It's that time of year again, when everybody around you is talking about their family holiday, or their romantic 'just the two of us' holidays that they are planning for the summer, and in some cases have already booked, (I know, can you believe it!).

It got me thinking... I wonder if I will get away this year? Holidays are not something we have had many of over the last 20 years for one reason or another. When the family was young and the kids were growing up, it was as much as we could do to put food on the table some days. There were a few years where we managed to scrape up enough to take them away for a week at Butlins or a caravan park with entertainment thrown in. Later, when there was a little more money to spare, I had developed a severe 'sun intolerance' and even hanging the washing out in the summer was done under the cover of Factor 60 sunscreen and at breakneck speed. Needless to say, we have never had a sun holiday.

Last year however, at least while wearing factor 60, it seems my skin was more tolerant of the sun. I even sunbathed for 2-3 hours at a time with no really bad ill effects. It was heaven on earth. To finally lay out in the sun and soak up its warmth, and get tanned. A tan was something I had not had for over 12 years, not a proper one anyway.

My holiday to the States at the end of 2005 was the first holiday I had ever taken on my own with G, exluding 2 weekend trips in the last 20 years. It was also the first proper holiday I'd had abroad. One day I hope to go back. I would go back tomorrow if it wasn't so expensive, but it also gave me the travel bug. I want to see some more of the world, experience some other cultures for myself rather than just read about them.

Where would I go? Anywhere if the finances were as willing! But the novelty of going somewhere warm, or hot even, is the only criteria I feel the need to fulfil this year. Somewhere far away from here, far away from work. A place to relax, soak up the culture, and wind down. Somewhere to have fun, to have a laugh, to be carefree for a few days. A destination that does not involve me being required to plan every day around the daily grind of work and social commitments, or around cooking a meal every night, or ensuring that the laundry is done and the housework is kept on top of.

So, imagine my surprise when my younger daughter, who is 17, suggested that we should go on holiday with my other daughter and my sister, and have a girly break. At first I thought 'great idea' I'd love to spend a week away with my girls. This however was immediately followed by the thought that I couldn't go away and leave G on his own, he should be able to go on holiday too. So, although I agreed with her that it would be nice, I didn't pursue it with anything concrete.

A week or so later, she mentioned it again, over dinner. I said it would be unfair to go and leave Dad behind. He just said "Why"? He seemed to think it was a good idea and he genuinely didn't seem to mind that he was not included. So we talked a bit about where we would go for a cheap, sun holiday as none of us are particularly flush. For Brits, that leaves the choice of Spain, or even Spain!!! Having spent 5 years at school learning the language my daughter was keen to go and try it out for real. She has never been abroad. Never been on an aeroplane. Never paid for her own holiday. So she is VERY excited at the prospect.

I still had reservations about going away without G. We have never spent any real time apart before. Two nights is the most I think; once when I was away at a trade show for work and once when he went to the Bol D'or with a group of friends and their motorbikes. Other than that, the only time we have spent apart is whenever I have been in hospital, and to be honest, I don't think he was missing out on a lot was he!!! lol

After a bit of research, mostly by me and a little by my eldest daughter, we settled for cheap, cheap all inclusive holiday on the Costa Brava. I booked it last night, payed for the air fares and a deposit on the hotel for each of us. So that's it. I'm going on a girly holiday with my daughters and my sister in the summer, and I am quite excited about it. It will give me something to look forward to later in the year, and while I am trying to lose the last 8lbs I need to lose to get to my goal weight it will keep my mind focussed on succeeding with it.