We packed everything the night before, for the most part, and took off after an early breakfast in the house. This is often a stressful part of the vacation for me, and it takes several "miles" before I can fully unwind from it. I so distrust my memory and my brain that our countertop is full of checklists, one for my concerns, and a separate one for DHs concerns. My list contains things like allergy medicine, insect repellant, toiletry items, foil, scissors and scotch tape, package up the dog's food for the vet, etc. DHs list contains things like a/c and all parts for exhaust hose, toolbox, extension cords, check oil level, add windshield washer fluid, turn off water heater, turn off house a/c, turn off well water, turn off solar water heater pump. Meanwhile, the kids are SO charged up over the prospect of vacation, and I am SO worried about forgetting something important that there is an uncomfortable dichotomy set up within our house. At this point, I tell them "just go outside and play until we come out to go. And please, no injuries!" Usually this is right after the kids have approached Daddy with three small colorful backpacks full of toys and things that they don't think they can do without. "No," says Daddy. "You can each just take one small pack, and everything has to fit in it."



Here are the children all settled in for a long day's drive.














Then, about an hour after we are on the road, it hits me, and I report to DH: "I distinctly remember shutting the windows to all the bedrooms and the school room, but I don't remember ever closing the kitchen window". Hmmmm. We had slept with all the windows open that night, since the air temps were venturing down into the 60s for the first time this season, and now I didn't remember closing all of them. After about 90 seconds of my husband wondering what I was going to request next, I ended with "Oh well, nothing we can do about it, I guess. I will simply just have to forget about it". I think I heard a sigh of relief come from the driver's seat side at that point.


Of course, this was well after we had gotten to the other end of our small town and I announced that we had to go back because I left half a banana in the garbage can and never took out the garbage. DH was continuing to drive, and then I followed up with "Yuck. An overripe banana in our trashcan for TWO WEEKS. The house will reek to high heaven. We can't just leave it."


"Okay!", and the van turned into a side street and we went back home. Fifteen minutes gone.


Oh, and we don't take our doggy on such trips. You see, there is barely room for him, and it is so hot in the car, and we like to hit every Cr*cker B*rrel restaurant we can find, which would be difficult to do with dog, and we honestly don't know if we could keep our dog quiet through the night at any campground, so we board our doggy, or leave him with the neighbor. So this time, it was to board him. So we stopped there first, too.


Now we absolutely adore our vet, and everybody on his staff. They are the best. And they were more crowded that morning than I ever remember, which meant we were there about a half hour waiting our turn for things. I also had to sign off a release for anesthesia for Beau because he needed a "nail shave". He is 8 years old, and will not allow anybody around his nails to trim them anymore. They had grown hideously long, and this really bothered me, since I felt guilty every time I saw them. So now, he will have to have an annual "nail shave" under sedation; we requested this the morning of our vacation as well (as a follow up, he is now home with his new short nails, and they look great. I am so happy about this. Now he can run all winter without fear of breaking/splitting them, which he has done in the past. I think I notice a new twinkle in his eye and a spring in his step now, don't you?)
















So will this post ever get on with the trip? Well, I have to say, that's what I was wondering, too, that morning as it was nearing 10 o'clock before we really started to move along the highway, putting the house and vet finally behind us.


Our first destination was the Milton - Gulf Pines KOA Kampground outside of Pensacola, where we were going to visit my MIL (Mimi) for two days. More about that part of the trip in my next post.