Feb 15, 2023·edited Feb 15, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden
A very delightful letter, Rebecca. I'll say more in my reply, but just for now I wanted to say that whenever I go anywhere I never take shampoo because the hotel or self-catering place always provide sachets or little bottles. As these places are not exactly inexpensive, ~I always bring a few home. They come in handy when travelling a conference or something. Mind you, one hotel I stayed in didn't have sachets. It had a couple of huge dispensers stuck to the wall in the shower --- one for shampoo and one for conditioner. Took me ages getting them off....
I loved this Rebecca! And empathise with replacing the things and putting them in an OBVIOUS place. Never so obvious to my scattered brain a few months later. And I loved listening to the robin just now whilst in the cacophony of Heathrow-it was a balm of nature in an otherworldly place. I’m enjoying these letters. Terry-I need to go back and catch up on your end of the correspondence. Cheers to you both.
This is utterly brilliant. You and your packing lists sound suspiciously like my other half, who does the exact. same. thing. 😂🤣 Except I’ll be like, you still haven’t packed. And he’s like, yeah but I have a LIST so I’m basically already done. 🫠
Such a lovely read! I wrote a similar Substack recently about my own packing failures, and what it made me realise about life 😂 (can be found here: https://tamzin.substack.com/p/i-am-two-people\) Also HARD relate to the light returning! In Ireland we have a saying that goes, 'Sure there's a grand stretch in the evening,' which people begin to say as early as January 1st. It used to make me laugh as we're still in the depths of winter, but now I see it as a kind of hope and acknowledgement that no matter how cold and dark, the days are getting longer.
"I have a packing list on an Excel spreadsheet which I tailor to every trip, basing each new list on the previous one. I save them all for future reference." Of course you do. Classic Rebecca. It is what I love about you -- your mission to stay organized and ward off evil. I am envious. ha ha ha
Birdsong! Thanks for sharing that snippet. 💙 I also use Excel for my travel packing lists (and itineraries and travel details) in a similar way as you, also saving all the old ones. I will be sure now to triple check that I haven’t left something off that wasn’t needed for a previous trip but that will be needed for an upcoming trip. I am planning a trip to London (first time for me and my daughter) in July, and I have already started a list! ✅
I so enjoyed reading this letter - I love letters! And I have to agree with Terry, easier to go buy a book of stamps than find them in this mess I call a desk. I have a stash somewhere... I love that you have an epistolary index. My IG bio used to read "an epistolary journey". I got exactly zero followers for weeks ... yay for letters - I'll go in and read some more of your exchange with Terry.
Hello! New reader here and I'm already delighted! Heading over to Terry's Substack to catch up on this conversation. Also, as someone who writes almost solely on graph paper, I think it's a brilliant for writing letters! 😁💖
I have a similar list for all the holidays and also one for Christmas and yeah, there are pitfalls to that level of organisation. Lovely read as always.
Feb 17, 2023·edited Feb 17, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden
Great letter again Rebecca!
I had to laugh at not being able to find stuff. I have a drawer specifically for things like that. All the batteries and bulbs are kept in the same place. It's the catch-all drawer that has other things in it too like candles.
In the past when going on vacation, I just used a small notebook to write down all of the things that needed be put into the suitcase. If I ever get to go on vacation again, I'll definitely use a spreadsheet. It will be much easier.
Nice to hear the robin. I'm a birder so I like to photograph, see, and hear them. From so far away, it is neat to hear.
A very delightful letter, Rebecca. I'll say more in my reply, but just for now I wanted to say that whenever I go anywhere I never take shampoo because the hotel or self-catering place always provide sachets or little bottles. As these places are not exactly inexpensive, ~I always bring a few home. They come in handy when travelling a conference or something. Mind you, one hotel I stayed in didn't have sachets. It had a couple of huge dispensers stuck to the wall in the shower --- one for shampoo and one for conditioner. Took me ages getting them off....
I loved this Rebecca! And empathise with replacing the things and putting them in an OBVIOUS place. Never so obvious to my scattered brain a few months later. And I loved listening to the robin just now whilst in the cacophony of Heathrow-it was a balm of nature in an otherworldly place. I’m enjoying these letters. Terry-I need to go back and catch up on your end of the correspondence. Cheers to you both.
This is utterly brilliant. You and your packing lists sound suspiciously like my other half, who does the exact. same. thing. 😂🤣 Except I’ll be like, you still haven’t packed. And he’s like, yeah but I have a LIST so I’m basically already done. 🫠
Such a lovely read! I wrote a similar Substack recently about my own packing failures, and what it made me realise about life 😂 (can be found here: https://tamzin.substack.com/p/i-am-two-people\) Also HARD relate to the light returning! In Ireland we have a saying that goes, 'Sure there's a grand stretch in the evening,' which people begin to say as early as January 1st. It used to make me laugh as we're still in the depths of winter, but now I see it as a kind of hope and acknowledgement that no matter how cold and dark, the days are getting longer.
"I have a packing list on an Excel spreadsheet which I tailor to every trip, basing each new list on the previous one. I save them all for future reference." Of course you do. Classic Rebecca. It is what I love about you -- your mission to stay organized and ward off evil. I am envious. ha ha ha
Birdsong! Thanks for sharing that snippet. 💙 I also use Excel for my travel packing lists (and itineraries and travel details) in a similar way as you, also saving all the old ones. I will be sure now to triple check that I haven’t left something off that wasn’t needed for a previous trip but that will be needed for an upcoming trip. I am planning a trip to London (first time for me and my daughter) in July, and I have already started a list! ✅
I so enjoyed reading this letter - I love letters! And I have to agree with Terry, easier to go buy a book of stamps than find them in this mess I call a desk. I have a stash somewhere... I love that you have an epistolary index. My IG bio used to read "an epistolary journey". I got exactly zero followers for weeks ... yay for letters - I'll go in and read some more of your exchange with Terry.
Hello! New reader here and I'm already delighted! Heading over to Terry's Substack to catch up on this conversation. Also, as someone who writes almost solely on graph paper, I think it's a brilliant for writing letters! 😁💖
I have a similar list for all the holidays and also one for Christmas and yeah, there are pitfalls to that level of organisation. Lovely read as always.
Great letter again Rebecca!
I had to laugh at not being able to find stuff. I have a drawer specifically for things like that. All the batteries and bulbs are kept in the same place. It's the catch-all drawer that has other things in it too like candles.
In the past when going on vacation, I just used a small notebook to write down all of the things that needed be put into the suitcase. If I ever get to go on vacation again, I'll definitely use a spreadsheet. It will be much easier.
Nice to hear the robin. I'm a birder so I like to photograph, see, and hear them. From so far away, it is neat to hear.