Okay. I need to make it perfectly clear from the get-go that Brian and I aren't fancy-pants types that trip around the globe on a whim. And I don't have the good fortune of Julie Riso to career in travel. By the way, if you haven't been to her site, close this page and go there now at www.journalscape.com/la_vagabonde. Much better writing, much more interesting. (But do come back.)

Anyway, yesterday I met a crisis head-on and succeeded. Kinda. But before I go there, if there isn't already a book "Credit Card Travel Points for Dummies," there should be. But maybe I'm the only dummy in the market for one. But really, if there's "Dental Flossing for Dummies," "Gerbils for Dummies," and "Mechanical Pencils for Dummies," I think there should be a book for those who are travel-point challenged. Okay, so I made up those others.

For quite a few years I've diligently used my Aer Lingus MasterCard for every teeny, tiny purchase. Aer Lingus is toted as the "official airline of Ireland." Brian and I have taken two glorious trips there. Our visits have included reunions with my vastly extended family. My second cousin owns a sprawling estate in Country Cork. Last count, I believe she can accommodate about 200 guests at the same time. Well, that's a wee bit of blarney, but you get my drift.

Because we've had so much fun, I decided to get a credit card that would earn us travel points. We naively thought Ireland would be our eternal destination. Well, for some inexplicable reason, I misunderstood the conditions and declaimers to the card. You know, the small print stuff. Last night I discovered that my HUGE amount of travel points cannot be transferred, and furthermore, as of December 2006, we'll start losing points.

Okay. Did I ever feel like an a-s-s-h-o-l-e. Choking on tears and snot like a little kid with a boo-boo, I called Brian and confessed my stupidity. I validated all his cynicism about travel points he's thinks it's all smoke and mirrors.

After we hung up, I mulled the dilemma for a few moments, mopped up my face, and called him right back. "Hey sweetheart, what ya doing for your birthday?"

Well, the long and short of it is that Brian and I are elevating ourselves to the lofty heights of jet setting. We are seriously contemplating taking a long weekend to Ireland sometime in the fall - dinner and a round of golf and then back home. And I say, "Why not!" Why let those sons-o-bitches rob us of our pot-o-gold travel points!

Watch out Hilton sisters - here come the Fultons!

Yeah, right.

My Aer Lingus card restricts our flight to either Shannon or Dublin. Go figure. More small print. We plan to visit Northern Ireland this time - the sod of Brian's ancestors. So, we'll rent a car and drive up. Of interest, Brian's father was born in Belfast and his grandfather was a finish carpenter on the Titanic. His grandfather was supposed to sail on the Titanic's maiden voyage, but fell ill and couldn't go. Isn't that something! Talk about kismet.

In the meantime, I've stopped using my Aer Lingus card - Good God - We already have enough points to fly us both roundtrip, first class! Last night I activated my Amazon Visa Card in order to accrue credits for book purchases. Those points will never go unused.