Ready for Anything

Back in the day, I thought I was thinking ahead when I made the rule: "Never set out to go anywhere without a corkscrew." My travel emergency kit consisted of jumper cables, a tampon, and always, a corkscrew.

Today, in preparation for holiday weekend travel, I knew I needed to clean out the trunk. After 5 years married to a disaster preparedness guy, here's some of what I found in my trunk: -- all of which I am told we "need to have."

• 4 bottles of water
• suntan lotion and bug spray
• duct tape
• a bath towel and a wash cloth
• a small fleece blanket
• leather work gloves
• 3 umbrellas
• 2 flashlights -- both with working batteries
• a sleeve of quarters
• 5 bungie cords
• an insulated cold storage bag
• a first aid kit where the band aids are at least 5 years old
• an assortment of wrenches and screwdrivers
• a city map and a phone book
• a pair of crocs (for emergency gardening?)
• a raincoat
• and a corkscrew

Space for suitcases and beach chairs is shrinking.