See Hear Speak No Evil

I have had many requests for information about the trip Al and I are taking to Europe. We are both super excited, and in the final planning portion of the trip.

I figure I would post about it in a series of posts. This will let me get comments from all of you about the various places we are going. I really want you to let me know if you have been to any of these places. I need details. I need advice. I need to know where to buy beer!

September 7th we will fly far far away to enjoy 16 days of vacation!

Yes, 16 days!!!

My poor husband and kids. This gives me an entire 2 weeks to eat, drink and be merry. I also get 2 days to fly to and from Europe. I plan on eating, drinking and being merry this portion of the trip as well. It will just be slightly lame as it will be on a plane.

We fly into Amsterdam!

Amsterdam - The Netherlands (2 days)
Bruges (maybe) - Belgium (1 day)
Paris - France (4 days)
Dover - England (1 day)
London - England (3 days)
Bath/Stonehenge - England (1 day)
Edinburgh - Scotland (2 days)

We fly out of Edinburgh! (On Jess’ birthday fyi. I am planning on bringing her back a kick ass bday present.)

So there you have it. That is the plan. It will probably change a bit depending on what we finally decide to do. We need to book some hotels, but our flight is already booked. I can’t wait to tell you about everything we are already planning on doing.

Happy Birthday Trent!

If only I could have got video of my daughter doing her best “Trent” impression… Great idea for another post actually. HEHE. Hope your day is great and that you get to drink tons of beer.

I may even buy you a beer… if your nice.

A few weeks ago I went on my first camping trip of the year. I did NOT go alone (which is what I would usually do because I’m seriously L-A-M-E). JEB (formerly the IP of fridge poetry fame) tagged along.

Off we were to historical site Chaco Canyon (technically, Chaco Culture National Historical Park) located in northwestern New Mexico, a short 3 hour drive from ABQ. Let’s peek in on the provisions:
food- Quorn patties for sammiches
water- 1.5 gallons
gear- tent, sleeping bags, folding chairs, wood for fire, etc.
beer- 12 pack, 1/2 gallon of Il Vicino IPA (an ABQ microbrewery)

We got one of the last 2 camping spots and ended up with GREAT neighbors who were celebrating their 27th anniversary (they had gone to Chaco on their honeymoon). Bob played his guitar and Terry and I talked about geology (she teaches science at a school in the eastern US).
The fire was roaring but nicely controlled. Beer flowed like water (or like beer) and conversation was fluent and fascinating.

Cut to 10:30 PM. The campground hosts show up at our spot and tell us it’s quiet time and we need to STFU.

Wait? WHAT?! We were talking. Bob was playing ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ We were NOT being loud and obnoxious.

Still, Bob and Terry (I may be misspelling her name here) went back to their campground and JEB and I continued to sit by the fire, talking and drinking beer. We were still not talking loudly. Our voices were at a normal volume. Yet, the hosts came back and told us if we didn’t SERIOUSLY STFU they would be required to call the NPS police force to come and deal with us.

Wait? WHAT?! Luckily I was in the middle of brushing my teeth and decided it would behoove us to leave the toothbrush in my mouth and not say a word (I get mouthy after drinking beers). JEB was very diplomatic and told the nice campground hosts that we were already on our way to bed and would not be disturbing the other nice people dispersed throughout the campgrounds who were obviously too fucking uptight to allow a couple of people to have a conversation by a fire without complaining to the campground hosts that we were being loud and obnoxious.

The hosts left (and looked mighty relieved that we were FINALLY going to be compliant with all the rules). I, however, bitched up a freaking storm about what a bunch of shit it was that they threatened to kick us out (we were in no state to drive) and/or call the NPS 5.0 on us. They treated us like we were a couple of 18 year old kids having a raging party with a bunch of other 18 year old kids where people were falling into the fire and peeing in the road.

Anywho- enough ranting. Here are some photos of Pueblo Bonito (on a sunset walk) and then Chetro Ketl from above.

I am under a lot of stress.

Honestly. I am so freaking stressed. I don’t even know where to start. I’ll have to get my thoughts together and write a post another day.

I am off to take something to sleep and eat an ice cream cone.

I really need both. /sigh

this is just a snippett of why:

callie: um…anyone ever think you two were a couple?

meredith: no, because we screw boys like whores on tequila.

christina: and then we either try to marry them or drown ourselves.