[Note: The number of days until we leave automatically updates so the “countdown” will continue until our departure.]

The big question: Will everything fit in our truck? Every year we vow the load we’re hauling south will be smaller the next time. Hasn’t happened yet, and in fact it tends to grow, and this year our stuff may not be able to be squeezed in.

I’m so fanatical about “planning” that I’m actually thinking about doing a scale-model of the back of our truck to see how many plastic “bins” and other bulky items we can crowd into the available space. Instead, I’ve “prioritized” my stuff. I have two bins of clothes and a bin of electronic stuff. John has one clothing bin plus a zipper bag for his suits. There are a couple additional boxes and John will put his bike on the back rack. All of hese things MUST go with us.

In the back seat of the truck, we will pack Charlie in his big cage, a box of our important papers and our instruments. Our overnight bag and munchies will also go in.

But if there’s room (doubtful), we’d like to bring along some other items including an inflatable bed, pump, and frame. We also need to fit in some grape juice which we’ll allow to ferment in Florida.

The plan is to start loading up the truck on the 30th, that’s next weekend. We may have to leave some stuff behind and we want to do it right.