What a Difference a Day Makes

Last night excitement filled our house, as did the many suitcases laying around.  We were all smiles and laughter as we packed for our long awaited vacation to New Orleans and week long cruise.  What a difference a day makes.  Tonight the air is somber as we continue to pack.

You see, we had to cancel all of our travel plans today.  Non-refundable, refundable, it didn't matter.  It all had to be canceled. 

My husband left work this morning to deliver the bad news to me in person.  He had been told he needed to cancel his vacation with no forecasting of when we could reschedule. 

To say I was angry, crushed, sickened, would probably all be accurate.  Now, I'm realistic enough to admit this isn't the end of the world.  There are far worse reasons to have to cancel a vacation, which I'm glad weren't the case for us.  But I'm definitely unhappy!

We chose to forgo a summer vacation to have an extended vacation this fall.  We had made all the preparations and had only packing left to do.  If the news had come only 7 hours later, we'd already have officially been on vacation and it wouldn't have mattered.

I'm frustrated more for my husband.  He works hard and works a lot.  The man has 3 jobs.  Weekend trips or shorter vacation are always interrupted by one or more of the jobs.  Literally, leaving the country on a boat without cell or email availability is the only time he ever gets a break.  He rarely gets excited about anything, but he was excited to be rested.

He works 3 jobs!!!!  The uninterrupted quality time we get to spend together is precious and rare.  I wanted and needed this vacation to have some quality time with him. 

Ok, I needed it for me too.  I may not have a job, but I have other stresses in everyday life and the activities I choose to participate regularly.  I needed that break away too, for my own sanity.

Here is an interesting factoid....Out of all of our vacations, we have never been to New Orleans.  We had a cruise scheduled to leave New Orleans on October 2, 2005.  That was exactly 35 days after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, causing our trip to be moved to Galveston. 

I have to wonder if there is a good reason why we shouldn't visit New Orleans. 

Needless-to-say, we will be taking full advantage of the offer from my husband's company to make this right.  When I get to a point when I'm not so disappointed and just plain pissed off, maybe I'll be excited about planning our vacation again.  But it's just a little soon for that....so off to pack for Branson I go.