What kind of vacation is this?

by Jennie McGhan
Each year I have a tendency to try and schedule my vacation at the wrong time.
There have been years where I have tried to schedule early and someone else on staff has already picked the same dates as I have chosen.
Other years, I found myself busy and didn't want to overburden my fellow employees with a special section or some pending deadline so I held off as long as I could possibly see fit. My mistake. By doing so, I landed myself into an impossible situation.
Another co-worker had a baby that year and her delivery coincided with the dates I had chosen for vacation. Fortunately, the "powers that be" saw my misfortune and granted me an extension that year.
There have been other years such as this year that have given me much desire to have a "re-do." I ended up ill during my vacation. Ugh!
This has happened a couple of times to me, and it stinks. What kind of vacation could I possibly have if I am not feeling well? That is why we have "sick days."
Though I had nothing special planned, I would have liked to have felt well enough to get out of bed. Instead, I lingered as long as possible each day that I was nauseous, trying to consume fluids and act as though I am half-human.
I felt fine the first couple of days I was on vacation and spent some much-needed time with my husband. I delivered two of my offspring to their respective classrooms on the first day of school and was asked to give a presentation to fifth graders on the fourth day.
I didn't get that housework I needed done. I did accomplish some reading and tended to a couple of other neglected tasks.
But, by Friday, I couldn't fake my way through the "yucky feeling" I had in my tummy. I wanted some TLC and no one could provide it.
The kids were at school most of the day, one was at his daycare after he insisted he would miss his friends if he didn't go and my dear husband was trying to catch some sleep since my daytime is his nighttime.
So, do I really want to take vacations? Yes. Unfortunately, I dread the thought that misfortune may strike again?after all, I have five more days to consider before January.