trip, trip...hooray?

Did you ever notice that when you're getting ready to take a vacation, everything goes wrong? The project that was put on hold suddenly needs your input. The cat starts throwing up even though she hasn't done that since she was a kitten (and that was six years ago). Your parents suddenly decide to throw a family reunion because grandma isn't getting any younger, and they are pushing you to attend....and so on.

Right before a vacation, I seem to wake up in the middle of the night and wonder just where I put that peach bathing suit I bought on sale at the end of the season. I don't know why I feel the need to obsess about where I stored it at 4AM, but there it is, swirling around in my mind, along with a huge "to do before I go" list that I know I won't remember in the morning. I'm too awake not to think about it, but too tired to actually get up and write it down so I might actually have the experience of doing something productive in the week hours of the morning.

The car service won't come. The cat sitter is suddenly busy. I forgot to empty the fridge and put all the valuables away. My father wants to know when I'm coming to see him, even though I told him a gazillion times that I was going away. He gets petulant. I get annoyed.

Finally, we get on the road...bags packed, tickets in hand. The stress doesn't end there, however. The road to the airport has an accident and is closed. The detour takes a humogous amount of time and now we're running to the terminal. The line to check in, then get through security is huge. We finally make it with seconds to spare, sink into our seats and....the row in back of us has a mom and two toddlers, both of whom are playing with eletronic toys that go "burp!" and "moo" and "wheeee,whaaahhh." The mom is encouraging this. We are doomed.

Two vodkas and a headset later, we're finally at our destination. Sometimes I wonder if it might just be more relaxing to stay home and keep up the regular routine. Sometimes, I wonder why it's called "vacation.' It should be called .....(fill in the blank with your comments, please)!