Five Things - March 11, 2024

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. We hit a pretty good snow squall driving out of New Mexico, and I have to admit, that was not on my bingo card for March! I grew up driving in the snow, though, so I was not intimidated, and the RV handles really well in most weather conditions. The only thing that ever makes me nervous while driving is wind, and the little spring squall wasn’t all that windy. Despite the unseasonable wintery weather, we really love New Mexico. This second pass through was shorter than the first, but still magical. We woke up every morning to hot air balloons drifting across the blue sky, had dinner at a great farm to table restaurant, and I got to practice at a terrific yoga studio. New Mexico still gets high marks in all categories!

2. Last week we traveled from Vegas to Winslow, Arizona, through Albuquerque, New Mexico, to land here in Austin, Texas for SXSW. It was a lot of driving, but also a lot of fun. I got to check off Meteor Crater from my bucket list, and Ray and I stood on the corner of Winslow, Arizona, and it was such a fine sight to see! Back to Meteor Crater… I’ve seen it from the sky, but to stand at the edge and imagine the moment of impact, the incredible amount of energy that must have been exchanged, was awe-inspiring, and, from a geological time perspective, the impact happened like a minute ago! Really, really cool stuff.

3. We’re here in Austin for SXSW because Noah, kid #2, is performing stand-up comedy at the festival. We’re super excited for him and really proud, despite the fact that sometimes we are the focus of his jokes.

4. This week, my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, will write the final chapter of another book. At the end of any project, I always feel a profound moment of relief that I can actually still do this thing. And by this thing, I mean tell a story start to finish, complete with a plot and characters and everything. You’d think by now, I’d be confident in that ability, but not so. With every book, I have a moment somewhere in the middle where I feel like I’ve lost the plot and I question why I ever thought I could write in the first place. When I finally hit the end, all that insecurity disappears, at least temporarily, and I’m inspired to keep going.

5. U2 at the Sphere was amazing. Bono is a legend. That is all.

Our itinerary, subject to change:

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

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

Five Things - February 26, 2024

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. Ray and I took Daisy hiking at Red Rock Canyon. I’ve been there once before, but every trail provides a different experience and view. This time, we put Daisy in a carrier and did a relatively moderate hike. When they say ‘moderate’ they do mean it. It may have only been 2.2 miles, but elevation and rocky terrain make for a fun journey. Check out my Instagram to see some gorgeous photos of the day. We really never get tired of seeing the country like this!

2. Okay, so we’re in Vegas, and when Ray booked us here, I grumbled a little. I’ve had fun in Vegas the two times I’ve been here. Great food, great shows, great hiking (see above), but I can only tolerate so much of the noise and spectacle. Ray could live here. We’re very different people, as anyone who knows us can attest, but I have to admit, I am having a really good time. Our home base is an RV resort that’s just beautiful. The site itself has a fantastic outdoor living space, complete with a bar, fireplace, sink, grill, and cool night lighting. The pool is toasty warm, the hot tub bubbly, and the people super friendly. We’re also a few miles outside the strip, so we don’t have to deal with any of it unless we want to. We’ve had one fantastic dinner and show night at Caesar’s Palace, and our big splurge happens next weekend when we’ll see U2 at the Sphere. Sometimes, it’s the places I’m not sure about that turn out to be pleasant surprises!

3. The mobile cat groomer is coming today, and just in time. I never realized how much difference it makes to have them regularly bathed and clipped. Living in such close quarters with our furry friends means our furniture gets, well, furry. I’ve been told it’s their undercoat that sheds apparently, and a good grooming takes care of that for about six months. Who knew?

4. Related, when the animals get a deep cleaning, so does the RV. Today, I am taking the comforters and chair covers to the laundry on-site. We have a washer and dryer on board, but they aren’t big enough for our king sized blankets and quilt. Most RV parks have laundry, and I love the wireless app that connects to the machines, turns them on, adds funds, and alerts you when your load is finished. It’s the little things!

5. As the end of February approaches, I’m pleased to say that for once in my writing career, I am on target with my goals. I’ve been working on my alter ego Maggie Clare’s romantic suspense series, with the intent to finish the final three books before school starts in June. My ‘writing sprint’ technique seems to be getting the job done, and I’m hopeful all three will be ready for the editor by the end of May. Fingers crossed!

Our itinerary, subject to change:

February 16 - March 4: Las Vegas, NV

March 4 - March 6: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 6 - 9: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

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

Five Things - February 12, 2024

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. We’re in Palm Springs now, and wow this place is pretty! It’s mostly desert, but snow capped mountains ring the low, flat, sandy terrain, and the sky is just the brightest blue. Our National Park tour continued with a visit to Joshua Tree, and per usual, we were in awe. We’re only here for another week, and Ray is traveling for most of it, so we’re definitely planning a return trip!

2. Did I mention my husband is traveling this week, so I will be all alone for Valentine’s Day? Please send pity and chocolate.

3. It’s birthday season in our family, which is always fun, although I don’t think we’ll see any of the kids on their actual birthdays this year. Noah, kid #2 just turned 26, which is significant as this is the age when he gets kicked off our insurance policy. Adulting, as they are all learning, is sometimes not as much fun as it should be.

4. However, one of the really fun things about having adult children is watching them pursue their passions and become these really cool, interesting people. Noah, the kid referenced above, is a stand-up comedian and writer. He was invited to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas this March, and we’ve rerouted our trip to be there for the festival. So excited!

5. I have another ‘sip and sprint’ virtual meet up tonight, and I’m really looking forward to it. As I explained on my last post, the idea behind a writing sprint is to block out any distractions and then write as much as you can in a short amount of time, which is how I’ve been structuring my writing time lately. I’m making good progress, but this kind of group enthusiasm, accountability, and encouragement is something I’ve missed since we’ve been on the road. These little get togethers with my future classmates also make grad school feel real. Just a few more months…

Our itinerary, subject to change:

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 4: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 4 - 8: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

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

Five Things - January 29, 2024

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. Ray and I went to the San Diego Zoo this weekend. The last time we were there, our kids ranged in age from 2 to 13, and we realized it’s quite a different experience enjoying these sorts of outings without little ones. Despite our late start, and my worry that we’d be closing the place down in order to see it all, we made our way through every exhibit in about two-and-a-half hours and found ourselves back at the campground, floating in the pool with cocktail in hand, by 4 pm. Like most of our adventures as empty-nesters, this one was both wonderful and a little bittersweet. We remember leaving places like the zoo exhausted after a full day. Any excursion with four kids in tow required patience, planning, multiple stops for snacks, space for exploring things like rocks and water fountains and the inside of every bathroom, more patience, and really good footwear. We made good memories for sure, and those memories still make us smile. Kid-free, we ended our ‘speed zoo’ day with a glass of wine and steaks on the grill, but also no tired little ones to kiss goodnight. Bittersweet indeed.

2. I’m a geek at heart. Maybe you don’t know that about me, but it’s true. I love planetariums, science museums, natural history museums, aquariums, or basically any place where I can learn some cool new science thing. I read Scientific American and Astronomy magazine cover to cover every month. Total geekfest, I know. Anyway, recently, I was reading an article on cosmic voids. These phenomena are just what they sound like – giant blank spaces in, well, space. Here’s the thing, astronomers used to think that because of how the universe was expanding after the Big Bang, matter would be evenly dispersed. Yes, matter would clump up to form galaxies and all the ‘stuff’ contained therein, but if we looked at the overall distribution of that ‘stuff’, we’d find it relatively evenly distributed throughout space. Turns out, not so, as the discovery of cosmic voids illustrated. To me, these Star Trek sounding oddities are cool and all, but the really amazing thing is that one of the observable voids is so large, if our galaxy sat at the center of it, we would have thought we were the only galaxy in existence until around the 1950’s when large enough telescopes were invented to pick up the light from the edge of the void. This kind of info is awe-inspiring. It reminds me that these timescales and distances are almost incomprehensible. Almost. It reminds me that for a cosmic blink of an eye, we tiny humans, living on a rocky planet, orbiting a G-type star, situated in the suburbs of the Milky Way Galaxy, one of the local group of galaxies in the observable universe, made a discovery that changed our understanding of the nature of the universe itself.

3. Daisy and I both got our hair cut last week. Finding a stylist, or a dog groomer, has been one challenge of living on the road. If I find someone really terrific, chances are, it will be my only visit. Still, it feels great to have a sleek and stylish cut, as I’m sure Daisy can attest!

4. Reviews matter. I’ve been singing this song on repeat recently, but it’s true. My alter-ego Maggie Clare discussed the topic at length last week on this post: Validity, Visibility, and the Warm Fuzzies . if you’ve read any of my books, please consider leaving a review. Even a line or two with the star rating would be greatly appreciated!

5. Last week, I joined a ‘sip and sprint’ with some of my new grad school classmates. We met via Zoom, introduced ourselves and our projects, and then participated in two twenty-minute writing sprints. The idea behind a sprint is to block out any distractions and then write as much as you can in a short amount of time. With my current aggressive publishing schedule, sprints have been my go-to method for kicking out enough material, but the idea of sprints can be applied to other tasks. For example, when I need to do a deep cleaning, or sort my wardrobe, or get through a pile of non-writing type work, I’ll break things down into manageable chunks. Instead of tossing every article of clothing I own onto the bed at once, I’ll tackle just one drawer, take a break, deal with the next, etc. You get the idea. Sometimes I need the reminder that pretty much any task, any goal, any particular busy day doesn’t have to be viewed as an overwhelming endeavor. I can approach things one sprint at a time!

Our itinerary, subject to change:

January 3 - February 2: Chula Vista, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 4: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 4 - 8: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

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

Five Things - January 15, 2024

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. San Diego has been great fun so far. We’ve visited the botanic gardens for the annual Lightscape display, biked around Coronado with a college friend, had dinner at Torrey Pines, and spent the weekend with R.J., Nick, and Leslie. Still up, the San Diego Zoo, La Jolla, some tide pool exploration, the aquarium, the wildlife preserve, and another trip to Balboa Park!

2. There’s this cute little hummingbird that visits a nearby bush every morning, and I am fascinated by her. Because of my tiny new avian friend, I went down the internet rabbit hole and learned all kinds of interesting things about hummingbirds like the fact that their miniature wings beat more than fifty times per second and they can fly over 30 mph. They have to feed every fifteen minutes or so to support their super high metabolism, and they’re partial to nectar and sugar. Also, they use spider webs as a nest-making material along with moss and lichen. You’re welcome!

3. At a yoga class the other day, the instructor shared a quote that went something like this: Transcendence occurs when half the time you are reaching up and half the time you are letting go. I interpreted these words to mean it’s important to find the right balance between striving and not becoming overly attached to the outcome of that striving. I constantly have to remind myself of this because many, many things in the writing and publishing industry are out of my control. Simply put, I can write a book, but I can’t make people read it. As this new year gets underway, I’m aiming for the right balance between reaching up and letting go.

4. In support of the rather aggressive writing goals I’ve set for myself this year, I’ve implemented daily writing sprints, and they really work for me. Here’s a tip for any new writers out there: Shut off the internet and eliminate potential distractions, then set a timer for thirty minutes. Write until time’s up and take a break. Rinse, repeat. It’s a pretty effective method for reaching your daily word count.

5. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our itinerary, subject to change:

January 3 - February 2: Chula Vista, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 4: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 4 - 8: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 12 - 24: Chicago, IL

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

Five Things - January 1, 2024

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. Happy New Year! It’s been just over a year since Ray and I set out on our adventure. We remember making our holiday reservations while standing in line for a ride in Disney World, Florida, and it all seemed so far away! I hope your holiday was full of love, peace, and joy. It’s truly joyful for us when all our kids are together, and this year they were. Our third son made it home from his study abroad semester in London just in time despite crazy last minute flight cancellations. My mom and dad, and sister and brother-in-law rounded out our group, and we spent the week together celebrating. Highlights included a festive day in Disney Land, a terrific performance of A Christmas Carol, a party with my brother-in-law’s family featuring amazing Persian food, a drunken present-opening extravaganza, and lot’s of hang-around time with excellent meals courtesy of my sister and dad. All in all, this holiday will provide lasting good memories for years to come.

2. Pet lover’s pro-tip: If you have a kitty with any kind of behavior issue, try a pheromone collar. Our oldest cat has the onset of kitty dementia, officially known as feline cognitive dysfunction, and the collar had been a game-changer. She went from wandering around all night crying to regularly sleeping beside me in bed. She still has a few ‘episodes’ now and again, but they pass quickly and she spends most of her time purring contentedly.

3. I have so many pictures from our journey, and I vowed to organize them all into a memory book. I’m a little behind, but going forward, I’m going to organize them monthly so I don’t have a whole year’s worth to sort. At least, that’s my plan…

4. I love beginnings. I love the beginning of the week, of the day, of a semester, of a project… you get the idea. I think it’s because beginnings hold so much potential. I also love lists, planners, calendars, and basically anything that helps keep my life in order, so it tracks that I love to make detailed lists of my New Year’s intentions. I like to call them intentions rather than resolutions, but that’s just semantics. Anyway, I have them all sorted into categories, and then subdivided into first quarter goals, etc. etc. Again, you probably get the idea. I won’t bore you with those lists, but I will say that this year, I prioritized my health and well-being before my professional goals. It was a symbolic gesture, I simply wrote them out on the first page of my notes, but I think it was an important one. You know how on the plane, in case of emergency, you have to put on your oxygen mask before assisting others? That’s how I’m thinking about my personal intentions for the year. They need to come first so I can show up as my best self everywhere else.

5. “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Our itinerary, subject to change:

November 19 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - February 2: Chula Vista, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 5: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 5 - 14: Albuquerque, NM

March 15 - 18: Oklahoma City, OK

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 12 - 24: Chicago, IL

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

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you and your loved ones peace and joy this holiday season.

See you in 2024!

Five Things - December 4, 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. On Saturday night we had dinner at our son and daughter-in-law’s home. Ray and I realized this is the first time one of our kids has had us over for dinner. They are technically all adults now, but two are still in college, and the other has a great apartment, but we’ve never lived close enough to have a meal there. As simple as it was, this felt like a milestone in our parenting journey!

2. We decorated our tiny home for the holidays. It looks adorable and feels festive, although, I am used to the weather being a bit colder during the holiday season. I’m not complaining, though, as Ray and I spent a couple of hours poolside yesterday.

3. My alter-ego, Maggie Clare, is running a holiday giveaway. If you enjoy romantic suspense, click HERE to download your free copy of Sing for Me, book 1 in the series.

4. When the kids were younger, I really wanted to focus on creating a magical, memorable holiday season that wasn’t focused on gifts. For the month of December, we ate dinner by candlelight, baked cookies, listened to holiday music, hosted gatherings, decorated the house (thanks mom and dad for acting as decorating elves!), trimmed the tree, watched ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ so many times we can all quote the movie, kept a supply of the most delicious eggnog from our local farm in the fridge, helped deliver holiday food baskets, and wandered the neighborhood appreciating the light displays on the darkest of nights. Now that everyone is grown, I hope their memories of the season are good ones, and I look forward to watching them create their own traditions with their families.

5. “Winter is a quiet house in lamplight, a spin the garden to see bright stars on a clear night, the roar of the wood-burning stove, and the accompanying smell of charred wood. It is warming the teapot and making cups of bitter cocoa; it is stews magicked from bones with dumplings floating like clouds. It is reading quietly and passing away the afternoon twilight watching movies. It is thick socks and the bundle of a cardigan.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

Our itinerary, subject to change:

November 19 - 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 - November 20, 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. I was accepted to grad school! After the fiasco with my missing transcripts, I have to admit, I was a little nervous, but everything turned out fine. The MFA program is two years and three summers. I’ll start in June with the summer session and a July residency in Colorado, which is not a bad place to be for a week or two in the summer! I’ve been asked why I decided to go back to school when I’m already smack in the middle of my writing career. Here’s what I wrote as part of my personal statement on my application…

   The purest answer is that I love to learn. I love to surround myself with smart, creative, driven people who help me stretch, and it’s time for me to stretch as a writer. This program will allow me to focus on genre fiction and will help support the career I’m already building, while at the same time challenging me to grow artistically and professionally. I’m truly excited to learn in an academic setting once again. I’d also like the option to teach at the college level, and an advanced degree will allow me to do so. As much as I love the freedom and creativity that being a novelist allows, I thrive in a community and I miss teaching. 

   I’ve circled the idea of earning an advanced degree for years, and the timing finally feels right. While this may seem counter-intuitive considering we are nomads at the moment, we actually have a great Wi-Fi system on board, and both my husband and I are committed to our careers even as we enjoy our unconventional lifestyle. I very much look forward to the years of creativity, learning, and professional development this program will undoubtably offer.

2. We’re in Orange California for the holidays! When we started our journey from Rhode Island just after the holidays last year, we couldn’t imagine how much we’d see and do in a year and just how fast the time would fly. We’re really excited to be in SoCal as three of our four kids live here. Just being able to grab dinner or take someone shopping or let our dogs play together is such a pleasure. We look forward to settling in for the season!

3. Amy and I are back on a roll with the Author’s Buzz podcast. If you’re a new writer looking for advice on how to navigate the publishing industry, have a listen to our latest episode: Publishing Pathways. As always, we keep it real!

4. This Thanksgiving week, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the past year. It was a year of big changes for us. We sold our home, along with pretty much everything else we owned, and embarked on a grand adventure to see the country. And what a grand adventure it has been! I’ll share more thoughts on that soon, but as this holiday of giving thanks approaches, I’m immensely grateful for the important things like our family and friends, our good health, and the good fortune we have to enjoy this unconventional lifestyle. What I’ve also realized along the way is how little we truly need, not just to survive, but to thrive. Our living space is about 1/10th the size of the home we sold. We share one car, a Jeep that also doubles as our garage to store beach chairs, golf clubs, and yoga mats. We sleep in a comfy bed, and we have all the amenities of a luxury hotel in what is essentially an oversized bus. We eat well. We have our beloved animals with us everywhere we go. In many ways, it’s a simpler life than the one with the big house and the fancy cars, but it’s no less rich, and I am grateful for the experience. I recognize even with this simpler version of things, we have more than many people on the planet, and I don’t forget that. So, as I write this post on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, I feel grateful, and I’m going to hold that attitude of gratitude for as long as I can!

5. “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus

Our itinerary, subject to change:

November 19 - 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 - November 5, 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. Last weekend was RI Comic Con. It’s the first time I haven’t attended this particular event in probably six years. My writer pals sent me goofy pictures, videos, and notes from their adventures. Although I know I am where I should be in my personal and professional life, I was truly sad not to be there with them.

2. Since flying to RI a few weeks ago for a friend’s birthday party, I’ve found myself really missing my Meadowbrook community. I’ve been involved there as a parent, a volunteer, an employee, or Board member for over twenty years, and this marks the first time since discovering the school for our then five-year-old son that I haven’t had a hand in the day-to-day operations or long range planning. The Meadowbrook community comprised most of my friend group. It helped guide me as a parent, as a professional, and it changed the way I looked at educating children. Meadowbrook is a beacon of light at a time when the world really needs it, and I’m so grateful for the time I spent there.

3. We’re currently camped out in the Emerald City, otherwise known as Seattle. While the weather is typical Pacific Northwest rainy, it’s as beautiful as I remember. We always have a good time because Ray’s brother and wife also live here. The four of us met in college, so, in addition to being family, we’ve also been friends for a hundred years or so and can party together like rock stars!

4. Looking ahead to the holidays, I’m thinking about how to decorate our tiny home for Christmas. There isn’t much room, but we can manage a few bows of garland, some holly berries, and twinkle lights. I’m also ready to queue up the Holiday Station on satellite radio! Celebrating the holidays will look a little different this year for sure, but I’m really excited to create some new memories.

5. I’ll be teaching a Zoom webinar titled “Editing: Soup to Nuts” on Wednesday, November 15th at 7 pm EST. It’s 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 this LINK to register. Here’a a description… For many authors, the editing process is a daunting one, but a well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. Let’s talk about the different parts of the editing process and how to successfully find and work with an editor. We’ll also spend time discussing the goals of a developmental edit and how to work effectively with beta readers or critique partners. Learn practical techniques that will help make the editing process efficient, effective, and satisfying!

Our Itinerary, subject to change:

October 30 - November 12: Seattle, WA

November 12 - 19: Travel to Orange, CA

November 19 - 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 - October 23, 2024

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. We’re in Portland, Oregon for the rest of the month, and it’s been wonderful to see our daughter on the regular. She and her friends have come here for dinner and gone out with us. She’s brought over her laundry, and I’ve made her soup. I’ve watched her sing at gigs. When we sold our home, she was the one who missed it the most. It was the only place she’d ever lived, and I have to imagine, it was pretty disconcerting to have no place to really call home when the house she grew up in now belongs to another family. But, bringing the tiny, mobile house to her for a month has really been lovely. With four kids, chances are, at any given time, we’ll have to travel to see some of them. When they spend time here with us, I think they have the feeling of home, even though we aren’t currently anchored to a plot of land.

2. I found a really amazing groom for our cats. Seriously, it’s like spa day for pets. Beatrix, the sweetest but most skittish of our kitties, left for her appointment panicking in her carrier but returned purring contentedly. Now, all the other fur babies have a date. I play right along with the ‘crazy cat lady’ label, and people certainly feel free to tease me about it, but living with pets truly makes life better. They make our tiny house a home. They have their own unique personalities. They provide us with endless entertainment. But mostly, they instinctively know when you need their small, warm bodies cuddled up next to yours, and in their own simple way, they know we need them as much as they need us. So, honestly, I’m happy to provide them with a day at the kitty spa!

3. We’ve now crossed the continental United States and driven nearly the entirety of both coasts. As I watch the landscape change, I’m in awe. The drive is an incredible part of the journey, and the land has its own personality. As we change climates and elevations, weather patterns and temperatures, I feel immensely grateful to experience the country this way.

4. One of my college roommates lived in Portland. She passed away a year ago August, leaving behind her husband and two children. I haven’t mentioned her much on here because honestly, the tragedy of it is still so raw and the loss so enormous that there are really no words. A death like hers just leaves a giant void. She was a bright light, and for those of us privileged enough to know her, the world will always feel a little dimmer.

5. Last call to register for the webinar PATHWAYS TO PUBLISHING via Zoom! It’s 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 link below to register. Here’a a description… 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:

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 12: Seattle, WA

November 12 - 19: Travel to Orange, CA

November 19 - 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 - 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 - September 25, 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. Our wine fridge holds TWO cases of wine and still has room for seltzers, beer, and other miscellaneous beverages. Who knew?

2. Being in the same time zone as our kids is really nice. RJ is studying abroad in London at the moment, so he’s difficult to reach with any regularity, but the other three are all in the Pacific Time Zone.

3. This is our last week in Santa Barbara, and I’m really going to miss it, but I’m excited to head north and spend time in Portland, Oregon where our daughter is a sophomore in college. If you’re keeping track of our travels, the list below has been updated significantly, so check it out.

4. Last post I mentioned I’d applied to graduate school. If any of you read my alter-ego’s blog, DEAR MAGGIE, you’ll have heard that my undergraduate college can’t find my transcripts. Apparently, when they digitized all the records years ago, mine never made it, and the paper copies are long gone. It’s like I never went to school. The registrars are sorting it out, but I feel like an accidental Mike Ross, minus the eidetic memory skills. It’s odd to think there’s no official record of all my work. I’m sure there is some lesson here on letting go, but I’m not sure exactly what it is. Anyway, an update… Boston University School of Medicine (yes, I attended medical school for a year back in 1998) has my basic record on file, which includes my final grades from both Holy Cross (my undergrad) and Providence College (where I did my pre-med work), so hopefully this will be enough to satisfy the grad school admissions board. Fingers crossed!

5. On Wednesday, October 18th I’ll be teaching a 90 minute webinar through the ARIA Writing Academy titled “Kick Your Scene into Action.” You can follow this LINK to learn more.

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

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 - September 11, 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. I missed last week’s post because it was WEDDING WEEKEND! Our oldest son legally married his beautiful wife last year as he was active duty in the Navy and it just made sense for them, but this was the big celebration with friends and family. It was absolutely magical, and I think we are all still basking in happiness.

2. We’ve landed in Santa Barbara for the month of September, and I love, love, love it here. It’s got a SoCal vibe without that frenetic LA energy. When I was younger, I desperately wanted to live in LA, but now I’m finding it just a little too fast-paced. Then I read that line and think, ugh, I sound old. Whatever. I’m soaking up the sun here in the mid-coast, recovering from the epic party that was our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding celebration, and trying to write a few decent words for my latest novel. Also, my sister and brother-in-law spend the month of September nearby in Carpinteria so I get to hang out with them pretty regularly. I’m definitely in my happy place!

3. It’s official – I’ve applied to graduate school. There’s an MFA program at Western Colorado University focused on genre fiction, screen-writing, and publishing that I’ve been circling for years, and I’ve finally decided to go for it. I needed a program that wouldn’t derail my writing and publishing career, but rather support it, and this one is perfect. Fingers crossed!

4. Our sweet Milo has the beginnings of cat dementia. After a thorough vet visit and lots of reading on the internet, her night howling and confused wanderings make more sense to us. I’ve just ordered a cat diffuser, night light, and found a ‘pet spa’ soothing station on Pandora. She’s also got some good drugs for those nights when she really can’t settle. It breaks my heart to see her so upset, but she’s still the sweetest girl and we’ll do our best to keep her feeling safe and secure.

5. “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” - Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 2002

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

January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: Las Vegas, NV

February 2 - 9: Flagstaff, AZ

February 9 - 23: Phoenix, AZ

February 23 - March 8: Tuscon, AZ

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

Five Things - August 21, 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. We made it to California! It’s official - we’ve now driven all the way across the country!

2. Of course, as soon as we arrived, we had to turn around and head to Arizona. Palm Springs fell directly in the path of Hilary, and while we probably could have weathered the storm, our house has wheels, so we decided to move it. The weather here in Arizona is cloudy and a little damper than usual, but much more pleasant than SoCal at the moment.

3. Zion National Park did not disappoint. We loved Utah and definitely plan to return. The people were so friendly, the landscapes breathtaking, and Ray would say that the golf was outstanding. I even rode along in the cart on the back nine once to take in the views!

4. Chocolate covered honeycomb is my new favorite candy. I try not to devour the entire container in one sitting, but it’s a challenge. I tell myself hot yoga will counter the effects of the tasty treat on my waistline, but I may be fooling myself. Time will tell.

5. Okay, so my writing is feeling a little flat right now. I keep reminding myself that summer is my least productive writing time, but it still doesn’t sit well with me. I’m used to feeling excited and inspired when it’s time to write most days, but lately, I find myself staring at the computer screen making faces. It’s probably time I follow my own advice and lower my expectations for a couple more weeks until it’s officially fall, but it’s definitely easier to give advice like that than it is to take it!

Our itinerary, subject to change…

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

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

January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: Las Vegas, NV

February 2 - 9: Flagstaff, AZ

February 9 - 23: Phoenix, AZ

February 23 - March 8: Tuscon, AZ

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

Five Things - August 7, 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. It’s August already! We’ve been living this nomad life for eight months now, which seems crazy. When we left RI, we’d mapped out our journey pretty specifically through September, and then loosely through the holidays. Now, we’re booking stuff into 2024. Time sure does fly, but we’ve also done so much in the last several months that I’m glad I took so many pictures or else I don’t think we’d remember it all!

2. We haven’t had a truly embarrassing maintenance moment since I accidentally pulled the slides in without shutting the closet doors and crunched them right off the hinges. Well, our new RV has a central vacuum system that hasn’t worked since we bought the rig – or so we thought. Last week, we found an onsite technician who happened to be staying at the same park as us and asked him to come look at it. After checking out the whole mechanism, he finally gave me the vacuum handle and said, “You turn it on right here.” Ahhhh…..

3. We’re here in southern Wyoming for a couple of nights before heading back into Utah. While we explored Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake and spent time in Salt Lake City during our first visit to Utah, we didn’t get to any of the National Parks. We’ve been so impressed with every park so far, we can’t wait to experience Zion!

4. On the writing front… I’m taking a break from drafting my fantasy novel The Dragon Dancer of Krysh. For the next few months, I’ll be turning my attention to Maggie Clare, my alter ego, and the romantic suspense series I promised readers I’d finish. It’s been too long since the last book, and I need to get back to it. Dreamwalker is still on submission, which is a time-consuming, daunting process, almost as challenging as finding an agent, but I’m still hopeful there’s a good deal on the horizon!

5. I have become slightly obsessed with Wordle. I actually like it when I have to sweat it out a bit. It keeps my brain sharp!

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

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

January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: Las Vegas, NV

February 2 - 9: Flagstaff, AZ

February 9 - 23: Phoenix, AZ

February 23 - March 8: Tuscon, AZ

Five Things - July 31, 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. My dad headed home last week a few days after the kids. Ray had a business trip, so it was just the two of us for a few days. He and I are a lot alike. We geek out over the same stuff, like the night sky and our love of all things sci-fi, so binging Star Trek Picard became a priority. After Yellowstone, the Tetons were our next stop. My dad and I appreciate the majesty of nature in a similar way, and seeing something like the Teton range, and the beauty that surrounds it, was a breathtaking experience, one I’m really glad I could share with him. It’s been a long time since I’ve had my dad all to myself, and it was really lovely.

2. We’re still in Wyoming near the Tetons, so Ray and I got up early Sunday and went into the park. It was a good call because in addition to being far less crowded at the ass-crack of dawn, the animals made a great showing. A giant elk watched us from her place on Signal Mountain, a mama dear and her twin fawns grazed by the side of the road near Jenny Lake, and the bison were hanging out contentedly in the fields. I think early mornings in these parks might be the way to go.

3. Huckleberry everything is popular in Montana, and also here in Wyoming. I’ve recently learned I have a taste for huckleberry infused beer. Yum!

4. Daisy dog is a great travel companion. We take her with us pretty much everywhere unless we’re doing a serious hike where we might encounter wild animals. She’s super popular. The other day an older women who’d recently lost her elderly pup stopped and asked for a cuddle. Daisy happily obliged and I’m sure made that woman’s day. When I picked Ray up at the airport, Daisy was so excited to see him, she yipped, spun in circles, and gave him her biggest smile. We should all strive to be worthy of a dog’s unconditional love.

5. If I’d lived out here in the mountains, I might have become a geologist, and I definitely would have taken up rock climbing. Growing up on the ocean, I didn’t think any type of geography would capture my imagination as much as the coastline, but the mountains sure have come close.

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - 9: San Francisco, CA

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 15: Seattle, WA

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

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 - July 3, 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. Denver Fan Expo is in the books! It was a great event and so much fun to see my writer pals from RI. Book sales were solid, and two of our panels had standing room only. As exhausting as these events can be, I love the energy and enthusiasm of the fans and the sheer fun of it all!

2. 2. Our time in Colorado is almost at an end, and I’m really going to miss it here. The incredible rugged beauty of this state is breathtaking. From the Great Sand Dunes to Rocky Mountain National Park to Garden of the Gods to Pikes Peak to downtown Denver, we’ve loved everything! I’m sad to say goodbye, but we’ll definitely be back.

3. My birthday is this week. The older I get, the more I have to remind myself that each day is a gift, especially when I wake up after a long weekend on my feet and every part of my body aches! But even if it takes me a few days to recover from big events, I try to orient myself towards gratitude. “One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming.” — Morgan Harper Nichols

4. For my birthday, Ray and I are going to see John Williams and the Colorado Symphony perform music from Star Wars at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and I am so excited! I may have mentioned how much I love Star Wars a time or two or ten. I listened to the record on repeat at bedtime every single night when the original movie first came out. The opening notes still send chills up my spine, and I am immensely grateful that I’ll be able to experience this live.

5. Amy visited last week, and we had an absolute blast. Our intent to create new content for Author’s Buzz while she was here did not materialize. Instead we shopped, drove through the mountains, went to a concert, enjoyed a baseball game, got a little new ink, and maybe danced on the bar at Coyote Ugly, although hopefully there is no proof of the last. However, she did manage to edit and post our latest YouTube video. If you’re interested in Writing Romance, check it out!

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

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 - June 19, 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. Our third son turned 21 yesterday! I’ve written about this particular kid before and how he is just the best combination of kind, sensitive, talented, and also quite driven when he puts his mind to something. Check out the POST I wrote just for him on his 18th birthday a few years ago, which I think captures him well. Also, you can follow this talented, funny kid on TikTok as he chronicles 100 days in his world, including building his drone business and cooking some amazing meals!

2. We’re still in Colorado for another few weeks and really loving it here. On the road from Granby to Denver, where we are now, we had to cross the Berthoud Pass. I’m just gonna pat myself on the back and declare total badassness (if that’s a word?). I drove the RV while towing the Jeep, because my dear husband is a much, much better passenger than me, and this was our deal so I wouldn’t end up curled under the bed crying. Wow, was it a white knuckle kind of drive, but we made it! Check out this post and video on Dangerous Roads to get a glimpse of the journey.

3. Speaking of Colorado, part of the reason we’re in Denver so long is because I’ll be signing books and moderating panels at Denver Fan Expo from June 30th - July 2nd. I’m really excited to be out and about doing bookish things. It’s a little harder to plan while we’re on the road, but we made this one happen, so if you’re in the Denver area, please come say hello!

4. Amy and I have been busy chatting it up on YouTube about our favorite writing topics. I’m currently smack in the middle of my latest manuscript, which sometimes feels like a slog. This feeling is so common among writers that we’ve affectionately called it the muddy middle, the murky middle, the messy middle - well, you get the idea! Check out our latest AUTHOR’S BUZZ VIDEO where we share our top tips for navigating the middle of the story.

5. Amy’s actually going to be here this week visiting! We are so excited to get in our girl time, do some hiking, and just be together in real life. “A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” - Lois Wyse

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

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