For almost 2 weeks now I have been stressing. Why? Because hubs and I are getting ready to take 10 days off work (5 for us and 5 for a seminar). Now most people get paid while taking vacations, but we don't. Instead not only do we have the actual trip costs of airfare, hotel, restaurants, etc, we have to pay people to cover our rears so we can go away.
I started a checklist 2 months ago (I am anal about my lists but they are better than post it notes which I used to do). Hubs and I haven't been away together without kids and without attending a seminar in 13 years. We stayed home throughout those years to protect the house. Those of you who have kids and teens know what I am talking about. Now we only have son left at home and we know there won't be a party here while we are gone because he won't want to clean up after. He would much rather go to someone else's house and get it dirty than clean here. This is good. I remember a seminar hubs and I went to 4 years ago. We thought we had protected the house. We had neighbors watching the house for car activity. We had people we knew who drove by the house to make sure there wasn't activity. Well, we came home to find our kitchen chairs broken, 4 Jewel shopping carts in our backyard, and our son's jaw broken. There was never a car here. They had people park a half mile away at the Jewel (the reason why there were shopping carts in our backyard) and walk the half mile to our house so there wouldn't be a car here. We still have never heard the story about the jaw cept that son got in between 2 people who were fighting. All I know is that trip cost me over $8000.00 for the oral surgery, 1 semester college tuition when son couldn't go back since his mouth was wired shut for 6 weeks, 5 days pay to another doctor to cover our offices, and 1 kitchen table and chairs. But we are hoping that since he's older he will behave himself this time. Besides, he doesn't have his sister to clean up after him and his parties. He would have to pay someone and that isn't going to happen.
But going away? I swear I am going to sleep a week after I get there. It never ceases to amaze me what goes into getting ready to take a trip away. We had to get new luggage (airlines are not kind to luggage and ours was 18 years old and the airline killed them 4 years ago). I also had to find things to wear. My wardrobe consists of scrubs. I have enough other clothing for maybe 5 days but not 10. So looks like I will be washing things there because I refused to buy anything new since I keep losing weight. The details of going away get to me. My list started out 2 pages long. I am now down to a half page and that is mainly things to pack. I had to anticipate everything and anything that could happen the week I was out of touch.
Did I mention my husband isn't allowing me to touch my computer until the conference begins on Thursday? So now I will be in work withdrawal and computer withdrawal. Yep just him and me. Should be interesting. After 28 years of marriage and working 12-14 hour days together day in and day out, he made rules for the trip. No talk of the office. No talk of the patients. No talk of the kids. No talk of the wedding. Just the 2 of us. Should be interesting. Got my cans of lysol packed though! And ready for the hotel sex after I get the sleep.
So behave everyone! See you in a week or so.
