Getting Ready for Vacation

This is the 6^th summer we have gone to Minnesota for the months of June and July. When we tell people we visit Minnesota every summer, they ask us if we have family up there. No, but husband loves to fish, and where else would there be an angler’s delight than a state that boasts 10,000 lakes? I like to fish, as long as I am catching fish. Husband lives by the mantra “A bad day at fishing is better than a good day at work.” Quite frankly, everything is better than a bad day at fishing – it’s boring. What I like about fishing is watching the ducks, catching some rays, bobbing on the lake, and pining for the lake houses.

Getting ready for 2 months away from our desert home is quite an ordeal. Husband believes that he has to do a summer’s worth of work in 2 weeks in preparation for our vacation. The 2 weeks before we left he trimmed all the bushes in the yard; cut back the rubber plants; pulled up bricks to fix the drip tubes; fixed the drip tubes; laid the bricks back down; washed and waxed the trailer; washed and waxed the truck; installed mini blinds on all the windows in the trailer; cleaned and waxed the wood inside the trailer; built a ramp for the elderly dog to get into the trailer instead of climb the steps; and put tin foil on two of the windows of the house.

I went shopping and made a meat loaf.

Deciding what to take in the way of clothing is another challenge. We will be gone the months of June and July – the last time I checked, this is called summer. So last year I packed summer clothes: tank tops, shorts, sleeveless blouses, etc. It was rainy and cold in Minnesota last summer, so I wore the same pair of jeans and sweatshirt almost every day. Then I came to the conclusion that Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has 2 seasons: fall and winter; whereas Phoenix, Arizona has 2 seasons: spring and summer. So, I wised up and this year and packed what I would wear in Arizona in January and February.

In past years I have felt the compulsion to pack for a year away from civilization. I packed: NyQuil (have only used it once in 5 years, but you never know), cough medicine, Pepto Bismol, 50 rolls of toilet paper, Costco-size paper towels, 200 paper plates, 15 pairs of shoes, 5 sets of towels, the list goes on. Then it dawned on me – Minnesota has a Walmart – we can just buy what we forget. The trailer is much lighter this year.

Before going on vacation, there are some people who feel it is necessary to clean the house before they go. I know this is useless. Who are these people cleaning the house for? A robber is not going to comment on how grimy the windows are before he breaks them to enter the house. And I don’t think the thief would do a white glove test before grabbing the gold jewelry. Besides, the crickets and spiders take up residence the week you vacate the house. They are used to living in grime and filth. You just sweep the little bastards away along with the 3 inches of dust that has accumulated.

Then there are those who believe that they must be sure to wear clean underwear before they get into a car just in case they are in an accident. Where is the logic in this? If you are involved in a car crash, you’re going to soil your pants, so clean underwear is optional.

A friend of mine makes sure all her diamond jewelry is clean and sparkly before she travels. Now, that makes sense – it will give the EMT’s something to admire as they strap you on the board and haul your ass away in the ambulance.

The moral of the story is – don’t stress when getting ready for a vacation. What you forget, you can buy. What you don’t to do at home will be there when you get back. Let the fishing begin.