They say that going on holiday is stressful. It shouldn't be. It should be a matter of paying someone some money and then getting in a vehicle or somesuch and then being on holiday. That's my view. However, reality has a way of kicking in. As a result, I had a series of things to organise today to get the right hotels to be in the right places along a route that will take us from Thursday evening, via Milton Keynes, Leicester, Leeds, Stansted and THEN, if we're lucky, after watching Doctor Who, onto our plane to wherever the hell it is we're going. I can't even remember.

On top of that there are cats to consider. They don't travel well, so will be staying in some form of moggy hostel. This also needed organising. One side effect of their stay is that they may be rather clingy when we go and collect them, which will be amusing and also rather sweet. I like it when the cats are attentive - it's almost as if they care in a human way, which, of course, they couldn't possibly as they're cats.

So, I suspect tonight will involve more running around than I necessarily look forward to on a non-gig-night, and I'm also a bit stressed as I really need there to be some other of the planets in alignment for the show stuff that will happen in May, a couple of weeks after our return from the holiday. I won't be doing show stuff while we're away. I've decided to take some time away from "work" (like it's work!) and just focus on enjoying total down time. Rest and relaxation.

I wonder whether you actually end up with an aggregate loss or gain of happiness with holiday, or whether the pre-holiday stress actually takes you down so far that your time away can't bring you back.

Did I mention I also hired a car today?

I think I'll be printing out a sheaf of crap to take with, tonight or tomorrow night.