Over Thanksgiving break, I had a real vacation. My brother and SIL rented the Ranch House at Pack Creek and we met them there along with our parents. Andrea drove to Western Colorado, so I got to relax a bit (I hate driving).  We car-pooled with my parents on to Pack Creek (outside Moab).  We had a wonderful time of long walks, talks, setting by a fireplace, playing games, eating, and living in the lap of rustic luxury.  The trip back was rather harried because we did it all in one day: dropping Andrea off at college meant I had to drive the final three hour leg home over sometimes snowy roads; always on the lookout for wildlife; and the last hour after sunset. None-the-less: I had a vacation!