We are going to Scotland today. I am really excited but have to get past the packing bit and the five hour drive to gin ‘o clock before I can relax.
On Wednesday night I declared that I was going to make a lasagne for tea on Thursday so that I could get on and get organised for our trip. This news was met with titters from The Husband who said that it wouldn’t take long to pack. Hello? In his world we will open the boot of the car shove a few bits and bobs in and away we go.
Cue to my world …
We may only be going away for three nights but I still had;
- Washing and ironing to do on Thursday night
- Clothes to pack for myself and two children
- The 5 year old’s blanket and the 4 year old’s Lulu
- The dog’s stuff; Lead, bowls, food, poo bags
- A packed lunch for the car journey
- A separate bag for everyone’s swimming stuff on Saturday
- Easter eggs for Sunday including small eggs for garden egg hunt
- Snacks and drinks for the weekend
- Alcohol … lots
- Baby wipes for any possible type of messy emergency
- Wellies, walking boots and shoes
- Coats, hoodies and several variations of outerwear for possible snow
- A bag of books and toys for the kids
- Roald Dahl collection on CD for the car
- A Diet Coke drip to get me to Scotland
- Pillows and sleeping bags
Have I forgotten anything?
His world;
- Some clothes
- A coat
- A toothbrush
- Midget Gems for the journey
- Some CDs
- Shoes
- Wine clinking in the boot of the car
I do believe it will take The Husband 10 minutes to pack his own stuff.
I am not allowed to pack for him anymore after our holiday to France three years ago where I packed everything but his shoes.
He has to spend two drizzly weeks wearing sandals.
22 Comments on "A five hour drive to gin ‘o clock …"
I am packing this week for us to go to Scotland on Saturday. We are going for 6 nights and it’s a 12hr drive (7 in the car!). I have made an excel spreadsheet to help organise myself. It’s so sad!! Subsequently your list seems very familiar.
Oh my god. would make sure you pack some valium too.
My husband similarly packs the car and seems to think he deserves a bafta for it.
btw what time is gin o ‘ clock?
My mother has the last word on what time gin’o'clock is: ‘the sun is always over the yard arm somewhere in the world’.
Works for me…
That works for me too!
I’m with Sally Who’s the Mummy on this – definitely a last minute packer. Role division in our household is very clear – I organise hols and define exactly WHAT to pack (management), hubby does all the actual packing (labour), including the cursing and sitting on suitcases. I definitely recommend it – not only do I not have to get my hands dirty, but I can also blame hubby if things are forgotten. Perfect.
I think I’m too much of a control freak to do that. Although it sounds perfect!
The children would end up with one sock between them for a week
Division of labour. I pack the bags, he packs the car. It’s the sort of geometric exercise that he enjoys. Like Tetris in 3D.
How was the journey? Hope it went well….
One takes far longer than the other though!
The journey was OK, kids were fairly well behaved
I would join in with this, but my husband’s actually quite a good packer.
I think you should get him to write a guide
i love that men think everything is so easy? I’d love to inhabit their world for a bit
Me too, would be a nice break
As a full-fledged traitor to my gender, I only ever pack the morning we go away. Or, if it’s long-haul, I might start the evening before. At a push.
Of course, I did once arrive in Canada in the middle of a heat wave with a case full of sweaters (I packed while drunk).
I always figure so long as you’ve got passports, wallets and a credit card, everything else is just something else to carry home again.
When my husband packs he always forgets something vital. Last time we went away he only forgot the flaming travel cot!!
We had to detour and buy a new one. Grrrr.
I’m a kitchen sink packer. I have to start a day in advance then gradually unpack until we have just, ever so slightly, too much.
Have fun with your easter egg rolling shenanigans.
xx
Okay…so what did he do without shoes? How bohemian! As for your list….you forgot earplugs for when the backseat arguing goes into melt down…oh and when him in the drivers seat starts accusing you of misreading the map when it was him that took the wrong turn…oh sorry that’s my list!!!!
I am still waiting for He-man to come out of the bathroom 1.5 hours later so we can hit the road and join you. Argh
I would never trust my husband to pack. We’d possibly arrive with the midget gems, but little else.
Bon voyage! Hope the use of wet wipes is minimal xx
Wet wipes were minimal due to me banning chocolate in the car … until The Husband bought a tray of Chocolate fingers on the return journey
I packed for the family to go to nothumberland for the weekend about a month ago. It’s usually Kerry’s job as she is far more organized than me.
It took me all day. All day.
I think you should have a word with my husband. Alternatively I’ll disappear for a few hours next time it’s ‘packing time’
Such fun Laura! They don’t know they’re born do they!! Have a great time. We’re visitng Edinburgh in the summer so let me know how you get on!!