My Bucket List

I should be in bed.  I’ve been up since four a.m.  I worked passing meds for eight hours straight today with only a short five minute break and a thirty minute break for lunch.  My feet are killing me, and my back hurts.  But I’m happy.  My loving husband is on his way home.

We’ll only have tomorrow together before he’ll have to leave again.  I have to work Sunday morning as charge nurse.  So it will be another four a.m. alarm day.  We’ll be going to church tomorrow night.

My mother is on a short vacation to Branson, Missouri.  I’m praying that she is having a painless happy time with her sister, niece and other family.  She left me a phone message to say she would be back tomorrow.

My daughter is planning their second vacation this year.  They took a week and their kids and traveled to Colorado earlier this summer.  On Wednesday, Rusty and Becky plan to leave for Cancun, Mexico.  I’m concerned about this trip, as I am every time she leaves the country.  With all the political unrest everywhere and increased terrorism, I am not a big fan of foreign travel.  I’m praying they will return safe and sound and have a good time.

I will be helping to watch their children while they are gone.  Rusty’s mom will have them part of the time, and I will take over when she returns home.  I’ve been asked to stay with them in their home, which means leaving my dogs alone here in my home.  I’m not crazy about that, but I guess we’ll survive.

I think I’ll take my laptop with me to their house.  It will make the days go faster.  I have to work some of the days, so will be seeing the grandkids off to school before I leave for work.  This means getting up pretty early to get ready myself in time to get them up.  More four a.m. mornings, I’m thinking.  Sigh.  Oh well, it’s only for a few days. 

I keep telling Becky that “next year, your dad and I want to take a trip.”  But each year, something happens to prevent our traveling.  This year it was his mom’s illness and death.

Last year, Dennis had to have surgery and missed work, then used vacation leave to pay for missed days.  We haven’t actually traveled together much since 2005, when I had to have multiple surgeries upon our return due to acute appendicitis and complications resulting in further surgery.

Perhaps I need to do like Becky and Rusty do.  Plan a date for our trip and make reservations.   Then we’ll have a good excuse to say, “sorry, we’ll be out of town.”  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I love watching those adorable children.  It’s quality time I treasure.  But I would like a chance to indulge in a little traveling of my own.  I have yet to travel out of this country.  I’ve never been on a cruise.  I’ve only flown one time, a few days after we were married back in 1971, when we flew to Chicago, where Dennis was stationed in the U.S. Navy.

I’d like to work on my own bucket list.  I love the mountains, especially in early October, when the autumn splendor is at its highest.  I’d like to see Alaska.  I want to get my feet wet in the ocean.  I want to see the Grand Canyon.  I want to do some plein air painting. I want to take some awesome photos of wildlife and landscapes.  I want to spend some quality time with my husband, while we’re still able to travel.   Is that so wrong?

I received an invitation for an all expense paid free cruise in the mail the other day.  I know most of those things are scams, so I won’t be using that.  But I know a couple of travel consultants locally, who would love to fix me up with reservations for a trip.  I’m tempted to look into it, just to see what is available and how much I’ll need to save.  Why should I have to wait until I’m my Mom’s age to travel? 

I’ll have to sleep on this idea.