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So there's nothing like a nasty case of the stomach flu to make the idea of a vacation even more appealing.

And a few more rainy days with 50 degree nights is pushing me towards the idea of warmer weather.

I ran away from warmer weather.  I am originally from North Carolina and I thought I would escape those 90 degree days with 100% humidity when I moved up north.  And I couldn't imagine ever longing for them.  But I do a little.

(The mosquitoes, that's another story altogether...)

In my mind's eye, I can imagine sitting on the front porch of an old cottage with a glass of iced tea in my hand watching the kids run around like crazy - and the dog running along the beach (the beaches in North Carolina largely allow dogs on the beach).  It is a lovely picture.

The thing is, rarely do those idyllic vacations turn out the way you plan.  In reality, getting home to North Carolina will take us 14 hours in the car.  We will have to brave the now five lane highway that runs between the beaches in order to get anywhere.  And finding a place at the beach for a week that allows children and dogs (apparently a lethal combination for landlords) is a challenge in itself.

From a budget perspective, renting a cabin or cottage is paramount.  Not only is staying in a hotel generally more expensive per day, but other than a Homewood Suites type arrangement, it's impossible to cook your own meals.  And that's where the money is.  Cooking your own breakfast and dinner is the cheapest way to go on holiday - we usually eat lunch out and cook dinner in.  If you're lucky, you find out what the natives eat (spots in NC, lobsters in Maine) and you can buy it cheap, fresh and local.  The occasional beer is likewise cheaper in than out at a restaurant.  It's economical - and you spare yourself the drama of vacation melt-downs in public!

So, what do you think?  Should we head for the shore or what?