Trippin' with Susan Straley

Hi, That's what I want to know, does the sky look different when a hurricane is just a few hundred miles away? Earlier this week it seemed strange, a fog, it was above us... maybe you would call that low-hanging clouds. And now the glows seem to move fast and there is a wind, but that could be normal. We are the fortunate ones.  Just out of the danger range.  One county over, the schools are closed so they can remain open as storm shelters for those escaping Hurricane Dorian. Hurricanes are relatively new to me.  Born and raised in the Midwest, the tornadoes would come and go in a matter of minutes.  Here, we start watching the storms form over by Africa and talking about the chances of it coming our way.  And then Hurricane Dorian lost the push of high-pressure behind it so we were expecting it to hit on Sunday, then Monday, then Tuesday.  In the meantime I have hauled plants into the house outdoor furniture to keep if from flying around and damaging someone's prop

Hi, There is a storm heading our way... or not. Dorian, currently a tropical storm gaining momentum in the Atlantic, may head this way, may not. My heart goes out to all those caregivers trying to figure out where to go, whether to go or stick it out.  In The Journey Continues I wrote about our trip to escape hurricane Irma.  We were lucky, we had the means and ability to get away.  Some of the friends in my dementia caregiver support group had a heck of a time during Irma.  One took her loved one to a special needs shelter.  Can you image what it is like to hunker down in a storm (and its aftermath) when you have someone you love with dementia? They are confused sometimes even in their own home and taking them into a huge space with cots set up row after row, no place to sit comfortably, nothing to occupy them. It was a nightmare for my friend and her husband.  Then the special needs shelter got over crowded and under-supplied.  There was not enough beds, food and toilet

Exciting times!  So much to learn, to decide, to experience! Ok, now what do I start talking about first?  Do I start off talking about what I have been thinking about?    If I believe the science telling us that climate change is happening and that human activity is a big contributing factor, what am I doing and what CAN I be doing (or not doing) to reduce my impact.  And then, I remember something I heard... "No snowflake feels responsible for the avalanche." Do I start off telling you about the "Trippin'" that is coming up?  North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Everglades, Florida Keys, Arizona... too much? Or do I start off telling you about what is happening with the books ? Audio, large print, book launch events... Ok, ok, ok, stop twisting my arm!   I will talk about the progress of the books first. If this isn't of interest to you, skim down.  You won't want to miss the Trippin' we are going on this fall! (I promise to take y

Hi. I got back from my mini solo tour gone awry.  I was feeling ok about not going to Wisconsin.  I was already planning another trip to visit my sister and my son in September.  I had a wedding to attend so I had already had it on my calendar.  No big deal. But -- I came home.  Most of my friends had left town.  Even those that don't go north for the Summer were gone for a few weeks.   I went a whole week without a social dinner... well, almost a whole week.  And for me that is something.  I felt funny.  I started questioning all my life choices. Do I want to move? Do I want to get a trailer and travel the country? Do I still want to write and publish books? Am I really any good or are my friends just being nice? Maybe I should get a REAL job with a pay check. If so, then I will have to move, right? Since there are no jobs that pay in Citrus County, Florida. Maybe I need a house-mate to share this big space with me. Wa wa wa... I felt tears in me, wanting to get out.

I was up at 4:45 because I was keyed up about beating the heat on my cycling trip home.  I would be riding from Tarpon Springs to Inverness, a ride of over 80 miles.  It had been a few years since I had ridden that far, I was a bit nervous. It was predicted to be 95 degrees, humid, and sunny on Sunday.  I packed two thermoses of ice water, a bottle of Gatorade, and a baggie with salty pretzels and nuts.  If I am smart and keep re-filling my waters, I should be ok. My neck had stopped hurting during my day of rest.  I had bought a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and was swishing it around my chipped tooth two and three times a day.  It had done the trick! Sunday morning is a good time to travel by bike.  The traffic is lighter because many sleep in or sit in church pews. I assembled my things and got them all packed on the bike and was riding by 5:30 in the dark.  I was glad I had packed my front light and a flashing back light because it was very dark when I departed Ellen's ho

Ellen has been a gracious hostess.  She has made me feel welcome and engaged me in lots of great conversation.  I have basqued in the aircondtioning, soaked in the food and beverages, and loved on Stinky the cat. Tonight, after cooking dinner for my hosts and making a mess of their kitchen and stove, I have wheeled out my trike and locked it up, ready to roll in the morning.  All the bags have been hauled back in because there is a lot of theft in the area.  I will have to re-assemble things in the morning. I am setting the alarm for 5 a.m.   It is going to be a hot day so I would like to be through the SunCoast trail by noon.  We'll see.  I did NOT arrange for a stop/sleepover part way.  Years ago, George and I rode the whole way from Inverness to Tarpon Springs.  83 miles.  Can I do it now in this heat?  I have packed nuts and salty snacks, a bottle of Gatorade and two thermoses of ice water.  There will be gas stations and restaurants and parks along the way for refilling th

So last night, here I was, exhausted, comfortably sitting on a balcony overlooking the beach.  Enjoying the sunset and sharing a picture on Facebook.   When I noticed that it hurt to swallow. A pain above my Adam's apple. Before I left I had started getting some pains in my neck and I suspected it was from a tooth that had chipped while I was in the Netherlands.  It was a back molar with a large filling and the whole side of the tooth had fallen off. I have an appointment with my dentist set for the end of July.  I thought, since I had not felt pain, I was ok to wait a couple months to see the dentist about it.  Just before I left I tried to get in, but it was near the 4th of July and my dentist was off for the week.  I went to the walk in clinic and asked for antibiotics to combate the infection if I needed it on this trip. I got some and I am carrying them with me.  I don't want to take them. We all have heard about the damage to the gut bacteria that can be caused by