[mitchntx]

Some of you know, most of you don't ...

In August, my step father was given 6 months to finish his battle with cancer. In November, my wife and I moved them to a duplex 3 houses down the block from us so that we could keep an eye on them and make sure they were getting decent care.

My step father never made it to the duplex.

He has been in a hospital bed in my dining room since November 14th. My loving wife has nutured him and given him 5 weeks of care he would have never received anywhere else. The end is very close, now.

Thanksgiving and Christmas has been consumed with this. Along with our 27th wedding anniversary and my birthday.

Consequently, we both need a vacation ... I was thinking around Valentine's day or a little later in the spring.

I have a few relatives that live in SoCal and I thought we might drive out there.

How many of you guys live along the I10 region between DFW, Texas and San Bernadino?

[Tony99SS]

Mitch,

I am very sorry to hear about your recent trials. Here's hoping your 2006 brings new beginnings and smoother waters for you and you r family.

I would heartily recommend NOT driving all the way to southern California from here. I have made the round trip drive at least a half dozen times (all of them solo) and trust me, there is not a whole helluva lot to see, and certainly not enough to waste three days total (1 1/2 each way, taking it easy) of a hard earned vacation staring at featureless interstate and dodging overzealous highway patrolmen. Hell, half the drive from here (Beaumont, in extreme Southeast Texas) to LA is in Texas. You know that if you've seen one stretch of West Texas, you've seen it all.

YOu and yours are in my thoughts,
Tony
Beaumont