Poor, poor, pitiful me

lizzie wrote:
There are many rewards in having five adult children (with spouses), eight grandchildren, and various elderly relatives but they can sure interfere with the RV'ing plans. The young ones keep graduating from this and that, getting married, and having babies. The older ones have major birthdays,and operations. I am truly thankful that we are all in good health and able to enjoy our times together but gosh darn it, I wanted to go to Alaska! Do I need a kick in the pants for being an ungrateful slob or will someone commiserate with me? lizzie

An old song comes to mind: MAMAS & PAPAS Go where you wanna go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzG-BP6RYko

Do it for yourself.
Life is short and death is long. Do not put anything off too long.

Just my opinion, and I certainly am no expert, just 75 years of life's experiences, 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. It's time to cut the cord. They will get along just fine without you there. I have attended untold number of functions and I've missed a few and no one thought less of me. Love em as much as you can but let them live their lives, go and enjoy the rest of yours.

Lizzie...Solution.. stick your finger in a glass if water, pull it out and...if it leaves a hole in the water, you gotta stay and if it doesn't you can get the heck out a there.

Five minutes after two leave the party everyone is talking about poor grandma and grandpa how they have all this time and they never go anywhere.

Send them a check from Alaska everyone would be happier.

Woulda Shoulda Coulda that's your mantra.

Ron W.

You need to set criteria on what needs to be celebrated that day and what can wait or be celebrated from afar.

Excellent advice.

I'm sorry if I sounded like a self-righteous doormat.

LOL! No, you sound like someone who's put others ahead of your own needs/wants for many years. Your self-doubts are quite normal and it seems like you've figured it out on your own. We've done the same debate many times, almost always defer to family, rarely regret it but sometimes wish we hadn't. Glad you've redone your plans in a way to make yourself happy!

I feel that weddings are important but that said, birthdays and anniversaries happen every year. From what I read between the lines in your post, you have probably been there for all of these in years past.

Send a gift from Alaska! You have earned it and you deserve it! Go and enjoy!

TOMMY47 wrote:
I am going on an extended trip this summer. Alone since my wife likes nothing about driving, camping, hiking.
Our nephew announced his wedding plans for July. Wife said I have to go to it. I'm 68 and I WILL be on the road in July.
She's the type who buys birthday and Christmas gifts for siblings, spouses of siblings, nieces and nephews and their spouses and their children and stepchildren, even some in-laws of that group. All of those "kids" are in their
30s through 50s.

Sounds like my situation, but mine includes a new,4 months GS, whose mother doesn't want to put him in daycare,so I'm twiddling my thumbs and looking out the window at the MH. Gonna run a TV cable up there really soon as the onboard satelitte dish can't see thru my trees.
Hey Tommy, how abouty a road trip.

pira114 wrote:

dewey02 wrote:
Lizzie, perhaps you can get this gal to commiserate with you!

Great album. Takes me back a bit

I prefer hearing it done by the guy that wrote the song.

Warren Zevon. One of the greatest singer song writers ever

Definitey, GO! Make it fun for the family back home.

For years my mom never missed an event, but never thought twice about it when she had the opportunity to spend the entire winter in Hawaii with her sister. She would mail back tropical gifts for Christmas and always made a special call to the birthday boy or girl. The younger ones were thrilled to get seashells in the mail. She would trace messages in the sand on the beach, take a picture and fashion the pic into a greeting card. The cutest photos are of the grandchildren with his/her arms around the computer monitor with Skyped "e-grandma"! It was fun for everyone.