Trip Prep: Stage 2

The problem with me is that I can't pack unless the house is clean.  [That's obviously not the *only* problem with me, but the one of which I'm most aware at the moment, thank you.]

If Stage 1 is Gathering, Stage 2 of trip prep is definitely Order. These two stages are a little in conflict with each other, back and forth like windshield wipers.  Can't Gather unless there's Order, and resist Order because Gather is so much more fun.  But right now, Order is what's happening.

Small aside that indicates how hard it is to stay focused: Wow, we are three sleeps away now from seeing this with our own eyes: Pura Saraswati in Ubud.

If Stage 2 were only about mopping and vacuuming and dusting, that would be one thing. Order extends well beyond housekeeping, to ensuring that there's Order to the bills, both personal and financial.  There's a lot of work to do to catch the business up, to ensure that bills are paid in advance, that payroll is called in ahead for while we're gone, that there's work for the staff to do, that we know what Joe will be doing when he gets back.  We have to lay out that trail of crumbs now, because we're very likely (if all goes well) to completely forget what the hell we do for a living after two weeks of vacation in paradise.

I've been doing the same work at my job, and so the next three days will consist of finishing what I can and handing off everything else, with delight, not carrying it in my head and certainly NOT staying past 4pm on Wednesday. I'm made myself a vow that this time, this trip, I will not stay up all night the night before in a panicked frenzy of combo bill paying, list making, packing and worrying.  Nope, not this time.  Done.  [We'll see.]

Over the next three days, instead, we're slowly ticking down the long list, doing the yard work, letting the neighbors know to come harvest vegetables from the garden, picking and giving away whatever we can, ensuring that The Kid knows the minimal chores that need to happen while we're gone and he's in charge.

I like this slower process right now, seems better (duh) to be relaxed about entering a state of relaxation which is truly what vacation really is.  It's always a challenge to sustain the vacation feeling after we get back, so this time, I'm really trying to start the vacation feeling early, have it already even before the bags are checked and we're through security.

Hmm, maybe I'm really learning something from all this yoga after all!  :)