I need a vacation ...

There was a time in my life when I didn't know what a vacation was. I'd never really had much of a vacation, because when I was a kid, I was from a poor working class family, and we just didn't do vacations.My dad worked in construction, and so when he wasn't working, he was unemployed. During that time was not the time to be spending money on stuff other than bills and rent. So there were no vacations, but I had heard about them from other kids.As an adult, I finally got to go on a vacation with some friends of mine and that hooked me. Prior to that, I put in 60 to 80 hour weeks on the job and rarely took time off (because had no vacations). Even lost PTO when it wouldn't roll over any longer.That one vacation ruined me though. From then on, I knew what I was missing and have sought out vacations from time to time ever since.Since the year 2000, I haven't taken a lot of vacations. There was a job change, and then several years of hard times, but then we became prosperous again, but then we were on a mission to build a house. So that has occupied my time.I don't really remember the last time I was on a real vacation. I've had a day or two off work from time to time, but that was usually do spend on personal business.We've had visits with the in-laws once a year, but I drive all that time and so it's not what I really think of as a vacation. Nonetheless, it's a break from the routine, and so it feels good to me. I miss it.I don't know when it will be, but I'm really, really, really, really wanting a vacation.and I mean it in a really bad way.I want to return to New Orleans. We haven't been since the year before Katrina. The French Quarter is fine and the cabins at Bayou Segnette State Park (across the river from the French Quarter) are just fine. So we want to return for 3 or 4 days, maybe visiting a plantation or two in the area, as we've done in the past.I'd like to go to the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore some day, and my wife recommends Yellowstone. I haven't been to any of these.There's the amish country in Pennsylvania. My wife was raised Mennonite and so we have an interest in amish country, as well as I think it would just be a nice place to go photograph.I'm really longing for a vacation.