What to pack in a small carry-on for 3 weeks in Canada in September
My dear best friend Lynn has gone home to France. She could not have had a better time in her birth country, with the most glorious September weather and a number of encounters with friends of her youth. I miss her.
She brought only a small carry-on for three weeks in Canada and always looked stylish and comfortable, so I asked her to detail what was in her suitcase. This was of course for mild weather generally. I thought any female travellers out there might be interested.
-4 pairs of pants: one black that could work for dressy, three loose, lightweight, in different colours
-4 long-sleeved t-shirts: one white that could work for dressy, the others striped in colours that went or contrasted with the pants: black, yellow, blue
-2 short sleeved tops, short white and longer black, could dress up or down
-A black satin skirt, worn once
-A long dressy white shirt
-A black cashmere turtleneck
-A lightweight black blazer, for dressy and/or warmth
-2 pair shoes: white leather sneakers, good for walking but could go with a dressier look, and black sandals (It’s a blessing, she said, French women wear sneakers now)
-Gym clothes for her daily yoga online workout; pyjamas; a shawl
-Quite a bit of jewelry – earrings and necklaces
-A long raincoat with hood, good against rain and wind, that folded into a pack in her purse
If it had been predicted to be colder, she would have brought leggings to wear under the pants, and another sweater. She played with proportions of her tops – long and short, somehow always just right. Surprisingly she wore white or cream a lot, which seems risky for travel but looked elegant. But she had access to a washing machine at both places she stayed.
Below, two of Lynn’s looks, including with Eleanor who came to visit, and the two of us at my wedding celebration in August 1981 in Vancouver, when Anna was 3 months old.
Luckily she came when she did, because the weather has at last turned, at least at night. It was 3 degrees last night! The days are still sunny and warm, although not like they were in September.
I spent four hours with my gardening helper Jannette and her husband Jim yesterday, pruning trees and vines – Jim wielded the long-handled pruners and loppers, and I shoved the detritus into leaf bags; by mid-afternoon I could hardly bend over. And there’s more to be done. Teaching continues and is a pleasure, and I’m editing the pieces writers will read at So True on Sunday Oct. 26.
On Saturday afternoon, I’m giving a free memoir webinar at the Elmbrook Park library in Etobicoke, me on Zoom and participants in the library.
And on Thanksgiving Monday, my son will be 41. I’m giving thanks for a great deal. Especially that.
The post What to pack in a small carry-on for 3 weeks in Canada in September appeared first on Beth Kaplan.
