Family vacation commences on Saturday. Between now and then my mission is to pack duffel bags full of clothing for 4 kids and 1 adult. Howard packs for himself. I also have to make sure that I unpack the extras that Gleek and Patches put in the suitcases in their efforts to help. All of that goes into the van.
I also have to pack books to read at bedtime, games to play in our cabin, vitamins and medecines, Snackfood, toothbrushes and toiletries, the play pen, the baby backpack, sippy cups, diapers, wipes, and bunches of other things that I have on a list around here somewhere. All of it goes into the van.
Then there are MY things, Bird books, and wildflower books, and Butterfly books, and sketch pads, and watercolors, and a novel to read, and the story I’m working on, and anything else that I might want to do with the free time I’ll have while the kids are off playing. All of that goes into the van. On Saturday all the people go into the van too and we drive away.
But before we can drive off I’ve got to empty the front room and the kitchen. The couch, the rocking chair, the japanese screen, 3 large plants, 2 plant stands, a bench seat, an end table, a music cabinet, a piano, the kitchen table, 6 chairs, and 3 barstools all need to be moved. Fortunately none of that has to go into the van. It’s all going into the garage. While we are gone some nice men will come and make our hardwood floor all shiny and smooth. Then when we get back we get to relocate all that furniture again. Whee.
The point that I’m circuitously trying to reach here is that starting Saturday afternoon I won’t be online for a week. I’ll be outdoors taking pictures of the kids or off doing something with Howard or something by myself. Maybe the camp will offer a watercolor class again this year. Maybe I’ll try pottery. The camp does in fact offer internet connections, but they keep the computers in the basement of a building and I really have no intention of shutting myself up in a room of florescent lights and computer screens with so many other things available. I can do that when I get back home.
Those of you who’ve become frustrated with the way I litter your friends page once or twice daily will get a welcome break. (why do you still have me friended if I bug you anyway? 🙂 Those of you who’ve enjoyed my ramblings, don’t worry, I’ll be back after my vacation.
Heyyy….
I have to pack for myself?
Re: Heyyy….
You are exceptionally good at getting yourself killed, Howard. 🙂
Vorn
Re: Heyyy….
If Sandra dumps your lifeless body somewhere in the woods, can I have your boots? 😀
As far as things go, Sandra – enjoy the trip, and expect about a third of that stuff to probably get lost or misplaced somewhere along the way…
Have FUN
You will be missed, and hopefully, you will come back refreshed. With more cool stories.
Please, by all means, continuing “littering” my friends page. That’s why I put you there, after all. I enjoy reading them, even if school leaves me little time to properly respond.
Bird ID stuff
Bird-watching info for Provo (Utah County), Utah:
http://www.utahbirds.org/counties/utahco/utah.html
There is also a downloadable checklist at http://www.utahbirds.org/counties/utahco/utcochkl.pdf
Highlights today (yesterday? – Thursday) here in Georgia:
Ruby-throated hummingbird courtship displays
Cardinals and Bluebirds both fledged their second nests of the year
Black-and-White Warbler feeding young
Re: Bird ID stuff
I envy you your cardinals and bluebirds. They just don’t live around here.
Thanks for the checklist!
It ain’t litter, it’s art. Well, at least a welcome, down-to-earth reprieve from collegiate psychodramas (sigh).
Have fun storming the castle!
(why do you still have me friended if I bug you anyway? 🙂
I always wonder about that sort of thing, too. If I thought someone posted too much, I’d just read fewer of their entries, not complain that they needed to post less often. 🙂
Have a great trip! 🙂
Hee hee…
I got two email messages in succession from Sandra with “Flashlights” in the subject line.
The first was “they’re broken, go get more on your way home.”
The second was “never mind. The kids fixed them. Batteries were in backwards.”
I have a troubleshooting flowchart that covers just this situation. It says “if you ignore the problem long enough, will it go away?”
–Howard
Re: Hee hee…
*Giggle!*
Have fun everyone!
Vacation with young kids
Oh yes, that really reminds me of the time when my kids were younger. You have to pack tons of stuff of extras for them (diapers & other baby stuff), which finally ends in leaving behind things that you yourself would have loved to take with you.
But I can promise that it will get better. Now that my kids are 11 and 7, vacationing slowly returns to what it actually should be: relaxing! 😉
I wish you, Howard and the kids a great vacation time.
Enjoy the whole camping thing. I personally hate camping, but will be going in a week or two because my son asked me to and my father is going. Be thankful YOU aren’t going to a Boy Scout Family Camp-out. ‘Oh, the humanity!’