How could I say No?

As I had complained last Friday - this is an ugly week for me. The business owners for 2 of my big projects are away all week on course so I've got to work on the models I'm building without their input and have them ready for review first thing after the long weekend next week; I also have 2 deliverables due this Friday, both of which require inputs from others and I am still waiting; and my manager just happens to be away on vacation so I'm without him for support.

Then today, my VP stops by my desk and asks me to join him and a few other senior executives on a meeting with management from one of companies we're targeting and one which I've been providing research and analytical support. It's not every day that I'm asked to sit in as "a pair of extra ears" so how could I say no, even though it's going to suck up my whole afternoon tomorrow - an afternoon that could be spent working on stuff with deadlines?? AGH!!!

I'll just have to work longer hours to make up for the time lost.

Then I come home to a sad sight: my sister and piglet left today for Vancouver and my mother for Europe. The house was left in a bit of a mess in their rush to pack up and leave so there's a great assortment of baby stuff all about the house, along with a few random articles of clothing my sister forgot to pack. It's so sad.