On the road again...going places where I've never been

Tomorrow morning, Big A and I leave for a 2 day-1 night trip to Chicago. Since it's such a short trip, this would have been a great opportunity to introduce Hooch to a kennel. Notice the use of past tense. After mentioning this with the elderly lady across the street during one of our post-dog walking chats, she proceeded to tell me the story of the time that she took her cat to a kennel and when she went to pick her up, her face had turned white from worry. After that, I started thinking of other ideas which would enable him to stay home on such a short trip away. Basically, he just needs to be let out a few times for bathroom usage and that's it. We asked our next door neighbors who agreed to go over to do it.

Why are we going to Chicago? Basically, I'm stalking an artist who I discovered at a nearby art fair a few summers ago. I loved her work and bought a few pieces but she hasn't been back since. Her web page shares her 2007 show schedule so after having my emails ignored on if it was possible to purchase a piece of work from her without having to travel to one of these art fairs, we're packing up the Vue and heading west. I realize that there is always a chance that she won't be there. Most art fair web pages have a list of artists who will be showcasing their work. I got lucky by going to one that contains just the basic information but after checking the art fair before and after this one which both had her listed and which matched her posted show schedule, I'm feeling pretty confident that she will be there.

The item that I need (it's no longer a want) and would make all of this worthwhile is this:


I seem to have a preference for pictures that show it going off into the horizon. The two pictures of hers that I have do the same. My favorite picture of my dad was taken from behind him and it shows him looking out over the Pacific Ocean (I'll share that one later). I also have an empty living room wall that is just crying out for this picture. The thing I am thinking now is...how much would I spend to purchase a somewhat large (I want something bigger than 8x10) version of this? The amount that makes me start to hesitate seems to be the $500 area. Anything less, I'd whip out the ol' Visa and nab it and try not to think about how much it would be to have it framed when I got home. But would I go over the $500 limit if it was a size that I liked and it was framed? Perhaps I should just stop coming up with scenarios and save the headache for when (I'm an optimist..she will be there...she will be there...she will be there...) I'm standing in front of her booth.

On a lighter note, once I cross the invisible time zone line and head into Central time, I wonder if Sage will feel a vibration in the universe since we will now both be in the same time zone again or for that matter, Ed as well. I discount Shan and his homestate of Indiana because technically, I think they should follow the clock changing of the Eastern time zone and always remain one of us.