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research highs, and the annual dilemma
What I want to know is, when you are researching and come across an amazing fact (eg, running with toes turned inward is more efficient), do you not want to grab the nearest person and say "Did you know...." or "guess what I just found out"? Well, I would. I also confess I tried to test the toes turned inward theory. I'm not a runner by any stretch of the imagination so, alas, couldn't really tell if it made the task any easier but I could imagine what a difference it made to Elizabeth after her years of boot-wearing.The short answer? Yes, people who write historical fiction tend to be dweeb/nerdy types who get excited over little details and love to share them. My experience of sitting down with other authors who write the same stuff I do is a hilarious conversation that would strike a non-participant as decidedly weird. I've been known to wake my husband up late at night -- to read him something. Listen to this is the cue that he can go back to sleep as long as he mumbles something positive sounding whenever I say, isn't that interesting? I especially like reading footnotes in historical treatments, because all the quirky details are in the footnotes. That's where I got the tall priest using a huge crucifix to wade into the enemy, which I then transformed into a key character in Fire Along the Sky.
On another matter entirely, this is the time of year when I am cast into long bouts of worry about vacations. Usually one or all of us goes to England for a week or more at some point, to visit Bill's family. However, we like to also have a week away someplace together, if it can be arranged. Or better said: if I can find a way to arrange something that will make everybody happy. The requirements are simple:
1. I want to take the dogs. This rules out Hawaii, the east coast, and pretty much everything that isn't without two day's drive. It also puts severe restrictions on where we stay. What I'd like most of all is to find a beach house where they'd be welcome. I don't like sitting on the beach, but I do like walking on them. And so do the puppy boys.
2. Bill wants to climb a mountain. A big mountain, preferably one with glaciers and difficult ascents. Failing that, he'd like to camp in the deepest wilderness. Of course, my idea of roughing it is a three star hotel.
3. The girlchild wants (this year, at least) a huge amusement park with crazy, dizzy making rides. Orlando would be good, because there's lots of stuff there. She wants to bring one friend along. Or three. Failing that, she'd like a week at the Plaza in Manhattan. Money? What's that? And of course Bill would rather give up a tooth than spend a week in Manhattan.
So it's up to me to somehow make these three visions come together. Yes, I know: I should extract myself from this and refuse to be put in the middle, but it never works out that way. I've been roaming the web looking longingly at beach houses on Vancouver Island and in Oregon, making overtures at the dinner table. Look at this, say I. A hot tub and a fireplace and a mile of sandy beach! Bill looks noncommital, but the girlchild is openly contemplating filing for emancipation. The puppy boys, at least, are grinning at me.
If I wait long enough, nothing will be available anywhere and we won't do anything. But I'll be so exhausted by the process of not finding something, I won't mind anymore.
Another question tomorrow.
November 26, 2004 04:18 PM
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Comments
Can relate to trying to find the perfect holiday destination ... usually in our family things don't get organised in time and we plunge instead into a holiday that nobody really enjoys.
Also, have tried to bring our dog with us .... why is the hospitality industry so unfriendly to dogs? But we do take her with us when we fly to family over Christmas. However, there are few other sights that can pull at the heartstrings as much as seing your little dog in her little cage sitting on the tarmac all alone, waiting to be loaded into a noisy, scary plane.
Posted by: Jacqui at November 26, 2004 09:22 PM
AAA (and CAA in Canada) publish a hotel guide called "AAA PetBook: Travelling with your Pet" described as "The purr-fect guide for tips on packing up pets, deciding on transportation, and choosing from over 10,000 pet-friendly lodgings in the U.S. and Canada. Also inside: animal clinic addresses, pet-friendly national public lands, and more."
Maybe that would help. Free to members, possibly for sale to non-members.
Just FYI.
Posted by: Pam at November 27, 2004 12:25 PM
Hey S!
Sorry for being away for so long (getting a new house and settling in will do this), but I thought you might forgive me if I tell you that I have the solution to your problem:
Perigord, France, has got the prettiest landscape you could ever hope to find, dogs are welcome just about everywhere (including restaurants) AND it's got caves and rock faces akimbo for hubby to amuse himself with, whilst girlchild enjoys medieval/stone age-themed amusement parks, leaving you and the boys to work off all that foi gras, going for long walks in the deer-infested forests...
Sound ok?
C.
Posted by: Chris at November 27, 2004 02:42 PM
Canada. If you look for a bed and breakfast close to Calgary that takes dogs, there's Calaway Park, western Canada's biggest outdoor amusement park, and mountains to climb not far away, in Banff. Plus, our dollar's worth less than yours.
Posted by: Jena at November 28, 2004 02:06 PM
Thanks Sara for the answer to my question!
I'm glad the answer is yes. (I feared I was the only one).
LOL
Alison
Posted by: Alison at November 28, 2004 04:05 PM
Sara, i know the dillemma that you are facing, with having two teenagers of my own at one time. FuNNy to hear the familiar name tag that you put on the CHeRUB.
GReAT suggestions from all...
I would schedule a three or four day vacation to the Orlando area. Then break up the rest into the two or three desirable other vacations. We have found also scheduling several mini-vaction weekends have worked also.
Great suggestion about the AAA Pet Lodging book.
Posted by: joanna at November 29, 2004 05:18 AM
http://www.steinhatcheelanding.com/accomodations_petvacation.asp
No mountains, but maybe your mate would enjoy a nice wild scenic river and Nature Areas??
Posted by: robyn at December 3, 2004 05:50 AM