Abilene

Tomorrow morning we'll be on a plane to the metropolis of Abilene, TX. Jess and I are both excited and I have decided to push the thought of a three hour plane ride with a rowdy near one year old to the back of my mind. My child is a flight attendant's worst nightmare.

You wouldn't think a trip to Abilene would be that exciting but Jess and I already have a long list of things we want to do all of which involve free parking. In D.C you always have to pay for parking. Free parking is like a unicorn - people believe in it but no one has actually found it. One day my dad called and casually asked what I was up to. I told him I was "car sharking." In other words I was following some guy to his car in order to take his parking spot. I felt like the theme song to jaws should be playing in the back ground.

Parking in D.C is not a novice sport. If you don't know how to parallel park you should sell your car and take the metro. If a parking spot seems too good to be true it likely is. My husband has been towed twice - once from the DMV - because he didn't read some obscure parking sign.

This week we will be in a magical place that has no rush hour traffic and free parking. I haven't even started my Christmas shopping. I plan on shopping in Abilene where the choices are limited but so is the hassle and the people are friendly. I plan on going running without having to dodge cars. I plan to take my husband on a date to some not so glamorous Barbecue joint and enjoying free babysitting and free parking.