Exciting first day of holidays
It's not really my first day of holidays, it's actually my second. It's been great - yesterday I grocery shopped and today I cleaned the bathrooms. Anyway. Two weeks off - I have not yet stopped groping my pants waistline for my pager. But I'm not at work. Woot. It won't really feel like time-off until I'm in the car, running away from my responsibilities. We have yet another smokin' internet deal for a Vegas hotel, and it's currently 30 degrees in Vegas while it's about 11 and rainy here. I wanted to go to Palm Springs originally, but the hotels were all over $130 U.S. per night. That's $4,833.92 Canadian. Or so. Anyway, I like Vegas. There is always the appealing idea that you might win back the cost of the trip. I have actually done so twice.
We leave on Thursday, probably not till afternoon because of the need to cash Jimm's cheque. I have spent the last two weeks doing dorky things like planning road routes on Mapquest and obsessively checking and rechecking the weather. Today is officially the first day I can see a forecast for one of the days we will be there as Weather.com only works 10 days ahead. *sigh*
Monday is my birthday, which I almost forgot because I was only thinking about Maddie being 13. Now I officially have three teenage children, which is very strange. Most days I feel like I am still 19 myself. Except for the pain. And the fat. And the wrinkles. And the vision loss. But other than that, just like when I was 19. Yeah.
I am going to spend some of the time I am away meditating on the idea of selling my house. The house is worth about $75,000.00 more than I paid for it a few years ago, and selling it would pay off all my debt and put enough money in the bank to provide some ease for the family - but there's a catch. I would have to rent for a few years, which feels very insecure to me. A house has come available which might suit us, and it has a two year lease. I am so torn. One day I am crying and saying I can't stand to sell - the next day I am mentally spending the money I will make from selling it. I'm pretty sure any financial advisor would tell me to sell. Oh crap. More on this later, I'm sure. Probably much more. (I have told the kids I am thinking about this - so it isn't news to them.)
I am a little worried about leaving the kids without us for a week. I have done it a lot but it felt better when Jennifer was here because she was so used to coping with her siblings. Also I'm afraid no-one will look after the dog properly and what little housebreaking he has will be undermined as he happily pees in every corner. Cory sometimes works and Riley is never here and what if they don't eat meals and will anyone ever be nice to Trav and Kenny when I am not here? Or will they just ignore them unless they are yelling at them?
Weird echoing quiet reigns here as most of the kids are at their Dad's for the weekend. Think I will go eat their junk food.
We leave on Thursday, probably not till afternoon because of the need to cash Jimm's cheque. I have spent the last two weeks doing dorky things like planning road routes on Mapquest and obsessively checking and rechecking the weather. Today is officially the first day I can see a forecast for one of the days we will be there as Weather.com only works 10 days ahead. *sigh*
Monday is my birthday, which I almost forgot because I was only thinking about Maddie being 13. Now I officially have three teenage children, which is very strange. Most days I feel like I am still 19 myself. Except for the pain. And the fat. And the wrinkles. And the vision loss. But other than that, just like when I was 19. Yeah.
I am going to spend some of the time I am away meditating on the idea of selling my house. The house is worth about $75,000.00 more than I paid for it a few years ago, and selling it would pay off all my debt and put enough money in the bank to provide some ease for the family - but there's a catch. I would have to rent for a few years, which feels very insecure to me. A house has come available which might suit us, and it has a two year lease. I am so torn. One day I am crying and saying I can't stand to sell - the next day I am mentally spending the money I will make from selling it. I'm pretty sure any financial advisor would tell me to sell. Oh crap. More on this later, I'm sure. Probably much more. (I have told the kids I am thinking about this - so it isn't news to them.)
I am a little worried about leaving the kids without us for a week. I have done it a lot but it felt better when Jennifer was here because she was so used to coping with her siblings. Also I'm afraid no-one will look after the dog properly and what little housebreaking he has will be undermined as he happily pees in every corner. Cory sometimes works and Riley is never here and what if they don't eat meals and will anyone ever be nice to Trav and Kenny when I am not here? Or will they just ignore them unless they are yelling at them?
Weird echoing quiet reigns here as most of the kids are at their Dad's for the weekend. Think I will go eat their junk food.