I'M GOING ON A TRIP, AND I'M GOING TO BRING . . .

Looking easterly from the front porch of the farmhouse, July 26

Mike and I are preparing for another great adventure. He and son Yancey are going to complete the Colorado Counties Challenge – you know – where they get a geocache in every county of the state. The plan is that the dogs and I, who usually “staycate” during Mike’s travels, will stay with the family in Thornton. This idea has been in the works since last year. “I’m tired of traveling the interstate on my motorcycle,” Mike said. “Next year, I’m going to trailer it and you can come, too. You could even take your sewing machine.” (I don’t think he remembers the sewing machine part.)

Mike is going on a trip, and he’s going to bring . . .

·       His Dodge Dakota pick-up

·       His Triumph loaded on a trailer hitched to the Dakota

·       GPS (maps, cache info, etc.)

·       Helmet (and riding gear, including rain gear)

·       Snacks (sardines, crackers, trail mix, and such)

·       Clothes, etc.

I am going on a trip, and I’m going to bring . . .

·       Laptop and devices

·       Gifts and such for grandkids

·       My sewing machine (needles, bobbins, thread, oil, scissors)

·       Patterns and project ideas (downloaded patterns printed and filed in a notebook, pattern envelopes, pattern books, etc.)

·       Small cutting mat and rolling cutter

·       Fabric (fabric, fabric, fabric, and yarn)

·       Sundry notions (bias tape, lace, ribbon, elastic, Velcro, etc.)

·       Annabell (the Build-a-Bear)

·       Shirley Anne (American Farm Girl)

·       Books in a bag

·       And lastly, clothes (If there isn’t room, I’ll leave my suitcase behind.)

And of course, we’ll bring the dogs, their mats, leashes, dog food – and treats to share with cousins Blanche and Abe.

Of course, we know that Mike is going to use his motorcycle, but we wonder if I will really sew? It’s a lot of paraphernalia to go into the back of the Dakota.

Old rugs in the foreground as Mike cleans the pick-up

In the process of cleaning the pick-up for the trip, Mike asked me to wash the old fuzzy bath mats on which the dogs ride. I protested mildly, stating that I retired them because they were coming apart when washed. But I agreed to try, and then I was so mad when I saw the mess they made of my new washing machine. As Mike was cleaning the gasket, I lectured him on what I think about using deteriorating stuff. “Let’s get rid of these mats and get the dogs something decent to lie on,” I pleaded.

He agreed, so at Costco we found these lovely memory foam bath mats. Mike put them down on the living room floor so that Nellie and Bess could try them out. Initially, neither dog would go near them, but Bess finally acquiesced. The cashier at Costco said that other customers had purchased these mats as pet cushions. KW