And, after years of scoffing at my parents as they and their dogs set of on holiday with a car bulging, not with their things but with the 'essentials' for the four-legged travelling companions, I am starting to regret those chuckles.
As this is our first holiday with the gundog in question, I have been looking forward immensely to taking her away with us. I have visions of long walks, her splashing happily in the streams and tarns of the Lake District and her curling happily under tables in pubs as we share a post-walk drink or two.
However, as the holiday has approached, I've felt the need, as I so often do, to write a little list. Lists are, for me, very relaxing things. I am trying to wean myself off them however but it's not going very well so far.
Storm's holiday list is seemingly more extensive than mine but I hope you can forgive my 'First Holidays With Dog' paranoia about forgetting things. I know she won't mind if she doesn't have her cotton wool pads for her post-breakfast eye wipe and I know it won't be the end of the world if she doesn't have her cod liver oil tablet but I just can't help myself.
I am, like an annoyingly earnest Boy Scout, at my most happy when I'm prepared. I adore organisation and abhor chaos and anything seat-of-your-pants. Spontaneity and I are not the best of bed fellows. At university, I used to re-write my lecture notes of an evening to make sure they were neat enough. Neat enough for whom I hear you ask? Indeed.
And so, when we set off on our holidays, with my check-marked list and tidily packed bags, how long do you think it will be until I realise I've forgotten something?
I blame my age you know.
No comments:
Post a Comment