Wouldn't you know it

(Written on Friday - the day before I flew to England, when I should have been packing and generally organising things.)

So I'm packing for god knows what weather, for me, the Little Guy and the Queenager. Man-child isn't coming. First time we haven't gone en famille. With two teenagers I knew the day would come when our trips became fragmented, but it's still a bit weird. He's waited his whole life to play high school golf, and they only recently posted the schedule. Practice starts next week and they play almost every day for the following three weeks.

Never mind. We're only away for two weeks.

However, it does mean that I can't just pack and be done with it. Oh no. Also have to:

- Purchase food supplies for teen and dad consumption. (We live three doors away from a corner deli so I'm not taking this one too seriously.)

- Draw up a list of chores for Man-child- otherwise he will play Xbox live ALL day.

- Schedule dog lady for days when dog will be alone all day (not good)- making sure that Man-child takes responsibility for exercising her on his non-golf days.

- Leave notes about how and when to feed the dog, and with what. And where it can be found.

- Organise two weeks' worth of golf shirts for Man-child. Or he can borrow his dad's - he's the same size although only 14.


Of course, as usual, there is the requisite spanner/wrench or two in the works:

- That would be the giant mirror that has just fallen off the wall in the hallway. Miraculously, it didn't kill anyone, nor did it smash, but there is a big hole/rip in the drywall. I'm taking bets on whether it's still there when I get back. Anyone?

- Left a light on in the car yesterday (showing the Queenager where all the insurance documents were). Now car battery is dead as a dodo. I'm tempted to just leave that till I get back but I could be digging my own grave there.

- The Little Guy is complaining of a sore foot where he "trod on something" the other day. Have to evaluate the situ when he comes home from camp today. Can't risk infection really. Question would be whether to try to have it seen to here, or wait until I get to England. Never quite sure whether I can get into the surgery near my mother's house. Sigh. It is not unknown for us to cancel a flight due to illness, as when Man-child started shivering and throwing up a few years ago. Despite the fact that the doc couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, and (correctly) predicted that it was probably a quick virus, there was no way we'd be let on the plane with him in that condition.

God, I need a big lie down!

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