Oh, sure, you can have periods of relative calm, but even that is never dull. Not if you are paying attention.
So, anyway, there I am, finalizing the trip to the Grand Canyon stuff and fixing one last thing...oh, god, I hope so...on the itinerary and I find out that the train people have failed to send my packet, whatever the hell that is, but it must be my actual tickets and stuff, although the person to whom I spoke and who mentioned it to me was not entirely certain exactly what the packet contained. But, really, who cares.
But, the interesting part, the not dull part, is that someone who is not me is interested in my trip. As in actually expressing some interest. Also, hinting that he would be interested in something like what I have planned.
No. I am not extending an invitation. I am not. I never will. I refuse, I refuse, I refuse. That means that I am not going to do it. However, if I am asked, nicely, I will permit him to accompany me on the trip. With a few conditions. Of course.
Now, keep in mind that no request has come, but it might and a girl just has to be prepared. I must admit that it was no great hardship to think of what my requirements for joint custody of this journey might be. There are only three.
I will not share a bedroom, not on the train and not on the ground, not in a box, not with a fox, not on a boat, not with a goat, not, ummm, well you get the idea. There are too many horrible rules when that is done and this is my trip, my first vacation in a thousand years and I will have fun and not have to risk being yelled at when I inadvertently violate one of the rules, most of which I will never learn about until they are actually broken. I know what some of them are likely to be from previous trips out of town, the most recently being two consecutive weekends of weddings, in two different states, of nieces that are from his side of the family, even though I am closer to these young women and their (now) husbands. I am not exaggerating about this or making too big a deal about the sleeping arrangements, because there was another out of state wedding where I had to leave the room late at night and go sit in the lobby until the concierge took mercy on me and gave me blankets and a place to rest in a meeting room, because I was not sleeping "properly." Whatever the hell that means. I swear.
The rules are horrible, just in case I forgot to mention that. So, separate bedrooms. What else? Oh, yeah, I will not pay the way for someone who is not me. No one pays for me, so I think that keeping that equitable is a decent idea.
Hmmmm, I guess the next thing is that I will not change any of the touring or not-touring arrangements that I have already made. Five years ago we were out West for a wedding (seems to be a pattern here) and we, as in me and someone who is not me, had made plans for a full-day side trip while we were there. It was supposed to be a coach tour to the Grand Canyon. Oh, god, can you even believe that? I had totally forgotten about that until just this moment. Crap, I told you that there are no dull moments here. Lordy.
So, anyway, we were supposed to take this side trip on the last day that were were out West and when it came time to go downstairs and climb on the coach for the trek out there to that big, old hole in the ground, I was informed that we were not going. Furthermore, when I said that was fine, that I would go by myself, I was told that I could not, and could not because I was not the person with the money.
And, that part was true, because I was told before we left to not bring any cash with me and, well, I did that, I did not bring any money. And, it is just the same thing over and over again and I am stuck trying to make everything nice and I just totally suck at it. Whenever someone who is not me says the 'word' I listen and I obey and this is simply not working for me any longer. Nothing is going to change here and it was so cool when I was like growing as a person, and getting close to finding another place to live and, gosh, even though my circumstances were to be greatly reduced, I was getting so close to actually doing something proactive and then all that illness stuff started to manifest and I agreed to stay here and be helpful and finally made this decision to take this trip to a place that I have been wanting to visit for nearly twenty years or some damn time and, I swear, I am totally willing to share the experience with someone who is not me, but I will be damned it I cave and become all obedient again. I swear.
But, that is what I do...I am obedient that way, and I never seem to learn from previous experience. Well, at least until now. Now I know what I know about how I want to live my life, or at least how I think that I want to live my life. At least I think I do. I am pretty sure. And, I do not want to live like that anymore.
Alrighty, this part is going to sound stupid, at least much more stupid that all that other stuff. So, anyway, since my job-place will be closed for most of September and into the middle of October, I have decided to take advantage of some of those casino-subsidized trips that I mentioned sometime earlier this year. They are so cool. You get to travel on nice motor coaches and have wine and snacks and play games until you get to the casinos. You get free tokens to play gambling games and practically all of your meals are included and they offer small excursions to nearby attractions so that you do not get burned out on gambling and they are really cool and, more importantly, really inexpensive.
So, then, I will be gallery sitting from near to the end of this month until a couple of days before I leave on my big trip. Then I am home for ten days to rest up from all the big fun and then I am taking two single-day-trips to see a play and to go to a agrarian festival. Then I am home for one day and then go on a four-day trip to a casino up north of here. And, this is where the stupid part comes in. If someone who is not me gets all pissy and does not invite himself on the big trip (remember, I am completely cool with him doing that), I am going to invite him on the four-day-up-north-casino trip.
I will even pay his way because that is how inexpensive and cheap that trip is. He can gamble, see the lounge shows, gorge himself at the buffets and drink all he wants and I will wander around all the pretty and rustic places, go to the park, visit their library and animal shelter, take this really cool boat trip to an island for a day, and hang out in my room the rest of the time. Two of the previous three rules apply here. Separate bedrooms and no messing with my touristy plans. It will be wonderful because it will actually get him out of the house and someplace interesting and it will be inexpensive and we will rarely have to depend on each other for entertainment. If I am lucky, our only contact will be a dinner or two and then the coach ride home.
September is going to totally rock for me and perhaps, maybe a little bit, for someone who is not me.
I am paying attention, strict attention and even if a dull moment pops in, I can handle it.
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