On the Road Again - Ish

The cute pictures of Van-Ish (or whatever her name my turn out to be) have been posted on Facebook by Dub Box USA. She's soooooooooo cute. I can't wait to meet her in the ..."flesh"(?).. which should be soon according to her birth parents. I dream about driving down the coasts of Oregon and California, sleeping in my Covid-free trailer without the discomforts of home, such as constant reminders that we are in the midst of a pandemic, inescapable headlines about the upcoming election, and the overwhelming lethargy that seems to have overtaken me lately. Instead I will stare out into the Pacific, walk along beaches, and listen to the soothing sound of the nighttime ocean.  I am beginning to map out our route, hoping to revisit some favorite campgrounds from past journeys and eagerly anticipating time spent away from home at long last. It's been almost eight months since Covid has shackled us from trips away from home.

Even though it's in the 80s here in San Diego, signs of fall are beginning to peek out from the hot summer. The liquid amber tree across the street has begun to turn brown and orange; a slight breeze ruffling the leaves. Fewer birds nibble at my feeder. The beans and tomatoes in the garden are finished and I am preparing to plant my fall crop. Foxgloves and hollyhocks wait to be planted. Last year the gophers got them all.

I can't help feeling somewhat melancholy these days. My kids are far away; my grandson has started kindergarten; I will be homebound this year on Thanksgiving instead of spending it in New York with my family. However, I try not to dwell too much on the negatives. I'm grateful for the kids in my life, friends who have stepped in to fill empty spaces, my lovely porch where I read, embroider, and gather with friends to drink wine. I've gotten friendlier with my neighbors. Life has slowed down and might never regain its former frenetic energy - but that's a good thing, too. 

Tina

On the Road -- Soon-ish

 

We pressed “Go” today on she-who-remains-nameless-for-now (pronouns she/her/it).  I’m already imagining sunsets along the beach – cozy campfires, reading in bed, snuggling under a nice down comforter and falling asleep in my cute new camper trailer that is the closest I’ll ever come to owning a 60s-style VW Bus. I learned to drive stick shift on a 60s VW bus – in the 60s. I was 18 and traveling south along Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to San Diego. Fifty years later, my stick shift technique is impeccable, and the trailer looks like – but isn’t really – a vintage 60s-style VW Bus. 60s-ish, one might say.

            Got some pictures today of the trailer in progress. Little does she know that before too long we’ll haul her down the Oregon coast and California’s Pacific Coast Highway – in return she’ll shelter us from the elements and provide a nice place to sleep, despite the pandemic, masks, and all the other obstacles presented by Covid 19. We shall prevail!

The Case Against Designer Babies

If my experience choosing the color of our custom Dub Box hints at the angst that impending parents might experience selecting the features of a future baby, I’m not sure the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.  We can manipulate DNA to eliminate some diseases – that’s probably a good thing – but some choices are better left to chance, I think. Why set yourself up for possible disappointment? A baby can see just as well through brown eyes as blue; some kids love music and others excel at sports. Gender is moot. I have a flaming red Fiat sitting in front my house because the red one was cheaper than the mint green, which I actually preferred. So, when Heather emailed me that it was time to choose the paint color for our Dub Box, I spent hours poring over websites featuring vintage V Dubs and comparing them to the color chart. I first chose VW Birch Green – not unlike the mint green Fiat I wanted at the Fiat dealer. But when I thought of VW buses from my past, I changed my mind. They were mostly blue. Bluish. I checked and rechecked the chart –have you any idea how many colors qualify as blue-ish? Dove blue, Strato blue, Bermuda blue, Horizon blue, and Iris blue are five of the 28 choices available. Each time time I googled “Horizon Blue VW” or “Dove Blue VW,” a picture of an old beetle or bus popped up that didn’t match the color chip. Finally, I found what I was looking for on a video posted on the Dub Box website. My relief, however, was brief. I soon received another email with a link to another color chart. “Please choose the color you want for the weather curtain,” the email advised.

Really, I’m fine with anything, as long as it’s healthy! (Aug. 18, 2020)