Prep time

We're not just jump-up-and-do-something type of women. We research and discuss and plan. In fact, I'm the one likely to just give up first and say I've had enough. Mama and my sister can talk something into the ground.

So, no surprise that our first "shakedown cruise" we took too much stuff. We weren't sure what we'd need or how much would fit into the Covered Wagon's storage areas. Mama and my sister spent three hours on our second day sorting and packing things into the C.W. I played with Tug and did minor cleaning of items or sorting (I also took him for a "bio" break to relieve his bladder). The theory is that everything has it's place and gets put back there and, with us, this will actually work. We're all a little OC (obsessive compulsive) and don't want to be the one who messes the system up.

Then, last week, my sister presents me with diagrams of my truck bed and the interior of her car (not to scale). She and Mama had figured out how to pack for when we take both vehicles. Everything will fit and, once we use the system a few times, we'll all know where everything is or at least which storage box to look into anyway. I was proud to contribute my latest idea: these XXL storage bags which zip at the top. We each get one with our name on it and this is where our dirty laundry gets stored. They can be zipped closed to be stored in a vehicle at night and opened to air out during the day so nothing gets mildewed (very important in FL heat).

I'm in charge of food and I make sure we eat well (and I look it, too!). Last week I made up a menu and went through each item thinking of what utensils and pots or pans were needed. The kitchen items on that list then get pulled to go on our upcoming trip. We eat 2 meals a day with snacks as that's a lot less cleanup and not as time consuming as cooking 3 times a day. We don't take a lot of ready-made food. My sister's a vegetarian (lacto-ovo meaning she does eat dairy and eggs) and Mama and I love chicken! For that reason it's easier to light some charcoal and cook veggies (heavy on the starchy ones) than it is to use box mixes or heat up the contents of cans on the little propane burner. Vegetarians sure do make it harder on us carnivores! :) Of course, we eat better than most people who only have a grill, propane burner and ice chest so I don't actually complain! Mama makes great scratch biscuits in our cast iron dutch oven....