Tag: travel

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time to hit the road

By the time you are reading this, I will probably be somewhere on the road between Paris and Milan with my good friend and some good music at the start of our epic Italy road trip.

I figured since my normal Wednesday post would be pre-empted by a travel day, I’d pre-write it!

I’m such a nut for traveling.  I love to visit new places and meet new people, as long as I can control certain aspects of it, which is why we’re driving and not taking the train.  The agoraphobe in me balks at not having SOMETHING under my control.

Our first stop is Milan, but we likely won’t see much, as it’s mostly a stop for sleep before we head south.  Our first real touristy day will be when we get to Pompeii.  I’ve been wanting to visit Pompeii since I was about 9 years old.

Here in the states, or at least in California, it’s just starting to think about leaving summer behind for autumn.  The mornings and evenings are cooler and the wind is brisk.  I love autumn, it’s my favorite time of year.  I’m looking forward to being cold enough for sweatshirts!

But first, epic road trip through Italy, and a chance to see sites I’ve only dreamed of until now.  By the time I get home, it should be properly fall, and time to pull those sweatshirts out of the back of the closet.

I hope you are all having some fun too, Readers!  I’m off to finish my packing and have another cup of Death Wish.  I have a new book to read on the plane.  I hope to tell you about it once I’m done!

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early morning in the office

I’m the first one in the office a lot of days.  Today is no different.  I’m the only one here, at least for a little bit longer.  Outside the window, the sun is bright and blinding when the scattered clouds aren’t hiding it.  The alarm system on the door was tripped before I got here, and I can hear it beeping, which is highly annoying, so I’m hoping someone gets here soon who can reset it.

The coffee is hot and fresh, so that bodes well for the day.   It’s a busy one, with lots of meetings and training a few folks to take over some of my job duties while I’m out on vacation.  I doubt I’ll manage to write much this trip, but I’ll be collecting ideas!

I’m going to be working on a post that I’ll set to post on the 13th of September, when I turn 50 years old.  I’ve been pondering it for a while, and my notes are extensive!  Expect it to ramble a little bit.

In other news, I started re-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation last night while I was busy organizing stuff for my trip.  I don’t think I remembered how clunky those first few episodes were.  I know, it takes any show some time to find its footing, and with such a diverse cast, it isn’t surprising.  However, it is still a favorite, and I love the story telling of Trek.

Makes me wonder how something I’ve written would fare on the screen.  Could it hold its own while the cast found their footing?  Ah well, a dream I suppose.  Not a bad thing to have on a Wednesday morning.  It goes will with my coffee.

Ah, and there’s Ted to turn off the alarm.  Thanks, Ted.  I guess that’s my cue to return you to your regularly scheduled Wednesday, and get back to that cup of coffee, and meeting prep.

Happy Wednesday, Readers!

Remember, if you want to follow along on my upcoming shenanigans in Paris and Italy, you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook Photography Page or my travel/photography blog.

 

 

 

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the first harvest

It’s hard to fathom that we are here at the first of August.  For those who follow various Pagan religions, today is the First Harvest, known by various names in various traditions, with different ways of marking the holiday.

Despite their differences, most of them are ways of celebrating the first fruits of the planting done in the spring, and largely we are talking about grains; wheat, corn, etc.

In times past I might have baked bread on the first of August to share with friends, but this year it’s just plain too hot in my little kitchen!  Although, I have to admit, it’s been hotter where I live than it is right now.  I anticipate there are still some warm days ahead too.

There may be a little harvesting though, at least in the area of writing.  I have a weekend in which I don’t have to run out to Stockton to help my mother, so I am anticipating that some words will happen!

I am also starting to gear up for my trip in September!  This weekend I am doing a thorough cleaning and inventory of my camera equipment so I can decide what all I am taking with me.  When I travel, I try to post to my travel blog (when I can get internet anyway), which you can find here.

I will also be posting pics to my instagram account, and either of my Facebook Pages: My Author Page or my Photography Page.

On that note, I should get to the day job, and the cup of Death Wish Coffee sitting there seducing me.  May your harvest be plentiful, Readers!

 

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coffee in a paper cup

Today began with dropping my favorite coffee mug (well, one of them, in this case the one I keep in the office) on the floor in the office kitchen and smashing it into about five pieces.  Smashing, no?

I shook it off and got some coffee started and set out to dig through my email.  I’ve been down with a stomach bug since Sunday. So, while I worked from home yesterday, I ignored a lot of stuff.

In forty days I leave on vacation.  Two weeks in France and Italy with my good friend from England.  The history and art geeks in me are so excited I can barely function!  I got the city pass I bought for Rome in yesterday’s mail, and I’m just buzzing about it.

Italy has been on my bucket list since before I had a bucket list.

And now that my step-father’s memorial is over, and after this weekend we should have my mother completely moved into her new place, that means I now have time to turn my energy back to writing.  I wrote about a half a chapter this last week, and it felt really good.

I have some major editing to do on Where Shadows Fall before I can get it submitted to my editor, but I also have two other projects on the burners again after a long absence.  With any luck, August can be the month of finishing that trilogy and getting it into the publisher.

For now, I’m reclaiming the day with coffee out of a paper cup, and a new order into Death Wish Coffee for a new favorite coffee mug.

Smashing!