Haiku Monday

I have to tell you, I am all out of energy. It is a combination of the February blues (an extension of my January Seasonal Affective Disorder) and all of the family chaos that has been going on this month.

I swear I don't even know where February went! The last thing I remember was it was Super Bowl Sunday and I was looking forward to a nice evening at a friend's party (which she always has catered with awesome and delectable party food) - and it never happened and I just remember an endless swirl of hospitals, nursing homes, and telephone conversations with doctors, nurses, social workers and more.

In the meantime, while my in-laws have had their health problems, we've also been trying to get my aunt's house ready to sell. She moved out in October into a senior citizens' apartment building, and now we have to sell her house. But it had to be painted inside. And the floors had to be done. And now a plumber must be called to fix the downstairs sink. So even though we have had months to get the house ready to sell, of course we are down to the wire now. And the house has to be cleaned before it is offically on the market, which is supposed to happen imminently. Progress is being made but there are still more details to be finalized. All before this Friday.

Because, in the midst of all this, we are heading out for a two-week vacation, this Friday - to Hawaii. Yes, we're going to our favorite place, to de-stress, relax and recover from winter. Last year at this time we were in Australia soaking up hot sunlight in 100 degree weather (but it was a dry heat!). And we swore we would make sure to take a warm-weather vacation every winter if at all possible, because that made winter so much more bearable.

This time, instead of Australia, we're spending a week on Maui, here, and a week on Kauai, here.

So in the next two days, I may not have much time to post or visit, as we'll be finishing up last-minute things and trying to pack.

Luckily all seems to be going well for my in-laws and they will be in good hands while we're gone; for awhile there we were wondering whether we'd have to cancel our trip.

Baxter may not be able to post since I won't be home to help him, but my good friend (fondly known as "Friend #2" in several anecdotes you may have read) is going to be dropping in and visiting him and making sure he has plenty to eat and a clean box.

Diva will also be in good hands at the vet's, where she is treated like a major celebrity by the staff and the veterinarians, all of whom adore her, as of course they should, since she IS the Diva.

I am going to bring my laptop with me, as I'm pretty sure there is wi fi in at least one location, so I won't be out of cyberspace for very long! And we'll be downloading the NY Times and keeping up with the politics because a news junkie like me can't keep away from it too long.

Finishing up with a few pertinent haiku:

New Jersey winters
Are long, cold, gray and slushy
Too long to abide.

Snow and ice abound
But birds have started chirping
Spring will follow soon.

Soon we will leave for
A tropical paradise
And return to Spring.