Tag: Vacation

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Bendable, Poseable Jesus

The Easter holiday before Dad died, I sent him a Bendable, Poseable Jesus of Nazareth. Back before we knew just how sick he was because he kept preaching and going to book sales and doing all the other things he always did, I thought it looked like just the kind of thing he could use for a children’s sermon or could work into some story he was telling. I must confess that I thought it was a bit funny, too, this Bendable, Poseable Jesus figure- – because the adjectives just seem silly, as if the product might sell on name alone. As if Jesus had ever posed for a selfie or been a contortionist.

Imagine my surprise when I found this gift still unopened in the package in the guest room after Dad died. I was going through all the boxes, and up popped Jesus in his Jesus sandals and robes. I decided to take him back home with me. With the way my year has gone throughout 2025, I need all the Jesus I can get.

As we packed to leave for Tennessee for a week with our children and grandchildren, I gathered colored pencils and games, puzzles, and toys to take for the week. I also grabbed Jesus, still packaged, to come along for the ride.

He spent the first couple of days in the kitchen window just in case I got tempted to say any words that would not be appropriate around children. And to remind me to be kind and patient and all the other fruits of the spirit.

Eventually, one of the grandchildren opened him and took him out of the plastic and cardboard, posing and bending the figure and playing with it. Even the baby of the bunch, Silas, got in on the Jesus action.

Silas, checking out Jesus

They played Peek-a-Boo, which may have reminded my daughter of the way my late parents hid a Waldo figure for each other to find. She began hiding Jesus and challenging all the cousins to find him.

Countless times throughout the days, they would play this game, taking turns hiding and finding. My son came up from the game room and asked what they were doing.

“We’re finding Jesus,” they all shouted, in unison. The look on his face was priceless.

On our last day, Jesus was in the middle of a good hide. We’d not seen him since the day before, and we almost forgot him, when my daughter remembered him and asked, “Where’s Jesus?”

Saylor, the oldest granddaughter who’d been the last to hide him, ran back inside and then returned shortly, carrying him out to the car.

“We can’t leave Jesus in Tennessee,” she exclaimed.

Nope, and we didn’t. Jesus is safely packed back in the bag to be hidden again on our next trip together. He’s a part of our daily lives, yes – – but on vacation, He will come along and play all the games with the children, and abide with the adults in a very chaperoning way.

We need as much of Him as we can get.

We all need Jesus

to remind us to be kind

to seek Him daily

Mallory and Beckham with Bendable, Poseable Jesus
With 6 of our 7 grandchildren – Beckham, Saylor, Magnolia Mae (Noli), Sawyer holding Silas, and River
Our 4 – Ansley, Andrew, Marshall, and Mallory
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July 5 – Hilarious Hitchhiking “Hunting” Hawk of Sandia Peak

We were taking an aerial tramway ride back down from 10, 378 feet above sea level from the summit of Sandia Peak to Albuquerque, New Mexico over the Cibola National Forest when I spotted a hawk that appeared to be riding the cable up to the peak.

How ironic, I thought. I’d been birding at the peak, counting my species and entering them into eBird, using Merlin ID to help lead me to the trees where they sang their identifying birdcalls. I’m always on the lookout for larger birds. I’d seen a Road Runner under a picnic table seeking shade from the brutal heat in Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas the day before, and after peering into all the trees and in the air for signs of these majestic soaring birds of prey, here was one comically riding the cable up to the top as I descended.

That’s my mama, I chuckled. She comes to me on wings. A bird in the depths of a canyon one day, and a bird in the heights on a peak the next. Three vultures when I’d prayed for the reassurance of an eagle at her burial.

“Is that a bird riding the cable?” I heard someone ask the tram operator.

“Oh, yes. That’s our resident hawk. He likes to ride the cable,” she explained. “When wildlife below falls beneath the shadow of the tram car, it scares his prey out of hiding. They run, and he swoops down for a fast-food-lunch. Makes his hunting easier.”

He gives the drive-thru a whole new perspective from the avian angle.

He also demonstrates his experience and intelligence. Here’s a bird who has figured out how to let a shadow do his heavy lifting while he sits and waits.

I’m inspired to think of all the times I make things so much harder than they have to be, when perhaps some creative thinking and a little patience would serve me well.

Which may be exactly what Mama was showing me.

On the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, New Mexico
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June 23 – It’s Getting Real! Boarding our Boys…

Ollie

One of the reasons we bought a camper in 2020 was so we could enjoy weekend getaways without having to board our three schnoodles. We call them our four-legged sons. They have definite food preferences, and true to the Schnoodlehood, they are each loyal to their one chosen toy. Fitz has a green turtle he uses to self-soothe, Ollie has a pink Hartz ball he lives to chase, and Boo Radley has a Shrek blanket that of all the things in this world he gets most territorial over. It breaks my heart to have to board them when we take a non-camping trip, so much that I feel tears welling up just thinking about it.

Don’t get me wrong – – we love their kennel, they love their kennel, and they get to stay together in the same crate. They’ll have outdoor playtime with other dogs, but just like siblings, they’ll schnocker and schnortle around at each other in their play-fighting ways while at the same time bringing each other the reassurance of family togetherness while we parents are away.

They don’t dislike the kennel, but they whine and carry on and show their anxiety about leaving home unless they know we are pulling a camper. Fitz will whine like a baby once we get on Highway 362.

All. The. Way. There.

Fitz

Boo Radley will likely lose control of his bowels for one small half second somewhere in the floorboard – usually around the gas station, and it will be like dime-size hail but will smell across three states. It won’t matter if he’s already taken care of this business this morning – – this is his way of showing me – proving – that his anxiety is higher than the St. Louis Gateway Arch and he is protesting being left behind. And Ollie, the most easygoing dog ever, will root his way into my lap just to inhale my exhales as we make our way there.

Their food is individually measured, bagged, and labeled for the week ahead. Their toys are packed next to their treats, and their shot records are all updated and entered into the system at their kennel. While we’ll only be gone a week, there will be no one playing morning tug of war with Briar’s jeans legs, no one putting his warm little muzzle up to my face to greet me first thing in the morning, and no one barking at one of us to throw his ball down the hall so he can run for it again,…and again….and again. No one reminding us about treats. No one waiting for one of us to crush an empty K-cup box with our foot so he can come steal it away, whisk it off to the couch, and chew on it in the living room until we take it away.

They’ve seen the suitcases. They’re suspecting something’s up, but not yet knowing exactly what.

Is it too late to back out? My heart can’t take leaving my babies!

I suppose that’s what sunglasses are really for……

Boo Radley
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June 15 – Route 66 Trip Planning: A Savvier Traveler

Several years ago when I traveled to Europe with a group of students for ten days, I realized that the recurring motif of 3s throughout so much of life holds true for travel as well and makes traveling with only a carry-on possible even for lengthy trips. Three bottoms and three tops yield nine outfits, and that’s more than enough clothing to take me through a week along Route 66 – and these items will fit with room to spare in one small bag.

Two friends in my writing groups have lost their checked luggage in the past few months. When we all gathered for an NCTE presentation in Anaheim, California last November, our Louisiana writer’s bags failed to turn up at the airport; she had to go buy all new clothes for the trip, right down to underwear, makeup, and a toothbrush. Our Michigan friend seemed to have it worse – – she’d flown to Italy and ended up borrowing clothes – – even for the wedding she was there to attend.

So I’m more than a little particular about not checking any bags, fearing I’ll end up on one side of the continent and my belongings on the other.

Before I decided to purchase my Coleman carry-on, I searched several major airlines’ websites to find out their maximum luggage dimensions for carry-ons. I took the smallest dimensions and made the decision to purchase a small hard-shell bag that could stand up to me. Solid swivel wheels, a thick exterior, and a non-flimsy expandable handle were the three most important features, and I also inspected it to be sure it had a stealthy zipper. I landed on a Coleman with a tactical flair.

My personal bag is one that I carry only on the airplane to get the maximum ride for space; once I get where I’m going, I whip out my Travelon backpack with its locking features and use this for daily excursions. The clasps that fasten the bag shut mean I don’t have to worry as much about theft, and the RFID protection gives an added layer of peace of mind. For this trip, I’m also adding a crossbody bag from Travelon, recommended by my traveling friend Glenda from Idaho. I’ll put the crossbody in the backpack and the backpack in the personal bag so that I have a range of bag options for any outing.

Crossbody/Fanny Pack Convertible bag recommended by my friend Glenda

I’m still seeking travel hacks, and some friends have emailed and texted me some great suggestions recently. I appreciate all of the voices of experience and the tips. Please share any packing ideas in the comments – I’m always looking for ways to become a savvier traveler!

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June 13 – Hydration on the Road – The Clear Winner

Last Friday, I started reviewing tumblers for my trip down half of Route 66 later this month. I’m heat sensitive and prone to lightning-fast dehydration, so my cup choice matters a lot to my physical ability to enjoy outings. On Saturday, I reviewed the 40 ounce Hydro Flask tumbler, on Sunday the Stanley 30 ounce Iceflow, and on Monday the Stanley Flowstate Quencher H2.0 30 and 40 ounce tumblers. Today, I’m declaring a winner to make the roadtrip with me. If I had been reviewing for another purpose, there may have been a different tumbler trophy awarded, but I know which will make my best travel companion.

For the past six months, my buddy has been the 40 ounce Hydro Flask that I bought on a Black Friday deal and have used daily. Before that, I carried a Yeti, and before that, a Tervis.

I was looking for a tumbler that is leakproof, that can get me through 3 or 4 hours without a refill, and that can keep ice cold overnight. I stuck to the name brands not because of their popularity on TikTok (which I don’t even watch), but because I tend to be very hard on shoes, bags, and cups and feel that name brands bring a durability that knockoffs don’t always offer. Plus, I have fond memories of Stanley since childhood when my grandfather took us camping in Fernandina Beach and drank coffee from his Stanley thermos all day. When he wasn’t on vacation, he took that thermos, with its side luggage-like handle, to work with him every day. Perhaps that’s why my heart leans toward Stanley products.

Before we were married, my husband and I would make a pot of coffee and fill our own green thermos for a long drive daytime date. We’d stop at a roadside food market to sit in rocking chairs and share a dessert and a cup of coffee from the lid that doubles as a cup.

Fond memories, indeed.

There was one clear winner as I searched for the best tumbler to take on my trip. It’s not without its weaker points, but its strengths catapulted it to the blue ribbon platform almost immediately for the purpose of traveling.

The traveling tumbler trophy goes to……

The 30 ounce Stanley Ice Flow Flip Straw Tumbler

This Pool Swirl beauty has a design that brings back the psychedelic 1970s and that woman dancing with the radiating colors all around her to Aquarius Let the Sunshine In by the Fifth Dimension. And what a fitting song – – all the aqua of aquarius, and the sun shining in, too.

This tumbler doesn’t leak when the lid is fastened correctly, it fits in both RAV-4 front seat cup holders, and even fits snugly down into the side pocket of my backpack. The non-bottlenecked lid makes adding ice a simple task. The handle pops up from the top and so does the straw, making it a more compact design than the Quencher model with the handles that can only be carried one way, unless you purchase the shoulder strap and make it like a purse.

The Hydro Flask and Quencher models both have their winning merits for different purposes; I’ll use the Quenchers for work and for drinking coffee, and the Hydro Flask for hiking when we go camping.

But the winner for compact travel for those needing high-tech hydration is the Stanley Ice Flow Flip Straw Tumbler!

Cheers to staying hydrated this summer with your favorite cup! And cheers to a great way to start the day with The Fifth Dimension!

The Fifth Dimension – Aquarius: Let the Sunshine In
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June 10 – Hydration on the Road – 40 ounce Hydro Flask Review

I’m not “extra.”

I live a simple life in a modest home in the rural Georgia countryside where, as they say, it gets so hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. I work as a Literacy Specialist in a school system, so I do a lot of reading and writing in my “spare time” – enjoying the quiet times. I love long walks with my three Schnoodles (a portmanteau for Schnauzer/Poodle designer dogs, who were popularly considered mere mutts up until recently) – Boo Radley (To Kill a Mockingbird), Fitz (F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Ollie (male-gendered name for Mary Oliver, my favorite poet). I also enjoy filling my birdfeeders with different types of seeds to be able to observe a variety of avian friends, and taking to full nature experiences in state parks on weekends in my small teardrop camper. I apply a thin layer of makeup with my own fingertips (no fancy brushes or sponges for me) only on days when it’s absolutely necessary, and I don’t filter my photos to make myself look ten years younger. I dont’ wear the latest fashions ~ my blue jeans are a store brand, not a name brand. And my travel mugs are not inspired by social media influencers – nor does Tik Tok govern my thinking (I think I’ve watched a grand total of 3 Tik Tok videos in my life).

I’m not “extra.” But this isn’t all about me.

It’s about high-tech hydration for a girl with heat sensitivity who is prone to dehydration and who happens to be road tripping from Chicago to Albuquerque along Route 66 in the mid-summer heat later this month.

A girl who must proactively bathe her organs in cool-flowing internal water fountains, who needs a little more than a salt tablet and a recycled plastic bottle of Dasani or Deer Park or Aquafina along for the ride.

I begin my review of the best water tumbler with the Hydro Flask 40-ounce tumbler, which I got on a Black Friday deal in November to replace a Yeti, which had replaced a Tervis before that. I bought two and gave a charcoal gray one to my son, who works on the rooftops of houses in the South Carolina sun along a lower latitude line, even closer to the equator than I am.

It doesn’t fit in this cup holder.

I have dropped this tumbler more than the Atlanta Falcons drop a football and slammed on brakes so hard once that I’m surprised it didn’t soar like a missile straight through the windshield ~ but still, no dings or dents in this plainest-colored bottle, white as a snow-topped Alaskan mountain from the view of a Lido deck over coffee.

It’s in great shape, but there are a few things that prompted me to seek a better tumbler fit.

One is the portability of the thing. It doesn’t fit in either of the front cup holders in my car or in the door holders, because the bottom isn’t tapered. While that may not be a big deal to most people, I often keep it in the front seat if I’m traveling alone, or in the back seat if I’m traveling with a passenger. When the driver happens to be my husband, who takes most curves on two wheels, the missile takes aim for doors and floors as he drives.

As he was driving last week, I reached into the back seat and secured it in the seat flap, to his great relief.

It doesn’t have a solid fit in the cup holder because of the non-tapered bottom.

I’m glad you got that thing under control, he thanked me. It was scaring me every time it hit the door.

I resisted the temptation to suggest that if he took our rolling hills and curves a little slower, it wouldn’t be hitting the door with such force. Trouble is, his words rang true. It was always in the foot somewhere, spinning and rolling around like a tantrum-throwing toddler, just enough to be annoying.

His words prompted my search for a better traveling tumbler. One that would stay put and get the job done. And so I gathered some cups for a full review of what will work best to keep me out of dehydration and help me avoid a heat stroke.

I’m not “extra.” I’m just needy, and slightly particular.

The Pros of the Hydro Flask 40 -ounce

It holds a lot of water.

It’s big, but not too big.

It keeps ice cold overnight, into the next day.

It comes in a variety of colors.

It can be carried inside a backpack without leaking.

It has a pop-up straw.

It’s durable, practically indestructible to the point that it might prove to be bulletproof.

The Cons:

It is bulky and heavy.

It doesn’t fit in any of my cup holders.

It has a handle that makes it awkward to carry. (But you can order a lid with a jug handle).

The opening is smaller than its thickness, making it harder to fill with ice.

The bottleneck opening makes it a bit harder to clean (you need a bottle brush).

The suction is good, but the square mouthpiece is uncomfortable.

Tomorrow, I’ll review the Stanley Ice Flow 30-ounce tumbler.

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June 1 – The Mother Road Planning Day 1

Roadtrippers App – the best trip planning tool I have found

This month marks vacation month once my 210-day contract ends for this school year, a few short weeks from when my next one is set to begin. We’ll fly out on June 24 from our home an hour south of Atlanta, Georgia to Chicago, Illinois to drive a little more than half of the east-to-west direction of Route 66, ending in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I’ve had a long-time dream of traveling the roadways to see a cross-section of The Mother Road just as Steinbeck and others with relentless resfeber have been enjoying in truck campers named Rocinante and other less-famous vehicles since it came into being.

I’ve downloaded Roadtrippers to map our journey, and I’ll be blogging and photographing it every step of the way. This month, every day (except June 17-21 when I write with Open Write) will be devoted to the planning process and the way we decided on this travel plan as our vacation for this year. The last week of the month will be the actual journey from Chicago to New Mexico following Route 66.

My first step in vacation planning: downloading Roadtrippers, experimenting with it, and deciding to upgrade to Roadtrippers Plus. I have created an account, and I’m ready to begin planning. The app will map my distance each day and actually calculate my mileage and projected gasoline costs based on the rental car for the miles per gallon and the cost of gasoline. I can’t recommend this app highly enough after using it for several “test drive” road trips with the free version. I have even shared the very beginning of the itinerary with those who’ll be traveling with me through the share feature in the app.

Hold on, America! Here we come!