By Heather (aka Raindrop) You know that feeling that invades when you haven’t seen someone in a long time? The one that sits squarely in your gut, reminding you things might not be the same as they were the last time you spent hours on end with this person. I had that feeling before Tracy and Shelly parked […]
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The Luxuries of Moochdocking
In case this post title makes no sense, let me start with the root word, “boondocking.” That’s when you park your trailer/RV/van/whatever, not in a campground, but out where you have no hookups (water, sewer, electricity). You’ve docked in the boonies. Moochdocking is when you mooch off of friends by parking in their driveway and […]
The Story of Bohawg and Raindrop
Once upon a time, there were two very good friends, and their names were Bohawg and Raindrop. Never mind that both friends were smart and lovely; one accepted the nickname of Bohawg long ago, and that was that. She had happened to be the one sitting next to graffiti that spelled out “Bohawg” on the […]
Drinking with Chickens
First, let me try to avoid infringing on this brilliant book title. Yes, this is a book, with whimsical photos of the author and her chickens alongside recipes for garden-influenced cocktails (get it?). And it was the inspiration for a weekend party hosted by old friends in Atlanta. But more on that, below. Braver than […]
Reunions in Atlanta
From the picture above, clearly, one of these reunions is between Banjo and my good friend Susan. It’s a little weird how well Banjo remembers people she met briefly; Susan visited us last little over a year ago, but when Banjo saw her here north of Atlanta, she buried her head in Susan’s lap and […]
Family Therapy, Retail Therapy, Storms!
We came to this state park (Gold Head Branch) as our final stop in Florida to visit with Tracy’s sister; that’s pretty much how we began this five-month run in Florida back in November (pic from that wonderful visit, below). The Family Damned if Darci isn’t still working way too much, though, so today instead […]
A Few Perfect Moments
I’ve been sad lately, thinking about a friend who’s been unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV cancer. The fact that I can’t get on a plane or zip up in my car to see her is also like a gong echoing a reminder that I haven’t seen my son since May. Our one-year anniversary of living […]
Innocent Family Led Sloshing through the Everglades
This is Karen. You may remember Karen as my great friend from high school, the one who visited me in Imperial Bonita Estates on the west coast of Florida. This is Karen’s beautiful family (minus a daughter at college). Look again at that picture. This is the birthday cake that Karen brought for her very […]
You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello
I’m saying goodbye to this most excellent RV park in Bonita Springs, Florida, but first I got to say hello to an old friend who graciously drove across Florida to visit—YAY! (And yes, her name is Karen. I get to have two old friends named Karen. It’s never confusing because one of them is “Karen” […]
The Beauty and Strangeness of the Deep South
We’re only an hour outside of the college town of Gainesville, Florida, but it feels like we’re on the moon. This is the Deep South, baby. We’ve moved away from the pine forests and small, scrubby palmettos of the panhandle into forests of huge live oaks entirely covered in swaying Spanish moss. The ground here […]
