Pre-vacation Post - Posted by Steve Mount

The Williston Mounts are about to head South, South Carolina to be exact. With just a few days of school left, the kids are counting down the days (and half-days) until Friday. Karen is talking with her friend, and our host, almost daily, and I'm actually trying to go to bed before midnight each night so that I can be rested enough to drive straight through (stopping only for meals and other bodily needs).

Today, I bought the kids some books they have been itching to get: Egyptology, Dragonology, and Wizardology, which they saw in Costco and have been just dying to have ever since (well, the boys have - Brittany is ambivalent, but she'll enjoy them anyway). I bought myself a book, too: Terrorist by John Updike. I had purchased Fort Pillow by Harry Turtledove for the trip a week ago, but I couldn't wait and read it. I also got The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth, and held off reading that by hiding it from myself in the garage. While at Costco, I saw that they had placed Kevin Trudeau's new book alongside Anne Coulter's new book, and started to wonder why these fiction books were in the non-fiction section ... but I digress. I had planned to buy Updike's book, but almost bought a new non-fiction book from Peter Beinart instead, but decided I could wait to find out how to make America great again.

I downloaded a whole mess of MP3s to put on my player, all radio shows from NPR, science and politics. I plan on listening to them while everyone else sleeps, but I'll have to see if they keep me awake or make me sleepy! If the latter, I have a chip full of music, too.

Karen prepped her car for the trip by getting new tires, an oil change, and an alignment. As long as we can avoid potholes until we leave, we'll be good. This weekend we pulled out the seats and cleaned it from bumper to bumper - the ArmorAll guys love us (and I love them - everything is so shiny!). She has also gotten a case full of DVDs to keep the kids zoned out on movies, whenever they're not reading, sleeping, or playing their Gameboys.

While in South Carolina, we may head for the coast (fortunately Alberto should be out of the picture by then) and we may hit Carowinds. I've been there once, 25 years ago. I was pleased to find out it was still there. Most likely, though, is that we'll be shopping most days. The boys and I will be sorely outnumbered while Karen's friend's husband works. And even when he isn't working, wives and young girls have a way of getting their way. Still haven't figured that one out.

It will be very nice to be away from work for a while, though a week seems painfully short (though my deadlines are already complaining that it is painfully long [which reminds me of my desk sign: "I love deadlines, especially the sound they make as they whoosh by"]). There will be time for more time off later in the summer.

That's it for now from central Chittenden County. Toodles.

P.S.: I heard a politician mention Orange County on the radio today ... and not the one in California, but the one in Vermont. If they made a TV show about this place, they could call it "The Real O.C." Ball's in your court, Left Coasters! ;)