Good news / bad news

Good news: I have been bobbing around 178 - 179lbs for the last six weeks. I was getting rather desperate and even considered going commando under my dress to save a few ounces. But then what do I do the next time I need a loss? Show up in a swimsuit?

I stepped onto the scale saying, "I'm thinking light thoughts. Dandelion fluff. Feathers. Steam." The group leader said, "It works. You lost three pounds." I'm now down to 176. When I break the 175 barrier, I get to buy some of Benita's nice wool for some spinning.

Bad news: We can't find a place to stay in Washington DC that we can afford. We were thinking about going in May. Would another time be cheaper? The best we have found is $250 a night. Holy Crow! Anyone got any suggestions? Could we, perhaps stay somewhere outside of the city proper and commute in? We'd rather not get a car if we can avoid it.

We found a package trip for $3500 for a week, including airfare and lodging only. No food, no museum tickets, no guided tours, nada. For that ammount of money, we could take a two-week cruise in Hawaii. For that ammount of money I could publish the final volume of Sanna (after I have done a major re-write. Thank you Lucia. You are a kick-ass editor!) Surely, surely there must be some way we can afford to come east for a week without staying in a youth hostel. Any ideas, guys? I mean, aside from letting us pitch a tent in your backyard. I want a hot bath at night and I wake up at five, so we really do better with our own hotel room.