I'm getting ready to head out tomorrow for a business trip to DC. It's a short trip, only about four days, but I find myself in confusion over what to pack, what to leave here...it's so much easier with long trips. You throw whatever you need in a suitcase and away you go...I can't seem to do that for short trips.

Maybe it's that when you take a longer trip at some point you're going to have to rewear a pair of jeans or wear the same shoes more than once. But with short trips you have the luxury of being able to wear things only once. Of only taking a carryon if you want. I think for me it poses too many options. To many possibilities for what to do. I like things simple that way - one setting dressing - black. Easy to match, easy to see when you need to replace a piece.

But which black to take? And I'm anti-pants, so that doesn't help much as I'm unsure which skirts will be most appropriate for the weather. Ah well. It's all stress about small things.

The big thing is still my father. Still unwell, still not healing. Still so very depressed and often enraged. My brother is taking him to the doctors while I'm gone. Can't really talk more about that right now.

So I'm off tomorrow to the nation's capital. No more Charleston, SC - I'll miss the lovely pineapple fountain.

I've not been to DC since I was a child so I'm looking forward to seeing some of the sights. Days will be busy but I'm looking forward to it...if I could only figure out which shoes to bring.