THE ART OF PACKING

Happy Friday!

Nice to know that my particular brand of temporary insanity has kindred spirits out there.  I wish I had a giant parakeet to travel with me.

The plan is that I will move something down each time I drive home now.  There are 7 weekend trips home (including today's) until my 8th and final trip.

I have concerns.  The amount of available space in a Ford Aspire is certainly at issue.

Weight and gas use is another.  You know I am looking forward to the patio and yard, being a garden nut.  Randy has a strawberry pot that has nothing living in it, even weeds.  So as I sat in sanctuary on that patio and saw that... I knew where it would go and what would go in it.  I love these pots!  They come in a great variety of shapes.  I have two of my own that I fill with things that "trail" out of the pockets.

I knew as soon as I spied his, that mine would flank it in a tidy row across the end of the patio.  I saw them in my head in full bloom.  So yesterday when I was packing the car, one of the first things I put in there was the smaller of the two of my big strawberry pots.

As soon as I lifted it and waddled toward the car I began to think of how much more gas I'd be using to haul it... full... with me.  But once a thing is in my head, I don't let go.

The next thing to load was my antique bin table.  It's a nice pine double bin table.  One of the things that my mother gave to me.  It no longer has its bins... those were gone before she found it covered in icky beige paint in a St. Vincet DePaul's thrift shop when I was little.  She refinished it down to the wood.  When I was young it was more blond.  Now its a lovely amber that fits its age.  

I said to max... no problem, the legs come off.  The first three did, but one stubbornly refused to be removed without possible damage to the connection.

What would I do without Murphy's Law to challenge my thinker toy?

Then I get outside with the table and max holding it and realize something not good at all.  When Just did the work on my car, there was a key issue.  The key had snapped off part way in the ignition and some helpful person had locked me out.  This required getting into the car through the hatch.  Just removed the hatch lock.  Now one must climb inside the car to open the hatch.  So as max stood there... holding a one legged table...I climbed into the back seat and fiddled with the lock until I popped it open.

I had no doubt that I could fit the table in minus the legs, but that stubborn limb called for creative angling.  Eventually we figured it out after several failed attempts and managed to get it in at an odd angle.

At this point the art of packing took over.  I have things up the wazoo.  My car became a puzzle box and my things became candidates for unique spaces left open by the odd angle of the table.  A great deal of trial and error later, it was packed with this and that.

The big question then became would the hatch shut?

Murphy must have been looking away at that moment because it closed successfully BEFORE I was ready for it... leading me to believe that Murphy looked back in the nick of time.

Sheesh!

The remainder of packing required wedging things in through the inverted triangular space behind the passenger seat when you flip the seat forward.

I can tell you this... a round table with non-removable legs and square boxes can fit through triangular holes!  Especially after lubricating with a few bloody marys... if you grit your teeth tight and push.

Finished at last, I stood back to view my efforts... and pant a few moments.  It occurred to me then that if the only way I can release the hatch latch is from the inside that there might be some trouble unloading.

Crap.

There was only one thing to do.  Have another bloody mary before falling exhausted into bed... and leave that problem for Randy to puzzle out.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  If you know Shife... don't forget to stop in and wish him a happy 40th b-day Saturday... you can find him right there on my list at Confessions of a Dumb White Guy.

I have only these suggestions left;

Be safe.

Be with someone who makes you happy.

Enjoy!