family visit

Five Things - October 9, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

  1. Summer and fall are now officially my favorite seasons, and with our mobile lifestyle, we can alternate between the two all year long! In addition to the perfect weather, both reflect my perfect wardrobe. Who can argue that sandals and sundresses or bathing suits and beach cover-ups aren’t the easiest and cutest attire? Similarly, a good flannel and cute boots just say fall flair! But honestly, I’ve always known that I’m affected by the lack of sunlight, so it make sense for us to follow the sun.

  2. I don’t like to shop. You probably don’t believe that based on the above rant about clothes, but my wardrobe is now completely updated to match my favorite seasons thanks to a visit from my BFF and some additional on-line purchases. There’s only so much room in our tiny home, so my closets are now filled with clothes and shoes that fit me well, I actually like, and I feel good wearing. This is surprisingly satisfying!

  3. I flew home this past weekend for a family visit and to attend a friend’s significant birthday. The only thing I miss about pulling up roots in RI is the easy ability to be with my family and community. It was so nice to catch up with everyone, and you can’t beat an old-school Italian Sunday dinner and card game at my parents’ house!

  4. One of the unexpected things about living on the road is the quirky little towns we find that we’d otherwise never get to visit. Sometimes we’re aiming for a bigger city, but there’s no suitable campground, so we’ll find a place as close as we can get. Currently, we’ve set up camp in Petaluma, about an hour north of San Francisco, and it is just the most adorable town. We’ve had dinner on the river walk, wandered through the artsy downtown, and taken some fantastic yoga classes. Our National Park tour continued with a visit to the magical Muir Woods, and we drove back and forth over the Golden Gate Bridge a couple of times just for fun. So far, northern California has not disappointed!

  5. I’ll be teaching two webinar classes in the month of October for the ARIA Writing Academy via Zoom. They’re only 90 minutes and very reasonably priced (only $35) for as much information as I can pack into the time slot. So, if you or anyone you know have interest, please follow the links below to register.

    KICK YOUR SCENE INTO ACTION - Wednesday, October 17 at 7 pm EST. As writers, we often visualize our action scenes as if they were on the big screen. But how do we translate the heart pounding, edge-of-the-seat, adrenaline rush that we get from watching a scene to the pages of our books? Whether you’re crafting a fight scene or a spaceship battle, these tips will help bring intensity to your scene and keep your readers turning the pages. New and experienced writers welcome! Click HERE for more info.

    PATHWAYS TO PUBLISHING - Wednesday, October 25 at 7 pm EST. There’s more than one way to bring your book baby to life! Publishing has evolved in the modern era offering authors many options. With innovative platforms such as Inkitt and Wattpad, and indie, hybrid, and traditional models thriving, writers have many opportunities to see their work in print. And, don’t forget the audio and digital markets! Register for an informative program and lively discussion on the what, why, and how of modern publishing. Click HERE for more info.

Our itinerary subject to change…

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - 9: San Francisco, CA

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 12: Seattle, WA

November 12 - 19: Travel to Orange, CA

November 19 - January 3: Orange, CA

January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: San Diego, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 5: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 5 - 15: Albuquerque, NM

March 15 - 17: Amarillo, TX

March 17 - 24: Oklahoma City, OK

March 24 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - July 17, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

  1. This week my three boys, daughter-in-law, and dad are visiting us in Montana. We’ve already had a great time at Yellowstone, and we’re planning at least another day in the park, a trip to the movies, a swim in the nearby lake, and some chill time around the campfire. It’s been wonderful to see them all, and we’re thrilled to have them join us for a glimpse into our nomadic life. Sharing something as special as Yellowstone is icing on the cake.

  2. Let me just say, National Parks are amazing! We’ve been to six in our travels thus far, and we have not been disappointed. I never appreciated just how forward thinking it was to protect these amazing sites. They are truly a gift to behold.

  3. We had our first ‘mechanical’ issue with our new rig. Smack in the middle of cooking dinner for the tribe, the electrical system cut out, but it turns out the fix was simply pressing a reset button. Whew!

  4. Our pets are adorable, and they make our tiny house a home. One cat is currently running around like a loon chasing a fly while the others ignore her completely in favor of napping. Not only is the cute factor extremely high, they provide us with hours of free entertainment.

  5. While wood fires are fun and necessary for making s’mores, our portable propane fire pit is great. It turns on and off at the touch of a button, doesn’t make everything and everyone smell like smoke, and for sure saves on laundry!

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - November 15: Pacific Northwest TBD

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

Five Things - March 6, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

  1. For the writer types who follow this blog, I’ll be teaching a Zoom webinar titled “Pathways to Publishing” on Wednesday, April 5th at 7 pm through the Association of RI Authors. Here’s a link to the course description and registration: ARIA Writing Academy.

  2. If you’re interested in free writing resources, don’t forget about AuthorsBuzz.com, a new author resource website created by me and two other talented ladies. We’ve been uploading new articles every week, and we’re also having a blast recording short YouTube videos where we discuss all the things we wish someone had told us when we were new writers!

  3. Red tide is no fun. Apparently, there is an algae down here that releases a toxin into the water and air. When the levels get too high, this toxin kills fish and irritates the lungs and skin of beachgoers. Yuk! Thankfully, we have a pool at this RV resort, and we’ve been keeping cool there.

  4. I got a new vacuum cleaner, and I have been enthusiastically sucking up dirt and cat fur with a vengeance. This may not sound like something to get excited about, but when we moved on board, we only brought a high powered dust-buster and a broom, thinking these would be sufficient to keep our space clean. Not so! It’s been a losing battle living with so many fur babies, and this new appliance makes me ridiculously happy. It’s the little things!

  5. My mom and dad and their childhood friend are down here for a visit. This week, we’re also hanging out with some cousins, and let’s just say this group knows how to eat, drink, and make merry! The downside of our life on the road, and the thing I miss the most, is the easy, regular access I had to the people I love. Lunch dates with my mom, family barbecues by the pool in the summer, dad tagging along for a shopping day because he’s actually an excellent personal shopper, are all things we could just do because we lived in close proximity. Their visit feels like a comforting little piece of home!

Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our Itinerary (subject to change):

Feb 4 - March 27: Sarasota, FL

March 27 - April 2: Disney World, FL

April 2-3: Panacea, FL

April 3-10: Lillian, AL

April 10-19: New Orleans, LA

April 19-26: Austin, TX

April 26 - May 2: Corpus Christi, TX

May 2-8: Lakehills, TX

May 8-15: Carlsbad, NM

May 15-22: Albuquerque, NM

May 22-29: Santa Fe, NM

May 29 - June 2: Alamosa, CO

June 2-10: Colorado Springs, CO

June 10-18: Granby, CO

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-13: Rock Springs, WY

July 13-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Salt Lake City, UT

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA