It seems like forever. Actually, it was 6 months ago. How slowly time passes.
I have a swimsuit, which I look ridiculous in. But who’s going to notice 🙂
I managed to dredge up a (clean) beach towel.
Since I’m going with two other friends, that means I have to have pajamas or something like them. I won’t wear them to sleep, but I’ll put them on in the morning. We will each have our own bedroom.
Note to self: Among the T-shirts, don’t bring anything black. (And a huge majority of my T-shirts are black.) Black absorbs heat.
I can’t find my really comfortable shorts. I’ll buy some when I get there. Too bad they don’t have a Target on this island. (I don’t do Walmart–or K-Mart for that matter.)
My grocery shopping is done. My plan is to cook exactly one meal–steaks on July 4th, with grilled asparagus, and whatever else. And I’ll make popovers one morning.
St. George Island is only 80 miles from here. It takes about 2 hours though, because you can only get there on little roads where you can’t go fast. Not to mention one very scary road where the Gulf is more or less lapping at your tires. So you would think that a place 2 hours from your house would not lead to excessive planning. Well, that depends on how obsessive-compulsive you are.
I will worry until the last minute about what I forgot to bring. This morning I had a moment of extreme panic because I thought I had lost my “list”. You know, the All Important List. And the two friends I’m going with will have forgotten some things too. So we will have to stop along the way many times for gas, salt and pepper, and lip balm. In other words, it will take us 4 hours.
I will only stop worrying when I am actually in the car and whatever I forgot won’t matter any more. Then the only thing I have to fear after that is crossing the 4-mile bridge onto the island. My only phobia, but it’s better as long as someone else is driving. Especially if she is driving a honking big Ford Expedition, instead of a little baby Toyota. We went once, when she was driving a Ford F-150, and she was literally fighting for control of the truck as we crossed the bridge. If I’d been driving the baby Toyota, there is no doubt in my mind I would have been blown off. I was trying to think of how I would explain that to my boss. See, the reason I can’t come to work today is that the wind was blowing really hard.
But have no doubt–I will have a good time. As soon as I quit worrying. We’ll see ospreys, and pelicans, herons and egrets. And I have a lot of books to take 🙂
Fakename2's Weblog 
Phyllis, when I go on a vacation, About 10 minutes before the car is coming to take me to the airport, I grab my suitcase and pack it. Never worry because if I forgot something, I will get it at the destination. I also pack real light….except for surfboards which I don’t skimp.\Jeff
Phyllis, I just left an extremely long comment, but my internet disconnected when I tried to send it to you. Hope you have a wonderful vacation! Loved hearing about your readers from around the world. Can you message me a book club list update? Also, I would love to have a long list of your favorite books, that you have read over the year. BARB
Well, Jeff, two things going on here. I have to remember more, because I can’t afford to buy it whenever I get there. Second, you clearly aren’t as OCD as me 🙂
My boss travels a lot…two or three times a week, I think, and you develop a whole strategy about that. He has a sort of emergency bag packed at all times.
Barb…it is so great to see you. But you have given me a hard task! I’ll try!
Enjoy! Lots of folks are turning the 4th into a 5-day long weekend. Not me…. Too hot for a vacation. And I don’t care for beaches. Maybe Vegas in December. Maybe upstate NY (Aridondacks) in September.
I love going to the beach on occasion,although that “lying out in the sun” activity no longer appeals to me in the least. I don’t care if I have a tan, and even if I did, it’s just a complete waste of time. But I like the view, the birds, the food…i.e., the incidentals. You would definitely not have enjoyed our first night–due to a miscommunication between the owner and his HVAC guy, we had no AC the first night. It was kind of a casualty of Tropical Storm Debby. But they came on the morning of July 4th (!) and fixed it!
Oh no. A beach holiday without AC is not my idea of fun at all. Glad it came back on. Love St George, one of my favorite Fl getaways. Hope the rest of your time was fun.