Holiday coping strategy

As I touched on briefly in my last post, on Friday, we are flying out to Tenerife to holiday with my parents, my 2 sisters and brothers in law and my 2 nieces. We had been discussing having a family holiday for a while and since we know someone with a Villa in Tenerife that conveniently sleeps 10 people (at a push) we thought why the heck not.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my family very much. My parents are amazing and have a very young outlook. I'm just slightly concerned that spending a week in close confines with everyone, will somewhat test my patience. My 2 sisters are quite high maintenance as are my brothers in law.

My sisters are very thin - my middle sister in particular seems to have a massive phobia of being fat - perhaps having an older, fat sister has scarred her for life. My little sister has modelled in the past and her husband looks like an Action Man. Both of my sisters also have boob jobs (the one thing I got that they didn't, they both went and bought). I imagine it will be somewhat exhausting, all the preening and posing and moaning and general high maintenance.

Regular readers of my bletherings will know that I don't really have a negative self image. I actually quite like myself - despite being obese (possibly one of the reasons I struggle to lose weight). I am fairly confident and tend to adopt a f*ck it attitude - if you don't like me, don't look. But.... I can't help but feel a little bit inadequate when I am around my sisters. I don't know what it is. I actually have more confidence than both of them really, but they somehow just make me feel - well, plain.

I also feel somewhat responsible for everyone having a good time. After all, it's our friend's Villa. We've been a few times and know the area, so we know what to expect - but my family don't. My middle brother in law seems to think he is Rockafella these days, so I am worried the Villa won't live up to his standards, he'll make snide comments or what have you and my patience will run out. Matt's tolerance for such will also be low.

My little sister and her husband are already complaining. They were the last to book - so they get the sofa bed. Something they have expressed their disdain for. I'm already worrying about keeping everyone happy and we aren't even there yet.

I am hopeful that my worries will be unfounded. Perhaps it will be the lovely relaxing week in the Sun I am hoping for. If not, we are hiring a car so me and Matt will make ourselves scarce if need be....