two days on the road - next stop - home :))

hi folks -- yes, there has been a change in plans. today is our last day 'out' , rather than tomorrow. we were 'supposed to have a three day vacation. as y'all know. but, well it just didn't work out that way. i sometimes say that nothing ever goes as planned -- i can't really say that this time-- because - it wasn't really 'planned'. in any regard. we had our first day/night haphazardly 'laid out.' kinda. but planned? that would be a no.

so--we left home tuesday morn,-- already on a rough start -- half way not even ready - and later than 'planned ' :)). we head to 'austin'. no hotel reserved. just shootin in the dark. thinkin - "we'll find a place when we get there" well, ya know what? that isn't a very smart idea -- on the first day of the biggest event in austin texas of every year. yes , the one that "people come from all over the WORLD to be a part of." that is a direct quote from the radio, btw-- not to mention the bumper to bumper, not moving traffic we experienced ourselves. (sigh).

my fist thought when we hit town was.. no way are we gonna find a room here tonight. OMG. i was near panic. my child? her main and first thought-- and words? let's go to 'the drag!!!" she wanted to SHOP.. first thing. without thinking a room might be our first priority, and second? perhaps I might be in severe pain. maybe. yes i was, but i have been trying my best not to be a "debbie downer" about that .
so i had to explain.. in easy terms--
hey, take a look around- see all these cars? they need a place to sleep--- we can't screw around til we have a room. ya think?
hmmm, yeh, i guess.
typical shopaholic. :))

well, i went to one hotel. no luck. booked solid. then another. nope. then another-- i got itchy just thinkin about it -- (slid together cuz i don't wanna be rude to the place - they were nice enough about it --- LaQuintaInn--) well, they did have a room. it of course was - upstairs. non-smoking. and yup, you guessed it - 'jacked up rates for the 'festival'. ugh. the only way it coulda been worse was if they had no rooms at all. but i was grateful for the room so i grabbed it.
ONLY to find after finally kickin off the shoes and kickin back on bed for a while before headin dowtown for a shopping spree on the drag, and another place a few miles from there -- i sooo didn't wanna go- but that was exactly why soulkid chose to go to austin. (sigh , again).

so picture THIS..
there i am. so tired i could go to bed right then. so sore i could shoot myself. i finally have a chance to rest for a little while... what do i see when i reach for my water on the bed table? yup--- BUGS. friggin little tiny bugs. and lots of them. my blind eyes see baby roaches. soulkid tries to soothe my panic by sayin 'mom, they're ants! chill out"
i cannot chill out . they're roaches and i can't get past that thought-- or feeling.
but-- we are gonna leave soon -- and sooner than planned - due to my nausea of 'roaches'.

(insert 'table-bug' photo)

so we do leave and we go shop and eat. it was dark by then - or soon after-- so no pics-- and that is why i wanted to go to the drag-- was for the photo ops-- yep y'all know me. she shops, i take pictures. :))

(enter- MellowMushroom photo)

so- by the time we get back to the room, i'm so exhausted i didn't care about the damn bugs-- although i squished as many as i could. i'm not talkin like hundreds -- i mean three here -- six there -- they'd come around in patches. or maybe troups. so anyhow-- i was able to go to sleep -- soon as i wake up in the morning tho-- in my non smoking room. (erg!) .. i made coffee-- also in the process i get a damn second degree steam burn due to their malfunctioning friggin cheapo pot. i get my coffee, go outside, smoke a ciggie-- come back-- yep - to have my coffee on the bed and then leave that hell hole.

well-- how relaxing-- or reviving -- do ya think sitting next to ten lively roach/ants can be first thing in the morning? yeh. same here. i finally HAD to call the office and say something. i didn't 'expext anything. i just wanted them to KNOW- that this was my 2nd stay in said hotel -- last time being many years ago--- in a totally differnt state- reason i haven't returned? there was a real live nasty roach IN my bed ! i go on to tell her about the 'bugs ' on my table -- and how disgusting they and the entire night and morning had been, also that i will never ever enter this hotel chain again. ever.
she sent pest control immediately-- and offered me a free stay-- at that same hotel. no other option. i said i don't wanna come back. how bout a discount on last night. nope. free stay or nuthing. so of course i took it-- soulkid will never tire of austin. but she can come back with her dad next time. :))

so anyhow day 2? = yesterday.
what did we do ? where did we go? where did we stay?
again. planning is oh so important.
this kinda thing was fun and adventurous when i was 'a kid' i did it and i enjoyed it-- and i also had the option of sleeping at a rest area if i needed to. that isn't an option when ya have a kid. especially one like mine-- and one that i feel so protective of. like mine. it is sooo much added stress to an already stressful situation. which -- y'all know -- was 'supposed to be stress FREE" bleh.

so anyhow-
together - we decided that heading in the direction of home was a good idea. we were running low on funds and her wanting to shop--and shop-- she decided if she sacrificed a hotel night-- it would give her more spending money -- i agreed.
and aside from that? we're just ready to be home. we like home. and i miss my soulman. i grew up like this-- hotel hopping and not knowing where i'd be the next day. and i really don't feel good about it. so we jumped on that train, and headed in the direction of home.

the original plan-- yeh -- i said it-- plan-- being to head to the base near killeem- and see what was there, cuz we haven't been there before. it is much bigger than the one by our place. on the way there - i may have taken a wrong turn or something-- but we found the most beautiful, scenic drive we've been on in a very long time. it was gorgeous. hills, animals, lakes, rivers, streams, awesome homes, ranches etc. we took a few pix, but we weren't in any of em. just animals and stuff.

(insert donkay , hairy 'pony?', and herbie here)

after we shopped on base. (enter cigarette gutter photo here)

we decided to just go home-- but of course my body and eyes couldn't make it--- we made it as far as 'temple tx. ' yeh. i don';t wish this place on anyone.
the first hotel? booked .. except a non smoking upstairs room.. with no elevator.

**1 (see friday)

the next? upstairs, no elevator-- but vacant- close- and i could SMOKE !! i took it.
and it was interesting - to say the least. but there were no bugs ;)) that was a plus. i did however have another coffee pot issue... only God knows the last time the damn thing had been washed. yeh i know - it was a bit - ok a lot disgusting. but y'all know mw.. there is no life before coffee. so i cleaned it up and made some yukky hotel coffee-- drank very little with only the grime on my mind. i'll grab a starbucks when we leave-- which btw-- i hope you appreciate i got a half hour extension on checkout just to talk to yall.

i wanted to put up pix-- but i so don't have time. i gotta get dressed and checked outta heah.

[obviously they are above this post -- :)]

for dinner last night-- we ordered chinese! it was good- but soulkid was in a mood and refused to eat her half of the 30.00 dollar meal. oh well she missed out-- and the leftovers woulda fed three people - on thedrag :))

after i ate -- i was toast-- and passed out after just a little bit of tv.

there's a bit more to say -- but i have to get outta here before they charge me another night-- which btw-- one thing i didn't mind about this place -- it was about a third of the price i paid for the one in austin... but it was about a third of the -- somethin-- too. but like i said-- no bugs-- and we survived -- :))

[ i spose the 'somethin, could be cleanliness? even tho there were mystery bugs in austin.. the room was clean, and sorta comfy-- when ya weren't smooshin ant/roaches.]

* 2 we are gonna antique our way home today.

i shall update with photos and a little more info later-- course the photos are scarce. but good. i think- i haven't seen em yet.

catchya latah folks!