10 Notes from the Road
1. On Friday afternoon, we skipped town to head to my family's place in South Carolina. Here my giddy girls skip ahead of me, en route to the bathroom. I look at this picture and it's incredibly cliched, but I'm amazed at how much they've grown. Babies no more.
2. Before boarding, we scarfed pizza and pasta and salad at an airport restaurant. Little Girl (4) spied a bookstore and pointed at it. "Mama, do you think they have the Rambahlahs in that store?" We decided to check. Sure enough, there it was, so I stayed and signed the copies they had, my sweet Rowlets looking on.
3. We arrived in the darkness, but Saturday morning we awoke to a crisp day in one of my favorite places in the world. I grew up spending every Thanksgiving here (inspiration perhaps for the Thanksgiving week depicted in my novel?) and I have so many keen memories of this place. The air is sweet and sounds of nature abound. I always think of Dad when I'm here.
4. A quiet moment alone, looking up at a bright blue sky through tall trees.
5. The house my late grandparents built in the 1960s. Where I had my bachelorette party in 2004, where my sister got married in 2007, a place that will always be a second home.
6. An otherworldly sunset, as captured by Husband. He loves photography and is good at it. A passion of his. My younger sister just asked if he was an inspiration for my photographer character Tate and I smiled because I hadn't thought of this. Interesting to see things after the fact in my own work.
7. On Valentine's Day, my man gave me two things: A small book of love quotes (quotes have become my white wine) and a sweet little pear card. The pear thing is funny and meaningful. Fourteen years ago and only two months after we met, Husband and I went to visit a dear friend of mine in the Hamptons. We waited in line at a bagel place called The Golden Pear and we both fixated on an illustration on the wall - yup, of pears - and we looked at it and said, at the same time, with the same dragged-out intonation, a single word: Pears. It was a little thing, but a big thing; we looked at each other and smiled. A small, surefire sign.
8. On Valentine's morning, I went on a brisk walk with my two younger sisters and my littlest sister's boyfriend. It was chilly and the sky was the most brilliant blue. There is something so medicinal about walking, about fresh air and open spaces.
9. Two tables set for Valentine's dinner. There were many of us here. Mom and four of her dearest friends and two of my sisters and all of our kiddos and men. I look at this and am struck by the symbolism of the Adult Table and the Kid Table. Such fond memories of being at the little table, but now its our kids' turn. Oh, Time.
10. Snapped just this morning. I stood out on the porch in my pajamas, clutching my cup of coffee. Our last morning here, for now. Later today, we will drive into Charleston, where two of my sisters live, and tomorrow Husband will whisk the kids home and back to school. I will stay on to do two events for The Ramblers and then make my way to California to do two more events there, in the Bay Area and then in Los Angeles. (Full event schedule here.) I hate to be away from my man and my girls, but I'm excited to get out there and talk about this book of mine, and to see and meet so many of you. More notes from the road to come.
{Hope you're having a good long weekend and thank you again for all your love and support during this exciting time! If, somehow, you've missed my 978 posts about my brand new novel and would like to learn more or buy it, click the image below!}
