It’s not really a first, but it’s a first-since-I-had-a-stroke.

I’m getting ready to go away.

Gone for the weekend.

Without my kids.

Or my husband.

This will be the first time since November that I’ve gone on a trip for me without my spouse.

It feels a little scary.

It also feels good.

It has nothing to do with being away from the people I love most.

When that truck pulls out of the driveway it will be towards more independence.

The thrill of a job completed just isn’t doing it for me anymore.

Take laundry, for instance.

One might think that just the fabulous smell of fresh clean clothing would be enough. Or maybe the knowledge that YES, those underwear are, in fact, clean…without the sniff test!  Even the lack of “I have nothing to wear” whining in the morning SHOULD be reason enough to desire to do laundry.

It isn’t.

It’s come to this:

OH YEAH.  Thursday I’m getting on one of these shiny little numbers, a Disney Cruise Line ship for a few days with some with some other fun blogger ladies….no, not with my family…I know. I SUCK.

And they say I get to spend some time here…Castaway Cay.  I might get lost and stay a while. Not saying I will….just saying something could happen, you know?

But before I can get on the boat? I have to finish the laundry and a to-do list a mile long.  I might even time myself to see what I can do with the right motivation.

And?

The BEST.PART.EVER?

There’s a LOT of water involved in this trip.

Um…swimming, beaches, snorkeling…and they have denied my request to wear sweatpants during these outings.

I’m supposed to wear one of these:

Which, I KNOW I just said I was going to think better about my body self-image. But seriously. I think we all know it’s going to feel a lot less:

and waaaay too much this:

Sexy, ain’t I?