Quagmire

I feel as though caught in a quagmire. My health is still not as good as it can be; I have chest congestion and shortness of breath, and after being vertical for several hours, my ears feel like I'm underwater. My energy level is low. I drag myself out of bed each morning, after hitting the snooze on my alarm three and four times. I haven't had decent exercise in quite some time. Oh, I walk Gracie, but I haven't had my kayak out or taken a good, hard bicycle ride. I no longer have to double over the waist band on most of my pants - they fit. I haven't been on a scale because I don't want to confirm what I suspect. Maybe this quagmire is a rut.
I am moving closer to my dream vacation - just a month away. Most all plans are in place. It's somewhat like two vacations in one - the rugged, backcountry lodge with limited luggage, and the opulent Holland America cruise with its "formal nights" and shows and clubs. I am "mentally packing." A stroke of luck came last night in a conversation with my daughter. She was perusing my cruise itinerary, offering advice for shore excursions, and we were talking about the weather. I mentioned that I was unsure whether to buy hiking boots, mentioning various other footwear I own that would suffice, depending on the terrain and weather. Then she said, " I have those boots that you bought for me when I went to Colorado" and she went to her room an brought them out. UREEKA! They are PERFECT! They are Merrell brand, waterproof, broken in, and MY SIZE!! Good deal...just saved me a hundred bucks and the grief of a decision and break-in period!
The next 30 days will go by in a flurry. Sunday starts 4 days of clerks' school. Then a holiday weekend, back to back council meetings and all smack in the middle of budget hell. I'll be taking 18 days' vacation - unheard of! And, those days will be "incommunicato" - I am taking my BB Storm, but no laptop, and in the backcountry there's no communication, and on the cruise, I believe it's limited to ports. Maybe it's my "indispensable" opinion of myself, but I like to think more that it's "no body can find anything in my office, unless I'm there..." I
I'm concerned about care for Gracie - my girls are here, but, they have their young and wild lifestyles, and Gracie is accustomed to my boring homey style. Of course I worry that she'll be well cared for.
Tomorrow's my older daughter's birthday - 22! I bought her some great gifts, and am taking her and her boyfriend, and other daughter and boyfriend out for dinner. Both daughters were born in June - always been a good balance of june birthdays and december christmas - made gift-giving pretty even.
I expected my brother to call tonight, but perhaps his plans changed. I am over-due on laundry, have been eating processed foods and feel perpetually sleep-deprived.
Things must change...