I used to pick on my friends who make lists for everything. That was wrong. And being a naturally forgetful person, I should know better. I am so forgetful in fact that the award that I won in high school was Most Forgetful. Yup, that’s what my classmates thought of me. My favorite part of that story is that at our Senior Dinner Dance where the awards were presented…..I forgot my tickets to get in. Ms.Abrue was cracking up at that, I guess she remember that I’m the forgetful one.

Now that I’m older and have real grownup responsibilities, I make lists. And then more lists. And lists for my lists. I have a list of stuff I want to do this year. I have a shorter list of stuff I want to get done before summer. I have lists of how I need to organize my garage, my craft room, my clothes. I have lists of how many oil sales I’ve made, and what I’ve sold on FB Market/ebay. But when I travel–oh, when I travel! I don’t just have lists, but I have versions of the lists, always with a final list that I take with me to make sure I bring everything back with me.

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve left the country…..like, 22yrs. Unless St.Thomas counts, but technically it’s the US Virgin Islands, so you choose. In five days I’m going to Scotland for a week. As much as I’m excited, I’m also freaking out so I make lists to keep my anxiety at bay. I’m not worried about overpacking, in fact I am pretty sure that if I didn’t need to take things that were above the TSA oz limit I could go with just a carry-on. But since I have to take a bag anyway, that means I get to take my pillow and that makes me infinitely happy. It’s funny the things that make you happy as an adult. When I travel I do like to take my own pillow and blanket…and then get extra pillows from the hotel and basically make a fort. Yep, totally admitting that I do that shit and I’m 41.

This will be the first big trip that I’m actually taking some self care provisions for. An oil diffuser, my sleep balm, pain cream, and a whole host of oils to cover any ills I can think of. Since I have to check a bag I figured I might as well! But for the flight, I have a couple books, some yarn and a crochet hook, and lots of xanax. I’m a regular girl scout. This is why they call me Camp Mom–because I nearly always have whatever it is that someone needs. The one thing that is nice about traveling when I’m older(and more likely to actually budget spending money, etc) is that I keep reminding myself that aside from my glasses, I can always purchase small items I might forget.

Cuz I’m known to be a little forgetful.