Currently, Podcasts, Reading, travel

Currently

Currently

WRITING: I am almost finished the first draft of Christmas at Starlight Lake. Just have to write the Christmas festival and the Christmas Eve dinner sequence. I hope to have it done next week and off to my developmental editor mid-April. I’ve also started the character work and outline for my planned October release, titled Double Dating with the Dead. It’s a ghost story. Having a super fun time letting my imagination go wild on that!

LISTENING: As you all know, I’m a podcast junkie. I listen to them daily while driving, cooking, walking, doing chores. I’ve got three new (to me) ones to recommend to you this month.

  1. The Drop Out. ABC News inside look at the Theranos scandal. Are you as fascinated by this case as I am? I loved John Carreyrou’s excellent book about Theranos (Bad Blood) but really enjoyed this in-depth podcast too. Just a few episodes–perfect for binge listening.
  2. Before Breakfast– Laura Vanderkam (author of 168 Hours and Off the Clock) gives quick, practical time management tips. This one just started this week but I love it so far. Less than 10 minutes and great tips. Perfect!
  3. Satellite Sisters –How did I miss this one for so long? Liz and Sarah from my beloved Happier in Hollywood podcast appeared on the Satellite Sisters and now I’m hooked. They’ve been broadcasting for 19 years so the back catalog of shows is pretty huge. Any can’t miss episodes you can recommend for me?

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READING: I am on the 12th book of the 44 Scotland Street series (A Time of Love and Tartan) by Alexander McCall Smith that I recommended to you last month. I’m savoring it because I don’t want to let these beloved characters go just yet. And I just listened to Lin-Manuel Miranda read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. One of my favorite books ever. I loved this sweet story. I listened to it on my daily walks and actually kept walking for an extra mile just to hear the end. I squeed so much that I scared a neighbor walking their dog. It’s great. Go read it!!

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WATCHING: Have you seen The Fix on ABC? It’s by the brilliant writing team of Liz Craft and Sarah Fain who host the Happier in Hollywood podcast. It’s a twisty, fascinating legal thriller and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Who do you think killed Jessica? Also, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is about to end (*sniff*) so I’m watching that one too.

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LOOKING FORWARD TO: Next month, we’re off to Aulani in Hawaii to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I’ve never been to Hawaii so I’m super excited to go on this trip. Will have lots of photos to share in next month’s “Currently” post so stay tuned for that!

Photography, travel

Visiting the Fishes

For our final spring break adventure, we took a day trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Located at the Inner Harbor, we visited on a cold, overcast spring day.

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Rescued near Long Island, this turtle only has one flipper. You could say he’s “all right” (Shout out, Arrested Development fans!) No word on if he’s named Buster or not.
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A stingray in Blacktip Reef

The Aquarium is divided into three main sections. The reef is the largest exhibit. Visitors walk through, starting at the surface with rays and turtles and then trailing into the depths to see the sharks. Other fish exhibits are studded throughout.

A second area is devoted to Dolphin Discovery. The aquarium has five female dolphins and two young males. We stayed through feeding time, which Fox loved.

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Downstairs, in that same section, there is a small cafe and a lovely and surprisingly peaceful display of jellyfish.

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Super proud that I took this shot on my iPhone!

There is a third section that houses a rotating exhibit by Animal Planet. Currently, it’s the wildlife of Australia. When I heard about all the snakes on display, I fled so I didn’t see the exhibit. Fox and The Pilot seemed to like it though.

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I remember these bubble tubes from going to the Aquarium with my sister as a kid. They look like something out of Star Trek to me.
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I loved that they had quotes on the walls throughout the exhibits. This one says “With every drop you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea.” Sylvia Earle.

There is also a big gift shop and a spacious cafe, with lots of healthy options. We had a great time and Fox can’t wait to go back.

Photography, travel

Chips and Caverns

Here’s another of our spring break adventures. We took another day trip to Shenandoah Caverns and the Route 11 Potato Chip Factory.

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We hit the potato chip factory first (hey—gotta have your priorities straight!) Route 11 is a small company, local to the area. I especially love their sweet potato chips. Yum!

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Through the glass of their small showroom, we got to see the whole potato chip process from frying to seasoning to bagging. We also learned that they remove the skins from the potatoes with sandpaper. Kinda neat. There are samples to try as well as bags of chips to buy. That day, we got to sample salt and pepper chips. Pretty tasty.

Tea Garden
Tea Garden

Around the corner from that, we went to Shenandoah Caverns. Though Luray Caverns is more well-known, Shenandoah is a lot of fun too. They also have a tiny 1931 elevator to access the caverns.

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Cascade Hall

During our about one mile walking tour, we saw hanging strips of bacon, the Grotto of the Gods, and the Capitol Dome, among others. Fox really enjoyed his time in “the caves.” He learned how to distinguish stalactites from stalagmites—stalactites come from the top.

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Capitol Dome

Photography, travel

Visiting with Mr. Jefferson

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During Fox’s recent spring break, we took him on several adventures. We took a day trip to Charlottesville, Virginia to visit Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson started Monticello at 26 and honed it for over 50 years, seeking to create his version of the ideal home.

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In a time before refrigeration, Jefferson stored fresh fish for the table in this pond.

Fox knows Jefferson as the 1-2-3 president. He was the first Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the third president. Much as The Pilot and I remembered from our own school trips there, Fox loved the clock on the wall of the entryway the best (it tells the days of the week)—though they had to cut a hole into the basement for the last three days.

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We were there in very early spring so most of the grounds weren’t quite in bloom. They have a gorgeous new visitors center and buses that carry you to the top of the hill to walk around and see the grounds. (Back in my day, we had to hike from the parking lot 🙂

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View toward Mulberry Row and the vegetable gardens beyond.

Even at six, Fox really seemed to enjoy his glimpse into history. Monticello is definitely worth a visit, if you happen to be nearby.

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A fun perspective shot of the back of the nickel Monticello with the real thing (my mom is holding the coin 🙂