COLUMN: Straight From the Hog’s Eye — What are your vacation plans?

Since the year’s almost halfway over, I thought it was about time for a vacation. So that’s where I’ll be this week.

I’m not sure where I’ll be when this comes out — hopefully relaxing or sightseeing in some coastal area. To be honest, after the past few weeks, I really need it.

I wrote a previous column about how busy April was, but I jumped the gun. I should have saved that column for May. With the school year wrapping up, we’ve had hardly a minute to rest.

I know it’s been the same — actually, I’m know it’s been more hectic — for teachers, school administrators, students and their parents.

But now that The Carolina Academy’s held its graduation this past Friday and Lake City High School’s senior class is marching this coming Friday, it’s the time to be looking ahead to the sunny days of summer vacation. That will sure be an improvement over this rainy, overcast, chilly weather we’ve been shivering through lately.

So I’ve gotten to wondering: What are your plans for this summer? Anyone have anything exciting lined up? I’m sure that someone is planning to head somewhere overseas, maybe even take an island vacation. Even if you’re planning to head somewhere that’s not a traditional travel destination — maybe you’re going to visit an aunt in Albuquerque or something — let us know.

We’d like to hear about your summer plans if you’re doing something unique. As I’ve said before, we enjoy the photo and story submissions we receive from the community, so please share your vacation experiences if you’d like. I’m hoping to do an end-of-summer roundup of your photos and stories if I get enough.

You can e-mail us at ; send us traditional mail at P.O. Box 429, Lake City, SC 29560; or stop by our office, near North Acline and Main streets.

As for me, I won’t be going far this year. I’ve taken several trips to southern California in the past few years, particularly the San Diego area, but I’ve been staying in my home state more as of late.

This year I’ll probably go to Charleston and revisit some of the old haunts my family appreciated when I was a child — Fort Sumter, the USS Yorktown, the Battery, etc. I’ll just make sure I eat somewhere more interesting than the K&W Cafeteria or Wendy’s where we always stopped on the ride home.

The farthest I’ll go is probably to visit a friend in what I call the “other” Lake City, down in Florida.

I think it’s best not to get too far from home, because, like many people, I know it’s best to be thrifty right now. I’ve been taking too many trips to exotic locations such as Columbia to visit friends and attend concerts anyway, so it couldn’t hurt to take a more economical vacation.