Vacation at Last

It’s been over 8 months since my last vacation, and 4.5 months since I had a day off work. The stretch from January through May without any holidays is a real killer. Those are dull months with few vacation options, so why waste a day just being off at home? May is usually the start of our vacation season. We used to do Midwest backpacking trips in May, but after years of doing so, we tired of the frequent cold, rain and mud it involves. Now we’re trying to do different things for the May trip. We’ll spend the next week visiting my sister in Montana. We’re making it a road trip – two 12-hour travel days. We’re going to use audio books to pass the time to and fro. This will be a glorified camping trip, as many of you know my sister and her husband live off the grid in a simple manner. There is no indoor plumbing, no computer, no telephone or cell phone reception. The beautiful peaceful surroundings make up for the lack of modern conveniences. We’ll stay in a large tent with a foam mattress – luxurious camping by our backpacking standards. My sister is an amazing cook, and we will eat well. I’m sure we’ll hike, possibly snowshoe, gab a lot, and who knows what else?! A few months ago I was still waiting to learn if I would need back surgery. If I had, I wouldn’t have been ready to make this trip – so glad that I can!