Final Preparations

Before joining the Band, most of my travels came in one to three week spurts. Growing up, family vacations were generally camping trips, and most of the packing involved tents and sleeping bags, jeans and sweatshirts, and cooking equipment. My mother handled all the packing for our family of six, and everything and everyone had to fit in or on the station wagon. In high school, I spent three weeks in Europe with an orchestra, and I was allowed one suitcase weighing 30 pounds or less. My mother taught me how to pack light, and I am eternally grateful.

On my first tour, in spite of my mother’s fine example, I basically threw all the clothing I owned into a large suitcase and a garment bag. With two small children and a husband you are leaving behind, there really isn’t time to think it through. I was sharing a seat, so I didn’t have room for anything but the most necessary of items under the seat. My flute bag went in the overhead space, and a Rubbermaid container fit under the seat and held a few paperbacks, some cross stitch, and some travel packs of tissues; the container and contents were purchased on the road. I soon learned my life would be easier if the suitcase had wheels, so I only took it off the bus every fourth day and swapped out the clothing in the garment bag. A much lighter load, it was a less than ideal solution as I would invariably leave something necessary in the large suitcase, or the day I would need to take it in would be the day there would be no elevator.

I tried a variety of suitcase combinations for the next few tours, but it wasn’t until I had elbow surgery that I really needed to think harder about packing lighter for the entire tour. I did some very thorough research on suitcases and settled on a small 24 inch wheeled suiter with a matching overnight bag. Nearly all my clothing fits into the suitcase, with a heavy coat and sometimes an extra suit hanging on my snap hook. The overnight bag holds my athletic gear and my cooking equipment. I have graduated to two Rubbermaid containers over the years, holding extra toiletries, non-perishable food items, and books. For the tours that have colder temperatures I will often bring an extra packing cube with heavier pants and sweaters for the second half of tour.

I spent most of yesterday organizing and packing. Thursday was filled with squeezing in all the final odd jobs at the Annex; job ticks for September and the end of year report, a last minute practice part, adding the flute peg to my trunk, and other small details. Thursday evening was set aside for my Tour haircut – a little extra short to make it through Thanksgiving without being tempted to pull out the nail scissors.

Friday was the day I ran all the errands I had hoped to run Thursday in order to leave Friday free. One big loop around Annapolis, hitting the Naval Academy Pharmacy, the library, the dry cleaner, make a return, pick up alterations at the tailor, and finally the grocery store. Lunch out with my husband at one of our favorite lunch spots, and then off to pick up Jamey and some friends for an afternoon at our house playing Halo3 while I ran loads of laundry. Friday night is always Pizza Friday, followed by a quiet evening together, John and I catching up on the latest Top Chef episode while Jamey played Halo3.

Saturday was set aside for packing because John and Jamey were working at the NJROTC Orienteering meet most of the day. Rubbermaid bins with Tour paraphernalia came out of storage, with hot pot, bowl and utensils getting a fresh scrubbing. I pulled up my packing list on the computer and began assembling all the items going on the road. The great room soon looked like I was getting ready for a garage sale as I pondered how to consolidate so much “stuff” to fit in my suitcase and the Rubbermaid containers. Like solving a puzzle, it falls into place once the key pieces have a home.

Nearly everything is packed now, with a few minor details to take care of today, and I have plenty of time to spend with the family. It will pass far too quickly, and tomorrow will be here before I am quite ready for it. I keep reminding myself this is the last time I will leave on a seven week tour, but it doesn’t seem to help much. I still have to survive this one.