Well, a big thank you to everyone who helped us get to California and then home again. We’re getting ready now to head back to the airport after spending all of about seven hours at home. It’s about a two hour trip back to BWI to fly out. If we could have planned this, I think we would have just stayed at an airport hotel, with everything we need for the next journeys already packed… but then, if we could have planned this, it wouldn’t have happened.

I’ve talked about this on Twitter, in relation to my post about the funeral trip, but we made the decision much earlier in the year that we’d “pre-game” for WisCon by spending a few days in Chicago, seeing some of the city we pass through so often and connecting with friends who won’t be at the con.  At the time we made the decision, it seemed obvious that we could afford it. I had the money for the airfare and the hotel, and by paying for both of those big ticket items up front we’d save money.

And we could count on my normal work on Twitter for May would pay for food, transit, and everything else.

We’re still going. We can’t afford not to. Not only is the airfare and hotel already paid, but we’d have to buy new tickets to Madison if we changed our plans. But if we can’t afford to not go… we can also barely afford to go. This trip was going to be a “bucket list” type thing, taking the time to do things we’d always talked about doing. Now it’s apt to be a lot more low-key than that. Part of that is the mental and physical exhaustion… it’s going to be nice to spend some time just relaxing in a hotel after the emotional toll of the funeral and all this back and forth… but part of it is we’re stretching a much-more-meager-than-expected budget between WisCon and Chicago. And we have more obligations at WisCon.

I am astonished and gratified at the generosity of the people who helped us make the unexpected trip to California, where we said goodbye to Jack’s mother. I can’t expect more than that, but I have learned not to close any doors. People will do what they want, whatever I expect or don’t. So if anyone wants to help us do it up right, I’m not going to say no. You can also use http://www.paypal.me/alexandraerin.

If no one does — that’s fine, and more than fine. We made it to California and back on the generosity of friends and strangers, and that was about what we needed. This is just about wants, and if we don’t get everything we want out of this trip, we’ll definitely live. There are worse things than staying in a nice hotel and eating sandwiches or instant noodles, and I have plans for at least one adventure that won’t require leaving the hotel. (More on that later.)

And after the travels are over and I’ve rested and recovered, I’ll be back out there actually earning money.

But like I said: years of crowdfunding my existence have taught me to never close the door, so I’m leaving it open.

Thank you.