in need of an attitude change

I have a big trip to Dallas, TX coming up soon. Should be fun, huh? Why, then, every time it is mentioned do I roll my eyes and make a Marge Simpson-type growl? My friend, Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless-Lest-She-Trip-Down-the-Stairs asked me this yesterday.
It got me thinking. Why AM I dreading it? I am not afraid of flying. I don't even dread visiting a city I've never been to before (or state for that matter). After much consternation, eye-rolling and growling a la Marge, I think it is that I have so much to do here at home that I think that 4 days/3 nights away is going to set me back further.

Right now, for example, I have 3 baskets of laundry waiting to be folded, 10 items to embroider for the school's Christmas bazaar, 1 jacket to embroider for the daughter of a dear friend, a quilt and an outfit to make for the one-year old son of another friend, two scarves for a third friend, 3 quilts for my sister's girls, not to mention the quilts I want to either finish or make to either keep or sell. We won't even talk about the two big Christmas parties that we host each year which are barreling down the tracks (though I did win an auction for a maid for a day and am planning on cashing that bad boy in the week of the parties). Too many irons in the fire I suppose.

On the bright side, I did actually tell someone "no" yesterday. The guidance counselor at school called to see if we would like to host an exchange student again this year. We were lucky enough (read: spoiled) to have the same young lady two years in a row the past couple of years. Since she won't be returning this year (they have big exams in the 9th year of school) we decided to take the year off.

So back to the Dallas trip. According to my spastic friend who falls down stairs when I mention her name here (tee hee hee) I need to change my attitude or not go. The latter is not an option, so I must adjust the ol' outlook. Easier said than done, my friends. Easier said than done. I do think, however, that once I get on the airplane and no longer have control over whether or not my laundry is folded, I will be able to relax.