Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven......





"Bring your winter woollies," the Little Blister said.
Summer was last month in Ireland. This month it's "piddling rain and bloody freezing!"

"Bring your winter woollies," said Brit-Boy and the Lovely Natalie.
Summer came in the springtime to the UK. Now it's "piddling rain and bloody freezing" there too.

The Bean came home at the weekend and felt the tension the minute he walked in the door. Invisible, but tangible. It makes him want to turn and run!

"You're freaking out already mom, aren't you?"

 Not really. Pacing a lot, raking my fingers through my hair, avoiding the bedroom where my suitcase lies, open and empty on the floor, demanding to be filled. There was a cat in it for a while. When I freak out he freaks out. He catches the vibe when I still think I'm calm. He knows better. He can tell by the pacing, and the suitcase on the floor. The empty suitcase. A suitcase on the floor never bodes well. It means there's about to be an upheaval of some sort and El Gato dislikes upheavals of any sort. He feels if he climbs in and makes a nest he can alter the disturbing course of events. But he's been evicted and banned from the bedroom. I don't need every stitch I eventually pack covered in cat hair.How do you pack for "piddling rain and freezing" when it's 90 degrees in the shade? Under such conditions, long sleeved, cotton T-shirts start to look like winter woollies.

I'm tense, excited,  nervous....It's not the travelling that bothers me. It's the "What ifs." With the OC in the Far North and The Bean only here on weekends a little voice in my head starts up.....

What if there's a hurricane and large trees fall on the house?

What  if it's so hot the water evaporates from the pool to an extent that makes the pump explode?

What if it rains so hard the pool overflows? [next life, no pool.]

What if unmentionable, scary things happen to people I love while I'm off, swanning around Ireland?

What if I were to take a deep breath, as I've been learning to do at yoga? Because I know that all the fretting is futile.  I know this, but that little voice in my head apparently never got the memo!

I have a list as long as my arm of things to do before Thursday.

You'd think I'd be doing them.

But no. I've been in the sewing room, puttering---to take my mind off the impending need to be organized.

Stress relief.

In a way, I actually am organized. Those piles on the floor?



All the essentials are there: the pounds, the euros, the passport, the flight information, the camera, the chargers, something to read, something to write on and with, something to stitch.  When I do start to put stuff in the suitcase [and it had better be soon] first in will be the legendary ladybug quilt. Legendary for how many years it took to finish! The incentive to do so was the opportunity to hand deliver it to Little Brit-Boy who is already three [!!] and an expert on all things creepy crawly.

And now it's no longer Tuesday. To assuage my guilt at abandoning Pat for so long I went to work today. I left early, at her urging...."Go home and pack!"

Standing, wringing my hands doesn't seem to be working, so I've called on S-I-L for help.She needs a break from The Prince anyway! She'll be by as soon as he is fed and watered, and between us we'll wrestle those winter woollies into that suitcase!

18 comments:

jkhenson said...

I hope you have a wonderful safe time! :) I promise to have blog posts up when you return. ;) I've been long missing-but have very much appreciated your posts-on all your travels-past and soon to be! :) Hugs from Ohio!

patty said...

I am so so envious! Please say Hello to my favor place in the whole world ( the whole country of Ireland)I am not going to get to visit this year as I had planned. I'm really disappointed :( Have a great visit and don't worry about things that haven't happened yet.

Ali Honey said...

Enjoy! Enjoy! I can assure you you will love Ireland( HAHA - My one visit makes me an expert - you know the place; you love the place....so get on with it.! ) Lots and lost of photos please - I might even recognise where some of them are taken.
Safe Journey my friend.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Have a marvellous time !
And bring every wooly you and S-I-L own ..... then Europe can enjoy a heat wave .

persiflage said...

What excitement. i have only just realised that the mountain is going to Mahomet. What joy. I hope you have a fabulous time, and for long enough to make your joy overflow.
What is puttering? I think over here we say pottering? Is there a difference?
Happy flying, happy landing, happy staying and looking forward to reading all about it.

Thimbleanna said...

OhMyGosh -- is the baby THREE already??? I'm SOOO excited for you -- I know you'll have a wonderful time. I also know about the worry that something might happen to someone you love when you're on a big trip like that -- argggg. Try not to worry and HAVE FUN!!!! (Btw, summer will return to the UK in August LOL!)

StitchinByTheLake said...

You're going to have so much fun you'll never notice the cold. :) Really. blessings, marlene

Joan said...

Sigh. It is so difficult to pack all the "what ifs" into one suitcase. I'm like you. I much prefer the unpacking ; all the "what ifs" have been confined to a finite number which imposes much needed limits.

All you really need are passport, credit card and toothbrush.

Bon voyage!

(Marlene is the voice of common sense)

Relatively Retiring said...

Have a wonderful time. I hope the weather is kind to you.

molly said...

Thanks everyone! I'm here, and it was indeed piddling and misty in Dublin, but a spell on the motorway brought us west, to the Blister's house---and the sun is shining!

ganching said...

Don't worry about packing - you can always buy or borrow stuff. It's not that cold really just very, very wet.

Gillie said...

Oh, Molly, wish you were coming to the bigger island on the right.... Have a lovely time and keep warm. I have been colder here these past two years than I ever was in Chicago!

Anonymous said...

Wet and cold? Isn't that the quintessential Irish weather? Looking forward to reading soon about "Molly and Blister Go Out to Play"!

Suse said...

Safe travels and have fun!

Julie's Journey said...

Have a wonderful trip, enjoy being with family. Keep blogging if you can or I look forward to photos and stories when you return.
xxx

Pam said...

Now I know why we don't have a pool. With this weather, it would definitely overflow. Hope you're having / you've had a wonderful time.

Pam said...

Have fun and I hope nothing is falling on the house. (Who's looking after El G?)

molly said...

Never fear Isabelle. El Gato is vacationing at university with The Bean who is taking summer courses....