Ridin along in my automobile. My dad beside me at the wheel.

This year's family vacation is missing a big part. That would be the whole family. Pops and I headed on down to Litchfield WITHOUT Mom! Why? Because the parentals' cat is still with us. Not that I'm complaining. She really is the sweetest cat on the planet. But even the vet tech is confused that she is still trotting around the house like her toxin levels aren't enough to kill a person, let alone a 5.5 pound cat! She's a survivor, that one. Should have known it when we found her. But anyway, Mom just couldn't leave her alone yet.

So Pops and I hop in the Highlander to make the trek to the coast. To be honest, I wasn't all that excited about alone time with Pops. Probably having something to do with the fact that the last time we had alone time, it got kind of heated. Because what he says/does/believes is a little different that what I say/do/believe. So I try to keep him in the dark as much as possible. All you only child who are girls, you know what I'm talking about. It's beyond him to try to understand the difference. And it's beyond me to try to explain it....

But back to the southern trek. We aren't alone in the Highlander. With us- the Garmin.

He has a few names. Jack (if he's American), Lee (Australian), or my favorite Daniel (the Brit). We of course know the way to the beach, but decide it will be fun to let Daniel direct us and then "re-call-cu-late" (as he calls it). Mom is from Lake City, so she likes to brag that she knows all these back roads. Back roads that Daniel sent us down. The best part though is that Danny seems to know about roads I didn't even know existed! We were driving down 378 when Pops realized we'd be coming into Litchfield from the north. Does it really matter? Why yes it does. Glad you asked. Pops wanted to stop at some golf course that was south of Pawleys. Daniel- a little help here. Why sure- just turn left on Miles Road. And from there, put on your muddin' gear because we didn't drive on a paved road for the next 6 miles!! Awesome! And of course, Danny was right. We ended up on Indiantown Road (or as one street sign said Idiantown), exactly where we wanted to be.

As for the drive, well, books can distract me so well that I can pretty much ignore anyone. Even when the book was about a group of housewives who became phone sex operators in order to get rid of some debts. Oops- bad choice with Pops sitting within spitting distance!