planning the next vacation

I have always been one who enjoys having something really special in the future to look forward to.

Christmas.

A birthday.

The beach.

A trip.

Having a big trip to look forward to, to read about, to plan, is just about my favorite thing in the world.

We've had some gloomy weather here lately which prompted me to want something fun to look forward to.  So, here's the gist of an on-going conversation Donald and I had over the course of several days.

Me:  I love being retired.

Donald:  Me too.

Me:  So.  Next year?  Want to take another trip?

Donald:  Let's do it.

Me:  Where to?

Donald:  Where were you thinking?

Me:  Italy?

Donald:  Suits me.

Me:  I'd love to go back to Greece.

Donald:  Suits me.

Me:  Never been to Spain.

Donald:  You know, I really didn't see as much of The Netherlands as I wanted.  When are those tulip gardens open?

Me:  I'll check.

  - - - - -

A few days later . . .


Me:  Keukenhof Gardens will be open from the 21st of March 2019 until the 19th of May.

Donald:  I've seen a show about that.  Looks awesome.

Me:  So, want to go back to Amsterdam?

Donald:  Sure.  I like it, but I feel like we just didn't see all we could have.

Me:  Okay, I'll check flights.  You know May is our anniversary.  33 years.

Donald:  Check it out.


- - - - -

a day or two later . . .


Me:  So.  Here's what I've found for flights.  You know.  That train trip we took from Paris to Amsterdam was pretty darn reasonable.  Want to go back to Paris?

Donald:  Now I KNOW I didn't see all I wanted to see in Paris.  Plus.  You know.  We have a job there that we didn't finish.

Me:  Photographing the carousels.

Donald:  That's right.  Can you get us an extension on our project?

Me:  I'll find out.

- - - -

The next day,


Me:  Mike says yes to the extension!  Yay!  Want to go back to Paris and get this job done?

Donald:  Let's do it.

Me:  It is our anniversary . . .

Donald:  33 years.

Me:  And there is still a LOT of things in Paris I still want to see.  Paris is not finished with me.

Donald:  I can't believe that (tongue in cheek).  And I can't believe you haven't seen every inch of Paris by now.  What's left?

Me:  Monet's Musee L'Orangerie, Chagall's ceiling at the Opera Garnier, we didn't get to the big flea market, Gallery Lafayette, the covered passages - like Vivienne.  I haven't seen Giverny in the spring . . .

Donald:  Guess we better go back to Paris.  Can we afford it?  Better find us some decent airfare.

Me:  I'll check.

- - - -

Me:  Here's what I've found for flights.

Donald:  Not as good as the last time.

Me:  No.

Donald:  What do you think?

Me:  What do you think?

Donald:  Let's think about it.

- - - - -

The next day.

Me:  So. Paris and Amsterdam?

Donald:  Paris is still "business," right?

Me:  Still need more pictures of the carousels we didn't get.  For the book.  So, yes.  Business.  Business AND pleasure.

Donald:  Let's think about it.

- - - - -

Me:  What do you think?

Donald:  About the trip?

Me:  Yeah.

Donald:  What the hell.  Let's do it.

Me.  Yay!  But we'll go some place different next year.

Donald:  We'll see.

Me:  Life is short.

Donald:  That it is . . .