Dear Reader Column 4-28-05

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Dear Reader,

I had two chickens roasting in the oven when my husband suggested that we drive to our favorite fishing spot, that's a little over an hour away from where we live.

"Fifteen more minutes," I told him, "and the chickens will be done.
In the meantime, let's get things ready to go."

"Always be prepared." That's our motto. It must be, because when we're deciding what to take with us for a simple afternoon of relaxation and fun, we load up our BMW as if we're going on a two-week-long journey into an isolated, barren, country that has no electricity, or indoor plumbing, and no way to get supplies; so anything we need, we have to bring with us.

And we did. Because when we were finally driving down the road--55 minutes later (that's how long it took us to pack-up-and-get-
out-of-Dodge,)--I surveyed the inside of the car, and I was amazed at the number of items that we felt the need to bring along with us.

A portable CD player, batteries, writing notebooks, prescription pills, tennis shoes, a roll of paper towels, a map (just in case we decided to head somewhere else), a jacket and a sweatshirt, four books, sun screen, bottled water, a camera, a beach chair, tackle box, bait keeper, a "Time" magazine, the Sunday paper, my coffee mug, hand lotion, and a cooler filled with: dried fruit; ice tea; power bars; two hard-boiled eggs; two oranges; and pistachios. Our two fishing poles were in the back seat, sticking up in between my husband and I in the front, with the hooked ends resting on our dashboard. And finally, some change so we'd have toll money when we went across the Skyway Bridge.

Four hours of prep work and driving time, two hours of relaxation--I think my husband and I need to read that 80/20 Principle book one more time.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com