1 week left

I am so anxious. At times I am OK but the last few days I've been on the verge of tears occasionally just out of stress.
Why?
In 2 days J leaves to work for a weekend where he will be well paid and with good people but will get little sleep int he very hot sun. He gets back monday sometime utterly exhausted after working and likely up ~30 hours straight and as soon as he arrives we have to toss a few things into the van including me and be off to BC to make it for the training I have to attend for the festival I am volunteering at in BC. I will drive as much as possible and hopefully J can sleep, with a brief stop to sleep a few hours at my sisters on the way. J is also working in BC but he doesn't have to be there until wednesday. We are doing things this year that have never been done before for harm reduction and I really should be there for the training... So we are essentially packing up for 3 weeks away camping now and he is incredibly stressed about it all.

Thing is - we had a few weeks to plan and we have been somewhat getting shade and other items, but we keep bickering and being busy with life so we haven't had as much time to plan as we'd like...plus, the time we have together that is good has been enjoyed relaxing and so really...not quite ready. We'll get by, but not super-planned or fun-planned like in the past. Since J has started working festivals the house becomes an explosion of camp gear and equipment from May until September. There's just stuff everywhere, which makes it seem more maddening than it should be...and I just want to get on the road.

We are already bickering. Thing is - when he is tired his anxiety and moods ramp up big time and he is difficult to be around sometimes. When I am tired I don't listen and have trouble explaining what I want. Terrible mix. I am so high strung right now  ...I just want to make it to the festival in Oregon where we will just get to relax...but that we are planning with others and that makes it more complicated. I really hope we don't fight a lot. Lately it's hard to know-the last few weeks were wonderful...but then, the last few days haven't again.

I have told him I am going to be supportive. Add in the hatred of worry about set up and then sun and heat and crowds for him and he'll be tense. I have minimal expectations.... I am over the moon because I get to do science at a harm reduction tent in a mini pop up lab saving people's lives next weekend. As long as I have a bed to sleep in and a parasol to keep the sun off I really don't care. I'd love to find my friends there and I'm hoping I'll run into them because otherwise I may be pretty lonely - they are all camping elsewhere in preassigned posh (expensive) camp areas (J and I will be near the stage he works at) . J will be working nights at a stage and need to sleep most of the day so I likely won't see him on the days I work. Although it's a bit lonely being on my own at a festival it is a lot less stressful. J has a lot of needs related to his anxiety and I admit it's hard to not treat his needs poorly because they can be picky and irrational to me...but I have to remember they are real for him. I'm not going to be silly about it, but I am going to try and help him do his job and enjoy himself at least a bit. Where do you draw the line between being supportive and giving up your holiday for someone? It's tricky. This year he's being paid well to be there doing his lasers so I want it to go well for him - this festival is international and it could be HUGE for future work bookings if he kicks ass.

After he leaves I have 4 days to pack and plan. I'd like to go see my dad, even if it is for 1 day and go fishing...but there is just so much to do.

But really tho? I just don't want to fight. I don't want to t bring our drama into my friend's holiday with us either.  But...I admit -on some level I'm expecting it. We already argued today because of me not asking about something and speaking for him while booking things for the trip with friends. We both can be jerks.

Life on a deserted island is looking pretty good right about now...


2 comments:

JavaChick said...

Aw, that sounds tough. I hope everything goes okay. Husband and I are trying to plan final details for our vacation, which is closer that I had realized. Our problem is that we are so laid back about things, it's sometimes hard to come to a decision...What do you want to do? I don't know, what do you want to do?...That's how it goes.

Yum Yucky said...

I'm sorry it's been a bit chaotic. I hope the trip went as smooth as possible. It's good that you are sharing and opening up by writing about it. It's better than holding it in.