Less Ambiguity

"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage." ~  Mark Russell 

Today we received some positive signs that we really are going to be embarking on the Viking Star come January 10th. Viking sent us an email with a voucher, directing us to Luggage Forward, a service that will come to our humble abode and take two 50 lb. suitcases. Our things will be waiting for us in our cabin once we're onboard. 

How lovely! It's a nice little perk we didn't have in 2018 when we traveled around the world with Princess. And how delicious to be able to stroll through the airport with just our carry-on's. 

Well, that's the theory. 

Clearly, Viking has higher hopes for me than I do. Do they really expect me to pack enough clothes, shoes, rain gear, extra storage bins, hangers, magnets, trekking poles, backpacks, collapsible laundry hamper, and all the assorted odds and ends that make life comfortable for 122 days in just one 50 lb. bag? 

And as for carry-on's...a large portion of ours will be gobbled up with my extra purse-sized Portable Oxygen Concentrator (Perival--Percy for short), all our assorted power cords, chargers, spare batteries (which weigh a ton!), two computers and their power cords, prescription medication for four months along with OTC stuff for possible sniffles, headaches, or boo-boo's, a small amount of jewelry...oh! and if there's room a pair of jammies for the hotel the night before we embark.  

But somehow, we'll get it all sorted. Packing is rather like a 3-D puzzle with pieces that smoosh and squoosh into position. I can play that game. And I've promised the DH we will NOT be taking as many pieces of luggage as we did in 2018. Then we had four large suitcases, a medium-sized roller-bag, two rolling carry-on's, the DH's backpack, and Herkimer (my bigger POC) in his rolling cart. And my poor DH had to wrangle pretty much all of it.  

(This was taken just before we left in 2018. It makes me a little sad to see it, because we have since lost Mack, our beloved terrier. He lived to be 15 before he had to leave us last year right around Thanksgiving time. Once on a walk, he charged two (!) pit bulls and put them both on the run before he ran out of the length of his zipline leash. He thought he was protecting us. Heart of a lion, that one. I still miss him everyday.)

 

In the 18th and 19th centuries, manor houses had an entire room dedicated to old furniture, trunks, and portmanteaus. It was called the "lumber room." We have our own version. It was called the DH's office. Now it's our staging area for gathering up all the things we intend to pack. We're both making lists, because if I don't see it written down and checked off once it's actually packed, I'll fret until I get to LA over whether or not I've forgotten something. Here's the chaos that will we shortly have to muscle into order.

Luggage Forward will be at our door ready to whisk away our two 50 lb suitcases on December 21st.

Let the Packing Games begin...