? Shirt, jeans, boots. Somehow, I'm always afraid of some missing possibility: beach party, donkey ride, nightclub, wedding, etc.. Still thinking.]
• books
[A thing of the past—NOT! But when traveling, I can now cram 12 onto my computer tablet, including a couple of audiobooks. None of which I will get to, because we'll be incredibly busy and at the end of the day, I hope to be sending blog dispatches before we go to bed]
• shoes
[Right: we'll be there about 10 days. Is 10 pairs too many? Need them for walking in the city, dressing up, going to the beach, hiking the Israel Trail, chutzpah boots, etc. Still thinking....]
• laptop
[My teddybear! I never leave home without it, plus a handful of flashdrives]
• presents for friends in Israel
[Hmm--what can I bring from home in North Carolina that they can't find in Israel? Well, there's grits of course. Blackstrap molasses. Also maybe pickled okra. How about beef jerky? It's the thought that counts]
• sense of joy
[Already packed! Cannot wait to get there!]
— Diana C. Stoll