

Ted & Wally’s: A Scoop of Nostalgia
“How many scoops can I get?”
“Two.”
“How many toppings can I get?”
“You don’t need more than two.”
“Well, can I get it in a waffle cone?”
Sigh.
“I don’t care.”
Continue reading “Ted & Wally’s: A Scoop of Nostalgia”
Looking At The Future
Everyone sees something different depending on where they are looking from. Continue reading Looking At The Future

The Purple Door
Matted, patchy in places, what is left of my fur makes me look mangy, I know. But I don’t mind. Even when some of them grimaced when they had to touch me. But you never did, you only ever smiled to see me, no matter what I looked like. Even through puffy eyes and cheeks running with tears, a corner of your mouth would turn up for me.
It might not seem like it to all of them, but I think we had a pretty good go of it together. Not so long in years, but many in grand adventures. Continue reading “The Purple Door”

The Nebraska Pilgrimage
“GO BIG RED!!!!”
Screamed by voices big and small, high and low, it was almost always followed by an echo ranging from a whisper to a sweeping roar. And that was what I was most unprepared for, the deafening noise of the “Sea of Red.” Continue reading “The Nebraska Pilgrimage”

The National World War I Museum
It was the uncertainty – not knowing what was just ahead of me in the dim light. The next flash of light gave me just enough time to make out a trio of silhouettes and the body of a horse lying in the mud.

A Bomb Shelter and a Book
“This is not a test. Nuclear missiles have been sighted off the coast of the United States, seek shelter immediately.” Continue reading “A Bomb Shelter and a Book”

Confessions of a Pipe Band Groupie
I suppose it is fair at this point to call me what I am…a groupie. It was completely unintentional and, frankly, I’m not sure I ever really chose it. It just happened. Like when you enjoy a nice family dinner until you look up from the last bite and notice everyone else is gone, leaving you with their dishes. Continue reading “Confessions of a Pipe Band Groupie”

Canada Day
I felt as if I was intruding. Like I was wandering a set only to realize as I came center stage that the play was in full swing. Wrapped up in the excitement of the night before, I had invested in a tank top that I now used to try to blend in, throwing them off my American scent. The white words a stark contrast from the vibrant red:
“True North Canada Love the Leaf”

Cotopaxi National Park
If you are trying to make the most of a limited time and you have the budget, I would definitely recommend a guided tour in Quito. One of my biggest splurges of the trip was a private tour of Cotopaxi National Park or Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. Continue reading “Cotopaxi National Park”

TelefériQo
It looked like any other gondola, or what they always looked like in the movies anyway, I had never been on a real gondola before. The closest I had come was the ski lift at Adventureland Amusement Park or the Skyfari at the Henry Doorly Zoo. It seemed mostly safe, only swaying in the stronger breezes as we ascended the mountain. Not that I cared that much, I was too busy trying to take in the view behind me, below me, and above me. The thickening golden rays of the waning afternoon sun streamed through the valley below, once again highlighting the many colors of the city.