Okay, calling it a “vacation” is definitely overkill.

Due to circumstances, some beyond our control, our vacation comes down to this: A long weekend next week.

(my wife teaches so has worked damn near every day this summer. She gives finals on Wednesday next week. So we were gonna go Wednesday and come back Sunday, since my kids start school on Monday, the sixteenth. But guess what? “Meet the teacher” night is on Thursday, and given various issues with my son, we think this is rather important to getting him Started on the Right Foot and all, so we’re gonna be at the Meet and Greet Thursday night)

Here’s one dilemma: Do we drive down Thursday night for a late arrival at the hotel/condo thing? Hopefully before midnite. That way we’re like there and all and get all day Friday, all day Saturday, and then come back Sunday so we have a chance to freak out get rested before school starts.

And who decided that practically any room on the coast has to be $200 a night? Who? See, going down Thursday night is gonna be $200 plus tax. So me, the cheap bastard accountant, would say something like “Why don’t we just sleep at home on Thursday and then get up early Friday to go, spend some time on the beach, and then check in to the room at nap time.” This will promptly get me labeled an Ogre and a Cheap Bastard Ogre at that. But I can’t help it, we aren’t just swimming in cash and $200 plus tax is a lot of money that we could use for, say, new shoes for the boys before school starts.

However, not only am I a Cheap Bastard at heart, I’m also really, really trying to be the Accommodating Cheap Bastard that Loves His Wife, so if she says she wants to go Thursday, by god that’s what we’re gonna do. Its only money.