When my husband and I decided on public school (which takes real commitment in Dallas) we told ourselves we would spend the tuition we saved on travel. I don’t think Brad thought we would really do it. But he married me, God help him, and seems to have enjoyed coming along for the ride.

My travel plans have landed us in both fabulous places and dullvilles alike. We’ve biked so far in Oregon that 6-year-old Gage wiped out falling asleep. We had the Eiffel Tower elevator to ourselves. We’ve stood on a Glacier.

Those young boys are now 18 and 20, one studying math, comp sci and economics at A&M, the other on his iphone.  My college kid looked at this blog recently brought up the whole-fish-on-a-stick my husband and other son munched on in China. Fins and all.

Public school was more of a chore than I anticipated.  My boys did well, but the district’s ideas about quality eroded, making future graduates less and less competitive.  At a recent board meeting, I heard an official announce that perception of the Superintendent’s quality is “59%, which puts us in the Excellent Category.”  I look forward to never volunteering for DallasISD again.

This is 2021.  Our tickets to Ireland from 2020 are good for a few post-vaccination months (assuming Delta survives).  Flights and trains have been replaced with walks to the living room and down to White Rock Lake.  I am grateful for the time, though, to launch  Nape  and Cuff a line of jewelry that my men and I can borrow from each other, most of it wearable on hikes.  There are also gemstone wrap bracelets long enough to be worn as necklaces. Stuff I want but couldn’t find. Please check it out and see what you think.

And, yes, we are still proud of Cole for barfing on the boots of a too-macho Park Ranger who really deserved it. The notes I have kept will do us little good because we’ll keep moving to new places rather than return. They may do you some good, though. I hope they do. Happy wandering.