We're Taking Our Talents to South Beach...

Dear Texas:

Seriously, it was this close (picture small gap between thumb and forefinger), but just like last time, somebody swooped in and stole your thunder at the last minute. It's almost like the universe doesn't want us to come see your part of the country. I really have been trying to make a trip to The Lone Star State happen, and I had resigned myself to spending some of our travel miles to get there, but there seems to be other suitors willing to go that extra mile to lure us in their direction. In March it was Washington, D.C....

This time it's Miami.

OK, technically it's Fort Lauderdale, but that's close enough. You see, while you wanted over $200 per person each way to come to Texas, Delta was (and still is in many cases) offering $97 flights from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale. Sure the times are ridiculous (Anybody have suggestions for something to do during a 3 hour layover in Minneapolis at 3:30am?) but for half the price, we're going twice as far, and that's the kind of math that I can relate to. Certainly more than my wife's math, which says that for half the price, we can buy twice as much. That kind of logic I just don't get.

Don't despair though Texas. We've put far too much effort into planning a visit to you to let it all go to waste. I still want to see the Alamo, I still want to ride the waves at Schlitterbahn, and I still want to take a spin a bull (Which I could probably do at any bar in town, but how much cooler does it sound to say "I rode a bull in Texas"?). It may not be happening for us in the first part of July, but there's no way that fate can keep us apart forever. We will get to your state eventually, but maybe you could have a word with the airlines about what they're charging to come to your part of the country? A decent airfare sale would really help to hurry things along.

Looking forward to that day.

Yours Truly,

More Kids Than Suitcases

On an unrelated note; I'm leaving in about an hour to go and supervise a Grade 6 camping trip for the next three days. That means that:

#1 - This site isn't going to be updated for a couple of days as apparently there is no internet or cell service at the camp we are going to. It's possible that by day 2 I may have decided to take matters in to my own hands and build a cell tower or dig a trench to run high speed internet cables to our location, but these things take time, and even in the best case scenario the download speeds would probably only approach 2mbps. We're talking ends of the Earth type terrain here.

#2 - Let's face it; Me, the wilderness, 50 or 60 Grade 6 kids....this may actually be the last time you hear from me again. If it is, let me say that it's been a pleasure having you along for the ride. I'll make sure that the funeral details are posted here since I assume that you'll all want to attend. If a few of you could bring a dessert, that would be great, but make sure you don't give it to Lori or it will just end up getting hidden in the back of the fridge.

Wish me luck, pray for me (and under my leadership, you might want to throw in a few prayers for the kids), and hopefully I'll see you all later in the week.

Written by Steve Pratt