Lofts to sleep in and wake up in the sun:
Coffee and mimosas on the morning patio:
Lazy afternoons by the water:
…and skinny dipping at dusk:
Did I mention hip hop dance parties in the kitchen with my friends dad too? Yeah, those.
There are grocery stores called Festival as if there were a party inside:
…and there was. String cheese that looks like this? Yeah- that’s a party:
You’ve gotta love a courtesy phone like this in the meat section. Let’s face it- you don’t get this in the big city:
More? There are spots to eat dinner called Elmer’s Place that have signs like this:
So I didn’t participate in the Friday Fish Fry, but yes- I totally ate fried cheese curds for dinner last night and they were delicious. When in Rome…
Preface:
I’m a modern-day nomad. I have no permanent address, no possessions except the ones I carry, and I rarely know where I’ll be six months from now. I move through the world without a plan, guided by instinct, connecting by trust, and constantly watching for serendipitous opportunities.
People are my passion. Unlike a traditional nomad, when I go somewhere, I settle with the locals long enough to share the minutes of their days, to know the season of their lives, and to be trusted with their secrets. I have lived with people in thatched huts, slept in their gilded palaces, and worshipped with them at godly ceremonies and dens of black magic. I have also cooked with women on fires all over the world.
I’ve been living and loving my nomadic existence since the day in 1986 when, at the age of forty-eight, on the verge of a divorce, I looked around and thought: There has to be more than one way to do life.
There is.
***
I’m sorry I can’t remember who gifted me this book for Christmas 2005, although I am thinking it was probably my Mom. At least I had the date written on the inside of the front cover. I picked up my copy this morning to read again, then sent Author Rita an email (we’ve been in touch now for about 6 months) to which she immediately responded. (It’s pretty amazing, you read or hear about someone you think is fantastic, contact them to tell them that and they really do get back to you, which is of course the reason you thought they were fantastic in the first place; they are.)
Thanks for being such an inspiration Rita. The last paragraph of your preface is what continues to stay with me most about this book after 7 years. After rereading it again today I had to post it here. Â There certainly is more than one way to “do” life and I fully plan to keep on doing it. Glad you are too!
…from Otter Creek Brewing Company.
No matter where I am in the country, every time I see a Vermont license plate, my stomach does a happy flip. I love my home state. I spotted this VT plate and sticker a couple days ago in Chicago and had to smile:
There sure is a lot of delicious beer in the Green Mountain State. Here’s to local brews for the summertime!
ILOVERMONT.