I’ve spent all week running through what I need to pack.  I can pack for a business trip with the best of them, but for a construction trip?  Should I get special steel toed shoes?  What about donations to Habitat to take with me?  How much suitcase do I really need?

I started with the shoes.  After looking around, I learned all kinds of things about steel toed shoes – like you can now get them in pink and they don’t have to be boots.  They can be almost sandal like.  I also decided against them.  We’ll be building a cinderblock house, but I’ve spent enough time around build sites in my life to know how to keep my feet out of the way.   So now, tennis shoes.  The ones I have are old and I have some newer ones that are better for my feet.  But the new ones are hot pink and difficult for me to wear to work.  Not that I should be wearing any kind of tennis shoe to work, but hot pink?  This is only a concern because I’m considering leaving my construction clothing in Romania for Habitat to donate to people who need it.  So, do I leave my shoes?  How attached to them am I exactly?  Jeans…I’ve been losing weight so my old ones are big enough on me that they look really funny all cinched up.  No loss there to leave them…

Donations… I found some very cute “magic towels” that are all vacuumed up to be small.  They’re about the size of a washcloth when opened up.  A friend from Romania told me everyone over there loves all things “American” so I dug out some Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a couple Cinderella ones to take.  I’ve got a lot of clothing I could donate too… how much to take with me?  I still don’t know.

I DO know that I cannot take only a carry on with me as I originally planned.  Ryan got it out for me and I opened it up this morning to take a look.  No way.  I’d end up having to expand it, which would then mean I’d have to check it, so why bother?  I dug out the next size up, one I found in Hawaii, and I think that one will be just fine.  I’m also bringing along a duffel bag that squashes up into a bag.  This will give me something to put souvenirs into for on the way back.  Who knows, maybe I’ll find something super awesome in the duty free that I can’t resist!  I’ll need a place to put it!  I also found a cute backpack that doesn’t look too dumb when I wear it on my front to take on the plane to hold my kindle, my embroidery, and whatever else I end up carting along with me.

So I have my lists, and I’m doing laundry.  I’ve been to several stores to pick up all the odds and ends I think I may need.  People are going to get a kick out of things I’m sure.  I have an emergency kit that is just shy of a full fledged first aid kit, including a knee brace and every stomach medicine known to man – including antibiotics from my doctor that should clear up any gastro-intestinal issues except for Giardia.  Since that’s a parasite, there’s no surprise on that front.  Bandaids, blister care, sunblock, super glue, flashlight… it’s more than a little nutty, even to me, but I keep thinking, “what if…?”

And even though it’s only about 12:30 PM, I’m going to go pour myself a glass of wine and start putting things together so I have time to remember everything I have forgotten before heading to the airport tomorrow afternoon.