The One With the Guitar-Shaped Swimming Pool

Well, it is only 10:00 a.m., and I am already in... ? You have to guess. Clue: Deep in the heart of lovely Merced County. (Merced meaning mercy in Spanish... as in they mercifully have an In 'N' Out) Actually, I might consider In 'N' Out, but Skippy and I are still full from our lovely breakfast of homemade apple crisp which we enjoyed at the scenic rest area conveniently located practically on the grounds of beautiful Pleasant Valley State Prison (who thought that was a good place to put a rest area? Genius). Which led me to ask myself...these Caltrans workers cleaning the bathrooms... are they supposed to be wearing orange jumpsuits? Oh, back to the clues. Hotel with a guitar-shaped swimming pool. Their motto is "Everything For the Traveler," which I decided to put to the test, as I was in search of free internet and postcards. Postcards, you ask?

Not to talk out of school, but there is a certain missionary living in my house who is what I will call "postally challenged." Having a dry spell. Sans mail. His condition is complicated by the fact that his companion has probably gotten 30 or 40 letters since the last time he received even one. It is his own fault, for not coming out on the mission without any girlfriends. I mean, he could at least be getting "Dear John" letters. But despite the fact that he got himself into this mess, Skippy and I are on a mission of our own... we are going to mail him a postcard from everywhere we stop today. I have a wallet full of postcard stamps, and I'm not afraid to use them. Our challenge is to find postcards at truck stops that are not morally offensive (the postcards, not the truck stops. okay, maybe both). We'll keep you "posted." Sorry, that was low...