We finally got our vaccines last month. I teared up as the pharmacist rolled up my sleeve and gave me my injection. It wasn’t because it hurt. It was because I felt such an enormous sense of relief and gratitude. I spent the next few days happily imagining two weeks into the future, when we […]
Archive for Musings
We are in the process of training Magnolia how to be a non-destructive member of the family. It is a daily battle of wills. She’s like a toddler, but one with claws and fangs who can leap six feet into the air. Dubious Advice From The Internet This is the first time I’ve had a […]
At this time last year, we were finishing up our two-month project of clearing out my parents’ home and preparing it for sale. And we were happily anticipating resuming our travels. Instead, we’ve been stranded in Florida for more than a year. After much (exhausting) discussion, we’ve decided to stay here for a while longer. […]
When Eric and I contemplated taking to the road full-time eight years ago, we had a cat. Spot was eighteen years old, highly opinionated, and her only outings in a vehicle had been visits to the vet. Much to our surprise, Spot adapted extremely well to traveling life. But when she passed away a year-and-a-half […]
Thank you, dear friends, for your condolences on the loss of my mom. Reading your words of support and kindness helps me as I adjust to the reality of life without my mom and dad. Helping my folks navigate the last years of their lives was hard. Still, it’s painful to realize that I will […]
My one-of-a-kind mom passed away the morning of January 1st. I’m sure, if there’s a heaven, that my dad was anxiously awaiting her arrival—and greeted her with a Manhattan. We talked a few days before she passed, the last time that she was able to speak. I knew something was different. She didn’t greet me […]
We hope today finds you cozy, finding some small moments of joy in the last week of this very unsettling year. For the first time, I recently really listened to the words of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Although it was written in 1944 during World War II, it certainly speaks to our reality […]
Wow. Is it really over? I hope so. I am deeply relieved to step off of this insane election roller coaster. It probably comes as no surprise to anyone who knows us that we did not vote for the incumbent. But this election has made me think long and hard about the state of our […]
A devastating wildfire raged two miles from our home in Ashland, Oregon last week. A swath of burned rubble extends almost 20 miles north, smoke still blankets the valley, and some of our closest friends are displaced. In Portland and Bend, our family and friends are suffering from the effects of nearby wildfires and are […]
I‘ve had big plans of writing about our last summer’s adventures for many months now. But life keeps getting in the way. Every day, I look at an index card propped up by my computer. It says, “How we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives. ~Annie Dillard.” As I push […]
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If you enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, birding, art, music, quirky towns, good food, and good friends—you'll enjoy traveling with us. Join us as we explore the backroads of North America—we love company and comments!