We’re packing up a storm. I assume others have their packing rituals and habits. Daria’s and my ritual is founded on the principal that I should stay out of the way if I know what’s good for me.

In a couple days, I’ll pick up the truck and we’ll load her (the truck) up. We were on the fence about doing the loading ourselves this time. A long time ago I swore off such things in favor of writing checks. I’ve had my time moving myself, relatives, and friends when I was in my 20’s and fresh out of the Army – running up and down the ramp with something under one arm and something else over a shoulder. Frankly, there’s really not much stuff and it was tempting. Sanity did prevail, and we got a couple of movers for a few hours.

So, what’s getting packed?

In the five boxes, things we know we’ll need or want on the road. Temperate cold-weather clothes, kitchen things that we’re peculiarly particular about, a selection of books that Daria wants to dip into, air mattresses, hiking gear, a toolset, and an Xbox (obviously) among other things.

There’s a chance that five boxes each is too many boxes… We know we’ll have at least one box of heavy winter clothes, and another of kitchen things we like/want but not sure they’re worth driving around with – those boxes we’ll dip into when we visit Casa Mimi in Atlanta. Daria has started to simply use some of the plastic boxes for general storage.

We’re also packing some things we know will go into a future garage sale or go back into the family collection (e.g. Daria’s dad’s Coca-cola lowball glass). There’s more than one box that will find its way onto the steps of the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

Before the real ruckus got started this week, Daria and I snuck off to New Haven on Sunday to visit the campus of Yale. We were there while what looked like freshman orientation was going on. Pretty cool seeing those future “magisters and magistrates” (Joey Knish, the New York legend – fans of the movie Rounders know what I mean) walking around wide-eyed. And Daria posed in front her favorite building: The Yale University Library.