Work Day? (aka 'Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me')

Ummm...not today. Ever heard of taking a sick day on vacation?

After a sleepless night, I called into the office early and let them know that I'd be canceling my appointment for the day and doing my best to recuperate. Even though 'the storm' had passed, I only managed to 'nap' until 9:00 a.m. The missus had mentioned during the drive down the coast the day prior (also pre-puke-fest) that having already had such a memorable, fun-filled vacation, she'd be just as happy to point the car toward Lubbock after our stop in San Francisco. This idea held even more appeal to us now as I lay in misery.

We decided to cut our losses and shorten our planned 3-day stay in SF to 'time served'. We slowly got our things together (carefully putting the 'hats' and other soiled items in a large plastic bag) and called for the bellhop. We settled our tab and headed South (instead of East) in hopes of finding a beach.

You see, the girl had been patiently waiting as we'd only been able to tip our toes into the frigid water at the beaches along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. We reckoned that once we got to the lower half of California that we'd find a spot warm enough to take a swim. We were wrong. We made it all the way down to Morro Bay and could tell right away (by the people wearing coats on the boardwalk) that to think that we'd find a warm Pacific beach at this time of year is folly.

I should mention that the drive (there was no way I could ask the missus to drive on California freeways) was awful. I would much rather have laid in bed all day, but it was an impractical option. Nevertheless, I was operating far below my typical level of energy. The boy and I didn't even bother entering the restaurant we stopped at for lunch. Instead, we opted to take a nap in the car. Honestly, I don't think I could have continued without that brief respite.

After the girl's tears of disappointment dried, we decided that the farthest I could continue on for the day was Paso Robles. Immediately after checking into the hotel, the kids were in the pool (it's not the ocean, but it will do). After a couple hours, we decided to go to dinner. I still didn't have an appetite, but I knew that my energy was unlikely to return 'til after I had some sustenance. I did feel considerably better after dinner; the missus (who had luckily dodged the stomach bug) felt much better after we'd stopped at the chocolate shop on the way back to the hotel.

We had intended to stay with the family of friends while in Paso
Robles, but with the upheaval of the night before, we thought it best to spare our hosts the risk. Having said that, I'd love to come back here again for a visit; Paso Robles is a warm, inviting burg in the heart of wine country.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. It was strange to be in California today. We heard of Farah Fawcett's death before we left the hotel in San Francisco and we heard of Michael Jackson's death while we were in a gift shop at Morrow Bay. I'm glad we'll be on the road for the next few days and avoid the media circus that is sure to follow.