A week without air conditioning in 105 degree weather was enough for me (“I’m mad as hell and I won’t take it anymore!). We’re leaving on our road trip out west (further) at 4 a.m. in the morning.

But first two nights at the Lodge on the Desert, just a few blocks from home. Not being one who usually likes extreme AC, the first thing I did upon entering the room yesterday evening was blast it. Why not, it was 92 degrees at home. A stroll down to the pool came next, including lounging in the hot tub. Why not?

Today was my usual Thursday morning Zumba, followed by packing and a lovely lunch here with Dan’s folks. Easing into vacation…yes, it’ll help if the Boston Celtics pull off an NBA eastern championship tonight on the giant flat-screen hi-def TV in our room. I love it when minyans of New Englanders are happy, including my Celtics season-ticketholder brother, Joel, and my niece Alison. I’ll be looking for Joel in his dark blue polo shirt four rows behind the Celtics bench — I always look but am pretty sure I haven’t seen him in more than 30 years watching. (Let me know if you see him!)

I’m ready for vacation. Thinking about all sorts of exotic trips to Havana and Turkey, walking the gardens of England and viewing Italy’s art, lounging on the Greek islands or in Hawaii. But when it comes right down to it it’s intimate traveling adventures with Dan and being a summer person in Southwest Harbor, Maine, with my grown-up kids and lifetime friends, which matter most.

And if you come to Tucson may I recommend staying at the Lodge on the Desert? When I called yesterday, lamenting our extremely hot household, piling it on saying  we’re neighbors, the kind manager lowered the room rate by $30 per night. Not that we’re paying for it, but still, I appreciate his generosity.

Maybe we’ll meander down to the bar for happy hour before the big game, indulging in half-price yummy shrimp cocktails with spicy salsa and a dark and stormy night. Doesn’t that sound like real vacation?