Busier than a one-legged man...

...in an ass kickin contest.

Well obviously, I'm not quite that busy if I've got time to blog, eh? Hey, I'm takin a break, ok?

Is it just me, or does everyone go into this frenzy of activity just before embarking on a vacation of more than a couple days in length?

I suppose that most of the things I've got on my extensive 'to do' list aren't really that important. But I know me. I know that when we get home, it'll take me a few days to get out of 'vacation mode' and back into the general routine. So, I don't want to have to do much of anything for a couple days after we get home.

My goal is for the place to be spick and span when we get back...clean sheets on the bed, all the laundry (except our vacation clothes) caught up, everything clean, dusted and put away, fridge cleaned out and ready for a post-vacation stock up. Stuff like that. Oh, and here's a biggie...cleaning out the coffeepot before we go. Has anyone ever been gone for a couple weeks and come home to discover there are things growing in the grounds that you forgot to empty before walkin out the door? (Shudder) It wasn't pretty.

But then there's all the running stuff, too. Get my scripts filled, run to the bank, a couple shopping trips to stock up on all our vacation-type gear, run to the post office and fill out a 'hold mail' form. No big deal, really...but stuff that usually has to wait until the last few days before...and stuff that takes time.

Then, there's the whole ordeal of takin our ferrety-type creature to the ferrety-type 'resort'. That alone, will take up a BIG chunk of Friday. Cleaning out the cage and loading it in the car, along with bags of litter and food; stuffing her into her carrier, which is comparable to stuffing a boa constrictor down a gopher hole; driving the 10 or 12 miles in heavy traffic to the vet's, all the while trying to keep her from chewing/digging her way out of said carrier. Let's just say that she's not exactly enamored of car rides OR her carrier. This little, tiny creature turns into a Tasmanian Devil, complete with sound effects. I oughta check to see if they make ferret tranquilizers, I guess. Oh, and for the last two years, I've gotten caught in like a major storm during the drive. That made it especially thrilling, lemme tell ya.

By the time I get back home from that particular little errand, I need a drink...or three. Can you say 'frazzled'? I ain't lookin forward to it, that's for sure.

As for the actual packing, well, most of that's done. 'Course, I hafta do it early in order to give me enough time to change my mind three or four times. I try really hard to pack light and pack smart. I absolutely HATE draggin a buncha crap on vacation...but it's so damn hard not to. Ya just never know whatcha might need. And despite all my planning, there's always something I forget...and it's usually something pretty important.

The really 'important stuff' bag is all packed, though. Swimming suits, beach towels and shoes, sunblock and aloe gel (because we forget to actually USE the sunblock) and snorkle gear.

Ooops...the flippers. I just remembered...I didn't pack the flippers.

Wonder where the hell they are?