GMC's Yukon XL

In June 2019, I wrote about our experience in renting a Yukon XL. Here is an excerpt:

Before the trip, there were several texts regarding concerns on the rental car and whether or not we had a big enough vehicle to carry seven people plus luggage. Apparently, upon hearing the tale and viewing some of the baggage, the rental agent agreed we needed a bigger car. That's how we came to renting the Yukon XL. Cue the music...

Us: (to the tune of YMCA) "It's fun to ride in the YUKON XL. We love to drive in the YUKON XL."

We had a lot of fun with the Yukon XL. More fun than I could possibly portray or give justice to by writing about on this blog. Just know that it came up in daily conversation, that it had a force shield around it, that the amount of room and comfort was off the charts, and that no other vehicle will ever match our experience. Seriously, GMC should snap up our family for a commercial. We could sell the shit out of this vehicle!

The Yukon XL remained alive in our family through a group text named Yukon Yik Yack, where we post various sightings of Yukon XL's. When Madison drew Jay's name for the Christmas gift exchange, she decided his entire Christmas would be Yukon XL themed. She made him stickers, socks, and a water bottle with various Yukon XL's that she drew. The final gift was a note telling him to be on the couch Christmas night at 8:00 p.m.

Where he was treated to this video:

Written and produced by Madison, it was completed over several days. The coup was finding that one of the family's renting in the building where my family rented their beach house was a family who drove a Yukon X!

Again...

GMC, give us a call. We can totally sell this vehicle!

Family holiday fun

When our family members started getting married, we agreed to split the holidays; one year together, the next year with our significant others' families. This was the year with my family, who couldn't wait to leave cold weather to fly to Florida.

My brother and his wife, minus their working children, arrived first. We had three days with them before the next group came, and we spent it with last-minute Christmas shopping, lots of food, walks on the beach, large amounts of coffee, pictures of palm trees, and plenty of laughter.

Sunday, we welcomed our Boston family, who rented a place on the beach not far from our house. The weather cooperated for both sides. We had some sixty-degree weather that the Floridians enjoyed and later in the week, seventy-degree weather for the northerners. 

We did a lot of eating, shopping, gaming, beaching, and laughing...so much laughter. A great holiday visit.

Merry Christmas 2019

Merry Christmas from our family to yours. May the holiday be filled with love and laughter.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Out of the mouths of someone else's babe

Spotted at a rest area stop on the way back to San Francisco.

Me: "Whoa. I bet none of you even know what these things are."

Anya: "Please, Cara. I've heard the song."

Thank you, Adam Levine and Maroon 5.

But nope...not yet

I barely slept. That's the way it is when I have to get up at some ungodly hour. I think I woke every hour to check the clock. We were up and out by 3:50, and since our hotel was the first shuttle stop, our guy was already there. There were quite a few of us which surprised me. I didn't even get a chance to fill a cup of coffee, but I did snag some flavored creamers.

We got to the airport and through security, although for that time of the morning, it was awfully crowded. The flight to Phoenix was quick, and then we had to get off and head to another gate for a connecting flight to Tampa. That airport is crazy. We hit some coffee shops and got some food, and then we had to spread out at the gate because it was so packed. Darcy and I were together, and Maddy was off somewhere when they announced that the flight was overbooked.

Blah, blah, blah. I've heard it before, but this time my ears perked up. For the first time in my life, I didn't have to be anywhere. I wasn't looking forward to getting home for Christmas or for visiting anyone. American was offering $600 for people to hop off the flight. I looked at Darcy. She shook her head.

Darcy: "I have to be at work tomorrow."

I texted Madison, but she was in the bathroom. I said, forget it, and sat back down. Ten minutes later, with Madison now sitting off to the side, they made another announcement asking again for volunteers to get the hell off the flight, only now they were offering $800 for us to do so. Madison went up and asked when we would fly out. It wasn't until the next day.

Madison: "I don't care, though. I've always wanted to do this. It's on my bucket list."

Me: "That's $2400."

Darcy: "I have to work."

Again, they came on the speaker. They needed four people, and Maddy and I volunteered. They were overjoyed. They told us to have a seat, and they would get back with us once the plane was loaded. We hugged Darcy and said our good-byes. She got into line to board. They called us up and said they saw we were three travelers. We explained that Darcy had to work. They were disappointed.

They got on the speaker and made another announcement. Darcy got out of line and volunteered.

Darcy: "What the hell!"

We called Tom. I researched hotels and contemplated calling Tom's uncle, who lives outside of Phoenix. Then the airline people came over and told us they were putting us up at a hotel and giving us vouchers for food in addition to the $2400 in plane tickets. It took about forty-five minutes for all of that to happen while they tried desperately to get us on a flight later that day, but eventually, they sent us off to the shuttle area.

We had our carry on luggage, which for me included a change of clothes and my pajama top. I also had a shirt of Darcy's. Our luggage went to Tampa, and we went to the Doubletree outside of Phoenix. The people there couldn't have been more helpful. They checked us in immediately, although it was only eleven o'clock in the morning. They gave us toothbrushes and razors and warm chocolate chip cookies that tasted like a dream. They showed us the pool area (no suits), and they told us our meal vouchers would good for their restaurant. We went to our room and Madison, and I immediately passed out and slept for the rest of the day.

Later, we had dinner at the restaurant, and then while I enjoyed the heat and watched the sunset, the girls took an Uber to Target, where they bought some essentials like underwear. They were gone for a couple of hours, and then they returned, and we watched some tv and talked before going to bed for our 10:00 a.m. flight.

Breakfast was included in our hotel stay, so we had a marvelous buffet before catching the shuttle to the airport. This flight was crowded, but apparently not overbooked much to Madison and my dismay. We already thought we'd do it again.

Darcy: "Seriously. I have to get to work."

We flew home. It took forever. The people in front of us were assholes. We had some problems with two of them who wanted to put their seats back. WTF? Who does that? Who needs that? Madison and Darcy refused to move their lets, which were butt up against the seats. The people couldn't get their seats back. Twice Madison screamed when her knees got bashed. She explained to the woman in front of her that she was tall. The flight attendant told us all to try to get along. That was my only gripe with American. The flight attendant sucked. The woman in front of me put her seat back, and the attendant could obviously see that the seat must've been broken since it went so far back it was practically touching my nose. She hit me several times when she pushed back. I suffered the entire way home seething. Thank god for the television screen and Jason Momoa.

I watched Aquaman, although on my phone, since the TV was too close. About forty minutes before we landed, the lady went to the bathroom, and I think she saw how close her seat was to my face. I couldn't even get my tray down all the way. She put it back up, but by then I had gone to the bathroom and Maddy had taken my place. I will admit I thought mean things about those people. They live on St. Pete beach. If you see them, stick out your tongues.

Tom and the dog were thrilled to see us. We were tired but happy to be back in our own beds. Summer vacation over.

It was grand.

The end

July 4th was nothing special. Which was fine with me. Not a lot to celebrate right now in this country, frankly.

No fireworks because of the fire situation in California, so we headed to the river. Bryan showed up with some loud snapping crackers that he'd throw down to scare the shit out of all of us at various times, but that was the extent of our celebrating.

We left the next day. Packing took up a large chunk of time as did cleaning up, so Auntie Marilyn wasn't left with a big mess. I was pretty weepy the entire morning, but I just wore my sunglasses so people wouldn't notice. I could've stayed another week, but then I'm older now, and being with family means more now than it did when I was younger.

We did the picture taking thing, and then we said our good-byes. Back down the mountain, we went, stopping for the last time at the entrance to Bryan's so that we could pick him up and take him into Hayfork to pick up his car at the shop.

He had partied quite a bit last night, singing the same refrain of Indiana Wants Me, and he was the last to leave the house. When he opened the door to get into the Yukon XL, the first thing he said was, "I bet you guys want to hear me sing, don't you," which I found hilarious. But then I was feeling very sentimental, so there was that.

We dropped Bryan off without much fanfare, got gas, and used the bathroom, and then we were off. We drove to Redding and stopped for lunch at a Carl's Junior burger joint. It was empty which Maya and I worried was a bad sign, and then when we got inside and headed to the restroom we were greeted with this:

I wondered if we had to play a game for the tokens, but one of the employees overheard me say that out loud and told us the sign wasn't real. Okay, then. The burgers were about as good as that nonsense.

We left the restaurant, and as we pulled out, there was the big banging noise. It sounded to me like the luggage in the back had fallen when we turned out into the restaurant. 

Yeah. It had. Only not as I pictured, falling off the top to hit the door. Instead, the door had opened, and our luggage fell out into the road. We only knew this because Anya and Madison in the back turned around and noticed it. 

I thought it the funniest damn thing ever. Jay, however, did not. He stopped the Yukon XL in the middle of the road, and we hopped out to hike back to get the luggage. All of us except for Anya and Madison because they couldn't get out without assistance. They were left sitting in the middle of the road wondering if their lives would end while they stared at all of us through the open back door.

Once packed up, with a few minor dents on our cases, we managed to get safely back into Berkely, where we spent the night. We had dinner and then went to see the new Spiderman movie. Since Jay bought the tickets, I volunteered to purchase the food which we really didn't need since we had just eaten. But it was a movie...

The total came to $82 for popcorn, drinks, and candy. I popped in my credit card, and it was denied. I tried it again. Denied. I popped in another card. Denied. What the hell? Maya popped in her card, and it went through. The guy behind the counter gave me a pitiful look and suggested I call my bank. As I walked away, I got a ding on my first credit card asking me did I honestly try to spend $82 at the movie theater food counter you crazy, idiotic woman. Once I told them yes, don't judge me; they told me I could try again, but by then, Maya had taken care of it. We found out later that Tom got the second credit card message asking the same thing and that Jay's credit card company had then put a hold on his account after the purchase went through.

Moral of that is don't spend $82 at the movie theater because credit card companies think that is pure bullshit. My family agreed, frankly.

The next day we packed up our stuff and headed out to be tourists. We decided to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. Somehow we ended up driving across it, which Maya worried about because the rental car had distinctly asked if that would be a possibility upon renting the Yukon XL. Darcy got online, and I paid the toll before we crossed via credit card. Which went through. Obviously, spending $82 to cross the Golden Gate was okay but not at a movie theater.

I'm kidding. It was $8 to cross.

Then we parked and hiked it. It was very crowded. It was also very high and not as closed in as the New York bridge I walked. I had some moments with my fear of heights, but we got about halfway before we turned around and hiked back. First time I've ever reached 10,000 steps on my Apple Watch!!!

We drove into San Francisco and did some sightseeing from the car windows on our way back into the area by the airport. These guys were heading out on the red-eye. We had another night before we had to get up at the crack of dawn to make our 5:50 a.m. flight.

We stopped and had dinner and then walked a bit around the quaint area. We had a Starbucks, and then Jay drove us to our hotel, and we said our good-byes. 

Off they went back to Boston. I did laundry at the hotel for want of something to do while the girls played on their phones. We hit the sack early with a wake-up for 3:30 a.m. to catch the 4:00 a.m. shuttle. Florida, here we come!