Hi, everyone! It’s such an honor to be at Coffee Time Romance today. I’ve talked about this before, but in case you missed it, I suffer from an affliction called Shaggy Dog Syndrome. I know, these fancy medical terms have to be translated into plain English, so here goes. I like to travel. Definition given by my dad ““ open the car door, and I’ll jump in. This is an affliction many suffer from, but is rarely diagnosed. In case you’re wondering if you might have Shaggy Dog Syndrome, here is a list of a few of the more common symptoms.

You keep a bag packed with essentials, so you’ll be ready to go on a moment’s notice.

Your passport is laminated.

You buy travel size shampoo when the big economy bottle is way cheaper.

You volunteer to go to the grocery store for the one missing recipe ingredient just to get out of the house.

You have the Travel Channel and the History Channel on speed-dial on your remote.

You buy those clothes you can wad up in your carry-on, and still wear the next day.

You buy old road atlases at garage sales because they only put new attractions on them these days.

You own a copy of The Long, Long Trailer and watch it at least once a month.

You actually like to look at all your friend’s travel pictures on Facebook.

You always book your hotel as guaranteed late arrival, just in case you see something you want to stop at on the way.

You stop and read Historical markers.

You eat at a place called Bubba’s Good Eats when there is a perfectly good chain restaurant across the street.

You have a shelf of travel guides and no less than two boxes full of brochures, maps and guides.

You subscribe to at least two discount travel newsletters.

You know how to fold a roadmap. And, you know what a roadmap is, even if you never use one.

You’ve never been lost, but once (just once), you didn’t know where you were.

You have a collection of miniature spoons/thimbles/patches/pins/shot glasses/mugs/visors/T-shirts emblazoned with tourist trap logos.

You stop at places with the words Trading Post in the name.

You have an app on your phone called “Where the h*** am I?” and another one called, “America’s Least Known Attractions ““ And How to Get There.”

You will take whatever conveyance necessary to get you to your destination ““ not limited to the following list: car, truck, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, tricycle, four footed creature, gondola, boat, ferry, barge, ship, rubber raft, snowmobile, tram, trolley, train, bus, buggy, elevator, ore cart, subway, hot air balloon, plane, golf cart or hiking boots.

If you nodded your head to at least one of these, you may suffer from Shaggy Dog Syndrome. Symptoms may vary. If you have other symptoms, I’d love to hear about them!