When I write, after spell check and grammar, I like an unbiased person to read it, except here as I’m now old and wise. It was very smart for the legislature I worked for to put all of us analysts together so we could review each others’ work with an unbiased eye because we were each experts in a different area, so I could have Veterans’ Affairs review a White Paper while Education had me read theirs. I read years ago that the NYTimes writes for a sixth-grade audience. These are politicians so we aimed lower in order that complex matters could be explained in language they and their constituents could understand.
Now to travel. My husband has not packed a suitcase in 12 years. He makes fun of me for unpacking, giving him the top drawer because he’s tall, and me the middle one, hanging clothes, placing shoes in the closet and bringing a bag for dirty laundry. Oh, he makes even more fun of me for going to a Guest Laundry so I don’t have to come home and do three loads of wash like I’m doing today.
He stole my dog’s pillow, actually a human travel pillow we bought for the dog a few years ago that he wanted to use on the plane and in the hotel. He forgot it. Now he’s stolen my cellphone charger because he left that behind as well. This travel is costing us money, at least $20 to send back the pillow and phone charger if they find that.
Eyes, inexperienced eyes are key to safe travel. Two good things about my husband is that after I pack to go home, his inexperienced packing eyes and unbiased view look over the room so there are none of his socks are on the floor, or a hairbrush hasn’t been left by the bathroom sink. He’s good at that. Also, he keeps documents and as TSA always selects me (yes, nearly 55 but they still think I’m a terrorist grandma) he takes my laptop and purse and stands by while I go through the naked scanner, am patted down, then put through bomb residue testing.
All the while he’s got ten pounds of brisket and ribs on dry ice in carry-on and walked right through! Oh, isn’t traveling fun? This post goes out to Ruth in Phoenix for finding our stuff and sending it home. He’s on another business trip next week and we’ll see how many things he leaves behind. The Harleys are growling, all day and night. Cheers! Dee
Cooking with Dee 
Thank you in advance for my pillow, Ruth! Mom assured me that Dad’s going to get online this weekend and get one for himself so he doesn’t have to steal mine anymore. You also found his cell phone charger. Brava, Ruth! Zoe
He left the replacement pillow on the plane and it was stolen. So he now has a third travel pillow in a week and a second phone charger. Dog pillow and phone charger arrived yesterday, thanks to Ruth. We’re going to have to vacation there soon. I’ll do the packing.