Grrrr. I'm sorry Zen.

Had a good update from my sister. Copy and paste because it is late and I am going to bed... (xpost to Natter)

hi...just got home from the hospital. had some good news. When the doctor came in this evening with an update from the pulmonologist after he had the opportunity to review the xrays, etc. more thoroughly, he found that the infection was not as large as he had originally thought because he found that there was a shadow on the xray making it appear larger than it really was. since he originally had said that it wasn't large this is particularly good news. now believe that it started as a virus that wore her down and developed into pneumonia. she was told that folks over 70 don't usually have fevers until things are seriously bad and that they need to react to simple symptoms like a cough or body aches much more seriously especially at 92 yrs old. there were no problems with her blood work. they had gotten two courses of iv antibiotics through her already and had her on a nebuliser (sp) a few times and expect to send her home tomorrow for sure with some oral antibiotics and prednisone. thank god as she was not taking well to being incarcerated at all. amen for now.

Relieved!

Zenkitty, you deserve to be heard.

Laura, that does sound like good news.

Happy Birthday, Epic!!!

Thanks again you guys!

::dumps a bucket of JOY on Epic::

::frolics about in JOY!::

Steph, I thought that dress was only OK online, but it is SUPER CUTE on you. Clearly it was meant to be yours.

Laura, glad your Mom's on an upswing.

Erika, sorry the fam's such a pain in the patoot.

Zen, totally here for yo...ohwaitdidItellyouaboutmything? JK, I'm sorry the people in your immediate circle are making you feel less than relevant. I'm glad you've got a therapist (and Buffistas, of course) to let you have your moment to share.

Man, extended family can be *difficult.* We're going on vacation with Tim's family in 2 weeks; on the drive down, we always go partway and stay in a hotel overnight. We've always stayed in a nice, reasonably priced Holiday Inn, which is fine by me because we end up being there for maybe 16 hours tops. Plus they have a free breakfast dealie that is ridiculously lavish.

Sister-in-law (who I utterly adore; she is a fantastic person) has decided we need to stay in a fancy hotel on the way down, because "the first night of vacation needs to feel special." So the hotel is more expensive, has no breakfast, and -- in that odd way that fancy hotels often do -- charges guests for internet access.

Tim and I are driving down with his dad, and (because his dad is paying the entire amount for the rental houses at the beach) paying for his hotel room. So that means we pay for 2 expensive hotel rooms AND breakfast the next day (the breakfast thing really pisses me off -- and I know it's weird to let a minor detail kick me into raaaaaage), all because SiL wants the first night of vacation to "feel special."

Shit, man, it would bother me less if we were staying for more than 16 hours (8 of which we will be sleeping). But I can guarantee, based on every single time we've done this drive, that we won't even get to the hotel until 8 p.m. or later. And then we get up the next morning, scarf down (free) breakfast, and hit the road. It is, quite literally, just a place to stop, sleep, and eat before hitting the road.

But I have this feeling that SiL will be pissed if we don't stay at her super-special expensive hotel. And I also think Tim's dad will be difficult if we don't stay in the same hotel as the rest of the family. It feels like a total no-win situation for us: if we don't stay at the fancy hotel, people will be pissed at us, but if we *do* stay there, *I* am going to be resentful and surly, because spending a ton of money for a 16-hour hotel stay is NOT, actually, a good way to make vacation "feel special" for me.

I'm going to let Tim field this one, because it's *his* family. But it still feels like a no-win. Bah.

I am resentful and surly on your behalf. Breakfast early and free is one of our key requirements on the road trips because this is not a vacation destination and really a utilitarian pit stop.

this is not a vacation destination and really a utilitarian pit stop.

Right??? SiL is all excited because Fancy Hotel has a pool that's half indoor/half outdoor...but if we get there after 8 p.m., we are NOT SWIMMING. And apparently the restaurant has an omelette station with a chef in a chef's hat who will make omelettes to order right in front of you. BFD, man. Holiday Inn has oatmeal and scrambled eggs. I'm good.

And, arrgh, I'm *not* saying that it's wrong for her to want to stay in a fancy hotel; if that's what she wants to do, rock on. I am annoyed at the idea that if we don't all stay in the same place, vacation will start out with hurt feelings and great offense taken.

I hate when breakfast is not included. When we booked our UK trip I rejected several hotels that would not include breakfast in the price of our room.

in that odd way that fancy hotels often do -- charges guests for internet access.

This is so annoying, one of my pet peeves for sure.

Steph, I feel your rage! Free breakfast included is one of my few must-haves. There are so many hotels that do include it, I can't see any reason to stay at one that doesn't. And charging for internet access is a straight-up ripoff. I'd tell SIL she has to pay for breakfast.

Speaking of which, did you know Best Westerns all include breakfast, but Best Western Plus hotels include a HOT breakfast? Katie was telling me all about that on our Ireland trip. There are some cute B&Bs that have joined the BW franchise.

Zen, totally here for yo...ohwaitdidItellyouaboutmything?

Ha! Yep, that's how it is.