Vacation Recap

Yep, I'm home in Phoenix again.  I haven't written much as I've not felt up to par.  This impacted my vacation as well as work this week.  I do want to get some of what I did out on pixels, though, as I'm finding as time goes on I enjoy going back and reading my blog to see what I was doing a few years ago.  This will be 'a few years ago' soon enough.

The airport did have my luggage the next morning, so from now on I will look for non-stop flights from Phoenix to Kansas City, or wherever I'm headed.  At least I will try not to connect via Denver.  The trip home was uneventful.  However, Southwest's overhead bins seem to be smallish.  I changed the carryon I used (I own at least 3 and maybe 4) and still it was tight.  I've used these carryon's for years with no issue on United flights.

My vacation was planned in a manner to roll with the punches, no real agenda, etc.  Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well and didn't 'roll' very well.  Could be I'm getting older and crankier.  maybe.  Also, the area I used to know fairly well I haven't hung out in for 5 or so years.  It no longer felt like 'home'.  That was one thing I wanted to see.  Towards the end of the vacation I ended up connecting with friends in Nashville and I got more comfortable in my old haunts.  My take away was that I need to scout my locations more, and make more time for friends.  I ended up in hotels a lot, and I hate to spend the money on that.  I just didn't enjoy the camping that I did in the Smokies.  Partly because it cost $20/night and didn't include shower facilities, partly because it rained every time I entered the park.  I have a tent that is now in the give-away pile.  I remembered why I went to a hammock, but I can't use a hammock in a state or national park.  I did buy a sleeping mat, the $8 blue mat from WalMart and also their $35 knock off of the thermarest.   Between the two I was comfortable and dry in my tent.  It was the entering and exiting that was an issue.

I'm on my new schedule now, 8PM to 6AM.  It is an adjustment.  I'll get it together in a couple of weeks.  Signs around the park here saw that the winter residents (snowbirds, but they don't like to be called that...) are starting to show up or are anticipated.  Temps are cooler, and it rained again last evening for awhile.  Cats were fine when I got home, but Rasta started coughing again today.  I'll watch him and make a decision on what to do.  Unlike last time he is acting fine.  It was when he got subdued and sickly acting that I rushed him to the vet last time.

Gotta go pee in a cup for my work background/drug test checkup for the year.  Not an issue, but a minor hassle.  That is all that is going on here, along with unpacking and a  notebook page double column of to-do's.

Now What

So, I've run off the end of any 'plans' I had for this vacation.  I have the rental car, I'm in Nashville, Mom is off to stay with her friends and I'm in a Starbucks (don't hate...) getting ready to head off somewhere in the rental car to have a bunch of fun.  Nothing has really jelled as to what to do.  I spent too much money, as usual, in REI here.  I decided not to get the one thing I came down here to get, a sleeping pad.  I decided to just get a cheap one at WalMart.  $8 vs. $100.  There is a difference.  However, for this trip not really enough to justify.  Maybe.  I've about decided to go back and get the one in there.  But, typing this I changed my mind, again.  Really, I don't use my camping stuff hardly at all now.  sigh.  Welcome to my vacation.