vacation update

[zestfive]

Teh boy is not going. He's decided that he doesn't want to feel like a third wheel. This is a little frusturating to us because we went out of way to accomodate him. I think he really wanted someone his age to have along and we told him he could take a friend but he never pursued that either. (he told me he was afraid that he wouldn't get along with whoever he invited after two weeks). 

He's going to stay with his Dad for a week and then he's going to have to figure out where he's going to go for the next week.

On one hand, it's very frusturating for me to try and figure out all that stuff and I told him that once he makes this decision, there's no changing his mind. I'm surprised that he doesn't want to go.

On the other hand.....

P and I are going on a two week trip alone. We won't have to accomodate the boy and now we can do all adult things and not have to consider the boy. We can drive long stretches at a time (the boy didn't like long driving). We don't have to worry so much about scheduled meals (the boy did) and etc.

P's now talking that we should check out the Boston area too! Where would you go towards the eastern side of the states if you could? What would you see?

My biggest frusturation would be on the last minute the boy would have to come and all our plans would be shot.

Comments

[anterastilis.livejournal.com]

Did you tell him that his decision was final? Does he have weird, 15-year-old fantasies about running the house on his own?

I AM happy that you're getting to take the trip sans boy. :D

What would I do if I went out east? Gee whiz...I'd probably go to Shenandoah (my gawds, it must be beautiful - but hot - this time of year); I'd try to catch a Red Sox game; I'd go to DC and try to climb up on Abe's knee at the Lincoln Memorial; I'd go to Roanoake Island and see if I could magically figure out what happened to the original colonists; I'd visit the Rock-n-roll Hall of Fame; I'd hike some of the AT; I'd go to Centralia, PA - the whole city is evacuated because of a coal seam fire...it just sounds weird and cool to me; I'd go back to Niagara Falls and take the Queen of the Mists boat (I think that's what it's called); I'd go to a farmer's market in Vermont; I'd peruse an Amish furniture store; I'd watch The Blair Witch Project and immediately afterwards go camping in the Maryland woods and scare the shit out of myself; I'd go to Gettysburg; and so on, and so on.

I really need to travel! Can you tell I've got it bad?

[zestfive.livejournal.com]

I told him his decision was final and now I'm riding him to make his final week of arrangements. He is hoping to have a couple of days home alone so that it would look something like this:

June 29-July 8 with his dad
July 8-July 9 home alone
July 9-July 11 with g'ma
July 11-July 12 home alone
July 12-July 15 with aunt

For sure we're going to Turtle Island Preserve, Shenandoah Mountains, hiking along the AT some (and we'll get to come up with trail names! GRIN) Harpers Ferry..These were all the things we were going to do with the boy. Now that it's just the two of us, we can sleep in the car at the side of the road, drive 14 hours+ a day and etc.

[supremegoddess1.livejournal.com]

give boy a cut off date for making a final decision, and make the date soon enough before the trip that you can alter plans if necessarily.

[zestfive.livejournal.com]

Actually I did tell him yesterday that if this is his decision, it's final. And he needs to make his arrangements.

I'm starting to make plans...grin.

[mplsindygirl.livejournal.com]

Boy's decision has been made. Boy may change his mind, but is no longer allowed to change plans. End of story. You and P deserve a two week, no kids allowed, vacation. Boy will survive until your return. :)

[zestfive.livejournal.com]

yeah, let's just hope he gets his act together to find a place to be.

[howlsthunder.livejournal.com]

I would check out Centralia, Pennsylvania! I like weird things like that. :D Oh, and maybe Orange County Choppers' store in New York.

Other than that, I know next to nothing about the East Coast. ;)

[zestfive.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your suggestions!

[cluelessinchi.livejournal.com]

At 15 he should be able to understand final decision.
At 15 years I do not think that any teen should be alone for that amount of time...

My nephew who is not serving time on house arrest. (ankle thing and all) is going to have a baby sitter/guard when my sister goes out of town. There are legal issues with leaving minors alone for extended periods of time.
Why can he not spend the whole time with his Dad? I guess I missed the boat on that one.... His father said that he does not want to have his son spend that amount of time with him? That must suck royally for the boy.

This is great news for you! I am so glad that you will be able to spend this whole time with P alone with just each other...When the boy was going to go why make all those concessions for his comfort? I I also to do get that...

[zestfive.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you regarding the first two points.

I think he's old enough to be left overnight by himself on occassion but not for an entire week.

He really hasn't given a reason why he won't take him for the 2nd week until recently. He claims that he's going to be helping his landlord for that week plus working and it would be "too much" to also have his 15 year old son to care for (whatever that means). He has explained things to his son well enough I think....the boy mentioned something about his father saying he's being "selfish" to want to not deal with his son. Nice, isn't it?

[cluelessinchi.livejournal.com]

I think that totally sucks about his Dad... that is very selfish. I agree there.
I hope you enjoy your trip though and have nothing to worry about... Have fun!