Because we were in SoCal, staying at two hotels which were both supposed to have free, high-speed Ethernet T-1 Internet connections in every room. Unfortunately, the connections in both rooms were broken. I could and did get poky Internet access via my PCS phone, but it’s such a hassle to load even the most basic Web page that it wasn’t worth the bother to try to post here. So here is a weekend recap:

Friday morning: Gave work a noon deadline by which time I absolutely must be gone, meaning that I can start a build no later than 11:00. I’m instructed to start at 10:30–even better. Unfortunately it fails at approximately 11:15 and the fix is not delivered to me in time to complete before I must leave. We get on the road.

Friday afternoon: Driving. Took 101 south instead of I-5 this time. I think the extra distance is compensated by the relative absence of big-rigs. We made it to El Segundo in seven hours, including a half-hour stop for lunch in Pismo Beach.

Saturday morning: Gould family birthday breakfast.

Saturday afternoon: MousePad potluck at Disneyland, then MouseAdventure prep meeting.

Saturday evening: Dinner at Dave & Buster’s (oops, two-hour wait and no reservations accepted) TGIFriday’s (oops, 90-minute wait and no reservations accepted) Wolfgang Puck’s at the Block. Lovely dinner, horrible cover band.

Saturday night/Sunday morning: Painfully, over aforementioned poky PCS connection, finish build started Friday morning.

Sunday: MouseAdventure in DCA.

Monday morning: Haunted Mansion Holiday and Disney Gallery. Early-ish lunch at the Blue Bayou; I hadn’t had a Monte Cristo in a couple of years.

Monday afternoon/evening: Drive home. We took 101 back, made it in 7 1/2 hours with just a brief bathroom stop. Most of the delay was slooow drivers from Oxnard to Pismo.