Leaving

We're leaving soon for West Lafayette.  Bright and early in the morning we'll drive to Virginia to spend two days with E and N.  M has missed her sister, especially since she was in Australia when E and N moved to Catawba.  She's seen lots of pictures of their home, but she also wants to see it in person and meet the goats.

I really don't mind making the trip, although I wasn't planning on spending all that money on gasoline and food (restaurant meals and road snacks) quite so soon after our last trip.  M's study abroad in Sydney took a big bite out of our savings and I was hoping we could economize and build up our reserve before Christmas.

To make matters more challenging, M's bf, J, is coming with us.  M really wanted us to let her drive our Civic to Virginia with J so they could make the trip, just the two of them. Uh, no way.  As a compromise we agreed that J could come with us.  I am not looking forward to spending four days straight with J, including two days that will be spent almost exclusively in the car.  Even in Virginia we will be together 24/7.  I'm not sure how that will work, since J has made his dislike of me known and I am not fond of him either, but make more of an effort to be pleasant.  For M's sake, and everyone else, I will make a very good effort.  I just wish this was a "family only" trip.