I was on a train for 11 hours on Saturday. I really should’ve written this post-trip wrap-up then, but I was too busy luxuriating in my private accommodations, to which I upgraded after sitting next to a plague-ridden fellow plebeian in coach for two hours. And then I was so unbelievably tired when I finally got home. I think I needed time for everything to marinate before I wrote about it.

My trip with Jenna of All Thrifty States was a blast. It was exhausting, and long, and sweaty. I am not a camper by any stretch of the imagination, but sleeping in an air-conditioned RV was infinitely preferable to sleeping in a tent. I’d consider renting one if Rockford and I ever decided to do a long road trip.

I missed the kids all day, every day. They rewarded me for that by being jaw-droppingly nutso on Monday and yesterday. I missed Rockford, too, but I think I’m a little more accustomed to being away from him. And also I could talk to him on the phone. I talked to the kids, too, but they give phone calls about 10 percent of their attention.

I hit a thrifting wall on Day Seven, in New Orleans. (That might explain why I wasn’t crazy about the city, although I think the general steaminess and seaminess had more to do with it.) Jenna is on something like her 47th day of this. I cannot begin to imagine. The project came about after she was laid off. She wanted to find something productive to do with her unexpected (and rather unwelcome) spare time, so she turned her passion for thrifting and photography into an 18-hour-a-day job that doesn’t actually pay anything. (Seriously. That lady is on from the second she wakes up till the second she hits the pillow, driving thrifting photographing interviewing driving videotaping interviewing editing editing editing and editing.) I am so proud of her for dreaming it up and for making it happen.

Jenna will still have 12 states to visit after this trip. Anyone with a private jet, a billion airline miles and/or a guest room in Alaska or Hawaii?