Vacation, all I ever wanted…

…vacation, had to get away.

The Go-Gos, 1982

You know about the house and the hole. We have lived in and loved the house for almost twenty six years. We have such wonderful memories, when the time comes it will be hard to say goodbye. But we know it will make a new homeowner very happy, and for me it is time for a change. When will the move come? As of now, we really can’t predict. Sad to say, the hole in the ground is still just a hole in the ground. Concrete footings have been poured, some additional forms put up, but the cold weather has hampered progress. There is a payment due though, so there must be something happening, somewhere!

Now, about “The Week.” You may have noticed the blog took a brief hiatus. Barb and I were with friends in Mexico at a wonderful resort in Cabo St. Lucas on the Baja Peninsula. We walked on the beach, we sunned,  we played tennis every morning. I swam in at least 4 different pools, and could have chosen from 2 or 3 more. Whales spouted below our balcony. We chowed at funky places on the beach, and dined at exquisite restaurants under the stars. We rated the  Margaritas where ever we went; some of them were as good as my homemade ones.  And how incredible those stars were! Without the distraction of urban lights, the constellations glowed in the sky. For the first time I understood what the ancients saw when they imagined Orion, a giant hunter, in the sky.

But then there was the one day that had to be devoted to “The Pitch.” The Pitch is hard to avoid at these resorts because the resort world is timeshare world. Buy a week and vacation in luxury forever. The hard sell started with a soft sell, just a buffet breakfast, a sales rep joining us and our friends. “Getting to know you” chatter, followed by questions designed to ferret out our vacation styles, our family size, and our pocket book limits. Barb and I have been through it before and played the game, with no intention of going beyond that.

After breakfast, the rep led us to a golf cart and began the tour of all the resort properties. I hate to admit to it, but Barb and I were amazed. Beautiful multi-level individual homes, with private pools, saunas, chef’s kitchen, and even a chef, available for a price. The various levels of property one or two steps down from the houses were also quite nice, as were the various suites in the main buildings. At some point the rep must have realized he might have a couple of fish on his line.

When we returned to the sales office, the push to buy began. “Which property interests you?” “Buy today and get double resort points. ” “This week we have a special offer.” The low key sales rep was replaced by sales manager. It was just like a car dealership. Still Barb and I resisted. We down want to be tied down to any one property or group of properties. We want to see the world. We have other expenses. We said no, no, no. And then The Closer arrived. Brian Urlacher on steroids. Talking fast, talking loud, laughing at all his own jokes. Making pledges and promises. “You like those private homes? I will guarantee you get one whenever you want. Don’t want to use all your points? I will give you twice as many as you need. Once a day maid service isn’t enough? My wife will stop by every afternoon to do the dishes.” This man could SELL.

And we cracked. Our self control had crumbled in the hot Mexican sun. And that is why we are proud owners of 7 days of time share, 300 annual resort points, and membership in Upscale Resorts of the World. So it looks like a lot of family vacations are in our future. Kids, pack your bags!

Want to subscribe? Type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.