Suzy Says

Sometimes, procrastination is its own reward.

My stepmother asked me months ago if I’d come to London, where she lives, sometime this year to help her to clear out my father’s things and send them/bring them/give them to the right people/places/things. Of course I agreed, since taking care of her is about all I can do for my father now.

Once I started telling people I was going, I started getting e-mails from friends, who are either meeting me in London or having me stay with them in various parts of England. So there started to be some fun in the mix of duty and grief. My little sister decided she wanted to go with me, and it seems it will pretty much take three weeks to get everything done. With one thing and another, mid-June seemed to be the best time to go.

When Dad was alive, I used to plan my trips to England and beyond — since we almost always went to Europe or something, a road trip, as we called it, even if we flew or took a ferry — months ahead. Both Dad and I enjoyed the planning and the anticipation of being together. But for this trip, I still haven’t booked the tickets or finalized plans, even though my failing to do so is mildly inconveniencing all concerned.

The awful truth is: I’m waiting for the air miles in my father’s account to be transferred to mine so I can upgrade both my sister and me to Business Class for the long flight to London. I have enough miles to upgrade my ticket, but not enough to upgrade Megan’s, and even I am not mean enough to make my sis sit wedged in the back while I stretch out up front and drink free champagne. Plus she’s completely fearless and I’m relying on her to hold my hand and reassure me during take-off. Pretty ironic considering I used to change her diapers.

Anyway, this selfish leaning on the rake has been rewarded, because Candi is planning to come out to San Francisco for the first time ever, accompanied by her adorable fianc? Brian, on the very week I should have left for England. Good thing I didn’t have the tix booked, though I would have changed them for this. Candi is one of my dearest friends, practically a sister to me, and we have never met in real life. So this is something to look forward to. And hey, the house is as good as it’s going to get from the obsessive cleaning for the in-laws last month, so it will be worry-free fun, too. I can hardly wait!