The Storm Before The Calm

Tomorrow at 4am, I am leaving my house to get to the airport so I can fly to Colorado for a little holiday. I made this same trek about 2 years ago and it was wonderful. I’ll be in Durango, visiting my sister and her family. Her kids are grown which means I won’t be put to work changing diapers.

Once I set foot on my first flight tomorrow (there will be a total of 3), I suspect I will get a minor headache. That’s what happens when I can decompress after a period of great stress. It’s nice to know what to expect form ones own body, but sucks to know it won’t be a good thing.

During my 5 day absence, my husband will be in charge of the homestead and that mean The Kids. While I cannot claim to be a great organizer or master planner, I have a good grip on what needs to be done around the house and for the boys. Among the things not on my list: cleaning, dusting, vacuuming. The things on my list: playing, getting them fed, keeping them healthy, following something of a routine. With my husband in charge that is the unnerving part – making sure he does certain small things that need doing. He’ll get them fed, but I worry about the “little things.” Little Things include making sure Harry has stuff for a snack, patching Graham’s eye for 2 hours a day. The RIGHT one. Not left. Right. Dropping off and picking up from school. Being ready by exactly 11:40 to greet the bus. Yes, it’s the little things that make up a day.

As part of my trip preparation, I have been doing laundry. As a testament to my determination to have things go well in my absence thereby assuring I am permitted to take more trips alone in the future, I have even removed the clean clothes from the dryer, folder them, and get this, put them in the proper room. Yes, I am going all out. Today after work I did the grocery shopping based on the list I had my husband provide. I put together a detailed daily schedule for the family to follow. Now, as I type I am preparing dinner. Well, I am preheating the oven. But it counts.

Still to be done: packing, locating a suitable backpack for carrying my books, toothbrush and various sundries on the plane. Weather this time of year can be anything from hot and sunny to major snowstorm, so that presents something of a packing challenge. Must still gather up all my paperwork. And cell phone charger. And too many other things to list here and still have time to actually DO them.

I have my etickets printed out. It still bugs me not to have a good old, fashioned plane ticket in my hand, the kind with multiple slips inside and you never know which one you need.

Perhaps the biggest stress inducer is the fact I must leave my house at about 4am to get to the airport with ample time for my flight. I am a freak and am not happy unless I am at the airport very early. My flight leaves at 7. Ideally, I’d be there at 5. But instead it should be more like 5:30-5:45. At that time of the day it should be fine. So, what time should I go to bed? Now way I’m getting in my 8 hours. And with the stress of knowing I need to get up at 3:30, I won’t be able to fall asleep. Hello medicine cabinet.

By taking the time to blog, I am wasting valuable prep time, so hopefully it’s worth it. I’m really doing it because my public demanded I post something. That means one person mentioned it.

Ok, I need to hit the blog button and get moving on some projects around here. Once I get to Colorado, there will be time to sleep but for now, I gotta keep moving.

Au revoir my public. Kiss Kiss. See you on the other side of my holiday.