Manbag

It's been a weekend of hard slog, but Olivia is running. Or at least she did pretty well on the 2km trip to the shops and back. With slight fear and trepidation I'll take on the commute tomorrow morning, slow and steady, keeping to the side of the road so speedy, irritable, road-rage folk can zip past me - and making sure my toolbox is close at hand. There's a nifty place to store it right between the front seats - makes a good arm-rest at the same time.

This afternoon I was doing a once-over, ensuring I've got everything I need so I don't stumble out the door and forget half of it in the dark.

And I came to the conclusion I need a Manbag.

You know the type - handbags for men. Smart, roomy, and not particularly frilly.

Here's why.

In my handbag at the moment I have:
Camera (in padded carry-case with shoulder strap)
Wallet (or "purse", seeing I'm of the female gender) - with credit cards, business cards, ID book, all that
Notebook (listing a lot of stuff, from our prepaid electricity number, to random phone numbers, Land Rover part numbers, and Olivia's to-do list)
Chequebook in cover (cover needs replacing)
Keys (Ford, front door, 2x LARGE Landy bunches with battery keys attached)
Small hairbrush
One galvanized wheel bolt from Olivia so I can go get the right size socket when I see them

Weighing down the interior side pocket is:
Dentyne gum
Lipstick and lipgloss x 3
Mini flashlight
Extra set of Ford keys
"Feminine hygiene" emergency item
Even smaller notebook (actually pages with "a note from Michelle" printed on - courtesy my mom, years ago)
Pen

Exterior small pocket contains:
Address book
There's a cellphone storage pouch too, but I'm not using it, cos it likes to open randomly and dump my cellphone on the floor - a feat I can accomplish perfectly well without help, thank you.

All this in a normal woman-sized bag. No wonder the bottom corners are starting to pull away from the sides and my shoulder gets sore walking the mall!

Which has led me to conclude I need a Manbag. Or a small backpack. Something that's got storage space, is sturdy and strong, and doesn't mind being chucked behind Land Rover seats or on the floor of a Ford (should that particular beast ever work again).

Not terribly ladylike, I know! But hey - I'm a practical chick. Will keep the ladylike stuff for those rare occasions when I totter around in my killer heels (the ones that look like they come with a matching whip).