Welcome to the Hotel California...

Having not spent enough time with his family in California this summer (Rick and Elizabeth spent only one dinner with his mom... no other family members were seen... and I was in Bakersfield, so I didn't see anyone) Rick got the bright idea that since there are several weeks of summer left... we should head on back there. To California.

Are you out of your mind, Rick? I just unpacked!!

But Rick was determined. He had me look up how many miles we had available so that we could fly for free (not nearly enough) and he had me look up nearby hotels, because we hadn't spent enough nights in hotels this summer. Not to mention that we didn't rent enough cars nor get on enough planes. And we certainly didn't eat at enough restaurants.

Oh wait, we could never eat at enough restaurants...

Anyway, I looked and looked and seeing that we didn't quite have enough miles to fly for free, Rick decided that we could drive. And Elizabeth could go with us to share the driving.

You could hear Elizabeth scream all the way to New Jersey. And it wasn't a happy scream.

"I've seen enough of you guys this summer! I don't want to spend another minute in a car with you! Plus I've got my own vacation to go on. I'm going to Connecticut next week!"

That mean't that I would get to do all the driving myself since Rick's leg is not up to par.

I spent the next hour trying not to think about heading all the way back to California, in the heat of the summer, just prior to school starting, in one of three slightly old cars. We haven't got any car that's newer than 2004. And the most reliable one is from 2003.

I also spent the next hour worrying about finances. We haven't even paid off our most recent trip. And although the townhouse has now been rented, we haven't received any money from it, yet.

I spent part of an hour trying to figure out how to let Rick get there all by himself. Without me. But that worried me more than excited me.

Just when I was giving in and starting to wonder where I hid the suitcases... the phone rang.

And my problem was solved.

- TO BE CONTINUED -

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