... and I'm getting one -- all next week.

So, you can put away your shorts and sandals and get out your umbrellas and rain boots because I can't have both time off and good weather. (Oops...my pessimism is showing).

Seriously, though, I don't care what the weather brings next week because what next week won't bring is a 4:45 a.m. beeping from my alarm clock. And, regardless of the weather, the girls and I will have no trouble finding lots of fun things to do to fill our days (my husband doesn't get as much vacation as I do...so, it's just me and the girls).

The only concrete plans I have next week are to have the girls' birthday portraits taken and to go see "The Full Monty" at the Playhouse with a friend.

Other than that...we'll go wherever the wind (or our whims) take us. We'll probably reserve one day to stay at home and lounge around the pool (weather-providing) and we'll try to go to WaterWorld and Waldameer one day.

Some other things I'd like to do:

* I just heard about a place at the foot of Chestnut Street that rents paddle boats (that seat 5) for $10 an hour.

* I'd love to catch a SeaWolves game.

* I'd love to make it to Wednesday night's concert on the beach (we have YET to make it to one of those).

* I'd like to take the kids to Pymatuning.

* I'd like to camp-out in our backyard.

I could go on and on....

That's the thing about Erie, for all the whining that the people who live here do, you can't deny that this is a great place to raise kids.

And, it's a great place to spend a week-long summer vacation.