Logistics

A mother should never plan on going anywhere if she is leaving her family at home. It's just too much work.

My mom needed a travelling companion to take the spot left vacant by my beloved "Auntie Mame" who died in December at the wonderfully young age of 95. I've been meaning to write about this magnificent woman, but every time I do, I get too teary to see the keyboard. In time-all in good time.

So I jumped at the chance to travel for 18 days through Asia and India. Once I found out it did not interfere with Boy's Junior/Senior Prom. More on that later. Much more.

One would think I am briefing the generals on D-Day invasion plans. Mind you, I will be available via computer (purchased for the occasion, so I will never be more than a nanosecond away), Skype webcam and international phone.

I've prepaid all the bills for the next month. Finished the taxes- both personal and for each of our businesses. Synced the household calendar with Grumpy Guy's. Briefed him on his temporary job as my stand-in as "Track Team Spike Goddess". Ordered everything necessary for Girl's spring break mission trip to Nicaragua (that's a whole 'nother clever happening....Girl is going to Nicaragua to work in a school over spring break...so the household will be two men sitting around in boxers eating cheetos for the majority of my time away). I've written out everything needed for decorating for prom (I took the kids' ideas and drew out/designed a lot of it) in case I get trampled by an elephant or eaten by a crocodile.

Grumpy Guy helped this weekend by doing all the extant dirty laundry down to the last handknitted sock. Even took the time to NOT put sweaters in the dryer. Read labels and washed appropriately. He has risen to the occasion.

I still have to show Boy how to transfer money between accounts online and tell Girl how to sort the mail. Write articles for the local paper for the school's 5K run/fundraiser in May. Get extra prom supplies ordered. Get Boy and his classmates organized on what they need to build/paint in my absence. make sure his date's flowers are ordered. Send his tux to the cleaners, as it's probably wadded up on the bottom of his closet from when he unpacked from the family trip last August.

Oh, and pack. Yeah- that.

And cramming for all the wild and fabulous things I'm going to get to see.

If I can make it through the week until Friday.