Prepared In Every Way

Just wanted to tell you about my twin granddaughters, Addison and Alexi.  They are 2 1/2 and full of life.  They love to ask, “Are you happy?”  If you say no, they put their hands up to their little faces and say in mock astonishment, “OH NO!” and then proceed to try to make you happy.  They have a happy dance which is nothing more than joining hands and going around in circles saying “happy, happy, happy.”   The idea is that this dance will charge up enough energy for everyone in the room to be happy.

Today my son brought them by for awhile, and Alexi asked, “Grandma, are you happy?”  I said, “Yes, I am!”   She went around the room asking everyone.  Finally, she asked her sister, Addison, who rarely agrees that she’s happy.  I think Addi  just likes to be different.    Today Addi repeatedly told us no, she was not happy, but after awhile, when we quit paying attention to her, she blurted out, with a big smile, “I’m HAPPY.”

At that, everyone clapped and told her how happy they were that SHE was happy.

Wouldn’t it be nice if grownups made such an effort to make everyone else happy?

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Call me crazy, but when I’m all caught up in recording my thoughts in my journal, I feel a sense of peace that whispers, “Go ahead.  You’ve recorded everything up to now.  Go out and find something else to write about.”

This week I realized I was about four days behind in journaling.  I looked through my date book for things to refresh my memory and started to write.  Some of it just outlined what I’d accomplished on those particular days.  Some of it included news of the day.  Some of it recorded my Evidences of God.  There were also recordings of things my kids or grandkids had to say.  It didn’t take long.  I type my journal because my handwriting can’t keep up with my thoughts.  When I finished, I  felt like I had completed something very important.  It wasn’t that the content was all that important, but there was a sense of importance in the fact that I had made a record of my days.

Isn’t THAT important?

How else will anyone know we existed if we don’t keep a record?

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Are you making the most of your camera phone?

I recently upgraded my Blackberry 8800 to an iPhone 3GS, and I can’t believe all of the opportunities it’s opened up to me!   I rarely carry my camera with me anymore unless I’m vacationing or plan on taking pictures that require a flash. The nice feature about the camera phone is that you don’t have to plan ahead by carrying a camera.  (Did I say you didn’t have to plan ahead?  Oh, my!)

Here are 10 ideas for making the most of your camera phone:

1.   Parking Garages.  When accompanying my daughter to the hospital for frequent treatments recently, I’d take a picture of the elevator markings so I’d remember where I parked my car each time.   When you’re going to the same place day after day, sometimes it’s easy to forget where you parked.    Sure was nice to just check the phone and see!

2.  Airport.    A few years ago I “lost” my car at the airport on more than one occasion.  I think they were playing tricks on the passengers, because my husband also lost his car a couple of times that year.  I learned from another traveler when I was practically in tears with frustration,  that if you go to the information desk in the baggage area and tell them your license plate number, they can tell you where you parked.  Apparently there’s someone who drives around and records the plate numbers.   Now, I take a picture of the elevator or entrance, and I also keep a picture of my license plate and car on my phone.

3.  Grocery Store.  I had told a friend about some restaurant-quality tablecloths I’d seen at one of the warehouse stores, but couldn’t remember if it was Costco or Sam’s.  Last time I was at Sam’s, I found the tablecloths and took a picture of the tag on the shelf.  This gave her a picture of the item number, the price, the size, and quantity.  All I had to do was use the email function on my phone to send it to her.  She was so appreciative of my thoughtfulness.

4.  Grocery Book.  This is also a great way to record prices for items you buy frequently.  I know there are a lot of grocery store books out there where you visit the stores and record the prices so you know where you’re getting the best deal.  I’ve never focused long enough to do that, but while at Sam’s, I took pictures of those products.  Now I have the information on diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Rotel, and green beans.   While I like buying these products by the case, I don’t want to pay more money for the same thing I can find on sale at my local grocery store.

5.  Shopping.  I rarely shop, but when I’m out and I see something that I think my married daughter might like, I can take a picture of the item and email it to her on the spot.  That way, I don’t go through the process of purchasing something that I may have to return.

6.  Inventory.  Great way to inventory small, or even big items.    If you are selling on ebay or Craigslist, or just want to send a picture to a friend of something you’re selling, it’s an easy way to not only forward the picture, but to keep it on your phone to show anyone else who may be interested.

7.  Proof.  It’s a great way to capture something you’ve done, or someplace you’ve visited when you want to show yourself being there.    Did you sit next to a celebrity on the plane?  See Johnny Depp walking down the street in Paris?

8.  Contact Information.  My grandson tells me that when he meets a girl at a church dance, he takes her picture so he can remember who she is when he calls to ask her out.  (So many girls can crash your memory, apparently!)  For adults who aren’t dating,  I’m sure there are other practical applications for that.  Take a picture of their business card so you can store the information until you enter it in your contact list.  At least you have it with you.

9.  Social Networking.  It’s a great way to upload pictures to Facebook or Twitter to keep a current profile picture, or just to let your peeps know what you’re doing at that moment.

10.  Grandkids!  I love it that my kids have camera phones.   I get pictures more frequently of the grandkids and can easily save them to my own phone.  If I want to keep them on my computer, I can just email the picture to myself and save it that way.  I never print pictures anymore, but frequently do go through the “camera roll” on my phone and look at them.  What a great way to help the environment!  I save on paper, ink, and storage space.

Maybe you have other ideas for making the most of your camera phone.  I hope you’ll share them with us.  If you don’t have a camera phone, maybe you have a digital camera.  It’s one more thing to carry, but you can still view the information on the camera without printing.  That’s great for some of these suggestions where you need the information at your fingertips.

Copyright Joyce Moseley Pierce 2009.  http://www.emersonpublications.com

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I recently taught a class on writing your personal history.   This article by Elaine Cannon is the most practical and the most simple way to get started.

1.  All you need is a spiral notebook and a pen.  (Or, as Elaine suggests below,  use a journal with high quality paper so it will last.  You can find loose leaf, lined, 3-hole punched journal paper for this project.  This would allow you to put the paper in a 3-hole binder and add to your subjects if you find you have more to write than you can fit on one page. This would also allow you to add photos and documents for that topic.)

2.  To start, just write the name of each topic at the top of the page.   You’ll see topic suggestions below.  Feel free to add others as you go along.

3.  Next, go back and write one sentence about each topic.

4.  Next, add to each page as the memories start to flow.

You’ll be surprised how many things come to mind once you start writing.  This is a project that may never be complete, but because you have your notebook divided by subject, you can always add to it.

Joyce Moseley Pierce

Putting life in your life story

And if there were no word about this living, no wonder at the beginning and no understanding at the end, what’s it all about?  Yet if there is a record…The woman was seventy-two when she died.  At her funeral someone read the details of her birth recorded in joy by her mother.  At the end of her life here was proof and perspective about the beginning, about the reaching and helping and brightening of her seasons.  At this dying a kind of resurrection, for the whole family loved their sister and each other anew.  A written line or two became their lifeline – the dry farm, the small store mother kept, the loved ones at Christmas or at daily prayer, the father’s Sunday ritual, the hard times, the faithful times, the laughing times and the struggle to add a new room as yet another baby came.  It was a wonderful, rooted remembering, that funeral.  There was no shriveling sadness, but only a hearty gathering of reasons for our being and then moving on.  It seems a testimony in itself for keeping a record of the proceedings of our days.

Elaine Cannon

Why am I doing this?

• Others will value our records
• Personal records are sacred
• Our records are helpful to other record keepers
• It may help to set the record straight
• We are commanded to keep a record
• Even imperfect records are worthwhile

How do I start?

• Do it in your own handwriting
• Use good quality paper
• Use black ink

Writing My Personal History Format

• Statement
• Description
• Reminiscence

Examples:

Statement on “Parents” -  Tell your parents’ names, and when and where they were born.

Description – Tell about each of your parents’ physical characteristics and personalities.

Reminiscence:

• How were your parents alike and how were they different?
• What were their talents, hobbies, interests or skills?
• How did they adjust to each other’s peculiarities?
• Was their marriage a happy one?
• Tell about their involvement in religion, civic, social or trade activities.
• What personality problems, disabilities, or health problems did they have while you were growing up?
• Was there a constant family unit of the same two parents?  If not, what effect did loss of a parent have on the family?  On you?
• If divorced, how was it handled?
• What change did remarriage bring?
• What was each parent’s role regarding discipline?  Religious training?
• What was each parent’s role managing money?  Decision making?
• What special memories do you have of your relationship with each of them?
• What did your father do to earn a living?  How did that affect you?
• Who was the real boss in the family?

Suggested Chapter Headings

Heritage	Spiritual experiences
Parents	Mischief
Relatives	Toys
Homes	Conversion
Neighborhoods	Hobbies
Birth	Careers
Childhood	Military
Youth	Beliefs as a Teen
Marriage	Teen activities
Education	Boy/girl relationships
Health	Dating
Finances	Courtship
Talents	Child rearing
Employment	Divorce
Children	Death
Brothers
Sisters
Holidays
Vacations
Callings

Finishing Touches

• Pictures
• Maps
• Letters
• Timeline
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Appendix material

Genealogy sheets

Certificates

Speeches

Poems

Articles

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Having a difficult time keeping the true spirit of Christmas in your home when all around you there is advertising and peer pressure wanting you to believe that it’s all about buying gifts and spending money? What about spending time with your family?

Years from now your children won’t remember the games or toys you bought them.  What they’ll remember is the time you spent with them.

What better way to share your time with them than to share 24 Days of Christmas and bring your family together for the month of December.   Teach them about the birth of Christ by sharing a scripture, a song, and a story. Your hearts will be touched as you focus on the spiritual side and not the commercial side.

Follow this link:   24 Days of Christmas and you’ll be taken to a page where you can download the book.  Then all you have to do is save it to your computer, print it out, 3-hole punch the pages, and put it in a binder.  Pack it away with your Christmas items this year so you’ll know where to find it next year.   (Hint:  Print extra copies to give as gifts.  It’s my gift to you.)

Merry Christmas!

Joyce Moseley Pierce

Joyce is the owner of Emerson Publications and creator of All They’ll Need to Know.  She’s also a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Latter-day Saint Soul.   Watch for Joyce’s novel, Saving Nikki, to be released in 2010.

Links:

Emerson Publications – Home of  All They’ll Need to Know – Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones Guessing.
Prepared In Every Way – Preparedness ideas for all areas of life
Why Good Choices – You can choose your actions but not the consequences of your actions.
Four Point Moms – Helping Moms succeed (and earn an income) from home.
Four Point Wellness – Providing healthier, safer products shipped directly to your home.

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Last week I heard a friend of mine speaking at a church meeting about things that are keeping him awake at night. He is an investment broker with lots of contacts on Wall Street, so he’s talking to real people. He’s not getting his information from the media.

Here’s what’s bothering him:

1. The economy.

2. Hurricane season.

I think most, if not all of us, are concerned about the economy. The price of gas is climbing and that means the price of everything else is going up. When the price of gas causes the price to increase in transporting a product from the manufacturer to your neighborhood store, then someone has to pay the price. The manufacturer isn’t going to take a loss, and Wal-Mart certainly isn’t going to eat the difference. The one who pays the price is you.

What all of this means is that you must be responsible. You may not want to be, but if you want what’s best for yourself and those you care about, you’re going to have to be.

He continued to give us this counsel:

1. Don’t let your cupboards get bare. Have a supply of food and water at home that will sustain you for three months. Ideally, this would be food that your family would actually eat, but at the very least, have food that can be eaten without much preparation. You may have a hundred pounds of wheat, but what good will it do you without electricity to grind or bake it? I’ve been buying extra tuna and beans for protein, applesauce and other canned/bottled fruit, and adding to my inventory of canned veggies. I recently went online to buy MRE’s. One of my favorites is a shortbread cookie with 2400 calories. They are vacuum sealed and great for your emergency kit. One 2400 calorie bar will give you enough calories for two days. The great thing about them is that they taste good and don’t require a glass of milk to choke them down. They are “non-thirst provoking,” which means that they help produce saliva. I like the Datrex brand and generally buy them from http://www.emergencyessentials.com . Last week, they were OUT, and I had to submit my name to be notified when they were available. This should tell us something. There are smart people out there who are actually preparing. http://www.datrex.com/products/prodlist_standard.asp?ca=21

2. Save for the rain. You should have money set aside for emergencies. I don’t suggest stashing your money in your mattress, but I do think it’s a good idea to have some cash at home. You should at least have enough to get you buy for a week, or at the very least, for a few days. You’ll be glad you can get your hands on it if you need to evacuate for one reason or another. Again, if you don’t live in the Gulf, you may think this is ridiculous, but how many other disasters might require you to leave your home? Wildfires? Chemical spills? Explosions? Floods? Tornadoes?

There are even more reasons to have an emergency fund in your bank. Anyone with a job is subject to loss of employment. GM recently announced they are closing five plants. That means 30,000 people are losing their jobs. My friend, Judy, says the plant in her town is closing. Unfortunately, there’s no other business in her area to absorb all those who will be jobless. Airlines are cutting flights and raising fares, and that will cause job loss all over the world. It’s no wonder home businesses are becoming necessary to the American family. We can’t depend on anyone else anymore, and we can’t live on just one paycheck.

3. Keep your gas tank full. This is a tough one when gas is approaching $4.00 a gallon. I’ve started filling mine up before it gets to the half way mark, mostly because it doesn’t hurt quite as much to put $40 in the tank each time as it does $80. When Texans wanted to flee before Rita hit, many of them had to abandon cars because they didn’t have enough gas to reach their destination. Once the danger was over, it was difficult to find gas because the electricity was out in many areas. Just up the road from me, the very morning after the hurricane, a man was shot because he tried to cut ahead of someone else in the line to buy gas. Gas is just not worth giving your life for, but with some preparation, you can have enough to save your life.

Some might try to scare you into thinking the end of the world is near. We can’t possibly predict that day, but I do think there is enough going on in the world to make us realize that there are some things that may never be the same again. We’re probably never going to be able to buy gas again for $2.00. At the grocery store, it’s a big deal if you can find bread on sale for under $2.00. A gallon of milk has been well over $3.50 in our area for more than a year. It’s costing us more to eat at home, and even more to eat out. If everyone were to stay home and eat, then that would affect the restaurant industry, and they don’t need cooks, waiters and hostesses if they have no customers!

This would be a good time to sit down with your family and create a plan. Determine your “wants” and “needs.” Instead of spending your money on “wants”, spend what you have available to put food in your cupboard and money in your emergency fund. I really hope that neither you nor I will ever have to survive on what we’ve put aside, but if you’re ever hit with an emergency – job loss or natural disaster – you’ll be ready for it.

The key is to do something about it now. If you wait until the media announces the disaster, it’s too late.

Copyright 2008 by Joyce Moseley Pierce. Joyce is a published author whose stories have been included in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She’s the owner of Emerson Publications and her specialty is helping others be prepared. Visit http://www.emersonpublications.com or http://www.prepareandsucceed.com if you’re looking for a way to supplement or replace your current income.

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Establish an Emergency Fund
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce

I recently read Paul Martinelli’s loving story about trying to get to his grandmother, Bella, before she died. He wanted so badly to hold her hand one more time and to tell her he loved her. He tried making travel arrangements to leave immediately, but couldn’t afford the $600 ticket. He had to wait three days to get a supersaver ticket, and when he finally got there, his dear Bella had already passed away. He was too late because he didn’t have the money to get to her in time.

He decided at that point that he would never allow himself to sink so low again. He would never be in the position that he couldn’t afford to be close to his family if he needed or wanted to be.

How helpless would you feel if you needed to be there for someone you love, and money was the only thing holding you back?

What if this was the only chance you were given?

What can you do to make sure you’re never caught in this predicament?

Establish an emergency fund! At the very least, have a credit card that isn’t maxed out so you can use it if you have to. In Dave Ramsey’s, “Total Money Makeover,” he teaches the reasons why you should not only get rid of your credit cards, but get rid of the balances. Once you do that, he teaches the importance of the emergency fund. If you have a baby emergency fund of about $1,000, then you won’t ever have to use the credit cards again.

Here’s why an emergency fund is so important. There are just some things you can’t plan for, and the older you get, the more surprises come your way. Believe me. These are just a few that I’ve experienced.

Last week we got a family email telling us that my husband’s cousin had gallbladder cancer. A few days later I got an update saying that the doctors were giving him three to six months to live, but agreed there was nothing they could do for him. They sent him home to die and the family started to gather from all over the country. Today’s update told me that David had passed away this morning. With today’s gas prices, it could be a real hardship for some to even drive to the funeral. It would take some serious calculating to see if it would be less expensive to fly or drive, and if you have to rent a car when you get there, that just adds to the cost.

Sometimes you have some advance warning, and sometimes you don’t. Last year when we were told my mother wouldn’t live another week or two, there were grandkids in other states who wanted to see her one last time.

My niece called the airline to make a reservation. The usual fare of a couple of hundred dollars more than doubled on such short notice. When she told them that she needed to make this trip because her grandmother was dying, they told her about the bereavement fare. They said if she brought back the documentation proving that her grandmother was actually dying, they would refund part of her fare. She bought the ticket, and after going through the hassle of getting what she needed for this “discount”, I think she only got about fifty dollars back. The bereavement fare is a joke. Don’t ever believe that these companies really feel sorry for you. The agent might, but she has to follow company policy, and with so many airlines filing bankruptcy, they’re out to get all they can.

When our friend, Mark, was killed recently on his motorcycle, all the members of his family were en route for a family reunion that weekend. Unfortunately, he was killed before they got there, but his widow found great comfort in being surrounded by their family. But as soon as they all gathered in Houston, they had to start making arrangements to either drive or fly to Kansas. Mark was born in Kansas, grew up there, and that’s where he wanted to be buried. While many of them had probably used credit cards to get to Houston, now they had additional charges to get to Kansas.

Interesting how the place you call “home” as a child is where most people want to be laid to rest when they go back “home.”

My mother had prepaid for her funeral arrangements in Tennessee ten years before her death. She was born in Tennessee, spent a great deal of her life there, and wanted to be buried on the piece of land her family had donated as a cemetery. While my sister had flown to Houston in Mom’s last days to be with her, she now had to go back home, gather her family, and then make the drive to Tennessee. At the same time, we were making our drive from Houston. My sister’s family and mine all met at an off-season lodge with a friendly, family atmosphere. We were all totally surprised when they did give us a discount at our departure. Of course this was in a town of only a few hundred people where everyone knew everyone. They truly were sorry for our loss.

People just don’t grow up and stay in their own hometown anymore, but for some reason we want or need to go back there when this life is over. There’s something comforting about going home, wherever that home is. It’s important to respect their wishes, but it can sure wreak havoc on your time, your bank account, and your emotions if you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B in a short amount of time.

You will still have to deal with emotions when you’re dealing with the loss of someone you love, but if you get that emergency fund started, at least you have the option of being where you need to be.

Copyright 2008 Joyce Moseley Pierce.

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We’re only ten days from Thanksgiving. My sister and her husband are coming to visit for the long weekend and I’ve already started doing some sprucing up around the house. Having company is always a good time to reassess the damage at home. Working from home, it seems that I put blinders on to what’s going on around me. My sister could care less what my house looks like when she gets here, so she gets invited more often than others!

On Friday I got into organizational mode and cleared out the spare room so she wouldn’t get hurt on any extra kid-friendly stuff that might be lying around. Yesterday, I pulled a can of paint out from under the sink so I could touch things up in the kitchen. We installed a new dishwasher about a year ago and I hadn’t noticed until I did my survey that this dishwasher doesn’t stick out as far as the old one did. That means there’s a patch of white paint glaring at me every time I open the dishwasher door. I noticed that I have a large picture leaning up against the wall from two years ago when we painted. That makes me think of my friend, Laurie, who removed the backs of her chairs to fix them. A couple of years went by without replacing the backs, and by then it was just a matter of principle. People would come to her home, notice the backless chairs, and ask when she was going to finish them. Once it got to be such a conversation starter, I think she made the conscious decision to never replace them. Doing so would have meant caving in to what the conventional person would do. Laurie passed away a few years ago, and I’ll bet anything, those chairs are just the way she left them.

On second thought, maybe we should go visit my sister instead! If not, maybe I should stop looking for things to fix before she gets here. I don’t want to do a complete renovation and wear myself out so that I don’t enjoy the visit!

With all of the house-fixing aside, I have actually started working on my Thanksgiving menu.

I’ve already bought the turkey. Found one for 26 cents a pound at Kroger, so a 22 pound bird only cost me about $6.00. Now I just need to schedule a reminder so that I remember to put it in the refrigerator on Sunday so it’ll be thawed out and ready to cook next Thursday.

I brought a box of apples home from the orchard last week and decided today that I’m going to peel and core them to make apple pies for Thanksgiving. No Thanksgiving meal is complete without pumpkin pie, but since I need to find something to do with these apples, pie sounds like a good idea to me. I wonder who I can recruit to help me peel them all.

With turkey and dessert, what else do you need? At our house, I’m the only one who likes fresh cranberries, and I’ll prepare them just for myself. My daughter thinks you always have to have stuffing – Stove Top – not homemade – so we’ll have stuffing. My son always brings green bean casserole. It’s his specialty. My sister likes sweet potatoes, or yams, with all the marshmallow goo melted on the top. Maybe, since she’s making the effort to fly here to be with me, I’ll attempt to make that for her. I think everyone agrees that mashed potatoes with homemade turkey gravy is the best. At least we have one thing we can all agree on.

Whatever you’re doing for Thanksgiving, it’s a big enough day that it requires some planning. If you’re sharing a meal with others – whether you’re having them over to your place, or going to theirs – you might want to sit down and do some thinking about it. If you prepare ahead of time, you’re more likely to avoid last-minute disasters and short tempers. Prepare for the day now so you can relax and enjoy the time with those you care about.

This year, in memory of Laurie, I might just let that picture stay right where it is.

Now where can I put that note to remind me to thaw out the bird?

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15 Tips for Successful Packing
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce

Whether you travel for business or pleasure, frequently or only occasionally, it seems that we basically pack the same things every time. Here are a few tips to help simplify the process so you don’t have to stress about it every time. Remember that most of these items can be purchased when you get there, but you don’t want to spend your vacation money on things you already have at home, and if you’re traveling on business, you may not have time to run to the store for something you need at an 8 am meeting.

After reading through these ideas, you might want to make an itemized list of things you consider important to take. Keep it in your suitcase so it will be available next time you pack and use it as a checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. If other things come to mind while you’re traveling, update your list for next time, but be sure to return it to your suitcase.

Rule #1 for me is to keep it light. I traveled to Brazil for 10 days with only a carry-on rolling bag and backpack. My husband packed a rolling bag that was big enough to stuff a body into and it was difficult to manage when we stayed in hotels that didn’t have elevators. I don’t pack more than I can carry by myself and I try to leave a little room for those vacation purchases. I have a nylon carry-on bag that zips up into a small square that comes in handy for carrying things home if I get too carried away.

1. Pajamas or gown. I have a pair of pjs I keep in my suitcase just so I don’t forget them. The reason I take pajamas instead of a gown is that hotels are usually cold and if I’m staying with friends or family, I want to be able to get up and use the bathroom without having to have a robe.

2. Underwear. Pack a pair for every day and then include extras. If you’re going to be doing activities that require showering and changing clothes during the day, be sure to include enough for that. Don’t forget bras and sports bras.

3. Make up and toiletries. Instead of having to remember what to take every time, go through your beauty routine at home and set out the things you use every day. Refill sample jars from trial offers, or buy travel-size containers to pack your cleansers so you don’t have to pack an 8 oz. tub of cold cream. I use empty contact lens holders for lotions. I can pack a daytime moisturizer on one side and nighttime on the other. I mark the top with a permanent marker with “D” or “N” so I can tell the difference. Don’t forget deodorant and shaving supplies. I keep a razor in my bag all the time and just change the blade when I’m leaving again. Keep your toiletry bag stocked and leave it in your suitcase for the next trip, but be sure to check and make sure you don’t need to refill any of the containers.

4. Tooth care. Instead of buying a travel size tube of toothpaste, when I get toward the bottom of my big tube, I stop using it and throw it into my toiletry bag. I also pack the floss and toothbrush the dentist gives me.

5. Feminine products. Don’t forget to pack at least enough to get you by until you can get to the store. A urologist once told me that women seem prone to bladder infections while they’re on vacation. If you are, you might want to pack an OTC medication that will help relieve the pain and lessen the symptoms until you can get to a doctor.

6. Medications. I have a separated pill box that holds pills for a week. Usually my trips are not that long (unfortunately!) so I’ll put in what I need for each day and use the extra slots for aspirin or other things I might need while away. My vitamins come in an AM/PM foil package so all I have to do is throw in a package for each day. Warning: You may want to carry your original pill bottles so you’ll know exactly what you’re taking in case of a problem.

7. Clothes. After considering what the weather will be, I pull clothes out and lay them on the bed. I like dark colors because those spills aren’t quite so obvious as they are on light colors! I pack pants that will be interchangeable with more than one shirt. In trying to pack light, I may wear a pair of black pants more than once, but not my shirts! If you’re going to a cool climate, remember to bring things to layer. It will take up less room than bulkier items. It doesn’t hurt to try things on before you go, either! If you haven’t worn something in awhile, it may not fit the way you remembered. If you’re flying, wear the bulkiest items on the plane.

8. Accessories. Make sure you have belts if necessary. You should only need one belt if you’ve packed color coordinated items. Keep jewelry to a minimum.

9. Shoes. Be sure your shoes are comfortable! Don’t go buy a new pair of shoes and try to break them in away from home. I plan my wardrobe so that I only need one or two pair of shoes. I’ve cut heels out of my wardrobe, and flats go great with long skirts or pants. Crocs are my shoe of choice for comfort and functionality. If you’re packing shorts, take a comfortable pair of sandals that will work with shorts or skirts. If I’m taking tennis shoes, I try to wear them on the plane because they take up too much room in the suitcase. If you’re going on a business trip, be sure to polish your shoes before you pack them, and then slip them inside a plastic grocery bag so the polish doesn’t rub off on your clothes. Don’t forget to take socks or nylons that will fit with the shoes you’ve chosen to take.

10. Vacation gear. Don’t forget your swimsuit, cover-up and a pair of flip-flops (we used to call them ‘thongs’ but now that has an entirely different meaning!). My husband always forgets swim trunks and I accuse him of just wanting to buy a new pair in every city!

11. Hair products. I have short hair that can easily air dry on its own in the summer, but I have a travel hair dryer I carry with me if I’m staying in a hotel that doesn’t provide one in the room. I have a hair brush that always stays in my bag. Condense big bottles of shampoo and conditioner into smaller ones. I carry a shampoo/conditioner product with me so I only have to use one product. If you need gel or hair spray, buy travel sizes the first time, and then refill them from your big bottle when it runs out.

12. Electronics. With cell phones and computers, neither are any good to you if the batteries are dead. Be sure to take the cords with you and remember to recharge every night. Don’t forget your camera, batteries and film. Take film mailers with you and send it off before you leave to have a head start on the processing, and save on those one hour prices. If you have a digital camera, and you are carrying a laptop, be sure to include connections so you can upload the photos as you go. Just an idea. We’ve enjoyed watching slideshows of special days while we’re still on vacation.

13. Backpack. I always carry a backpack for things to entertain myself on the plane or in the car. About a week before I leave home, I pull the backpack out and as I think of things I want to take, I throw them in and then repack it before I leave. Seems like it’s always heavy going to my destination and lighter coming home because I’m tired and pack more of it in the suitcase. If I have a connecting flight and am worried about my suitcase arriving at the same time I do, I include a change of clothes and my toiletry bag. I always carry something to read, my journal, a bottle of water and a snack. Individual packages of nuts are good and supply the protein you need to get you by until your next meal. I put all travel documents in the outside pocket so they are easily accessible. Do NOT pack your manicure tools or they will be taken away from you.

14. Purse. I don’t carry a purse when traveling, so I condense everything into a fanny pack and put anything else I have to have in the backpack. If I’m carrying much cash, I use one of those money pouches that hangs around your neck and can be worn under your shirt. It’s a good idea not to carry all of your money in one place.

15. Maps and other. Before I visit a new place, I do some research on the internet and get driving directions from the airport. I pull information on that city that might be of interest to me and my family. Be sure to include a small sewing kit, or at least some safety pins, as well as your basic first aid supplies. We also have a GPS that we can carry with us, as well as the GPS and map function on my cell phone.

Each trip I take becomes a challenge to me to pack even better on the next one. I discover what’s important to take and what’s not. Having your list available as you pack for each trip allows you to pack and feel confident that you haven’t forgotten anything. Of course if you are traveling with children, you’ll need to take their needs into consideration, and that might include taking in-laws with you to help carry everything!

Copyright 2009 Joyce Moseley Pierce

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On Friday night, instead of doing the dinner dishes right away, something on the television caught my eye and I sat down to watch it with my husband. Before long, it was time to go to bed, and when I walked into the kitchen to put my glass in the dishwasher, realized that a sink full of dirty dishes was still waiting for me. What made that even worse was that when I turned the faucet on to start washing them, nothing came out!

We live on property with a well, so we knew that we weren’t “out of water.” With flashlight in hand, my husband went to check on it, and discovered that the pump wasn’t working. There wasn’t anything he could do, so we decided to go sleep in our RV. We’d just returned from a trip and the fresh water tank was full, so we knew that at least we could use the bathroom and shower until we got the pump fixed.

Next morning, we called the man who works on our well. He came out with everything he needed to repair it, but the damage was beyond repair. We needed a new pump and he would have to pick one up and come back the next day to install it.

That meant going another 24 hours without water. Water’s one of those things you just take for granted until you have to do without. You just turn the faucet and water comes out, right?

Fortunately, we had bottled water stored for drinking, and some quick hand washing, but not enough for bathing. If it hadn’t been for the RV, we would have had to go to our daughter’s house for at least our daily showers.

We did, however, discover a couple of other resources for water:

1. Having a two story home means that you have lots of water pipes and they’re full of water. You know this because generally, when you turn the faucet on, water immediately comes out. I took three empty food storage barrels to the ground level and turned on the outside faucet. I was able to capture enough water to fill all three of the buckets. We put one in the kitchen and dipped water out of it with a measuring cup to wash hands. We put another in the bathroom to fill the tank if necessary.

2. We have a water softener system with a tank under the kitchen sink that filters the water. This water comes out of a smaller spigot – similar to those that produce hot water on demand. This tank probably holds about 5 gallons of water, so I was able to use it for cooking. That came in handy for meal preparation and I didn’t have to use the bottled water.

3. The hot water tank is another source of extra water. We didn’t have to get into it, but at least it was there.

We survived thirty-six hours without water without too much inconvenience, but it’s making me think about what I could do to make it even easier if it ever happens again. For one thing, we have 55 gallon barrels in our shed that are meant to hold water. Because we have the well, we’ve never been too concerned about filling them up. I wouldn’t want to drink the water out of them, but we could have used it for bathing if we had more than a simple pump to remove the water. That’s definitely something I’m going to be checking on this week.

Sometimes it’s good to have a minor emergency just so you can figure out a way to become more prepared. It’s even better if someone else has the emergency and it helps make you more aware. Take some time to assess the water situation in your home and come up with a plan you can implement if you ever find yourself without water. Even if you have city water, you might have your line temporarily shut off in the event that a main line is cut or has a leak. It’s always better to come up with a plan before you need it because you can think more clearly, and generally have more options when you’re not in emergency mode.

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