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…

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!
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.
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.
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.
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

So here are this week’s five things…

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!
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!
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?
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!
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 - March 11, 2024

Five Things - February 26, 2024