This is why you always leave a note

Every year we go to my brother and sister-in-law’s for the holiday. Every year we get stressed out and have the same conversation at a frenetic pace.

“We should’ve started the potatoes sooner. They’re not going to be done in time.”

Thanks for the pic Pixabay.

“Where’s the box to carry the food?”

“The ham juice is going to leak when we drive down the hill.”

“What are we forgetting?”

“Did you grab the [fill in the blank]?”

“I think we have everything now. Kids, get in the car!”

“We should’ve left already!”

This year the insanity was punctuated by us pulling out of the garage and me noticing that we’d left a light on inside which resulted in another “discussion” about whether or not it was worth the time to go back and turn it off. We did, but one of us was unhappy about that.

“We’re running late! We should’ve been there by now!”

“You know when they say we’re eating at 5, we won’t actually eat until 5:30.”

“Let’s just stop talking.”

Stony silence.

We arrived with our food not fully cooked yet. We utilized their stove to finish things off. We had plenty of time to do so. They were just as frantic to finish as we were. We didn’t eat until 5:30.

Every year.

When we got home, I said, “We never seem to remember that this always happens. So we don’t have the same fight next year, I’m writing a note to us on the calendar.

Note to our future selves: “It’s going to be okay! Dinner will start a half hour late anyway!”

Let’s see if we can heed our own advice next year and just relax. Chances are not!