Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can also follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. You may notice that this week’s blog doesn’t show our itinerary. As we head east for the summer, and then cross back to the west coast for the holidays, we plan to be a little more fluid with our travel plans. I’ll be starting school and will need time to work, we have some repairs scheduled for our moving house, and in general, we’re more comfortable being flexible.

2. Arkansas was much prettier than I expected! Rolling hills, green fields, flowering trees, and of course, the Ozark lakes. We spent a week at Table Rock Lake on the Arkansas side, and it was lovely. Definitely a place we’d vacation, but it was a bit isolated for us while we were trying to live our day-to-day lives. The nearest ‘town,’ and I use the term generously, was about forty minutes away, so it was a challenge to grocery shop, exercise, or pretty much do anything besides work and enjoy the scenery. Like I said, lovely if we were vacationing, but a long week otherwise.

3. Over the last few days, we’ve stopped in Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska, and now we’re heading to Kansas City, MO for a few weeks. My thoughts on middle America - there are a lot of cows and fields. A lot. However, I’ve been to KC a few times for book events, and Ray and I have a good friend who lives there, so I remember enjoying the city quite a bit. We have dinner plans, a date to watch the Royals play, and I’ve already found a yoga studio and a hair salon I’m hoping to hit up. It seems I’m more of a city mouse at heart!

4. Last week was my orientation for grad school. It was great to have everyone from the program in the same room, virtually of course, and hear from instructors and students alike. I’ve already made my travel plans for residency this summer and set up my school email account. It’s starting to feel real! I suppose when we write out that first tuition check, it’ll feel even more real, LOL.

5. Wind is my driving nemesis. I am comfortable driving this beast in rain or snow, over tight mountain passes, and up and down hills, but the wind is a challenge. As I write this post and get ready to pack up for our trek to Kansas City, the breeze is blowing. Yikes! She handles well, and I know intellectually that a good gust won’t blow us off the road, but it’s still really nerve-wracking. Wish me luck!

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien