Finding Direction

I can't believe I forgot all about this blog. Actually, I take that back; I can. Last year at this time, I was starting a new school year and teaching a grade level completely different from the previous years. Now that it's over, creating lesson plans, getting my room ready, stressing...it's all behind me. I know exactly what I'm in for!

As I reflect on the year, I think I know what I want to do with the blog and I guess the subtitle is a way of saying, "random". I don't have time to keep up different blogs for the different important things in my life, so ...

I've had an interesting year, but the past few days have been a complete adventure. Here's what we "expected" to happen on our 3 1/2 day vacation:
Go to Charleston
Try to get tix to see Wilco even though we know it's sold out
If no tix to be had, eat lots of low country food and explore Charleston since we've never been there
Go to Cary, NC on Fri. and see Wilco...we actually have tix for this
Go home, relax, and embrace getting ready to go back to school

Here's what happened:
Leave for Charleston
Get 2 miles from home and realize that we forgot suitcase
Go home to get suitcase, and realize that we forgot random other important stuff
Get back on the road
Stop at a store. Jim runs in to purchase quick set tent (we're camping it)
While Jim is in store, go get gas
Try to purchase gas with credit card and get rejected 3 times
Go to cashier window and am rudely told that they don't take Am.Ex
Call Jim and see if it is okay to use other MC
Pump Gas...pay outrageous price
Pick up Jim
Go to different branch of bank that is on the way
Jim goes in and doesn't return for 25 minutes
Realize that we forgot Cary, NC tix at home which is now about 30 minutes in the opposite direction
Go home and get Cary, NC tix...Jim decides to pay MC bill while we're there
Get back on the road
Get almost to Charleston, and can't find cash Jim took out from bank...not in wallet...
Find cash Jim took out under his pile of other stuff that's not packed
Pull into campground
TRANSMISSION GOES ON MINIVAN So the transmission is gone...the minivan won't go in reverse at all, and will barely move forward
By the grace of the gods, pull the minivan into the actual spot where we will be sleeping.
Get phone number to pizza place that will deliver to campground
Call Jim's dad and tell him that he needs to drive the 5 hours to help us
Steve (Jim's dad) tells me he's too tired to drive
I tell Steve that he doesn't have to come until tomorrow (jackass)
Pizza arrives
We eat, then sleep
That was Tuesday, Day 1

Wednesday, Day 2:
Wake up and call Steve
Steve doesn't want to come to our rescue
He tries to get us a rental car
All of the rental cars are booked
Steve gathers his stuff and heads down to SC
I call my friend Cindy to ask her to take care of my dogs
Cindy agrees to go and do the necessary stuff
We take a shuttle to downtown Charleston and try to have some fun
We have a blast!
Make arrangements to donate car to NPR through the Click and Clack show
Take shuttle back to campground
Thunder comes
We scramble to pack up minivan so things don't get soaked
Rain never comes
Cindy calls...she can't take care of the dogs. She was in a car accident (turns out the wreck totaled her car), but is fine and will take care of the dogs tomorrow when she gets a rental car. I tell her she's nuts; I'll get someone else to do it, but she insists to help out
Call Linda and leave a message
Linda calls back and before I can finish with our tale of woe says, "Whatever you want the answer is YES!"
Steve arrives
All of our crap won't fit into Steve's Highlander
Jim packs the car with all that will fit...other stuff is given away to campers (water noodles and camping foam)
Drive to Hampton Inn and instantly become car sick from Steve's driving
Make a mental note to tell Jim that he *must* drive from now on or I will be sitting in unpleasantness for the rest of the trip
Check in
Go to an amazing restaurant for dinner to relax

Yesterday, Day 3:
Wake up
Walk around downtown Charleston trying to find notary for title
Finding a notary that is in, will do the notarization for out of state people is *almost* impossible
Find a notary at library
Notarize title
Walk around Charleston neighborhoods for fun
Go to Folly Beach for a quick visit
Go to campground and turn over title and car
Come back to hotel and I sleep while Jim and Lilac Rain go swimming
Go to dinner
Drop off Steve at hotel and go to see Wilco
In the parking lot, Jim and Lilac Rain play frisbee and look for tickets. I walked around, talked to people and took pictures of the traveling work in progress sock (TWIPS) with random concert goers. There will be pictures posted here as soon as I can get home.
Jim and Lilac Rain find tickets and eventually we go on in.

The concert was great and I was able to get some great pics of people and crew with the TWIPS in the venue too! I was only turned down once by a group of frat boys that were really quite rude about it. Oh, and I got one of Jeff and Mikael (separately) with it too!

If you've made it to the end, I applaud you! This is quite a long post so I'll save the rest for the next time. On to the Wilco show in Cary, NC tonight!!