Don't really feel like going on holiday.....

Have a lovely holiday Mishap.

If you are clear in your mind about all the things that can go wrong and you've packed your E111 cards and have AA insu,rance to get you home your phone charger and enough books it will b e fine. Every time I pack it includes something I didn't take in previous years and was vital for survival. Codeine ,cipro,tweezers,are among things I have had to mime in foreign parts. Last time DHwas sea sick one night never having been so before in his life. I always feel a sense of surprise when I walk through the front door after a holiday thinking well you survived that one. All my sympathy to you.

Mishap Galen I hope it all goes OK for you both. hugs

Mishap - how are you feeling about your holiday now?

We have cancelled holidays because of various crises and we always rationalise it by thinking that the money has been spent so whether we go or not makes little difference but, we might expect to save money by staying at home and not spending petrol, eating out etc. My husband says that is a Mrs Gambol approach but it seems reasonable to me!

If you really don't want to go - don't. You have had quite enough to contend with lately and you deserve a rest!

Norwegian online forecast, Galen. It gives worldwide predictions but probably the home ones are the most reliable.

From Saturday the weather in Oslo is going to be warmer than here Galen with some days having full sun, enjoy

Anyone got a reliable one for Norwegian fjords next week?
I was in tears at lunchtime in the tribunal today stressing about this holiday!
Normally my biggest worry is which evening dresses to take!
This IS NOT ME!

The forecast for Morbihan for next week on XCW, which is usually quite accurate, is sunny with fluffy clouds, except Monday which is more overcast with a slight chance of a shower. Temperatures in the upper teens and a bit of a breeze, so it'll be rather nice in a sheltered spot with a glass of wine and a good read!

It is a lovely area and, from memory, the natives are quite friendly around there. I hope it all goes well for both of you. (Holidays can be cut short. Our last two breaks have been truncated due to my mother's condition). Good luck

Oh Mishap I hope you can manage to have a relaxing time BUT how many of us grans do things we don't want to do because we feel we HAVE to. Why are everyone else's feelings more important than ours? I suppose we are to old to change (speaking for myself here). That is a whole other thread though!!

If the sun is shining and you can relax and read I am sure you will enjoy it.

That is really useful JO - many thanks indeed for posting this.

I am feeling a bit less flaky about it all having taken the decision to go for it - still not looking forward to it, but hope that time will prove me wrong and that all will go well.

article about dongles

Not sure one would help though. Think coverage might be the issue.

Books/kindle will be better anyway!

I like the sound of that weather forecast!!! - fingers crossed.

How does this dongle thing work libra10 - do we jiust attach it to the laptop? I am not a great techy, in spite of using computers endlessly at work for design purposes.

Have looked at an extended weather forecast for that area and you are going to have plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures.

I understand your reservations about your forthcoming holiday.

With your husband suffering anxiety and not wanting to explore the countryside, and no wifi, it sounds like endurance rather than pleasure.

Is there a possibility you could take the car and explore some of the area on your own, leaving your husband enjoying the garden? You could also buy a dongle in order to access the internet whilst away.

I think I would take a couple of good books and hopefully take time to relax and enjoy the sunshine.

Best wishes

Sounds like you have made up your mind Mishap. I hope that, having thought about how bad it all will be, you will find that it is actually at least a little bit better than anticipated.

I have to say that I am sure I'm not the only one who loves holiday.

Gagagran like you I'm married to a man who 'relaxes' by doing something strenuous. We've booked (for the second year running) a beach activities holiday, which gives him the option of cycling, hiking and taking part in a range of watersports - and leaves me free to have a stroll, a swim or read on the beach etc. Last year was marvellous; we met every day at breakfast, lunch and dinner for a chat and enjoyed a couple of organised day trips together, but otherwise did our own thing.

NfkDumpling - my OH does want to go - we are going to Morbihan region in S Brittany. He likes the area and indeed wnated us to live there - that is a nother story entirely - bit of a family crisis arose because I put my foot down and said that I would not be happy there and we both had to be keen for it to work. The children did not want us to go either. As it happens we did make the right decision to stay as shortly after he was diagnosed with PD and the support of family and friends here in UK has been invaluable.

The problems lie in the fact that he always has a rosy view of how a holiday will be - he forgets the anxiety and stress caused by his travel and other worries and how hard I find this to deal with; when we get to a destination he will not go out, except for a short walk and I always feel that we have travelled so far, we might as well take a look around; this year I will be very tied to the gite because I cannot walk very far without pain; he hates going out to eat, so I cook the whole time. The basic problem is that our every move is hedged round with his anxieties and these are worse when we are away. You have no idea what a fret he is in about getting stopped and fined by the police!!! - this has been a litany for about a week or so now. Sigh.

I have told him our ferry time over and over again, but he has just asked me again - he thought we were going on a different day!!

I understand and sympathise with his difficulties, but it is quite stressful - I usually deal with it all by having family and friends around to help give life some balance.

I am sure we will go - I feel there is no alternative; and who knows it may turn out better than expected. I hope so. But the thought of spending Thursday driving down to the port with him wincing and fretting in the passenger seat just pulls me down - I had a mega-migraine last night - I wonder why!?

Thanks for all kind words. I cannot burden my DDs with all this as they have their lives to lead. Having said that they are not daft and they know their Dad very well and make tactful sympathetic noises now and again - which are hard to respond to as I need to remain loyal.

Perhaps the sun will shine and that will make up for it all!

Galen hope you have a Wonderful time, it's not too cold and you see Northern Lights.
Have you got thermals,down coat and fur hat ready for packing.Yes I know you don't wear hats!
I find holidays more and more difficult to prepare for.Guess I really am getting old.Nothing planned this year so far.

It's very reassuring to find others who do not look forward to or enjoy holidays. I always find myself on countdown when away -"x sleeps till we go home".

The problem is that DH is Mr Activity - always wanting to be doing something physical like route marches (only he calls it going for a walk) or moving on to see what else there is. He can't just sit and "be" in the moment and watch the world go by. I, on the other hand, am quite happy with a gentle stroll or a boat trip or people watching. So neither of us end up doing what we really want to do. We always end up arguing on holiday!

Since our move last summer to the beautiful area where we now live, I have managed to avoid any talk of holidays. My wanderlust has gone for good and I have even suggested that we each do solo whatever takes our fancy re breaks but he just wants to be with me (he says). Which is very endearing but also puts a burden on me not to curtail what he wants to do.

Aka Our son is a very happy person, I think as he has grown older he has just decided that rather than argue - which is difficult if you can't talk, and has been known to get really difficult in some such situations - he goes with the flow, and then does his own thing. I have an awful feeling he gets that from me! Like me also he is at home with his own company, but enjoys being sociable. I am not mad on holidays either, the nicest part being when I arrive home and walk through my own front door.

Just found your thread. You don't say how keen your OH is to go - will he be relieved if you say no? Also, how far into France? Is the south of the Loire to be sure of warmth and sun rule still apply? Can you shorten the break to a week?

Sitting in the sun with a good absorbing book could be just what you need before facing the mental strain of sorting your father's house. You deserve a complete break, but a nice spa hotel, say near Bath or the south coast could be just a nice - especially if the sun condescends to shine.

I understand your situation completely Mishap Two years ago we spent a week staying with friends in Italy. Knowing that it might be the last time we would be able to go we were quite keen, but it was very stressful. My husband really wasn't well enough, I was worried, our friends were worried and the whole thing was a real endurance test.
Last week he decided he wanted me to go over there on my own as a birthday treat, but I've talked him out of it. For about 24 hours it sounded wonderful but the stress of trying to organise the children to keep an eye on him and sorting out his medication (in the vain hope that he might take it if left on his own!) just turns the whole thing into a nightmare. I will be much happier if I can just sit in the garden knowing that help is just a phone call away.
If you decide to cancel you won't be mad at all, it just depends what's going to work best for you.

i don't do the packing to go away or on my return. I pay Kate to do it.
Packing and unpacking on board I find very stressful. The unpacking gets done over a few hours and the free bottle of fizz.
Once I'm unpacked. I'm fine!
Can then relax and I have been known to pay my steward to help me PAC for the return.!
Not lazy, it's just very painful to keep going back and forth and bend over.

It takes me ages to unpack my suitcase when I get home; I tend to just take clothes out of the suitcase as and when I need them .

I always get a bit down before going away - I just love being at home. Holidays never live up to the anticipation anyway. Then there's the packing before and the unpacking and laundry afterwards - and I miss the dog and the cat ....and my garden, my hobbies and my friends. So I avoid it as much as possible - coming to see my family in England is my treat and I put up with all the above for the pleasure of being with them.