The Packing-of-the-Car Process

I came home yesterday and it started...the road trip packing. This is a production that I normally stay away from. In fact, I have been known to stay later at work before leaving for a road trip simply because I can't be around the packing-of-the-car process.

There are several reasons, but the number one reason is because Justin has A.D.D. and the way that he packs simply boggles my mind and frustrates me. There is no rhyme or reason to the gathering of items process. No list on paper. Just a mental list in his head that he goes over and over again, in random order, until all things are gathered up.

He is also, what I like to call a MacGyver-Doomsday-Packer. He doesn't worry about clothes or toiletries, I am in charge of those. He doesn't care if he only has 2 pairs of underwear for a 7 day trip (we can always buy that). But he cares if we have our phone chargers, the random game for his PSP, drinks for the car are all there and the sky will fall down if we forgot any of those items. And oh my, if we are bringing the pugs...it is all about their toys, chew bones, snacks, etc. He is obsessive.

When it comes to gathering these items this is what happens and this is why I can't be around it: He starts in the living room to gather his PSP and his games. A thought of another item rushes in his head, he will leave the PSP and run to get the phone chargers. On his way to the phone chargers he remembers that we need our still camera. So he bypasses the phone chargers to get the camera and the media cards. Then he figures he needs to bring extra batteries for the camera, so he will take the camera and put it in the kitchen. Go into the garage to get the batteries. See the phone chargers on the way back in from the garage and grab those. Put the batteries in the camera case and leave the phone chargers with the camera. And he will then see something that reminds him of something else to gather. Meanwhile the last thing he will pick up and gather is the PSP...then some batteries for the PSP. It is a whole cycle. And it is way too random for me to be a part of. Bottom line though is that Justin doesn't forget anything.

His process drives me crazy and I can't watch. We both get frustrated when I try to help. Our styles just don't mesh together. Which is why a lot of the time we leave for a road trip on a Friday and Justin will then have a good part of the day to pack everything. And by the time I get home we just leave.

Having said all of this I do have to give him mad props for his Tetris Style packing. He can fit all of our belongings, 3 pugs, 2 cages, 3 suitcases, blankets, pillows, a mongoose and a 16th century Italian writing desk into the back of our Explorer. And we will still be able to see out of our rear view mirror.

Anyway back to last night. I came home from work and the packing process had not begun. Mainly because it is only the two of us that are going to Vegas. The Pugs are staying at home and enjoying the overnight company of a wonderful dog-sitter. So we just have a suitcase, our toiletries bag and our bag of electronic items (radar detector, gps, ipod, psp, still camera, video camera...you get the idea).

I avoided packing until 8pm last night. That is how much I do not like the process. But finally I had no choice. So I hid myself in the bedroom to pack clothes and toiletries while Justin gathered up everything else. And I was able to avoid his packing process yet again!