Thanks a bunch for reminding me, J-Pod. The Derbs are off on vacation in

August, 2 weeks in England… and France… and Italy. The original idea

was 2 weeks in England — visit the relatives, do the sights… Then wife &

kids got it into their silly heads that they wanted to see Paris too. For

goodness’ sake, I said, we can do France another year. But they nagged and

pleaded. All right, I conceded at last, we’ll get a side trip to Paris in

there somehow.

Big mistake! As with terrorists and dictators, concessions only encourage

them. They started talking about Rome. Look (I said) if you want to do

England AND Paris AND Rome all in 2 weeks, what you are mainly going to be

seeing is the insides of departure lounges and shuttle buses. They won’t be

told, though. They’ll have to learn the hard way. I wash my hands of it.

I’m a hardened traveler, can sleep anywhere & put up with anything. My

pampered wife & issue will be groaning & wailing after a week, I know it. I

shall say: “I told you so,” and then: “Serve you right,” and then: “You

wouldn’t listen.”

It will all end in tears, but it’s their fault, they’re the ones who

insisted.

Who is this “Eeyore,” J-Pod?