We're on it! Or not

The Hero and I, in an uncharacteristic burst of planning ahead, have made our respective packing lists for our upcoming trip to Hawaii, even though it is still more than two weeks away. The Hero actually wanted to pack several weeks ago, once we made our reservations, but that unhealthy fervor soon passed.

Because the first leg of our journey will deposit us up on a mountain somewhere on the Big Island, my list of items to take more resembles a cruise to Alaska than a visit to the Aloha State:

Sweatshirt. Rain poncho. Warm socks. Carafe for coffee or soup. Hand warmers. Parka (rated to -20 degrees F). Extra blankets. Ski hat. Maybe another sweatshirt?

Whereas the Hero's sole provision for cooler weather is: enclosed shoes. Even this concession was made under protest. "I really don't think I'll need them," he said.

His list of items runs like this:

Swimsuit, check.

Sunscreen, check.

Sun hat, check.

Ukulele, check.

The ukulele is intended to enhance our sunset experience on the trip, and any other occasions where music might be wished for. (For example, during our mountain stay, I am thinking animal control.)

The Hero is vexed by one item not on the list: a hammock. He would gladly carry it onboard—if necessary, leaving most of his other possessions behind—if he could come up with a viable way of using it on our trip. "Look at those trees," he'll muse when viewing photos of a Maui nature trail online. "We could string up a hammock between those."

And it wouldn't be long before we might be strung up for doing so.

So now. all we have to do is wait for the Packing Fairy to emerge from somewhere, and with a wave of her magic wand put everything on the lists into our suitcases.

Right? There is a Packing Fairy, right? Please say there is a Packing Fairy. And that she knows exactly what we will need and what we can leave home.

Wait, Packing Fairy! Why are you taking the books out of the suitcase? I need those. Yes, all 15 of them! And put those hot chocolate packets back. It's gonna be chilly at night. Hey, maybe you should go work on the Hero's stuff. I'll take care of my own.

Thanks anyway.