waiting on john

Most likely men will disagree with this posting.  But,  I believe in pointing out the routine I face whenever we are going on a trip.  I am always waiting on John. 

Now, God knows I love him, I really do!  But for the life of me, I can't figure out what takes him so long to get ready to go anywhere.  There are a million little things which seem to crop up the minute we are ready to walk out the door. 

There is the tedious issue of packing, which ultimately is followed by the arrival at our destination, only to discover that he has forgotten something...usually headache medicine.  So, today, as I am waiting for him...I packed his clothing for him.  For a 3 day camping trip:  4 pairs skivvies,  5 pairs socks, 1 pair long pants and a sweatshirt, 2 shorts, 4 t-shirts, antacids, advil, sinus medicine, his travel bag which contains a razor, soap, nail clippers, toothbrush, toothpaste and shampoo.  Lord help us if we arrive in Moab, and he finds he is missing something.  I can usually tell by the way he wanders in the house that he is looking for something, and I insist he tell me what he is searching for - and I can put my finger on its location.

Then there is the morning coffee debate, in the porcelain office, which apparently takes men a long time to accomplish.  Come on guys, its not a reading room, its the water closet.  While I am getting ready to go wherever it is we are going, John could be doing a million little things. But, alas no, he is watching the television, or sitting in the office, or tinkering on some project.  Arrrgh - the frustration of it all.

I get the car packed, arrange all little luxuries in the car so they are at hand's reach.  I do admit to the fact that I am suffering from the inability to put CDs back into their original cases, thus popping in a CD is always met with surprise since you never know exactly what is going to be on the menu.  I guess its time to re-install the XM radio!  There is also the packing of the dog's "to go" travel bag.  Tupperware of dog food, a chew toy, a bowl,  a leash, poop bags...everything that a dog needs to travel.  Although today Casey is going to her Auntie Shirley's house, so the to go bag is not so fully packed.  Then there is the task of making sure I pack my own things. 

Once I announce that its time to leave, it is then that John decides that its time to hit the bathroom again.  The man has the bladder of a bird.  I must admit that I did laugh when our children were young, I would make sure they hit the bathroom at least 3 times before we left.  And sure enough, one hour into the trip, a voice would come from the back seat with, "Mom I have to go pee".  With John, any liquid consumed during the trip will entice him to need several potty stops along the way.  Lets just say that today's trip of 4 hours will undoubtedly take longer, as there will be several pits stops along the way.

Again, don't get me wrong, but traveling with John is a test to my sanity, and a reason that God made ativan!