Sunshine and Snow

Come hell and high fever, finally after months of waiting our postponed trip to Mt Hotham was here. I didn't count how many times we heard 'are we there yet?' from the back seat, but each time we did... I knew we were just that bit closer to a few days of paradise...

Paradise!?! Stop! Let's back peddle about 24 hours....

I was determined to get the last coat of paint on the dado wall in the hallway, so the paint fumes could entertain themselves in our absence. So determined was I that it took priority over packing for the trip. Ummm.... as the witching hour approached it was finally complete, just had to wash out the brushes, have a well earned shower and crawl into bed for a 6am start at packing.

As I sat on the loo... as one does prior to a shower... the mobile phone violently rattled it's way off the bench and onto the floor, scared the daylights out of me in my half exhausted stupor. Hubby's mum needed a bed to crash into after a last minute transport decision was made... but that's another drama that I'll leave for the old fashioned grapevine.

Within minutes, all options for a shower were abandoned for a panicked attempt to make a spare bed... with very little linen (as this was packed into storage earlier this month prior to painting) and what we did have was out ready to be packed at 6am to go. It was a toss up to use them and then at 6am steal them back. LOL

A strong cup of tea followed by bleary eyed children wondering why they could hear the familiar yet unexpected and extremely late (make that early now) booming of their nan's voice, then requests for hot chocolates, followed by a cursing husband who was barely even awake wondering who the hell was here at this hour... and after being told three times 'it's your mother'... I just told him to go back to bed as he obviously was not registering.

6am came around very quickly.... I think I managed four hours in the end. Why is it the beginning of most trips bares close resemblance to the ending blows of a relationship? Hubby was mega grumpy I had been up so late painting... the car wasn't packed... neither were the bags and we had promised to meet friends at their house by 9am - 40 Min's drive away. The unexpected extra threw a spanner in the works to further irritate matters... trying to creep around someone, pack bags, in between screams of 'DON'T TOUCH THE WALLS'. Just bedlam!

OK... it wasn't the smartest move painting the hallway when a packing frenzy was about to commence. I'll admit that. But there's no better feeling than ticking off another job well done as you walk out the door destined for a few days of fluffy white stuff with children.