Chance encounters happen all the time as a traveler. You’re on the top of a pyramid and you spot someone wearing a t-shirt from your high-school, or you are at a beach bar and you recognize someone from grade school. Things like that. But this one was different. I was … Read More
Corpus Truck Work
We left Houston on a beeline for Laredo for our crossing into Mexico. Along the way we stopped in a couple state parks. We haven’t had much luck on the weather front lately—it rained for days, reminding us very clearly of two things. One: The one thing that we regret … Read More
Airstream Home Again
It’s been a pretty crazy month for weather in Portland. Snow the day we arrived. An ice storm. And more snow when we left. Kids, of course, find all the changes to be interesting and fun. Adults, not so much. This old Chevy has been sitting in this very spot … Read More
Christmas
Christmas. What is there to say? Kids open presents. Kids play with new toys. Kids move on, and everyone begins talking about next Christmas. We did have a nice time. The kids gave Grammy their painted pottery gifts, and they got everything on their Santa Claus lists. The last minute … Read More
The Holiday Spirit
I guess as much as anything else, Ali and I have tried to fill our kids’ lives with good memories. Their holiday memories aren’t focused on one location, so that it becomes a part of the background—instead, the locations become as integral a part of the memory as what actually … Read More
Snow Season?
Houston, Texas. Who knew it could be so cold? Good prep for our trip up north to Portland, though. The kids finally got their Christmas lists together. We read a Berenstain Bears book years ago in which Sister Bear makes a long Christmas list, and Brother Bear warns her that … Read More
Beach Birthday
There was just one nice day in the 10-day forecast, so with a bit of magic, Ouest’s 7th birthday moved up one week and we headed off to Holly Beach. All birthdays start with balloons. A few of them with a dollar slid inside. When we got to the beach … Read More
Grungy in NOLA
I asked, “Do you guys have any idea how dirty you are?” And this was their reply. Lowe looked genuinely surprised. Ali and Ouest had to fly back to MN for a quick one-day trip, leaving me and Lowe to have a boys-only day. Lowe spotted this guy first. We … Read More
The Gulf
Big Lagoon State Park. We’re on our way towards New Orleans, ambling west along the Gulf. A little further along the trail from that sign we hit the ocean where we could swim again. Unfortunately, there were a million huge, pink, moon jellyfish. They were pretty harmless, but still, nobody … Read More
Airstream Work and Play
It took us seven days, but we got it done, and the Airstream now feels much more like a home. Everything got a fresh coat of paint, cabinets were rebuilt to make them more user friendly, new cubbyholes were added under the kids’ new bunk beds, book cases were built, … Read More