Let's just say the vacation has hit an interesting point.

We arrived at the home of Mother-in-Law yesterday. We do not see each other much. And sometimes I wonder what she thinks about me. Then I consider some of the things I tend to think about every guy that ever feigns interest in my daughters. The guys inevitably tend to not be very smart. Nor do they look particularly attractive. Nor do I enjoy thir presence or conversation. My daughters could always, surely, do much better. And so at best I tolerate these guys and try not to say or do things which would further isolate. Mostly I stare, deeply, and say very little.

Yesterday and today I've noticed Mom staring. She is nice, when she speaks, which is little.

Last night when it was bedtime Brother-in-Law showed me to my bedroom. My Bedroom. My wife was slated to sleep with her mother! I did not think that was such a good idea. I'm married to her, and I like to sleep with her. But I simply smiled and pretended everything was cool. Not too much of a smile and actually very little pretense. Still, I think I behaved in a socially acceptable way. I was told, with the limited space, there could be no other arrangements. I was not convinced. And so I was shown my room. It was a tiny little room with a tiny little window. Negligible furnishings. And, a single twin bed. It reminded me of a jail cell. When I entered the room and closed the door, very much I thought of Clint Eastwood in Escape From Alcatrez and Tim Robbins in Shawshank Redemption.

Mom seemed quite happy with things. I whispered later to my wife that we could probably fit together on a twin bed. And at that moment I was reminded anew of a universal truth: Never-ever force your wife to choose between her mother and yourself- you will not like her decision.

So here I sit, Day 2 at Mom's House. We are scheduled to leave in 3 days. Three Days. I have a recurring thought, almost a nightmare, of that foreboding day. Wife and Mom and Brother are standing on the porch, arms entwined and eerie smiles on faces, waving as I pull out from the driveway. I'm driving a '49 Packard. And I'm all alone.

My vacation has really just begun.

Friday morning we will be taking off for an 8-day family vacation trip.

If you are a thief, you will find the spare key under the welcome mat. Just remember that Jesus will be watching. Jesus is my 120 pound bulldog who will tear you to pieces in a friendly, Christian kind of way.

There are 6 of us. With my kids growing up and all the changes going on, this could very well be our last family vacation. I am really proud that all three of my kids are willing to forego a week of pay to travel together in a cramped car and sleep in cramped motels, just to be together. Actually we are taking two vehicles. My son is driving his car. I doubt that I'll volunteer to be a passenger with him, since he will be playing his head-splitting, unintelligible music. Also, he's awfully fast on the brakes and with the turns. Good grief, I am sounding old!

Tomorrow we will travel to Holly Springs, Mississippi, where we will stay for two days. It looks to be about 7 hours away. I'm not sure what is in Holly Springs, other than a Hampton Inn and some gardens. We will explore the place together. Then it is on to Little Rock, Arkansas, to visit with family. And yes, I do plan to tour the Clinton Library & Museum. I am having a hard time convincing any of the family to join me. From all I read about it, I believe it will be interesting. And I also plan to hike some of the trails in the Little Rock/Benton area.

I feel good that we have made family vacations a tradition. It is good for the family, and good to be refreshed.

I'll be reporting in regularly, not with a travelogue, but with some thoughts along the road. We will arrive in Holly Springs tomorrow around 4 p.m. See you there?

PastorDave's Cookout
It was a great time, and the first cookout I've ever attended with kimchi and hamburgers on the same picnic table. Over 50 people came along. The burgers were burned on the outside and raw inside, thanks to yours truly. Nobody seemed to care. A fun experience was trying to explain to new Korean friends some of the colloquialisms of the Southern version of the English language. Internationals tend to speak precise English. Folks from Georgia and Alabama work hard to break most of the rules of proper grammar and syntax. It is a lazy, hazy version of the language, but we like it. And it was fun to teach these guys how to say "yall".

As a sidenote, I do not think we had any guests from t-blog-land.  However, a couple of strange characters lurked about and maybe darted in to snatch a rib or burger.  One was wearing a muscle shirt and shorts up to his navel, and gazed with a blank stare.  I'm told he communicated with grunts, uncomfortably reminding some of the mutants from "The Hills Have Eyes".  Anyone know any of our bloggers with said characteristics?

My Daughter's Boyfriend
It's time. Often I have repeated the old adage that you cannot always change the situation, but you can change your attitude. I need to be nice to him. I need to treat him with the same kindness, dignity, and generosity of spirit with which I seek to relate to most people. He's probably a nice guy. Perhaps I could even like him. This will be a challenge. I'm going to try. I think it's worth it, for the sake of peace, and because I love my daughter.

Bought A Car
2003 Chevy Tracker. I arranged the financing over the Internet. With HSCB I was given a very good interest rate, and I would encourage you to check with these guys if you are looking for financing. Probably, most dealerships could not beat them. And it was quite helpful to walk into the dealerships with the financing already set. I was able to knock almost $2000 off the sticker price. This is the first time in many years that we have had two dependable vehicles. Both have reverse, and a/c! Ah, life is good.

Washed My Cell Phone
It's not a good idea. I left my phone in my jeans. It came out nice and shiny. It does not work. So I'm giving a trial with t-mobile to go. I'm able to buy 1150 anytime minute for about $90. If this could average out to about $30/month, then it's a good idea. I do not yak on the phone like the rest of the family. It's mostly for business. So, we will see...