Vacation from vacation

It's almost time for me to take a vacation from work and I'm not ready. I'm never ready. My idea of vacation is sitting at home and either accomplishing something I've been wanting to do for a long time (like sorting and arranging old photos) or staying home and doing nothing too strenuous, and maybe even a day trip.

My husband's idea of a vacation (or his idea about what to do anytime I have a day off) is to leave the house. Except I get to do all the planning and he gets to drive.

I had our vacation planned--for this week--but Richard wasn't ready to go. Full disclosure: I didn't remind him about my time off because I had a schedule figured out and didn't want him to change my plans. We were going to leave Tuesday for Odessa and come back Friday. When I reminded him on Friday, he asked me if I could change my vacation because he wasn't ready. And because I love him, I had to ask my boss. That's how I postponed my vacation a week.

I thought, "It'll give me some time to get stuff done before we leave." Of course, I've done nothing except laundry and I'll have to do that again. Now I'm in panic mode and R wants to leave Friday afternoon and I haven't packed. The only thing that I can cross of my list is getting Mr. Scampers bathed.

In addition to packing, I need to clean out the fridge to make sure nothing nasty will get nastier while we're gone. Laundry, again. Map out a scenic route and find a clean stream or river so the dog can go for a swim. Pack books, DVDs and magazines/puzzles to keep entertained while we're en route and in Odessa. Pack digital camera and Bill's old 35 mm camera. Buy film. Learn to use Bill's camera. Look for extra batteries for cameras. Empty memory card. Leave bucket under ceiling in den because it will likely rain while we're gone. Look for school supplies that I bought last year to give to friends who are going to deliver school supplies in Nuevo Laredo this weekend. Call friends who are going to N. Laredo and arrange to give them the supplies. Buy dog an extra flea collar. Buy dog food. Buy big lock for the gate. Tell neighbors we're going to out town. Call newspaper dude to stop delivery. Look for phone charger, iPod charger. Look for iPod. Load music Richard likes into computer and dump to iPod.

It's enough to make me cry. It's too much. I do less work when I'm at work work. I wish I had magical powers to mentally transport R and Dan'l to Odessa.