Travels

There's something about leaving for vacation that compels me to clean like a maniac. J. is chuckling as I scrub baseboards, cupboards, move rugs, etc. I can't help it. I have a friend coming over every few days to take care of the cats, bird & frog (dogs are going to a kennel) and while I know she probably won't even notice the state of my baseboards and even if she did notice dust, she wouldn't care - I still have to clean them. Partly 'cuz it will be so nice to come home to a clean(er) house and partly 'cuz if we tragically don't come back, the house will be presentable to the Wells Fargo trust employee who's responsibility it will be to take care of what needs to be taken care of.

We have a couple days before we leave for Maui and my mind is abuzz with list after list of what needs to be done before we leave. I am so exhausted at the mere thought(s) of all that needs to be done that when J. talks about getting up at 4AM to see a volcano crater ('we have to be there before sunrise; that's the whole point of going - it's a spiritual experience', I want to run from the dinner table. The boys chime in 'it's OK Mom, it'll be like 7AM here'. It will feel like 4AM regardless.

My sister K. and niece H. are in San Fran unexpectedly and we are meeting them for dinner tomorrow night. A fun way to celebrate my 46th birthday. YIKES. That sounds 'old' and the big FIVE OH is not too far ahead.

B. survived his freshman year. Finished yesterday. Received a citizenship award from the school district. H. received a citizenship award as well and improved his GPA by .7 in just one trimester. Amazing what insisting he CAN and WILL do stuff on his own can do. He studied on his own, kept track of his own assignments, etc. We were 'bystanders' for the first time EVER with H. and it sure felt good.

Aloha.