I'm Packing and with stuff all over the bed ...
Packing is one of those chores, like unloading the dishwasher, that I hate. I ALWAYS take too much, even if I am just going somewhere overnight. Life long fault. I remember once ,years ago, I was packing for Hawaii and must have had three bags lined up, one for each week I would be gone. My photographer at the Desert Sun Newspaper , a great gal named Lynn Ryder, came over, took one look at the suitcases and said, " Okay, eliminate two of the three. You'll have a washer and dryer, you will want to buy clothes.... now repack!" and I did, and she was right.
This time, this trip to PS, I don't want to be doing laundry - -although since I have been known to toss in a load almost daily will no doubt succumb to the washer and dryer -- but, once again, I know I have packed too much. Long pants, short pants, long sleeves, short sleeves, bathing suits, coverups -- you'd think I was going to be there a month. And in the back of my mind, I do harbor thoughts of next year and of me going for a month -- almost cheaper to rent a place for a month than for a week or two.
I found a great site on the web, you might want to jot this down for your future vacations. VRBO and then the city or area you want. These are all vacation rentals by owners and you deal directly with them, and it has been a really pleasant experience ( so far!) dealing with my individual condo owner. There were a ton of places to chose from, from Palm Springs all the way to Indio. I settled on PS even though my son Tod lives in La Quinta. I thought it might be fun to stay back downtown and be able to walk to places to eat or shop. Now, I haven't lived in Palm Springs in a long time... I spent the five years before I moved here living in La Quinta and most of my friends have settled out at that end of the Coachella Valley now, too.
Speaking of that site, VRBO, my cousin David in Minn. reports he also used them and got a condo in San Diego through that site and his experience was pretty good.
I'm going to be in a two bedroom, two bath, which is a waste of a bedroom and a bath. I thought maybe one of my kids from this area would like to come down for a weekend, but they are all busy.. Lee jetting off to New York for the Edgar Award meetings, Karen to San Diego for a trial she is busy being the lawyer, Linda just plain busy.......... maybe my friend Lori who lives in Palm Desert will come and stay overnight one night. That would be fun. A grown up slumber party.
I haven't checked the weather yet, but son Tod tells me be prepared for HOT.. yee gads. Here when it is 75 I have the ac on. What will I do in over 100? Stay indoors or in the pool, I assume.
I'm packing books to read by the pool --- that one that is one the bestseller list, " Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella... a mystery by Harley Jane Kozak ( she's a friend of my son Lee's and I like her books a lot - - easy reading and no gory murders to scare me).. and then the book, " Water for Elephants" about life in a circus... I know, I'm probably the last person to get that book, been on best seller lists forever. Sounds like a nice assortment, doesn't it?
Okay, time to go give my attention back to the packing. Now, who the heck is going to lift my suitcase up to the back of my Honda CRV? I can never lift it. Last time I had to haul a suitcase in that car ,had to get one of the waiters here to help me load up. Guess I will have to do that on Sunday morning, too. That trying to get a suitcase in that back of a CRV is a real bitch of a thing to do --- that would hold me back from ever buying that model again... that and the fact it is the most uncomfortable car on the road!
Hope some of you are in LA and will go get books signed by my four kids at the LA Times Festival of Books -- look for Linda Woods and Karen Dinino at the Borders booth, Tod Goldberg and Lee Goldberg in a booth right near that, and then check the programs for when Tod is speaking or leading a panel.
~Jan
Recent Comments