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We're planning for our big family trip to the Outer Banks, and while I'm super excited about the whole thing, there are just a couple things sending me up the fucking wall right now.

First, my sister is OBSESSED with figuring out who's getting which bedroom before we get there. Sure, we don't want everybody ending up in a brawl on the living room floor, but seriously, there were like 5-6 emails, "Hmm, there are two master bedrooms, so who should get those? I wonder where the other bathrooms are? Is there a full bath on the ground floor?" I finally said, call the realty office! We don't know, the website doesn't give us a floor plan, so talk to someone who knows! Yeesh! I'd be fine with figuring it out when we get there, but you know, if she wants to spend her time on thinking about it, I don't really give a crap as long as she quits bugging me about it.

Then there's my stepdad, who is equally a Planner, but for some reason can only talk to one person about it. So I get a text from my sister this morning telling me to call him because he likes to use the guest room for staging their stuff before big trips and we were planning to stay there the night before. OK, what? He has my damn number. Also, she and I have talked about this, because this isn't the first time he's talked to her when he needs to talk to me, and I've told her to quit playing the intermediary. It's not like he and I don't get along, so I have *no* idea why he persists in calling her to find out what I'm doing or to have her pass messages to me. Jesus God, are we not all adults here with functioning telephones and email? STOP THE MADNESS!

Should we send shin kicks?

Don't forget to pack the Prozac!

Someone's going to need it.

Go somewhere else for vacation. Save the aggravation.

CathyCA wrote:Don't forget to pack the Prozac!

Someone's going to need it.

Beat me to it.

Xanax might help as an alternative.

indoor66 wrote:Go somewhere else for vacation. Save the aggravation.

This might be an even better idea.

devildeac wrote:

indoor66 wrote:Go somewhere else for vacation. Save the aggravation.

This might be an even better idea.

Stay home and enjoy the solitude.

Good luck! Family vacations are often more stressful than work!

Take CB&B's advice. Send the rest packing, and stay home.

You're going to need a vacation after your vacation!
Love, Ima

Hopefully all work itself out once you get there.... I so dread family bonding sometimes. Like Ima said, often times you end up needing a vacation from your vacation.

We will all send vibes that you are granted the patience that may be needed.

Enjoy your trip at the beach!

gadzooks wrote:We're planning for our big family trip to the Outer Banks, and while I'm super excited about the whole thing, there are just a couple things sending me up the fucking wall right now.

First, my sister is OBSESSED with figuring out who's getting which bedroom before we get there. Sure, we don't want everybody ending up in a brawl on the living room floor, but seriously, there were like 5-6 emails, "Hmm, there are two master bedrooms, so who should get those? I wonder where the other bathrooms are? Is there a full bath on the ground floor?" I finally said, call the realty office! We don't know, the website doesn't give us a floor plan, so talk to someone who knows! Yeesh! I'd be fine with figuring it out when we get there, but you know, if she wants to spend her time on thinking about it, I don't really give a crap as long as she quits bugging me about it.

Then there's my stepdad, who is equally a Planner, but for some reason can only talk to one person about it. So I get a text from my sister this morning telling me to call him because he likes to use the guest room for staging their stuff before big trips and we were planning to stay there the night before. OK, what? He has my damn number. Also, she and I have talked about this, because this isn't the first time he's talked to her when he needs to talk to me, and I've told her to quit playing the intermediary. It's not like he and I don't get along, so I have *no* idea why he persists in calling her to find out what I'm doing or to have her pass messages to me. Jesus God, are we not all adults here with functioning telephones and email? STOP THE MADNESS!

Holy cow! Are we related? Your sister sounds just like my older sister!

ArkieDukie wrote:

gadzooks wrote:We're planning for our big family trip to the Outer Banks, and while I'm super excited about the whole thing, there are just a couple things sending me up the fucking wall right now.

First, my sister is OBSESSED with figuring out who's getting which bedroom before we get there. Sure, we don't want everybody ending up in a brawl on the living room floor, but seriously, there were like 5-6 emails, "Hmm, there are two master bedrooms, so who should get those? I wonder where the other bathrooms are? Is there a full bath on the ground floor?" I finally said, call the realty office! We don't know, the website doesn't give us a floor plan, so talk to someone who knows! Yeesh! I'd be fine with figuring it out when we get there, but you know, if she wants to spend her time on thinking about it, I don't really give a crap as long as she quits bugging me about it.

Then there's my stepdad, who is equally a Planner, but for some reason can only talk to one person about it. So I get a text from my sister this morning telling me to call him because he likes to use the guest room for staging their stuff before big trips and we were planning to stay there the night before. OK, what? He has my damn number. Also, she and I have talked about this, because this isn't the first time he's talked to her when he needs to talk to me, and I've told her to quit playing the intermediary. It's not like he and I don't get along, so I have *no* idea why he persists in calling her to find out what I'm doing or to have her pass messages to me. Jesus God, are we not all adults here with functioning telephones and email? STOP THE MADNESS!

Holy cow! Are we related? Your sister sounds just like my older sister!

I'm sorry. I hope you can enjoy the vacation despite these headaches, Gadzooks. Take lots of long walks on the beach without them.

You both reminded me to once again thank my parents for my siblings. The sisters have vacationed together successfully multiple times. The brothers even fit into the mix - as do one of my BILs siblings that have joined us.

ArkieDukie wrote:

gadzooks wrote:We're planning for our big family trip to the Outer Banks, and while I'm super excited about the whole thing, there are just a couple things sending me up the fucking wall right now.

First, my sister is OBSESSED with figuring out who's getting which bedroom before we get there. Sure, we don't want everybody ending up in a brawl on the living room floor, but seriously, there were like 5-6 emails, "Hmm, there are two master bedrooms, so who should get those? I wonder where the other bathrooms are? Is there a full bath on the ground floor?" I finally said, call the realty office! We don't know, the website doesn't give us a floor plan, so talk to someone who knows! Yeesh! I'd be fine with figuring it out when we get there, but you know, if she wants to spend her time on thinking about it, I don't really give a crap as long as she quits bugging me about it.

Then there's my stepdad, who is equally a Planner, but for some reason can only talk to one person about it. So I get a text from my sister this morning telling me to call him because he likes to use the guest room for staging their stuff before big trips and we were planning to stay there the night before. OK, what? He has my damn number. Also, she and I have talked about this, because this isn't the first time he's talked to her when he needs to talk to me, and I've told her to quit playing the intermediary. It's not like he and I don't get along, so I have *no* idea why he persists in calling her to find out what I'm doing or to have her pass messages to me. Jesus God, are we not all adults here with functioning telephones and email? STOP THE MADNESS!

Holy cow! Are we related? Your sister sounds just like my older sister!

I was about to post the exact same thing. My sister, god love her, can make inviting a couple of people over for grilling out seem like planning the invasion of Normandy.

Keep it SIMPLE! "Dude, wanna come over for grilling?" "Yeah, be there soon." "Cool."

It should be that simple.

-EarlJam

EarlJam wrote:

ArkieDukie wrote:Holy cow! Are we related? Your sister sounds just like my older sister!

I was about to post the exact same thing. My sister, god love her, can make inviting a couple of people over for grilling out seem like planning the invasion of Normandy.

Keep it SIMPLE! "Dude, wanna come over for grilling?" "Yeah, be there soon." "Cool."

It should be that simple.

-EarlJam

Holy cow! EarlJam, are we related, too?

My sister and I get along really well 98% of the time. She just every now and then gets fixated on something silly--though you'd think she'd have enough on her mind with all the other planning we need to do (mostly just deciding who's shopping for which groceries, but still). It'll pass, and the vacation will be fun.

The thing with my stepdad is still irritating me, just because he does this ALL THE TIME. I usually let him and my mom know via email when we're planning a visit, since my mom has memory issues, so having it in writing helps her remember. Then at some point when I'm talking with my sister, she says, "Wendell was asking what your plans are." OMFG dude! Reply to the fuckin' email and ask me! Or call me, even! I really don't get it.

Hang in there Gadzooks. Breathe and be patient. It's been my experience that sooner or later each and every relative who drove me to drink in the past has eventually done something wonderful and thoughtful enough to make me actually forgive and appreciate him or her. And in my old age I've discovered that I wasted a lot of time and energy being out of sorts when I could have been having a good time.

Have a good vacation. Make good memories. They'll be important to you later.
Love, Ima

EarlJam wrote:
I was about to post the exact same thing. My sister, god love her, can make inviting a couple of people over for grilling out seem like planning the invasion of Normandy.

Keep it SIMPLE! "Dude, wanna come over for grilling?" "Yeah, be there soon." "Cool."

It should be that simple.

-EarlJam

Amen!

Kelly and I are with you 'zooks!

She broke the news to her mom that we're not going to stay in the same house for next year's family vacation. We got a marvelous house this year, tons of square footage, master bedrooms for all of the adults, bars upstairs and down, a pool, a dock facing the mainland side of the island, an elevator, yadda yadda yadda. Great big old freaking cool house. The only problem is that her bro and parents aren't dog people and they have this ridiculous preconceived idea that the dogs will be a nightmare to handle and that they'll cause all kinds of problem. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Our dogs are obedient, calm, and loving animals most happy indoors when they're curled up next to our feet. We've taken them on all of our vacations, including summer and mountain rentals and have never received a complaint from any owner and the dogs have never done anything to cause us to reconsider bringing them. Now the family is all butthurt because they've already reserved the same house next year, and they're down two tenants. They just don't understand that amazing pain in the ass it takes to get a house sitter or to come up with the funds to board our dogs, which is something that breaks both of our hearts.

The dogs are our family, and we want them with us on vacation. So we're going to rent a condo down the street from the family and bring our dogs and do whatever we want on our schedule. We'll probably rent a golf-cart/side-by-side so we can go back and forth between rentals, but I'm looking forward to having the dogs with us.

Being happy is what vacations are all about! Hope you enjoy this one.

Extended family vacations should be banned by all mental health professionals. I hear more horror stories than happy occasions. I did that scene a couple times in my life and never had a good experience. Take your family where you want to -- to do what you want to do. That is a vacation! ;)

Now I feel like I gotta talk you guys down off the ledge.

The trip itself is going to be great. We all get along really well, and though there will probably be one or two times I'll want to smack somebody in the head, it's going to be a really good time. It's just the planning that's making us all a little bit crazy.