Peace, Out for a Fortnight

Getting geared up for the big road trip with the husband and kiddos. We're going to Jekyll Island, Georgia, for a week with the rest of ma famille. This will be my last post for at least a couple of weeks, because I'm about to start packing in earnest (leaving in a bit over 48 hours). It will take us two days to drive down, we'll stay a week, and then there are the two days back up, and--boy--that's a lotta driving and time away from home!

This may be the big mistake of the summer, but I'm not taking my laptop. I'm not even taking a hard copy my novel-in-progress. I will take a notebook and some pens and pencils, but I'm not expecting anything to make its way to the paper unless the brownies also do fiction. (Did anyone else's Brownie Handbook have the story of the brownies who came in to the cobbler's workshop at night and helped him finish up his shoemaking? Or clean up his mess? Or something? They've probably edited that one out in favor of some story about more realistic role models like Audrey Hepburn or Serena Williams. Did I say realistic? I digress...)

So I'm not planning on doing any writing at the beach. Reading? Yes.

I'm taking Julia Spencer-Fleming's In the Bleak Midwinter, Michael Connelly's The Closers, Allison Brennan's The Prey, and Cathy Pickens' Southern Fried. Lord knows, what with my plans to tour the historic district, go horseback riding, bicycle with D, cook, eat, and shop, I may not have any time to read. Yes, there's always that lolling on the beach thing. I've heard that's very relaxing for people who aren't chasing a 14mo perpetual motion machine and an almost 3yo imp. Most likely, the books will be devoured on the ride to and fro, and in bed late at night.

Gotta go lay out the kids' outfits, so I guess this is goodbye for a bit. I will say to you, as my parents used to tell me when they left me to my own devices, "Keep your nose clean."

I never really understood it. Is it snot-related?

p.s. The dogs weren't invited, sadly. So they will be relocated to a deluxe compound with heated floors and four-legged neighbors whose butts they can sniff with abandon. Hmmm--maybe that's what it means.