Never mind that I hadn’t even sat on a bike in maybe ten years or so. “Let’s do the Virginia Creeper Trail!” they said. “It’ll be fun!” they said. “It’s super easy!” they said. So I agreed, since I have a hearty dose of fear-of-missing-out, and since occasionally I like to do something I’m bound to be terrible at. The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 34 mile gravel path that is made from an old railroad track. The first 17…
Jobs to have besides working in the minibarn industry: Be a florist. Try interior design. Do mosaic tiling in kitchens. Be a cardiothoracic surgeon. Be a janitor for the cardiothoracic surgeon. Drive a school bus. Design hair bows to sell on Etsy. Write guidebooks for obscure places nobody has thought to review, such as the tiny little town of Mocksville, NC. Be a chef. Become world famous for your taco-making skills. Topics of conversation to discuss besides minibarns and volleyball:…
The girl whose vanity is lined with hundreds of bottles of cosmetics. She has thirty different shades of foundation, and often wears about 5 at once. She wouldn’t dream of playing sports, as it might chip her fresh manicure, and she can’t venture beyond the end of the sidewalk because nature doesn’t work well with her high heels and suede skirts. She avoids babies who might spit up on her, uncouth people who wear Walmart fashions, and shade (gotta work…
Dear New York City, I first encountered you when I was a wee child, on my way to JFK to pick up my big brother from his endless stint in Ghana, Africa. It was only six weeks that he had been gone, but to my mind it may as well have been years. There was perhaps a fleeting and distant glimpse of Lady Liberty as we passed by, but my most vivid memory is sitting in the airport terminal, watching…
The nieces and nephews usually seem to come in batches of two or three, and this time is no exception. Caspian and Francie made their appearances, and a few weeks later, this little guy came along to complete the trio. Elliot Keobi, his name is. With perfect skin and dimples and the cutest little mouth and a thatch of dark hair- how does he rate? Shouldn’t the cuteness be spread out a little? I got to meet him today, and was…
The guy who can’t imagine doing something as menial as his own housework. His mother packs his lunch and cleans his bathroom and washes his bed and all his dishes, because it has never crossed his mind that he could and should take care of himself. Sometimes this guy moves into his own house, and then he lives in a pit of grime and junk food, because he doesn’t ever think he should have to do something like wiping down a…
Confession: I really went to Paris for the food. Sure, I couldn’t wait to see the crooked streets and tourist attractions and hear the French accents, but really, the croissants and baguettes drew me the most. I sometimes ponder why people who don’t care about food even bother to travel, seeing as trying new cuisine is one of the greatest simple pleasures of life. So, the food in Paris… I kept a list of (nearly) all the food I ate…
If you’re anything like me, sometimes you realize you are thoroughly tired of all your music. It all begins to sound the same, and you just need something new to get you out of your ten-favorite-songs rut. If this describes you, let me show you what I’ve been listening to lately. Maybe one of these will strike your fancy and become your new favorite. And maybe you should comment below and let me know your favorites to jog me out…
I have found a new favorite travel activity. While in Paris, I stole Lyn’s idea and created several running lists of memories. Feelings evoked, food we ate, extra pleasant people, that kind of thing. Even just a few short weeks later, I look back on it and realize I would have forgotten a lot of them if I hadn’t take time to jot them down. It’s such a good exercise in noticing, and one I’ve kept up in my travels since….
It was a dark and stormy night. And as Abby and Lyn and I are wont to do on such nights, we decided to take a walk. We may or may not have done this previously, and ended up walking miles in the drenching rain, but I guess history shows a little wetness doesn’t stop us. So off we sauntered, enjoying the gloam and the bursting rose bushes. We were walking in a line- I was bringing up the rear-…
One. Sit at your desk day after day bellyaching to travel to Europe. Put it on all your bucket lists and pin pictures on Pinterest of what you want to see. Decide to do it before turning thirty but doubt that it’ll actually happen. Eventually feel like you’re going to burst at the seams if you don’t go right now, but know that there isn’t really anyone to go with you just now, so resign yourself to a few more years before…
It’s been quite a weekend. After lounging in-utero for two extra weeks, baby Francesca Chante finally decided it was time to make her appearance. Due to some complications, she ended up in the hospital for a few days, covered in wires and tubes and tape residue. The weekend quickly turned into a flurry of babysitting and hospital runs, but I am happy to say that Francie is finally unhooked from most of the medical paraphernalia, is doing well, and we…