always the mothers job

As a kid I remember my mum getting a bit 'prickly' a few days before our family of 4 went on holiday.  I just thought she was a bit odd about it all, until I became a mum.

Difference is, my mum had a husband who was rarely home, 2 daughters, a dog and 2 cats.  So as well as packing for 4 people, she also had to sort out kennels, cattery, or taking the dog to our grandparents for them to have, as well as wash, iron, clean the house (which she literally did as we were leaving, she would hoover us out of the front door), sort the currency out and then some.

I just have James, Max and I.  I normally would pack for James and I before Max came along anyway, just because men are rubbish at packing, and I quite the jigsaw puzzle feel of doing it, and the satisfaction of when you are finished you can close the cases without needing John Goodman to sit on them to close them.

Then I went upstairs to start on it and was faced with this

This is our spare room.  Or should I say, the holiday crime scene.  Now I must point out, that Maxs stuff is in line with the trunki on the top of the pic.  James is one row at the bottom of the picture.  Mine is the massive collection in the middle, other than the swim nappies (don't do them in my size).

You might think, oh not bad for a 2 week holiday for 3 people.

It's a 1 week holiday.  6 nights where we will need clothes, as the first day we get there late.  This isn't everything.  Shoes aren't on there.  Toiletries aren't on there.  I have 2 wash loads drying on the airers, and of course there is no sun today to dry them, so I have jeans on the kitchen floor so that the underfloor heating dries them.

I had to walk away and close the door quietly.

Feel for me please.  I have to do this in between finishing work which has been a manic last day, picking Max up from Nursery as James doesn't finish work until 7pm tonight, going to Lighter Life for my weigh in, and doing dinner.

Mum, I bow to your greatness.