Night Out

Went out.

Little drunk.

Lost Tater.

Off to bed.

I'd Like My Soup With Skittles, Please

So my mom called this morning and it went like this:

"Hi Hon, did you make Chicken Soup yet? It's been proven to help you feel better."

"I don't like Chicken Soup. But I opened a can of Campbell's for Noodle."

"That doesn't count. You have to make it. Go to the store and buy a chicken."

"I'm sick. I don't want to cook."

"You need soup to make you feel better. And put on a t-shirt. You don't want to get cold."

"But, I'm not cold and I don't like Chicken Soup."

"You can put the good noodles in it."

"There are "good" noodles?"

"Well, you know, the long ones. And don't forget, it's the bones that make it work."

"Well, I DEFINITELY don't like bones in my soup."

(And then there was much sighing and eye-rolling from across the Pacific...)

"You take the bones OUT, after you've made it. And put in some carrots. You know, for color."

"I don't like carrots. If I want color in my soup, I'll just throw in some Skittles."

(more eye-rolling)

"Oh, Paige, what am I going to do with you?"

Poor Mom. I was laughing so hard at her that I threw myself into a coughing fit and she's probably on an airplane right now, headed out here to make me some Boneless, Skittleless, Chicken Soup with the "good" noodles.

Rant-n-Roll

The boy is hovering. I think he wants the computer. But I was here first. And I'm older. And I'm the mom. I win. Anyway, he should go do homework, or clean his room, or take out the trash, or solve world hunger...

So. I need a 40 watt appliance bulb for Noodle's lava lamp. There is not a 40 watt appliance bulb within 9,000 miles of here.

Well, actually, there might be one just 2 blocks up the street at the Daiei (think "Japanese K-Mart"). But if there is, I can't read the box, preventing me from choosing and purchasing it and it might as well be 9,000 miles away.

Did I mention that on December 15th (DECEMBER 15!!!) we ordered an Apple computer? But they won't deliver to Japan. So we had it sent to Tater's parents.

Which was our first mistake.

His parents decided that if you mail packages to Japan in December they will take "too long" to get here (ostensibly due to "Christmas Rush") so they let them sit on their kitchen floor instead. I told Tater, "No WAY! Tell them that mail actually gets here FASTER in December because they've increased manning during the holidays!"

So he did.

They didn't believe him. They waited until January 12th (must have been the magic date when the Postal Bermuda Triangle closed up) to mail them. It's January 28th and there's not been the first sign of packages.

On top of it all, she keeps sending us emails every couple of days asking if we got our packages yet.

I am holding my tongue in the most prim and proper, "I-wanna-tell-you-how-stupid-that-is-but-won't", perfect daughter-in-law way.

Because I am, you know. Perfect. Not prim and proper.

Oh My God! D is shlumping around here SO pitiful-like. I guess it can be his turn now.

In Which I've Become Cheap Prison Labor

Did I miss something?

My house has become some sort of germ-infested prison during the last 10 days. First, I couldn't leave due to that unholy mega-cold, and now that I can venture back into the land-of-the-living, Noodle has come down with a mystery-fever/sore throat/bloodshot eyes-thing. She's had a fever since Saturday (it's Tuesday night). And she actually SEEMS fine, but the thermometer reads 101.5 most of the time. She is definately going to school tomorrow. Unless she's REALLY sick...

Anyway, now that I am feeling better and still can't go anywhere, there has been nothing else to do but clean my house (**just LIKE a prison...). Today I cleaned the under-the-stairs closet (and anyone who has one of those knows the horrors that are lurking in there...), Noodle's room (but not her armoire - it's REALLY scary in there), dusted the downstairs, cleaned the bathrooms, and swept and mopped the entire floor (but not D's room - that's no longer my job). Now I'm tired.

Noodle and I met Tater for lunch today at the Golf Course. He told me to meet him there just after 1pm. Which I did. At 1:20 I called his office to see if he stood us up...he was "walking out the door" and finally showed up at 1:35. Good thing I love him so much or I would have been really pissed. (I rock.). But Noodle and I just entertained ourselves by her kicking my butt at Hangman. About 5 times.

Time to finish mopping the stairs and then I'm going to relax!

Forty-Five Dollars A Place Setting is Highway Robbery

OK! I'm thinking about joining civilization again tomorrow..that is, with a throat lozenge and pocketful of tissues... Noodle still has a low fever, but she's spunky as ever so I'm thinking she can go to school tomorrow...

Since I was feeling better today, I decided to work on cleaning up my house a bit. Would you believe I cleaned all day long and to look around, it looks like I sat on my butt for 12 hours, watching Oprah and eating bon-bons??? Really. BUT... I did 5 loads of laundry, cleaned out under my bathroom cabinet (leading, consequently to cleaning the hall closet), then cleared out all of our 2003 files, and balanced my checkbook. And my house is STILL messy.

So I'm having some wine instead.

Remember that party we had Christmas Eve? I had plastic plates, but used my silverware (everyday stuff, not fancy...come to think of it, I don't have any "fancy" silverware. Or dishes. Or crystal. Hmmm.)

Said Flatware:

Anyway, we lost a bunch of silverware that night. They must have been throwing it away with their plates. And we didn't realize it until AFTER the garbage-man came. Bummer. So anyway, I just placed a replacement order and was robbed of $45 a place setting!

From now on, I'm calling it my "fancy" silverware!

AND from now on, any parties over 10 people get plastic forks.

That'll learn 'em!

I'm Better, She's Worse

Well, I'm feeling better (except for the runny nose and barking cough), but last night Noodle came down with a 102-degree fever/sore throat combo. Doesn't that just figure? (And me with no children's fever-reducer - she's 9, but still won't swallow pills. Stubborn.)

God, I hate January. This is making those half-a-million-dollar homes in San Diego I said I'd never move back into look better and better every day. And it's not even really that cold here - daytime highs hover around the high 40's-low 50's. I just really despise the cold if I must go out running around in it. And after sitting around all last week, I have gads of errands to run this week. I need an assistant.

And a maid.

Friday Five

I still feel like crap so I decided to do the Friday Five instead...

At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song? Ignition Remix, R. Kelly

2. ...food? Milkshake

3. ...tv show? Now and always, M*A*S*H

4. ...scent? Trish McEvoy #3

5. ...quote? That requires braincells I don't have right now...

Not At All Funny

As my health deteriorates, so does my sense of humor...

Coughing

Well.

My cold was better yesterday, but much worse today. My nose started running again, and I started coughing unrelentlessly, which has given me a headache. I may have to resort to cough medicine. No big deal, you say? Well, just the thought of cough medicine makes me want to gag. Gross.

On the plus side, while I was still feeling somewhat ok this morning, I ran 3.5 miles and went to my yoga class...

The Day My Kid Broke Again

What is with these kids?

They keep breaking... and I don't think I'm doing anything wrong!

Well, only the big one seems to break so much. Since he's been born, he's broken his foot at 4, broken teeth TWICE at 11, hairline fractured his foot at 13, broke his arm at 14, and today I came home to the house stinking to high heaven. I followed my nose to the living room, where he was laid up on the couch, rubbing Icy-Hot on this ginormous bump on his foot...

"What'cha doin'?"

"I hurt my foot."

"How'd you do that?"

"I don't know. At least, it didn't hurt when I did it."

"Ok, let me look at it."

I touched the bump.

"OWWW!"

"Ok, let me see it." And I used his toes to turn his foot towards me.

"Arrrrgggghhhhh! God, Mom, that hurt!"

"Ok." Calling the doctor.

Which, by the way, closes at 1600. After that, you have to go to Urgent Care. The doc told me to come in, and when I got there, I was apparently interrupting some bitchy nurse who was busy leaning on the desk and gave me attitude along the lines of, "Well, it can't be hurt too badly because he's walking on it and why would you want to come here and make me work when I'm clearly on duty." Adding to my complaints about Government Employees. Anyway, before I could jump her, our flight surgeon came around the corner and told her he had already talked to me and told me to come in. (At which point I really wanted to stick my tongue at her, but then remembered I AM 36 years old...)

Turns out it's just sprained. They took x-rays and nothing seems to be broken. We'll keep an eye on it. Apparently, there may have been a questionable landing off a curb earlier today, but that's not very cool, so the cover story now is that he hurt it skateboarding.

Recovering

Ok. I'm starting to feel better. I laid my butt on the couch all afternoon Sunday, all day yesterday, and until 1:30 today, until I just couldn't stand it anymore and had to get up and do something. I still have a raging headache, probably from my sinuses being packed tighter and tighter with mucus, but I took 800mg Motrin and I'm hoping that'll help.

If not, I go back to the wine.

I HAD to go out and buy tall kitchen garbage bags. Don't you just hate that...when you run out of ONE thing you need and it just can't wait until a more convenient time?

So off I went, and stopped at the gym while I was out. I walked 2 1/2 miles. I was dizzy much of the time, and was praying that I didn't shoot myself right off the end of the treadmill, but I managed to do it without injury or (more importantly) without embarrassment.

While I was out, I picked up some frozen lasagna for dinner. I'm still on sick leave. But Noodle won't eat it (tomato sauce...), I wasn't hungry, and Tater's not home. I hope D appreciated it. All that slaving over the hot oven for him.

The Inevitable Day I Got Sick

For God's sake, shoot me now.

Yesterday my throat started tickling and my nose started running, and now, a day and a half later, I am a full-on case of NASTY, NASTY headcold. I am simply gross. My head feels like someone has inflated a beachball inside it and then proceeded to kick it around the room all day. My eyes aren't even focusing on the same things at the same time, my mouth is lolling open because no air can penetrate my corked-up nose, my brain is throbbing against my sinuses, and my ears hurt. (...and for SOME reason, T doesn't want to use the last condom on me...) :)

It NEVER fails. Ever since I was a kid in high school, after a particularly stressful week, usually finals, I would turn up sick. Usually with strep throat. After the crazy month we've had, what with Christmas, D's birthday, a ski trip, Change of Command, and Mac's birthday, I'd say I'm probably due for a brain aneurism. So I guess I'll just be pleased with my plain-ole, garden-variety cold.

Actually, this is probably my own damn fault. Last week one day, D and I were high-fiveing ourselves because we hadn't had a cold yet this year. (Last Cold Season, we each had 9...YES, NINE!...colds. The high school even sent me a "Nasty Gram" telling me how important that my child not be truant so as to get the best grades possible. I called them up and promptly reminded them that he was on the High Honor Roll and in National Honor Society and to get off my ass. But it WAS starting to get ridiculous...I was ready to take us in for a "chem-7, cbc, stat!") Lesson learned: Never tempt The Fates.

Have I mentioned how dog-tired I was...yet I can't sleep? I took Dimetapp Cold, which didn't even make a dent in this misery. I went to bed at 8pm, since I can't even stand up straight. Tater came to bed around 11 and found me still awake and suggested some wine. A FINE suggestion, I thought (especially since I found some Shiraz at Zama last week and wanted to try it out), so I did and here I am.

It didn't work. Every time I even begin to lay my head down, I start to suffocate and wake my self up in a primordial fight for survival.

And, I'm hot.

Which is good news, because I guess that means I don't have a fever...

I'll toast to that!

Noodle's Nine!

Yup, Noodle's birthday was today. She is now 9 and proud of it!

She played hookey today, slept in, watched cartoons and then "Freaky Friday", then took a bath, got a fancy french-braid headband and a manicure & pedicure (both by her personal stylist...me), played Rummikub (and won), received a flower delevery of pink tulips from Papa, then we went to dinner. She chose "Rani", an Indian place down the street. We were actually surprised. The last 3 birthdays she has chosen the Korean Barbeque for her birthday dinner - yup folks, she's branching out! Oh, before we ate, she opened her presents - she got a pair of dance pants and tank top from my sister, a "Bedazzler" from my mom (thanks, Mom...now we'll all be Bedazzled to death!) and some t's to bedazzle, tights, a sweater for her "Cubby", and some diamond earrings and the "Dirty Dancing" Soundtrack from Tater and I. She was very, very happy! After dinner, we came home and started to watch a really stupid movie (don't even know the name - don't care), got bored and then she kicked my ass at 3 more games of Rummikub. I finally won the last one and promptly decided it was time for bed!

(Unfortunately D did have to go to school today -finals - and then was so tired that he went to bed right after he got home. At 3:30. He missed dinner and everything. I tried to wake him, but he just couldn't do it. Poor baby.)

Noodle had such a great day, she's trying to convince me that she should get a "Birth-weekend" instead of just a plain old birth"day".

Since her (bowling) party's not until Sunday, I say, "Game ON!" Who wouldn't think THAT'S a good idea???

Bronwyn's Farewell Dinner

Oh, Bronwyn's farewell dinner was last night. The tears, they were a-flowin!

We started off with some opening remarks followed by dinner ("Shrimp or chicken?"). After dinner, we announced our "Ten Favorite Things About Bronwyn", a la David Letterman. Then we watched an awesome slideshow of pictures that Angie had put together. It was 12 minutes long and really captured the time we have spent here with Bronwyn. (Tears.)

After that, Amanda presented her with the scrapbook, which ended up to be huge and a tad overwhelming to take in all at once. (More tears.)

Then Angie presented her with a present from her. It was a painting of 3 fans - one with Fuji on it, one with the the squadron logo on it, and one with a tiara on it. She LOVES a tiara - a sucker for all the sparkles.(Again, tears.)

Next came a quilt with 9 squares on it, each representing a memory or Japanese icon. It was presented by me, I guess, because I had written the poem on the back of it. Not because I had anything to do with the creating of it. Now. The poem would have been a lot easier to read, had we all not been so emotional already. I got almost all the way through it and then broke down at the end, where I sounded like Minnie Mouse. She was completely overwhelmed and surprised by the quilt. She wasn't expecting it and I know it's something she'll cherish her whole life. (Through my tears, I couldn't see anyone else crying, but I'm sure they were.)

Then it was Bron's turn to stand up and talk. She presented us each with a "medal" of achievement for being the awesome Navy wives that we are. (And yet more tears!) I think I'm going to wear mine every day! (The medal, not the tears.)

By that time, Tater had graciously shown up to take a group photo of us all and then we headed into the bar to sing a bit of karaoke. We sang until 11:30pm, when Tommy (another bartender) turned the lights on and kicked us out for the second night in a row. I just don't think anyone wanted it to end. We knew that once we went home that was it. The next time we're together will be the Change of Command Ceremony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Poem: (Each verse represents a block on the poem. The *word* in asterisks is the picture on the quilt square. The first block is a kanji symbol meaning, "friend".)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Three Years In Japan"

The symbol, in *Kanji*, means “Friends”. Friends forever.
Through thick and through thin and in all kinds of weather.

A sparkly *crown* is all a girl needs.
Well, that, and a dress with long swishy beads.

*Mt. Fuji’s* a challenge you stood up and conquered.
To celebrate after, we drank beer, got zonkered.

Shy Japanese ladies peek out from their their *fan*
But we hear “shut up Baka” by Japanese man.

The *F~~~~~~ Family Crest’s* in the middle
Don’t think it’s official – we fudged it a little.

A traditional Japanese girl wears *kimono*
And traditional Japanese wine wears “winomo”.

That Bron loves the camera. Just grab one and see –
She’ll pose like a *Superstar* down on one knee.

Before PCS learn to fold *paper crane*.
Gives you something to do during long summer rain.

Our beacon’s a *lantern*, we’ll follow it home
No matter how far off the Kanto we roam.

Disjointed Thoughts At Midnight

By the way...

I GOT A NEW DRYER!!! (Does the happy dance.) :)

Now the only problem is that it makes my washing machine look like a piece of crap. Which it is. But, it works, so I will not disparage it too much. Besides, God willing, it won't be mine for too much longer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We took the munchkins to dinner tonight at the O'Club. Now I remember why we only eat there about once a year.

It's not-so-good.

Actually, ICK.

They were having a Chinese Buffet, and you'd think, that being so close to China as we are that SOMEONE would know how to make decent Chinese food. Not the case. Communist plot???

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ran 2.4 miles today. Now I'm up to 8-point-something. Too bad I need to net about 10 miles a week to reach my goal of 500 miles this year! Guess I'll be headed off to the gym tomorrow or Sunday... Who's idea was this anyway???

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My house is still a mess, but I'm still working on that scrapbook-secret-presento-thing (which is especially hard, because remember, I DON'T scrapbook), and I just don't have time. Maybe next week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why is it that whenever I don't need it, people are always emailing me a copy of the "Navy Wives Poem"...(usually with a comment at the bottom that says if I don't forward it to half-a-billion best friends something horrible will happen to me or my loved ones)...but when I need it, I can't Google it to save my life. It's OK, I have a copy somewhere, but I was really hoping to copy-and-paste and not have to actually TYPE it all out.

Technology = Lazy

Procrastinate No Longer

I can't talk now.

I have to go take down my Christmas Tree.

Gross.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9:35pm...

...and the Christmas Tree is DOWN!! I was too damn close to beating my record of procrastination regarding the removal of Christmas paraphanelia, which is January 10th. I prefer to take it down the 1st or 2nd. But I was just too exhausted from our ski trip and consumed by the post-holiday madness...

(in addition to the pre-Change of Command craziness)

(combined with Noodle-birthday-planning insanity),

...to even think about it. But today I went into the livingroom and just couldn't even stand the embarrassment of having my tree still up where anyone who comes to my door can see it through the sidelight.

In an equally embarrassing train of thought, I am horrified and sickened by the state of my home. I am an every-day bed maker. (Either you are or you aren't - you know the truth...) During the last month, I have barely even pulled up the covers. Now that I think about it, it's probably only been made when I wash the sheets. I have been flying out of my bedroom in a frenzied rush every morning and not even returning until time for bed, where I walk in and just think, "Oh damn! I can't even GO to bed until I MAKE the bed!" Because I can't go to bed in a mess of sheets and blanket all jumbled up and confusing my body. I hate that. When I was a kid, I actually used to get up in the night, if I had messed up my covers, and remake the bed before I could continue sleeping. I don't do that any more. Tater would just die, "Hon, could you move your leg? I'm trying to fix the blankets so I can finish sleeping..."

What the heck is the point here???

Oh yeah, that my house is a mess. I haven't cleaned the bathrooms since Dec 28th, there are 3 "To Do" piles, my checkbook hasn't been balanced since Dec. 10th, and I still have 2 Christmas presents to get in the mail. There's more, but if I think about it all now I won't be able to sleep and my head will probably explode. "One thing at a time". That's my new mantra. Well, THAT, and "No more taking crap from anyone."(credit to Mom) Also, I can't forget the always appropriate, "Everyone is responsible for her own happiness."

If I spent less time thinking up new mantras, I'd have more time to complete my "chores".

For the record, I HATE that word, "chores". (Probably because it's a word that Tater uses. Not to me, or I'd kick him in the shins.) If ever something sounds like something someone has assigned me to do, I automatically don't want to do it. And rarely do.

I'm just sayin'

Ginormous Murderous Pachyderms

First of all, I waited around all day yesterday and (BIG SURPRISE), no dryer-repair-guy.

On the plus side, they did actually call this morning and apparently will be here between 1 and 3 today.

Who wants to place bets on whether or not the Navy will decide our 2-hour-drying-time, freight-train-banging, piece-of-shit dryer will be replaced in the next 2 hours???

The odds aren't good. Been there, done that.

We went to see LOTR 3 last night. First of all, I really wish I had sat down with Tater and D Sunday to re-watch 1 & 2. Those place names and people names really throw off my concentration and get me all confused, and for the first 30 minutes I sat there racking my brain trying to figure what the heck was going on.

That was the longest movie ever...

(1:02pm. Dryer guys are here! -14 lb. lap-dog barking and growling...wants to eat men- There is much sucking in air and conversing in Japanese over the sorry state of my household appliances...)

...with the most endings ever. I thought it was over at least 5 times! After Frodo left and the fade to black, people started getting up out of their chairs - then there was un-fading again (!) and then fading again (!) and someone in the balcony yells out, "For the love of GOD!!"

(1:08pm. The Very Nice Japanese Man just showed me a note that says "We will recommend to the Housing Office replacement of this machine." -They don't speak English.- WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!!!!! I get a new dryer!!!!!)

I used to love elephants, but the Ginormous Murderous Pachyderms freaked me out.

Not to mention the flying heads, goblins, orcs, and ewww, that spider! Thank God Noodle could sleep last night.

On the whole, I'd have to say, "Two thumbs up!" We loved it. I personally thought it was the best yet.

In Which My Dryer Sounds Like a Freight Train

Here's the conversation I had with the woman who answered the phone at my Military Housing Trouble Desk:

"Trouble Desk, Emergency Repairs."

"Well, this isn't an emergency, but can you hear that banging in the background?"

Silence.

"That's my dryer. I'd like to make an appointment to have it fixed."

"Well, you know, when all the clothes are on one side it can get out of balance and bang."

"Bwaaa-haa-haa! Nooooooo, that's the washing machine that does that. I'm talking about the dryer."

"Ummmmmmmmmmm...Hold on a minute."

(Waiting to diiiiiiieeeeeeeee.........)

"Ma'am, does it bang when the dryer's off?"

"Bwaaaaaa-haa-haa! (How stupid is this woman?) The dryer?"

"Yes."

"No, it doesn't bang when it's off. (But it's a lot harder to dry clothes that way...)"

"Well, then we can't fix it today."

*****(At this point, please refer to the 2nd & 3rd lines of conversation where I told her it wasn't an emergency and wanted to make an appointment.)*****

"(Laughing again...STUPID! I'll try to talk s l o w e r...) That's ok. Can I make an appointment for...soon?"

"Yes, (happy to be understanding the question) how about Monday?"

"Sold." To the woman whose patience with Government Employees has expired.

Ski Nagano

Wow!! It's been a while! To back up a bit, we had a massive party on Christmas Eve. It started out to be just for the single guys in the squadron. Then we realized that there were several new couples with no where to go.

So we invited them.

Then we realized that there were several couples we enjoyed with no kids to hang out with.

So we invited them.

All said and done, I think we ended up with about 60 people here. They killed two fried turkeys and probably could have eaten 2 more. A few of them showed up at 2pm and the last ones (the same few) left at 2:30am. (Lesson learned: If you invite single guys over Christmas Eve, expect them to stay a long time - they don't have anything else to do.)

We still had to clean up and "do Santa". It was almost 4 when we went to bed. 9am came early at our house. Thank God I have kids that sleep in!

There was more craziness after Christmas - hanging out with friends mixed in with preparing for our Ski Trip to Nagano...

Our friends, "The Janks", flew up from Okinawa on the 28th and we hung out drinking and catching up on the last two-and-a-half years until the wee hours of the 29th.

After dropping the dog off with our new best friends, we loaded up all 16 of us and all of our ski gear in 3 vans and headed out. It was a four-and-a-half hour drive up to the ski resort and we arrived just in time for Happy Hour and dinner. We stayed up late in the lounge, in front of the fire, talking and drinking the local beer. The kids made s'mores and even shared some with us.

The first day of skiing was too much. I hadn't skied in 13 years (after tearing knee cartilage during my last trip in Colorado), and the kids had never skied. By accident, the first hill we went down was not a "green" (novice) hill. There are no "bunny hills" like you see in the states, so we just had to find a "green" hill and go. But we didn't do that. We found a "red" (intermediate) hill and went with that. Noodle got off the lift, skied around the corner, and started crying. Except that I'm the mom and had to be somewhat composed, I would have joined her.

An hour later, we were at the bottom of the hill and she was ready to go in.

Her dad had coaxed her down the hill, her snowplowing, him skiing backwards, until she was back at the bottom, where she promptly announced that she was ready to go in. I was working on the theory that if you fall off a horse you get back on and was going to take her to where I knew for sure there was a "green" hill, but it turns out that Tater was exhausted and needed a rest too.

So Annie and I tried on the "green" hill for size and decided it was perfect for Noodle.

By the end of the 3rd day, she was heading down greens and reds without even waiting for us and then getting on the lift whether we had caught up with her or not.

D was on a snowboard and I was a bit nervous, as a friend who is an expert skier said it took him a day and a half to learn to board. It took D about 30 minutes. He just goes. Now, stopping is a problem... But he was even getting better at that by day 3.

Where do we sign up for the next trip?