A Good Lesson

No matter how good the music, no matter how great it feels to be driving 85 again, no matter how high the heels, it is imprudent to miss your exit after Nephi on I15.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Randomness

• If you ever find yourself in Tooele (Too-IH-lah) Utah, bypass the few chain hotels. They are awfully proud of their Hampton Inn anyway. Stay at the American Inn and Suites. Don't let the motel exterior fool you. And for goodness sake, try the 7:00 pm cinnamon buns they serve in the lobby most evenings.
  
• Tooele is a cute little town. Maybe it's not worth a special trip but if you find yourself there for other reasons, it's not the worst place to be. Not by far.
• Carry sunblock, regardless of what the plan is. The first sunburn in 30 years (literally) sucks.
  
• All the years my dad taught me to drive anchor in a convoy are paying off. Driving chase is wicked cool.
• Daddy never mentioned what to do when you are anchoring a truck and trailer loaded with 700 gallons of jet fuel. Eventually, it becomes as ordinary as anchoring any other vehicle ~ but those first few miles are...interesting.
• Should you find yourself in Nephi, stay in room 238 of the Best Western. It's $20 more than the other rooms and worth every freaking penny.
  
• Don't expect to find much in the way of dinner after 7:00 p.m. in Nephi, Utah. Expect to find even less after 9:00.
• The closest Wal-Mart, chain drug store and McDonalds are in Payson, 21 miles away. The closest bookstore is in Provo, ~35 miles away.
• The Payson Starbucks is one of the ones that got closed after the economic crash. This made me sadder than I thought possible for this Dunkin' Donuts girl.
  
• Racing the helicopter from the staging area 11 miles away in Mona from the hotel three miles away is wicked cool. I swear if I had another week to get really good on the back roads, I could beat him. Now? Lithus/helicopter 2. Pobble/car 0. *sigh*

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Morning Conversation with Lithus

I may be the only one amused by us. This may be a one-time thing. Or you may start getting regular reports on our morning conversations. We'll see. For now, this morning went like this...

Lithus: I like weather.
Pobble: I like weather, too.


Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Love-Hate-Life

The hardest part of living on the road is there is so much interesting stuff going on at all times ~ except when it's deadly dull and there's not even anything on television. How do I blog about that? I mean, the crazy, toothless couple and their adult daughters (?) living in the corner rooms of the hotel/flophouse are great characters but even they get dull after a while.

The town where we're spending most of this summer is...curious. On the one hand, I hate it. It's tiny, it's boring, it's same old same old. On the other hand, it's 10 miles away from a really cool little town with funky energy and neat little shops. Plus, in our town itself, we've found Italian food, a great burger joint, Indian food and Chinese. And the best biscuit I've tasted outside of a personal kitchen. The movie theatre is large and comfy and tickets are less than eight bucks. Two cool bars and a couple neat coffee shops. Sounds as if it would be charming, which it is ~ and which it's not.

I've started getting up with Lithus in the mornings ~ or at least a little after him ~ so I'm up around 8:00 am for the first time since I had an office job. Still don't love mornings. Yet I am loving the time together before he goes to work. The other day we got to riffing on something and laughing until we had tears in our eyes. Another morning resulted in a dictionary.com search for the actual definition of the word "bit" and did bit imply small or could you have a large bit of something. (As an aside, this is an excellent example of why we married each other instead of other people ~ we both actually care about this shit) This morning was all about Afghanistan and should we still be in a war over there or not.

Saturday night we met up with a couple guys Lithus has known for years and years and years. One's from Australia. One's from New Zealand. Both are pilots. God, I love pilots. We laughed and drank and talked and debated. Solved some of the world's problems and ran screaming from others. Australians really do call their country Oz and say "mate." New Zealanders really do refer to themselves as Kiwis and hate being thought of as Australian.

My cover flats showed up with the copyedits for the new novel. The back cover write up is horrible. As Lithus put it, they didn't try very hard. The worst part is, however, that they got a whole lot of it wrong. Like the name of the town and the name of the heroine and the state the town is in...yeah. And my internet was down so I couldn't get my editor's phone number, let alone send her an email. Luckily, Crow is willing to be indispensible in all kinds of ways, including sending emails. The back cover will be fixed and all will be well. I just "probably shouldn't use the flats for promotion, what do you think?" Yeah, New York Editor, I think you're probably right.

So it's a brilliant, boring, fascinating time. More cookouts on the truck bed. More poker with the heli-crew. More afternoons, surfing the internet for something to do because dammit, I'm bored. More experiences that don't always make for good blogging but make for great life. I can live with this.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Plotting GACK

I need a plot. I have great characters. I have a great setup. I just have no plot.

GACK.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

It's Corny But...

..every now and then, I get an email from a reader that touches me. Today, I picked a winner for the latest contest I ran and she is thrilled. Thrilled. She never wins anything. She's had a crappy weekend. She never imagined she'd have a second chance at it once the original winner was announced (the original winner never got back to me so I had to give notice then choose another one). I've made her day, her weekend, possibly her month. Does this sound a little over the top? You should've read the original, unparaphrased version.

For me, this is my job. Marketing and relationship development is as important as the actual writing. I forget that it is often more than just a job. And the truth is ~ as much as I touched her, it's no more than she's touched me.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

One of Those Nights

Lori, over at This Just In, has a posting up about those days when it's really, really good to be you, in that moment. Her post got me thinking about several of those times and how wonderful they were. Then an amazing thing happened...

I had another one.

Last night, Lithus and Mechie were craving steak so they decided (*cough*rationalized*cough*) that it really would be cheaper in the long run if the company bought them a small hibachi rather than steak at a restaurant every time they wanted their red meat fix. Lithus called home to see if steaks sounded good to me. As I was alive, conscious and, well, me, it did only I informed him that our hotel wouldn't allow us to have a grill in the parking lot.

Had I called? Nope. Were there rules posted? Nope. But I know this kind of hotel and they aren't the kind who are going to allow the residents, er, guests, have grills in the parking lot. Or chairs. Or door decorations. Because it's that kind of a hotel and once those things start, it stops looking like a hotel and starts looking like the flophouse it kinda, sorta is ~ at least down here on our end.

We were at an impasse. Until the phone rang and it was Lithus, informing me that he had spoken with the front desk and I was correct. No grills allowed on property. But if I wanted to pour myself a libation and wander down the parking lot, past the hotel's property, we were tailgating at the other end. I opened the hotel room door and, sure enough, there they were, at the other end of the parking lot, off the hotel's property, hibachi on the back of the company truck.




What's a girl to do? I poured myself a libation, wandered down and joined them for steaks, corn on the cob and potatoes. The sun set and we were under the full moon and the stars, listening to U2 and the Dropkick Murphys, because my baby loves me.

It was one of those moments and one of those nights. So I'm going to steal from Lori: tell me. Tell me about one of your those nights. You know you've got 'em...

Those are Pobble Thoughts, with some help from Lori and you. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Whoop ~ There It Is

March 2010 ~ which is a damn site closer than it should be. Some interesting things are happening in the publishing industry so we are holding our breath that there will be a third book in this series with the same publishing house. The problem is, generally, you have to be a much bigger name than I to successfully move a series from one house to another so...no contract with my current house for another in this series, no more series. Fingers crossed. And you know ~ know ~ I will keep you posted!

Meanwhile, I'm basking in this just a little before the business end kicks back in again and wanted to share.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

There's Been A Wedding

Somewhere in the middle of all the craziness, my step-daughter got married. She asked us to be a part of the event so Lithus is now (courtesy of the internet) an ordained officiant in the Church of Secular Humanism (which always makes me giggle just a little) and performed a beautiful ceremony (if I do say so, myself) written by, ta-dah, me. I hope it added a touch of East Coast sophistication to the event. I was honored to be asked.

Lithus prepping the day of...


The words he spoke...

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

How can we not rejoice and be glad today? Today is the day we stand with Bride and Groom as they proclaim their love for one another and commitment to be joined together in marriage. Who brings this woman to be married? (The Other Father of the Bride Responds) And Bride and Groom stand before us, their friends and family; before God, whom they both love; and most importantly, before each other.

So first, I ask you, the family and friends of Bride and Groom, the people who love them and whom they love, will you support Bride and Groom as they form this new union, help them grow and become everything they can be, both separately and together? (The Congregation responds “we will.”) Thank you.

Luckily, we do not have to ask the same questions of God. Bride, Groom, God’s blessing on your marriage is obvious. Whenever two people come together in love and respect, as you do, we witness God’s intention and blessing. For, according to the Bible, God created man, but he was alone and he was lonely. And God looked at His glorious creation and knew something was missing. So God created woman. When man and woman came together, God looked upon them and knew: this was good.

Yet simply being man and woman together isn’t enough, and that’s why you come here today. To not only be together but to join together, to bind yourselves as husband and wife. This choice has a deeper meaning and a greater implication. As God says to you in John 14:35, “You must now love each other as I have loved you.”

That’s not an easy commandment. For God’s love is all-encompassing. God’s love is unconditional. God’s love is the love from 1 Corinthians 13 which is “patient and kind; not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

No, not an easy commandment at all. To succeed in fulfilling such a commandment, you each must come here today in love, friendship, acceptance and respect. Groom, Bride wrote about your “forever eyes” and how they assure her you are with her forever; how you are the missing piece to her puzzle; and how, no matter how hard times get, you always meet her in the middle and are willing to work to resolve your differences. And Bride, Groom speaks of your intelligence, common sense and good judgment. He also knows you are dazzling and spectacular, while loving the fact that you aren’t always the most graceful of women. Perhaps the most striking thing, however, is how often the two of you said the same thing about the other. You both refer to the other as your best friend. You both praise the other’s parenting skills. You value how much in common you share. And you both confide in and lean on the other. This recognition of each other’s strengths ~ and the acknowledgement of the other’s imperfections ~ brings you here today, eyes open and hearts entwined. In other words, in love, friendship, acceptance and respect. All of us who know you and know your love for each other believe in this union and your ability to fulfill God’s commandment, even when it is not easy.

However, Bride and Groom, what we, your friends and family, believe is only so important. What is most important are the two of you and your promises to each other. Do you have the rings? Then let these rings be a symbol of your commitment to each other and a reminder of the love you wish to offer each other.

So Bride, will you take the ring and put it on Groom’s finger, repeating after me:

I, Bride, promise to love you, Groom, as God has loved you. I promise to give honor to this marriage and remain faithful to you. I will wear my loyalty to you like a necklace and write it deep in my heart. And I will love you and demonstrate that love.

And Groom, will you take the ring and put it on Bride’s finger, repeating after me:

I, Groom, promise to love you, Bride, as God has loved you. I promise to give honor to this marriage and remain faithful to you. I will wear my loyalty to you like a necklace and write it deep in my heart. And I will love you with the same love Christ showed the church.

By the speaking of these vows now and the living of them in the years to come, God’s plan is complete. This is indeed the day the Lord has made. We rejoice and are glad in it, as I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.


And the celebration...


Those are Pobble Thoughts ~ white, weddingy Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Lithus is Loving It

My cold turned to laryngitis. My laryngitis has turned into no voice. Nothing. I open my mouth and...silence.

Yeah. He's enjoying it. Perhaps a little too much.

Those are Pobble Thoughts ~ and the only way I can really communicate right now. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ or theraflu.

A Difference in Perspective

Yesterday, Lithus was on the phone with a friend and former colleague when I heard him say "Actually, we're homeless right now..." and it drew me up short. Over the last two weeks, he had made some comments about the economy and what it is doing to the private aviation industry. While I had heard him, they hadn't really registered. When he finished the conversation, I asked him about it.

Sure enough, he sees us as homeless. He sees this as something that has been more or less forced on us by the demise of Old Company. It's a very interesting perspective. And very different from mine.

What's been forced? Does he have a job that could pay for a home for us? Yep. Am I slowly beginning to build a name for myself that will start paying off in another year or so? Yep. Did we sit down and decide to live this way? Yep, sure did. After all, why pay rent on an apartment that we rarely occupy? All of which, in my world, makes us not homeless but living on the road. At least in my mind.

It's different for him, apparently. Apparently, for him, since we wouldn't have chosen this had O.C. not gone under then it is forced. And that part I do understand. But we could've chosen to stay in our apartment and be apart more often than not (neither one of us *would* have chosen this, but we *could* have chosen this). We could've decided to get a smaller, less expensive place as a homebase of sorts (which we are looking at more seriously, as we are learning Lithus misses having a homebase). However, we looked at those options and decided against them. We chose.

So, I remind myself his feelings are his feelings, even if I don't understand them or understand how he arrived at them. As a sociological observation, though, I'm intrigued. Two people. The same situation. The same discussions. Such very different perspectives.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

An Aside

Even with all the traveling and all the bouncing around, I still have a job. And I'm particularly pleased about this guest post so wanted to share. Check it out as soon as you can because I'm probably going to be deleting this post, as I don't want the Pobble to be connected to Pauline, via a search of some kind. But I had to share with y'all. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts, in spite of the name. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

And So It Begins

Kermit: Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,

With good friends, you can't lose,

Fozzie: This could become a habit.

Kermit: Opportunity just knocked, let's reach out and grab it,

Together we'll nab it.

Fozzie:Ya! We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.
Kermit (spoken): Cab it?

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.

Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon

We'll learn to share the load.

Fozzie: We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

(Dialogue)Kermit: (looking at the map) Hey, Fozzie, I want you to turn left when you get to a fork in the road.

Fozzie: Yessir: turn left at the fork in the road.(A giant fork appears in a fork in the road)

Fozzie: KERMIT!

Kermit: I don't believe that.

Kermit: Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,

Fozzie: And your way is my way--

Kermit: So trust my navigation.

Fozzie: California here we come, come pie-in-the-sky land.

Kermit: Palm trees and warm sand--

Fozzie: Though sadly we just left Rhode Island.
Kermit: (spoken) We did what?

Fozzie: (spoken) Just forget it.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Hey, L.A., where have you gone?

Fozzie: Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.
Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon) You take it, you know best.

Fozzie: Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.
Fozzie: (spoken) A bear in his natural habitat! A studabaker!

(Dialogue)Kermit: Hey, Fozzie, look up ahead.

(A tall creature is walking on the other side of the quiet empty highway)

Fozzie: What is that?

Kermit: Maybe we should give him a ride.

Fozzie: I dunno. He's pretty big. (The studabaker pulls alongside the creature)

Fozzie: Hey, there. Wanna lift?

Big Bird: Oh, no, thanks. I'm on my way to New York City to try to break into public television!

Fozzie: Ah...hmmm, good luck.

(The studabaker keeps on moving the other direction)

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Fozzie:We're truly birds of a feather,

We're in this together--

Kermit: And we know where we're goin'.

Fozzie: Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.

Kermit: We're stormin' the big town.

Fozzie: Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?
Kermit: (spoken) No, I don't think so.

Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along

Fozzie: Do I see signs of men?

Kermit: Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.

Fozzie: You're ready for the big time--

Kermit: Is it ready for me?

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!

~ The Muppet Movie
c. Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams

No bets on which one of us is Kermit and which is Fozzie.





Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

You Mean You Don't Know?

Lots of questions about where I'm moving. After all these years of reading and writing Pobble Thoughts you can't read my mind yet? Come on, people! I thought we had a bond here. *rolls eyes at self*

Since realizing I haven't spelled it out here, I figure it's time: We're moving...nowhere. And everywhere. We've decided to pack up, throw out, donate, minimize, clear out and store all our stuff and live on the road. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D Last night, our soon to be son-in-law came over and loaded up a truck AND trailer of furniture and household goods (remember the days when anything from Target could be considered "really, really nice" furniture?). We'll take them the beds this weekend. Yep ~ everything.

Lithus works for a new company now (his former employer finally laid him ~ and almost everyone else ~ off) but New Company is a smallish company, unlike Old Company used to be, so he works for contract rather than on a salary. If he's not working, he's not getting paid. I did the sit-at-home-and-wait thing for too long with the SGM. Even this last year with Lithus at O.C., I stayed home because Lionel couldn't travel well. Now? Now, my work can be done anywhere and Damned if I'm missing out on the adventure any longer. But if Lithus is going to be working that much and I'm going to be along, there's just no reason to keep an apartment and pay rent and utilities on a place we aren't. The N.C. pays for hotel and Lithus's expenses so all we have to pay for is my transportation and food.

At this point (because I have learned this is Totally subject to change at an hour or two notice), we are expecting to be either on the southern coast of Oregon fighting fires there, or back down in Vegas on a couple construction contracts. N.C. expects to have work for him through the summer at least. After that, he's got a lead on a job that starts late September in (drum roll please) Malaysia. Meanwhile, N.C. has also put bids on jobs in Australia and Africa; a friend of Lithus's has a lead on jobs in Chile and Portugal and they need another pilot (meaning Lithus); and N.C. is also working on more contracts in Mexico. AND Lithus has his c.v. out on job sites and has started getting requests for more information (one from Milan. Yes, MILAN, ITALY. Why would this suck?)

It's a totally new thing for both of us, living contract to contract and just having faith that the next gig will show up before we're out of cash from the last one. We have both always wanted to live this way and have never been with the person who would do it with us ~ until now. This is literally the culmination of a life-long dream for me. I remember being 11 when I saw my first road show (The Wiz) and realizing that OMG Not Everyone Lives In A House. That was it. I was done and this has been my goal since then. I'm thrilled beyond words and scared out of my mind. And happier than I have ever been in my life. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I also have faith that one of these days, our travels are going to take us near you, wherever you are.

For now, though, I have empty boxes taunting me so must get back to sorting and packing...

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

East Coast v. West Coast, In A Nutshell

When I have moved up, down and finally away from the east coast, my friends understood the time crunch that comes with moving. If the only way we got to see each other before I left was for them to come over and talk to me while watching me pack boxes, guess what? They came over and talked to me while watching me pack boxes. Usually they brought coffee because they are my friends and I am me. Helping wasn't the point, wasn't requested, wasn't expected (was sometimes given, though, but sometimes not). The point was having some last moments together to talk and laugh and experience one more story together.

When my friends moved, across town or across the country, I went and talked while watching them pack. Sometimes I helped; sometimes I didn't. That wasn't the point.

The few people who call us their friends out here have been told we want to see them, we want some time with them before we leave, we just have one week to get everything packed. We have invited them over, not to help, but to have some more time together before we leave the area.

Every Single One Of Them has said thanks but no thanks. One woman even said "Yeah, right, sure. I'm really gonna do that. But you call if you've got a free night to come over to our house."

Which is, in a nutshell, why I don't mind leaving the Pacific Northwest. At all.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and buck fifty will get you coffee.

What Happens in Vegas...

...is actually pretty boring, really. After being told we would be in the Reno area through the weekend, Lithus came home Monday evening and said we were heading to Vegas for the week. A one day consrtuction job on Wednesday followed by a day or two on the same construction site Sunday or Monday (those that are coming up). So, he flew; I rented a car. He came straight to Henderson, NV. I got to spend the night in Beatty, The Gateway to Death Valley next to Nevada's Largest Nut and Candy Shop! Because really, who wants to miss that?

Now I can say that I've wandered the Strip, seen the fountain show at the Bellagio and eaten at the Harley Davidson Cafe. We went through the Freemont Experience and had wicked strong drinks in Hugo's Cellar. Tonight, we are hoping to catch a drag show.

But the truth is, I'm underwhelmed. Maybe it's because I don't gamble. Maybe it's because I don't like tourist traps. But should you find yourself out here, I would really seriously suggest you opt out of the Strip and head to Henderson. Remedy's is open 24 hours a day. The movie theatre is quite nice. And the Omelet House is worth the drive from Reno, let alone from Vegas.

But my favorite part of Vegas or Henderson? This very misplaced Bostonian is less than two miles away from a Dunkin Donuts. For this week at least. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you a (Dunkin Donuts iced) coffee.

Back in the US

We are now back in the States (as of about 48 hours) and I finally have internet access. Last Thursday (or Friday? the days blur) we got the call that the contracts had indeed fallen apart and Lithus needed to return the helicopter back to the US. So we pushed hard and got her back here this weekend. Mind you, "here" is Sparks, NV which is quite a change from where I've been recently. LOL

There is so much to say and I can't put any of it into words. We have done so much ~ and really not all that much beyond flying in a helicopter. But Lithus and I have:
flown over the jungles of Mexico
flown over the oceans of Mexico
landed in major airports and tiny airstrips
lived in fleabags and 5-star hotels
learned to communicate enough in Spanish to get through a security check
had our sex toys found by VERY EMBARRASSED customs agents
sat on the beaches of Playa del Carmen and Acapulco and Cancun and Tulum
confirmed I don't like tourist areas but love local spots
slogged my luggage through 105+ degree weather
and so much more... and am LOVING every minute of it.

It feels so much like everything I've ever wanted. Everything makes me happy. And not just the beaches or fine meals. Delays are a good time. Customs searches are fascinating. Walking the 5 miles/day through and around the airfields to get all the paperwork handled in temperatures ranging from 95 to 110 is an adventure. Neither one of us can imagine ever going back to lives we were living before ~ and we were living more interesting lives than many people.

So, we're here in Sparks this week. Lithus will make a one-day jump down to Sacramento or somewhere to get the helicopter certified to fight fires here in the US and then we'll go...somewhere else. Probably CA or OR for the fires there. Meanwhile, his company is still trying to work out contracts with other companies in Mexico so we're hoping to get back there. Plus, he is continuing to apply for jobs overseas (the Caribbean, the Middle East, Malaysia, Hawaii [not overseas, I understand, but a very different culture than from the mainland]) and lots of contract work so we can either be based in somewhere interesting or keep living like carnies and travel. Even Sparks, NV is fun and an adventure when it's one stop on a long list of stops.

This is far from the end of Pobble Thoughts. Yet I get the feeling that posts may be a little more sporadic and even more stream of consciousness than usual. I'm still around, though. It's just gotten interesting. Why would I leave now? ;) Pictures soon as we have a cord for the camera. Until then,

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

What I Learned On the Way to Merida

My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).
You can get sunburned in a helicopter.
Nothing is as cool as that first take-off.
Unless it's the first hard bank.
Listening to air traffic control is as cool as I'd always hoped it would be.
Listening to guapo es spouso be a part of air traffic control conversaton is even cooler than I thought it would be.
It is possible to take a nap with the window open, the headset on, getting a sunburn and going 120 knots half a mile above the earth's surface.
120 knots is 160 mph to you and me.
Men with big guns get their way, even if they only want it because they are bored.
Flight plans get filed in one office.
The Aeropuerto de Commandancia has to stamp the flight plan in another office.
They are next door to each other.
No, you can't cut through the door ajoining the offices.
Dozing with your head on your leather bag in the shade of a helicopter is cool as shit, even when it's hotter than hell.
Living the life of a gypsy or a carnie is even better than I had imagined at 11 years old.
Running away with the circus was a great idea when I was a kid.
Running away with el piloto y el capitan is even better as an adult.
My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

What Happened Next

Thank you all for your support around Lionel's death. It was a hard week. Flora was great. Lithus was great. And the house was very empty. Life, however, goes on.



Thursday morning, Lithus called for my morning phone call (he always calls before he leaves the hotel for work) and said "Can you be on a plane tonight?" At which point I said "No way in hell." Then we argued a bit until he finally assured me that I didn't need to get everything done that he had asked me to do and I let go of needing to do everything he had asked me to do. Without those constraints, the answer was yes, actually, I could be on a plane that night. And so I was.



By Friday evening, I was in Mexico. He met me at the Cancun airport with his own suitcase. Since we hadn't had a honeymoon back in February, he decided the first two days of my time in Mexico would be honeymoon. We went to Cancun Desire. Oh my. It was everything you'd want a honeymoon to be. More.

Sunday, we were back in Cancun proper. We spent the afternoon tooling around the touristy areas but made it "home" ~ old town Cancun ~ in time for dinner with the crew. And here we are. Maybe until tomorrow. Maybe until next month. Who knows.

Holding the monkey made me miss Lionel's soft furriness. Seeing the man walk his dog made me tear up. And life goes on. In unusual and wonderful ways.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you una cafe.

Lionel

Whenever possible, I celebrate the finishing of a book with time at a spa. Today was the Bobby's Book Spa Day. I was gone for about 5 hours. When I came home, I could hear Lionel barking from the street.

Upstairs, the place was covered in vomit and poop. He was on the kitchen floor, unable to get up. I cannot think what his day was like. I made it home in time and that is what matters. I picked him up and he collapsed his head on my shoulder. He never does that.

Without even putting him down, I called the vet.

It was fast and appeared painless.

There may be more later. There may not be.

That's all I got tonight.

Addendum ~ The hardest part is when I realize he isn't coming back. He's not at a play date. He's not hiding or asleep under his blankets. The vet won't be calling to say I can come pick him up. Lionel just...isn't coming back. As Lithus pointed out, it happened suddenly. It was expected but he was fine this morning. This morning. And now he isn't coming back. That's when I start to cry again.