Hedonists on Holiday: Pre-Trip 10/9/05, 10/12/05 added, UPDATE Post 5

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

So here we are! 6 days from departure. DH (38), Me (35) and DS (9). Second trip this year - first trip was in January. January trip was "once in a lifetime". By Wishes on the first night DH was working out when we could go back. So back we go! The "hedonism" trip, where the ultimate goal is excess! Emphasis will be on gluttony, truancy (DS will be missing school), and acquisition of material goods. The only area of restraint will be alcohol consumption. Extras will include MNSSHP, IllumiNations cruise, Family Magic Tour, and lunch at CRT.

We have been counting down from 274 days. I have changed our ADR's approximately 7 times since I started them at 90 days out. I need to call and check them again before we leave. Dining should appreciate that.

I spent last weekend doing laundry. Carrying huge load of laundry, can't see the floor, tripped over the cat, wrenched my back. I have chronic back problems, so we shall see what happens next. My back has been feeling "vulnerable" since the cat decided "under my feet" was the best spot for flopping down. That means at any time I could do something simple (like bend over) and my back will pop and send me into spasms of pain. Ordinarily those episodes of "bad back" last anywhere from 2-6 WEEKS, so I am hoping for the best! Lift with the legs and all that sort of thing...

DH announced Wednesday that he needs more underwear. Bought him more underwear on Thursday. DH announced Friday that he doesn't have any extra shoes to bring. Grrrr. Yesterday he went and bought more shoes. DH announced this morning that he is out of deodorant. Sent DH to Target while I did more laundry, most notably DH's new underwear. Realized I packed our Wet Ones that we use to wipe down the surfaces of the hotel room. Dig in the suitcase but can't find them now. Grrr. Tell DH to buy more. DH calls from Target. Can't find the wipes. Fine. Tell him to buy the Clorox ones. Good thing luggage isn't full because the Clorox ones are in the big cylinder container. Tell him to get some wrinkle releaser. He claims there isn't any. He is looking with the cleaning products. Tell him to go to laundry section. He claims there is no fabric softener. Tell him to look on back wall. (I am VERY familiar with layout of Target.) He finds wrinkle releaser. DH pays for purchases and returns home. Clean underwear is in a huge stack, waiting to go in his suitcase. He takes DS outside to play, leaves his underwear.

DH knows it is irritating me to NO END that he isn't packed. He is doing it on purpose. We are both working Monday - Friday, evenings are crazy, he REALLY needs to pack TODAY. I am trying to pretend I haven't noticed he isn't packing, but we all know I am climbing the walls.

Stay tuned for continuing coverage of my pursuit of hedonism...

Now just 57 hours to go...

I think DH has finally packed most of his things. This is good. I like it when he follows directions.

DS has a book report due next Tuesday. This is a problem, as we leave on Friday. The teacher was kind enough to give him the assignment yesterday and tell him to have it completed by Friday so he can turn it in before we leave. That could be ugly. He has completed Part 1 of 3, so tonight and tomorrow will be awfully busy with regular homework AND the book report. Everybody else has Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to complete the report, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Yes, we are taking him out of school but to cut the time he has to complete the assignment in HALF means his finished product won't be nearly as impressive as the kids who had FOUR additional days to work on it. Grrr. Well, at least he won't get a "0" for the assignment.

So far my back is hanging in there. I had the guy at Sam's put all the heavy stuff in the car for me, then I carried it into the house one piece at a time.

Had a pedicure on Monday so my toes are ready to go.

Had my car inspected so my mother won't get a ticket driving around in my car while we are gone. I am notorious for expired inspection stickers. The car is only 2 years old - what could be wrong with it?

Still haven't called Dining to check those ADR's. I mean, I called two weeks ago, but no telling what may have happened since then. Need to call and check again.

So far things are shaping up just fine, so that means some horrible thing is about to happen. The question is WHAT will that horrible thing be?

 

[mtdevine615]

I can't wait to see if he makes it on the trip or if you knock him out. Actually it sounds a lot like DW and I. Sometimes I just have to do things to get to her, just to let her know i'm around after being married for 21 years. Gotta love to leave the seat up once in a while just to see if she's paying attention. Maine

 

[luvmy2sams]

I hope your back holds out for this trip. I know exactly what it feels like...have even done a trip with a herniated disc...and it's not fun. to you for a speedy recovery.

Have a fabulous vacation! Hedonism is the way to go!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

to close in on our date of departure!

By late afternoon yesterday I came up with a very clever threat for DH:
"You better pack NOW. If you don't pack then SOMETHING might happen and you won't get packed at all. Then DS and I will go to WDW without you!" OK, so not all that clever. Not even all that logical, but it worked.

By the time Tiger Woods beat out my friend John Daly in the American Express golf tournament DH was in full packing mode. Except for the one shirt that he MIGHT wear on the plane, or he might "save" because he doesn't want to waste a good shirt just for the flight in. Whatever. (I met John Daly in the airport once, about 14 years ago. I have referred to him as "my friend" ever since. Every once in awhile DS will remind me that John Daly is actually NOT my friend.) Perhaps John Daly will be playing in the FUNAI next weekend and I will bump into him. I am SURE he would remember me.

My back continues to feel just a bit off. I have never been to a chiropractor or an orthopedic back specialist, so I don't actually KNOW what's wrong with my back. The injury is about 8 years old and it recurs whenever I really don't have time to deal with it. Like now, for example. Every time I pull it really bad I say I will go to the Dr. but I never actually go. Well, I went to the internist but she wasn't very helpful. The nurse suggested an MRI on my back, which would have been a good idea with our OLD health insurance that ended in March. The only good idea with the NEW health insurance is to be 100% healthy, 100% of the time. The new insurance was created to make us question just HOW sick or injured we really are. I think they are hoping we will die while we are contemplating whether or not we truly NEED an office visit, then they won't have to pay for anything. For now I am taking my 800 mg. ibuprofens and hoping for the best!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Finally got around to calling Dining again today. All ADR's are safe and sound. This is good.

Had a hectic afternoon at work, and tomorrow is looking like it will be hectic, too. This is bad.

Get home and DH is wandering around, mumbling. This is very bad. Mumbling is always bad. He has decided his travel pillow won't fit in his carry-on. OK, fine. I tell him to put it in his backpack. He asks me where he is supposed to put his camera. The camera is already a HUGE problem. A little background on the stupid camera:
He had this camera back in high school (20 years ago). He got to thinking about it and wishing he still had it. Remembered he gave it to his friend. Called up the friend, went and got it back. Paid $75 to have it reconditioned. It is a big old Canon with a lens that weighs more than a small child. He shot a test roll of film and has pronounced the camera "Disney ready". Grrr. I have a dozen disposables, there is NO NEED for this mammoth camera. But DH insists.

So he asks me where he should put the camera. I bite my tongue, because I am about to say "Stuff it in your, um, ear." I tell him there is room in another carry on but it is NOT a bag we will be digging in during the flight. The pillow needs to be accessible, the camera DOES NOT. DH mumbles some more.

Now he is mumbling about not having room for his toiletry case, and his prescription meds are in there. I tell him to put the case in the carry on that still has room in it. The SAME bag where I told him to put the camera. Let's remember that as of now he is carrying an EMPTY backpack, unless he decides to put the pillow in there. I bet the pill bottle can ride shotgun with the pillow. But maybe not. I offer to put the meds in my purse, which is also a carry-on. He mumbles some more and says he will work it out himself. This is probably bad, but we'll have to wait and see. I supress the urge to hurl something heavy across the room at him.

I am stressed out enough about helping DS write this book report. I am also trying to tie up loose ends from a huge charity event that I co-chaired 2 weeks ago. They are having a meeting while I am gone (I suspect they did this on purpose, but that's another thread) and I am supposed to submit my wrap-up notes before Friday. I am thinking that may not happen.

Must remember to pay online bills Friday before we leave. Maybe I can submit event notes after I pay the bills. That will work, contingent on being able to remember just exactly what I wanted to SAY in regards to the event.

One of my favorite sayings is "Every day comes with it's own surprises." I got it from an old episode of ER. A homeless lady comes to the ER because she is constipated. She has a tumor obstructing her bowel. She was once the host of a very successful children's TV show, and that was her tag line. Obviously in the context of her show it was meant to be a happy thing, but now it is just sort of a cruel irony. Dr. Weaver remembers watching the show and wants to help the lady, but the lady leaves without treatment. She tells Dr. Weaver "Every day comes with it's own surprises."

Ah. The pursuit of hedonism is fraught with peril! And every day comes with it's own surprises...

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Just a bump, in case some of you missed the preliminary drama. I am now ready to begin posting departure day so I wanted to make sure everyone has a chance to catch up.