Blog

Dover, NH

Heather — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:54:00 +0000

Made it to my sister’s house around 12:30 last night. Dropped off household stuff & trailer at storage place in Yonkers, NY & zoomed north. Highlights: NY City skyline, arriving safely at our destination! Oh, and breakfast tea and toast with homemade jam. Walking with Selim to the school bus stop. Not loading the cats in their carriers and preparing for another 12-hour day on the road.

Me (driving the cross-park-county-garden-Bronx expressway): what exit am I looking for?
Stan (buried in map): Just keep going. If it's the wrong way, it's a decision.

Clearfield, PA

Heather — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:52:00 +0000

Highlights: forgot to mention the big black swallowtail butterflies we spotted at a rest stop outside Joplin, MO. Mostly clear roads yesterday, but after a brief heavy downpour we got new windshield wipers--and a rainbow! Last night's anti-cranky remedy: a pink glow stick.

At the motel this morning. Cabin boy: Mama, where's my glow stick? Is it in the microwave?
Me: Why would your glow stick be in the microwave?
Cabin boy: (looks innocent)

Terre Haute, IN

Heather — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:47:00 +0000

Highlight: the boys catch the last tram of the day up to the top of the St. Louis arch.

Overheard after stop at Dairy Queen
Stan (to the back seat): How's that ice cream cone?
Cabin boy: Delicious! Even better than olives and zucchini.

Joplin, MO

Heather — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Highlights: cool, cloudy weather great for driving. And driving. So glad I stopped at the 99c store before the trip to pick up a trunk bag full of "emergency" toy distracters for bored boy. The policeman kit carried us through Texas & OK.

Cabin boy (wearing headset): Mom. What's your report?
Me (to plastic walkie talkie): A blue truck just passed us. What's your report?
Cabin boy: Crocodile in the back seat.

Santa Rosa, NM

Heather — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:40:00 +0000

Highlights: Meteor Crater, Cabin Boy explaining the signs to driver: "When you see a yellow sign, that means watch out for big jumping kangaroos." Caught a glimpse of the Painted Desert, but it disappeared by the time we got out the camera. On through the top of Texas today!

Kingman, AZ

Heather — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:28:00 +0000

Highlights: driving through Barstow as the "supermoon" rises. Our fortune-cookie fortunes: The star of riches will shine on you beginning next month. You will be traveling to distant lands for business purposes. The wise thing to do is to prepare for the unexpected.

Now the cats are hiding under the bed... next task is to extract them for the day's travel ahead.

outbound

Heather — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:27:00 +0000

OK: the documents we were waiting for arrived, so it looks like we'll head east today. Last-minute boat sweep, pack up cats and go, go, go!

moving update

Heather — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:39:00 +0000

Getting excited about our x-country odyssey, but for the moment stll in port, enjoying cool ocean breezes. Departure slowed by last night's flat tire at our storage unit (thanks Auto Club for helpng us exit before the gate closed at 9pm), new set of tires this am, waiting for express mail letter now due to arrive tomorrow...

We're moving to NY!

Heather — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:00 +0000

We're moving to NY! Like, this week. For Stan's new job. Completely do not believe how many file-sized boxes it's going to take to move our gear off a 48-foot sailboat. We're at fifty, and counting.

story sparks

Heather — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:42:48 +0000

Fact: boat hot water tank holds eight gallons.

Fact: marina showers are ¼ mile from boat, but have lots of hot water.

Fact: husband leaving for trip tomorrow, no leisurely showers unsupervised by Cabin Boy in the next 3 days.

Conclusion: hike!

After a nice long shower, the writer-brain goes into gear, turning random observations and interesting reading into story ideas.

The fog’s ghosting in. You can hear the little bait fish jumping out of the water, but you can’t see them. What if… that splashing wasn’t fish?

Earlier this week, I followed a friend’s link to an article written by masseuse, about how she can read her clients’ physical & emotional history by touch. What if… she were tempted to a spot of blackmail?

When I climbed back aboard, Cabin Boy greeted me with an angelic smile:

“I only touched your computer a little bit when you were in the shower.”

Me: …

Husband: “Enjoy these moments of honesty. ”

So how deeply could a three year old hack a laptop?

No, no, not going there. This story-spark has way too much potential for horror.