I have a little dreidl . . . (or two) :)

Fortunately, my husband didn't need much convincing to invest in a couple of "spinner" suitcases while he still had the income from his tax practice. I simply pointed out that, with my formerly-broken wrists, I'd be better able to help with luggage lugging if so much of the weight of the suitcases didn't fall on my hands, and that neither of us was getting any younger. (Spinner suitcases are easier to handle not only because the wheels swivel, but also because most of the weight of the suitcase rests on the four wheels, not on one's hands.) I'm happy to report that wheeling our two new suitcases from the store to the subway, then from the subway to our apartment, was reasonably easy, though no number of wheels will help with carrying a suitcase down and/or up a flight of stairs.

Safety tips:

• I learned the hard way that one should never push a suitcase, however easy to handle, directly in front of one, lest one fall over the suitcase when a wheel gets caught. (That was a close call--I've broken my wrists more than enough times already, thank-you-very-much.) Always keep the suitcase at least partially to one side.



• Also, don't be as stupid as I was and try hauling the suitcase down the same side of the stairs as the handrail--switch hands, and hold the handrail, for stability's sake, lest the weight of the suitcase cause you to fall down the stairs.