3 Weeks

I would like three weeks off from my life - a true vacation. That would be nifty. More than nifty, it would be fantabulous! I can see it now (imagine wavy lines)...

Day One - Wake up, stretch, realize that there is someone else who is going to be responsible for mom's comfort (to the best of their abilities) for the day. Slow realization that this will be the case for the next 20 days as well makes me anxious and lighter at the same time. Since I am still here in the house, though, I know that I will find myself checking in with mom anyway. Sigh. As the day passes and I don't have to worry about making lunch for mom, checking on her eating it, getting her pills, making sure she has tissues and bandaids and toilet paper, I feel a few little knots of tension dissipate. That night, I might actually take myself out to dinner and sit in a pub for a few hours without thinking that I am neglecting mom, that I ought to have brought her to out to eat, that she might be just sitting in the house pretending to read.

Day Two - Wake up and smell no coffee! Not my business. The day stretches forth in front of me with no mom-sibilities. Yay! I decide that I probably ought to pack to get ready for my escape. Just an aside, I am not one to pack days and days before I leave on a trip. I have packed so often for myself, that I am pretty quick and efficient at it. Two pairs of pants, three t-shirts, a couple of long sleeved shirts, 8 pairs of socks, five pairs of underwear, toiletries and maybe an extra sweatshirt or sweater and that is about it. Since I am wearing clothes when I leave (usually), that means I have three pairs of pants, four t-shirts, some sort of extra layer, 9 pairs of socks and six pairs of underwear. If I am traveling for more than a week, all or parts of this can be easily washed. Yay! I am not averse to wearing the same thing a few days (or a month) in a row. I go out for lunch, do a good bit of walking places as I don't need to worry that mom has fallen down or anything. Out to dinner too again, and more pubbing. I do enjoy just sitting in a pub, most times.

Day Three - Off into the wild blue yonder! Woo hoo! Freedom! I can go anywhere, do anything! (Well within reason - sadly financial concerns need to be taken into account) And I am not as young as I once was, so extreme sports are most likely out of the realm of likelihood. Since my flight leaves from NYC, I impose a smidge on the kindness of relatives and head to Kingston, NY. I get there after lunch, head to one of the local pubs and relax. Dinner with Ernst and Betty. Out again to explore a bit after dinner.

Day Four - E&B help me get to the train to get into NYC to catch my flight. Where am I going? Someplace else. Doesn't really matter. Someplace new-ish to me, most definitely. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy going to places I have been before. There is always more to experience and explore. I also, though, love going to places I have never been. Am I going to cruise - not opposed to cruising - take a guided tour - I have done this at least once and enjoyed it - go someplace and rent a car and toodle around on my own - possibly. All I know is that for days five through sixteen, I will be someplace far removed from Geneva and my mom-sibilities.

Days 5 - 16 - Travel and explore and experience and unfold. Will mom be in my mind (and heart)? Sure. Will I call every day? I don't know. Part of me says that I could do that, part of me says that I don't want to. Which will win out? Maybe some happy medium - every other day? Maybe once every three days? How often is often enough? Will she completely forget me while I am away? Who knows? I will send a postcard or two for sure. And take lots of pictures.

Day 17 - Back to NYC and then Kingston. Start to unwind from the trip.

Day 18 - Visit someone or someplace not too far from Kingston. Using Kingston as my home base for one more day.

Day 19 - Back to Geneva. Yes, I feel the weight begin to descend upon my shoulders just a bit.

Day 20 - Head off somewhere for a massage and one more full day of no mom-sibilities.

Day 21 - Back to the house, wake up, know that tomorrow all the mom-sibilities will be mine once again. Pass through the day, starting to get my ducks in a row - figuring out what the next few days will look like. Planning dinners, shopping, Smith time, mom time, me time - oops, that come out fifth on the list. Hmm.

Day 22 - Get up and check on mom...