Finally some time to sit and blog!!

Ok, ok - I sit on my ass all day. But the difference now is this: I only have one monitor and don't access the internet all day except for before I start work and at lunch break. Gee, just like a regular office should be! Oh well, at least I am actually paying attention at work and getting more time billed out to customers.

SO. You have all been waiting so very patiently for an update on my nomadic adventures....ok, some of you are starting to prod me a bit, but no worries - it's a good thing!

My adventures began the minute my dad came into town. I picked him up from the airport, grabbed some lunch, worked a few hours, then went out for the BEST steak dinner I have had in a long time. Ok, nothing like Ruth's Chris or whatever that place is called, but I didn't get a filet either. We went to The Drover and I had one of their signature Whiskey Sirloins and I was actually impressed with all of the flavors I could taste. The ambiance is a little on the dungeony side, but if you want a steak with flavor you can overlook the decor.

In the morning we headed over to Penske to pick up the truck my dad rented and on the way stopped at Petrows for breakfast. Why I didn't go there sooner is beyond me. Had a yummy sausage and cheese omelette with rye toast (my fav) even though what I really wanted was biscuits and gravy (my all time fav).

Then we pass by this Two Men and A Truck place and my dad gets this big idea that even though I had my friends coming over to pack up the truck, he decides these guys can do it in less than 2 hours.

Pro: Yes, the truck was packed up in and hour and a half
Con: I totally didn't get to see everyone I wanted or for very long that day since my dad was in some kind of mad rush to get out of town. Whatever, I am still not really over that.

Anyhow, we headed to our first stop in Columbia, MO which is approximately a 5 hour drive. Well, it took us 6 1/2 which is not too bad considering we are in a 16' truck toting a car trailer. It was an emotional ride as I began to think about how I can't just pop over to Lucy's to do laundry, or the Cork with Joey or have commune dinners with John and Sheryl, or have last minute parties at my place where Jen and Jim can chop up my Christmas tree :). I will never be able to explain to anyone how close our group of friends is and how much time we actually spent with each other. I mean, seriously, we even had our own clubhouse!! Well, I tell you this - I will be returning there at LEAST every summer to visit!

We arrived at the LaQuinta in Columbia that was dog-friendly that I found for only $59 per night, what a bargain! The beds were super comfortable and the rooms were remodeled too. BONUS!! The only thing that really was bothersome was the pug. Yea, MY pug, my cute little pug. He was doing some barking at nothing and kept both of us up most of the night. That is until my dad kept saying,"Put him on my bed, see what he does." Rolling my eyes (of course it was dark and he could not see me) I finally just did it. And wouldn't you know it, that little sh*t went right to sleep!!

The next morning we headed out on the road after the FREE breakfast at the hotel. Not a full breakfast, but the kind you can at least make your own waffles. The coffee was terrible, so my dad mentions Starbucks and I am pretty much down with that. Ok, had I known my dad would not stop until he actually found one two and a half hours later....I would have had some gas station coffee. Oh wait, he wouldn't have stopped - the road trip nazi that he is!!

For lunch we stopped at a Chili's somewhere in Illinois, which is one of the few chains I will actually go to, and I had some yummy Chicken Crisper Tacos. I would have just ordered them straight up, but it was like $11!! I must say that I really truly have not eaten at chain restaurants very much in the past several years - and when I see the prices of these places it just gives me one more reason not to go.

But I digress......

And I have to go to bed, so this will be continued......

...on the next episode of........"The Nomadic Princess"