You’d have to know me pretty well to figure out why me having a Lynyrd Skynyrd song in my head would make me feel like my mom. I don’t like the band. I don’t even know how to spell the band’s name (and it’s weird that spellcheck in WordPress does). But like my mom, no […]
Author: Shelly
Former nomad, currently adjusting.
You Can’t Choose Your Neighbors, Either
The Harper Lee quote is about not being able to choose your family, but it applies just as well to neighbors in campgrounds. Every time we pull in to a new location, we’re in for a surprise about what our site will be like exactly (wooded? sunny? level? small?) but also who our very close […]
Better than Lakes and Sunsets
I’d lost sight of how long it’s been since we saw a friend. Heck, or even had an in-person conversation with someone else that lasted longer than a few seconds. Yesterday’s meet-up was a balm to my soul. Thank you, Tom! Tom’s the reason we came to Missouri, and just a couple of hours hanging […]
Missouri: Where are my warm lakes and bright sunsets?!?
Our last night was at that Swan Lake state park where we stayed just one night, which was thoroughly undocument-worthy. We did pull over in Iowa to make grilled cheese sandwiches (Tracy is brilliant with these, adding toasted dried onion) at lovely little town park. Too bad it was so cold and windy we could […]
Google Maps, Dumpsters, and Other Gripes
The park we’re staying in—for one night on our way through Iowa to Missouri—is beautiful, but we went on only one walk before a storm hit, and I left my phone in the trailer for it. The campground itself is horrendous: basically a gravel parking lot. So, no post for the mis-named Swan Lake State […]
Never Hand a Gnome Your Beer
The town we’re in, New Ulm, Minnesota, is the most-German town in the U.S. (I read that but now can’t find the source; it makes a good opener anyway though, right?). Its famous glockenspiel does its thing three times a day: the bells play and a window opens to reveal German figures moving around and […]
Almost Had to Add “Peacock Replacement” to the Budget
We’d put it under the column, “Banjo,” of course. What happened was we were walking in the formal gardens at historic Schell Brewery when we surprised a peacock. Banjo thought it would be quite a mouthful; she wanted at least a try at it. That was after this morning’s close call with a flock of […]
Tip: Know Which State You’re in Before You Critique It
I’m in Minnesota, and but I’ve gotten that wrong twice now: when complimenting the helpful associate at an AT&T store while she was hooking me up with unlimited cell service on my new iPad, and when complaining to the company that fixed my iPhone screen but screwed up three parts in the process. I won’t […]
Ignoring the 2-2-2 Rule
We’re in Minong, Wisconsin, where Tracy spent several summers as a kid because his grandparents lived here and ran the town grocery. He took me on a tour as we drove through, and I have to agree with his joke, “The town sure has gone to hell after my grandfather died.” To be fair, there […]
Time to Migrate South
Lake Superior is so alive and accessible and multifaceted. The NorthWoods are lush and cool. The culture is a type of weird I’ve never encountered. But it was 47 degrees this morning when I walked Banjo, so it’s time to go! Apple, My Overlord I’ve spent several hours every day sucking up our precious cell […]
