Traveling In Style

As many of you know we recently made the forever long drive to Salt Lake for a family event. Of course, that means that EVERYONE in the family comes and so accommodations become a rare commodity. No one wants to pay for a hotel because we're all so cheap so we started claiming our rights as squatters months ago. Some stayed with friends while others forced themselves on family members who had a spare blow-up mattress. We were one of the few who mooched on another family member. Ruthie isn't technically a DNA related family member but she might as well be. She's been in our lives for more than a decade, and that's good enough in my book. Most of the Wixom clan have lived in Ruthie's basement at one point or another and all of the nieces and nephews call her "Gramma Ruthie." Anyway, Ruthie lives in a cute little brick house that's older than King Tut and it's located in a neighborhood that's less than desirable. But she's got tulips lining her front yard and so that makes her place safe to be. We were warned, however, that we'd have to park the new car in the back of the house because there had been gas thieves lurking around the last couple of days and our car (with it's 31 gallon tank) would surely be a target. So we trundled up the narrow driveway that runs along side her home (taking out bushes with our side view mirrors) and parked in the back. No biggie. And I thought we had a pretty comfy ride until we met up with the rest of the family the next day. There, in all it's shiny glory, was Mindy & Dan's motor home. (Can you hear the angelic choir singing???)
It was parked in front of Dustin & Crystal's house and had an orange extention chord running from the house to their sweet ride. They had running water for showers AND the potty, a little kitchen, bunk beds and swivel rockers. I started turning green as I was shown around. They could eat, sleep and pee while driving down the road. NO FAIR!!! Immediately their home away from home became the kid's favorite hang out. They wanted to sit in it and as soon as they found out that it had a flushing toilet they all had to go. No one was quite so popular on this trip as Uncle Dan & Aunt Mindy. You know, I think I could be convinced to purchase one of these babies. The 5 million mile trip to Colorado would be a lot nicer with one, I think.