A post in which it time to go, at last!

Of course, since I didn't have to get up, I couldn't sleep in.  I fooled around on my phone and the computer for a while, but eventually just got up.  There was a ton of stuff I had to do today before I could leave.

I started the day with a lovely caramelized onion and cheddar omelet with the last of the homemade sourdough bread I had in the freezer, toasted with butter and accompanied by orange marmalade.  You gotta know how to live, right?

I started putting clothes together, but what I really needed to get out of the way was mowing the grass.  I had put it off all weekend last weekend, but it needed to be done, and I didn't want to come back from vacation to a lawn screaming to be mowed.  Resolutely, I went out.  I didn't figured it would be as bad as it was last time because it wasn't in such a bad state.

Well it wouldn't have been, if I had only had the lawn to worry about.  The issue today (there's always an issue, I can't just do it and be done) was that one of the bolts holding the wheel housing on the lawn mower fell out.  I searched through the shed (I was covered in grass and filthy, not showered, and I really didn't want to have to go to the hardware store) and eventually came up with a brass nut and bolt off an old toilet seat, which looked as if it would work.  Well it did.  The problem is that the vibration of the lawn mower made it keep un-screwing.  So about every two rows or so across the yard, I had to stop the mower, turn it over, and tighten the bolt again.  Grrrr.  So that made the job take a lot longer than it should have, and was a huge pain in the ass to boot.  But I persevered and got it done. 

I went in, showered up, and had lunch.  I finished the packing.  Then I decided to check in with the guys on when they wanted to leave.  They all worked today, but were going to try to get off early.  Rhonda sent me a text and told me that I was to pick her up on the way to their house, which was fine, but it was news to me.  Russ had kind of gotten into this habit of volunteering me for stuff without consulting me - before or after.  But I found out in time so it was all good.

I got different times back, but the earliest was 5pm.  Since I was ready anyway, I tended to the cats, loaded the car, and headed out.  I picked up Rhonda and was at the house by 5 easily.  That was one of the reasons I took the day off - so I wouldn't have to get off work and run a gamut to be there in time to go. 

I just hung out with Billy and waited for the others to get there.  As usual, Russ had made a big huge deal out of when he wanted to leave, and then was late getting home.  That's just Russ.  I was so excited that I didn't care.  We loaded the truck carefully, wrapping everything in plastic bags because of rain in the forecast, and headed out!! 

After some discussion we stopped for supper at a Mexican place called El Poblano in Newberry.  The food was pretty good, but the service was so-so.  They were surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night.  The restroom looked like it had been used by a bunch of orangutans though - yergh.  Still, we were on our way.

The trip wound on, but everyone was in pretty good spirits despite being tired.  The boys were tuned into their iPads doing whatever the hell they find to do on them all the time.  There was a book on mp3 in the stereo, and Russ and I chatted a bit.

Eventually, the land flattened out and I started seeing road marks.  After a while, we were there.  I was glad that we were NOT staying at the place where Mom and I had been last year.  The man who checked us in was very nice, and my room, while not fancy was just fine.  There was plenty of room for me. 

The boys went on to bed, but I stayed up for a while chatting online with guys before I finally turned in.  I was SO glad to be there!!