Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

We head for Indianapolis and Earl’s side of the family in a couple hours. It’s a Thanksgiving tradition we look forward to every year.

We shall be gone only three days, but I’m struck with how many things I handle to make this trip. It’s not really the outfits or the underwear. It’s the items that make daily living run more smoothly plus the ones that make us socially acceptable.

In the first category are laptops, tablets, cell phones, and their respective cords and chargers, none of which are interchangeable. There are watches that troll the Internet, hearing aids that are adjustable by your cell, eyeglasses and/or contacts and their respective cases.

In the second category are all dental supplies, hair products, accessories, creams, deodorants and eye drops. Then there’s cosmetics and the brushes to apply them. Jewelry for each ensemble. Shoes, boots, socks, caps, gloves, and a good book.

Fortunately, we’re driving to Indy, so concerns about luggage being too big for the overhead are not an issue. But we can’t become too complacent as we’re taking a cruise in February and hope to get all the items listed above — plus swimwear — into a roller bag and a backpack.

There’s a good reason. When the cruise is over, those passengers who can get off the ship without assistance get to disembark first. It’s a great perk if you’re catching a plane, and I’m practicing for it on our Indy trip.