I generally cannot take more than three days off before I start to get jumpy and feeling like I am a total slacker.  Anne, however, does not suffer from this affliction and would be happy to take a month off at a time.  We are officially getting close to that.  Oh, we have worked here and there as we move from one vacation spot to the next but that is pretty much it.

Seriously, we took a week off in Seattle to celebrate our anniversary in the San Juan Islands and Victoria BC Canada.  It was amazing and we truly had a wonderful time.  My sister,  who lives in Wisconsin, and her sons were at my parents house when we arrived and that called for a party so everyone showed up for dinner and a pool party.  I just love hanging out with my huge family.   On Sunday we were able to re-connect with Mike and Marilyn Nault, two of our favorite people  and then we headed out to the San Juan Islands on Monday morning.  We started the short vacation on San Juan Island at the beautiful Roche Harbor Resort and then the awesome little town of Friday Harbor.

San Juan Island is the site of the “Pig War” where in the mid 1800’s we almost went to war with England over the killing of a pig.

We found a great hangout at a rooftop bar with an amazing view, we then wandered down the street to a seafood place.  Had a great dinner and for dessert……STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING.  The worlds most perfect food and I can never find it.  This totally made my vacation.

The next day we had a great breakfast and then took the ferry over to Vancouver Island Canada to spend some time in Victoria.  A very British City and the Provincial Capitol.  We went to Butchart Gardens which are freaking amazing and had High Tea in the private garden.  Let me tell you, tea is not for wussies.  I cannot believe how much awesome food was served.  We were stuffed.  We stayed right on the Inner Harbor in Victoria and had dinner at the old steamship terminal.  Awesome food and an incredible view.  The next morning we walked all over downtown and then took the water taxi out to Fisherman’s Terminal.  Really a very touristy spot but still fun and great halibut fish and chips and we got to feed the seals that hang out there.  We drove back North to the ferry terminal in Sidney and found a cool patio for afternoon drinks on the water then checked in for our international sailing.  You have to check in at least 90 minutes early so we sat parked with the top down in the car just relaxing for almost two hours.  The ferry arived and it was time to board.  I went to start the car and………nothing.  The dash lights came on but turning the key did not even try to start the car.  The terminal employees were amazing and tried everything.  Jumping the battery did not work and we tried every combination of the security system thinking maybe that was it.  I asked if they could push us onto the ferry so at least we could get the car towed home on the other side but they are not allowed to do this.  The Ferry captain said they had to leave so there we sat.  We called a tow truck and dropped the car at a shop that was closed for the evening and then had to try five hotels before we found one with a room available.  The next morning the shop told us the problem was the starter, they had found a blown fuse and after banging on the starter they got it start a couple of times.  They could not get the starter in today so they left it running and we called a cab to get us over there.  I called the ferry terminal and they said they had saved room for us on the noon sailing.  We got the car, drove to the terminal and everybody was awesome.  I think we were their big excitement for the week.  We kept the engine running and broke a couple of countries laws by leaving the engine running on the ferry also but we made it home.  Of course, ever since then the car has started every time with no problem.

We hung out with my parents until Saturday morning when we picked up our load and headed back to the SouthEast.  We had two drops in Memphis, a drop in Clarksville and a drop in Antioch Tennessee.  We were sure it would take us until Tuesday since the Clarksville location closed at 3:30 but both Memphis drops went very quickly and we put the hammer down and got to Clarksville before 3:00.  WhooHooo, made the last drop and headed home.

Our brand new tires we bought in February are falling apart.  The tire shop (Best One Tires) in Chattanooga will do nothing about them. I took the truck to the spring shop that did the alignment to have them look the truck over and they found a sheared off pin on a spring and a failed shock absorber.   $850 dollars there, $800 for five used tires and a couple of hundred for assorted parts to fix the broken side skirt.  We had the truck ready to go on Friday but nothing great on the load boards.  We decided to not panic and wait for a good load.  Ended up getting a call from a broker for a load picking up Sunday afternoon headed to Tampa Florida for $3.50 a mile.  That will work.  Had the grand kids over for lunch on Saturday then spent the rest of the day in the pool.  Packing up now and heading out.  Do not think we will be back for a few weeks.

Oh, I went swimming with my phone in my pocket…..again.  It still works.  Samsung Galaxy phones rock.