Low Maintenance?

I like to think that I'm a pretty low maintenance gal and I take pride in that fact.  I went to France for two weeks with one carry-on suitcase for goodness sakes.  We had everything we needed and didn't have to wait for checked luggage.  It was awesome!

Problem is that I went to France in my pre-diabetes, pre-running, pre-photography life.

My reality now is such that neither my interests nor my chronic disease fit neatly into a carry-on suitcase anymore.

Case in point: yesterday I drove to Lockport, NY to meet up with some photography friends.  We were going to photograph geese, herons and, if we were lucky, an eagle.  I left at 11:30am and was planning to be home for a late dinner.

It took two trips to the car to bring all my stuff.  Two camera bags and one tripod for the photographer in me.  A snack bag with a cliff bar, larabar, banana, apple, dates, and packs of fast acting carbs for the diabetic.  Three bottles of water for the athlete.  Hiking boots, gloves, coffee, maps, and passport for the traveller.  All that for one afternoon.

What the hell am I going to do when I go to Boston for a week?  For that trip, I will be a photographer, diabetic, runner and tourist.  We're going to have to add running clothes, running snacks, electrolytes, glide, TriggerPoint, laundry soap, maps and books to the mix. That's a lot of stuff.  Throw in a few sweatshirts and a heavy jacket for Cape Cod weather and we're going to need to rent a bus!

Thank goodness I don't wear makeup or feel the need to pack five pairs of shoes or eight different outfits.    

Pre-diabetes, I never owned a purse and would just pop my wallet in my back pocket, lip gloss and keys in my front pocket and head out the door.  Part of me would like to go back to those easy, carefree days.

But, let's be honest folks, my purse is not full of diabetic supplies.  They're there but I have to dig through the hand cream, lip gloss, Swiss Army knives (yep, two of them!), wallet, and pile of other things to find them.

Perhaps I'm just fooling myself re the whole low maintenance persona?  Maybe I am just a high maintenance person in denial?

While I'm deciding, if you need anything, just come find me during a run, photoshoot, or diabetic emergency.  I'm sure to have it and am always happy to share.