I finally made it home from vacation. I know you missed me, but it was well worth the wait because a vacation with the family is a sure fire way to get plenty to blog about. As usual, we had to squeeze our vacation between the kids' activities. Jake had a tournament in Jackson, so we hung out there for a few days before heading down to Panama City for a few days and then speeding home for AC to head out on a church trip. As usual, the fun started before we left. I was still awake at 2 a.m. putting a vacation message on the office answering machine, gathering up bills to pay while I was on vacation, and trying to pack for 3 activities at once. Somehow we got 2 beach umbrellas, an easy up tent, 3 chairs, AC's entire wardrobe, a laundry hamper full of beach towels, 2 coolers, every electronic gadget known to man, and a handful of clothes for the rest of us in my little SUV and headed out at 7 a.m. We made it to Jackson a couple of hours before Jake's first game. He got to change into his uniform in the car while we unpacked the entire car to get the chairs and tent out (mistake number one- packed things needed first first so we had to unpack everything else to get that stuff out).
After the game, we unpacked and repacked the car again (found out the reverse of first first wouldn't fit) and headed to our hotel. We piled everything on the wheelie thing that carries the luggage and it promptly slid off between door number one and door number two in the lobby. Grant threw a couple of bags back on the cart and walked on as if it never happened while I tried to grab another cart, dodge the automatic door, and guard the rest of the luggage. Luggage piled high, I headed for the elevator. I've never pulled a luggage thing before, so I shoved, pulled, and manhandled it all the way to the elevator door where my family patiently waited as if they had no idea who I was or why I was following them. Grant took one look at me and informed me that I needed to turn the cart around the way it was supposed to go and then I wouldn't have to fight it. (Thanks for the tip after the fact, dear.) We finally made it to our room and set up camp.
I always find it strange to stay in a hotel with my family. You would think that people who have lived together forever would know each others' quirks and habits, but until you share a single room and bathroom, you really have no clue. Grant is the homesteader. The second he enters the room, he unpacks everything and places it in the exact place it would be if he lived there. I am the vagabond. My things never touch a single surface in the room. I live out of my suitcase and the thought of putting my clothes in a drawer never occurred to me until I married Grant. I thought the dresser was just a place to put a tv and not to put my clothes. AC is the loner. She is appalled that she has to share air, must less a bed and toilet, with anyone, and takes every opportunity to tell you so. When it's her bedtime, it's everyone's bedtime, and woe be unto anyone that moves after she has put her head on the pillow. Jake is the tornado. He explodes into the room with clothes, shoes, and toys flying in every direction. He never can knows what is clean or dirty and loses a shoe at least twice a day.
After 3 days, we packed up to head toward Florida. The plan was to stop in Mobile overnight, sleep late, and finish the drive the next day. Grant called a company he uses for travel arrangements from the car to book a room. We pulled up to the hotel in Mobile and the first thing I saw was what looked like a prostitute (Grant said not to assume, but a lady wearing short shorts, a tank top, and heels while strolling back and forth in front of the hotel is either for rent or for free but she ain't there for sleep). My caution light in my head went off that MAYBE this wasn't the hotel for us, but it was 10:00 at night so we checked in. The room was just what I should've expected based on the clientele. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a burger wrapper on the dresser. Upon further inspection, I found used soap and towels in the bathroom and the air conditioner didn't work. Jake took one look and refused to touch anything. He stood like a statue in the middle of the room while I had a germophobic breakdown and started bathing in sanitizer. We gathered up all our bags, repacked the car (for the umpteenth time) and began looking for another room in the Mobile area. I literally pulled up a hotel list and called the entire list to no avail. We finally found a hotel in Pensacola an hour later. Yet again, we unpacked the car, dropped our bags at the door, and crashed at an Econo Lodge at 1:00 a.m. The next day, we repacked the car and finished the drive to sunny Panama City. Oh, Lord, was I excited to see sand and water.
That's all for today. Grant's making me get back to my job that actually makes money, so check in with me tomorrow for, as Paul Harvey said, "the rest of the story."
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