When the going gets bad, the prey runs. When it comes to fight or flight, I'm a flier. Unfortunately, there are lots of stressful situations- moving, for example, in a mere three weeks with no particular place in mind as of yet and two large dogs to manage in the process- where flight is potentially a less than optimal response. So in those cases, I hold in my head a file folder of Happy Places to which I can retreat, if only for a moment, if only in my head. A Total Recall, if you will, of my ... Read more »
Africa
V versus the Volcano- Mt. Meru Part 1
Three years ago, when my youngest was still a baby and I was just starting out writing the blog, if you had told me I would be writing about climbing a 15,000 foot volcano I'd have laughed, and laughed some more. That's just crazy talk, I'd have told you. It was as much as I could muster to take a walk around the neighborhood with the dogs and the double stroller. Life was busy, and I had a lot of priorities, none of which were me. That was around the time Emmett and Mulan died within six ... Read more »
Going rate for the blond one: 20 cows, plus shillings.
This post is part of a series documenting a trip undertaken by a team of volunteers with World Vets who traveled to Arusha, Tanzania in June 2012 to provide veterinary care for the under (or should be say un-) served donkey population. For the full series of posts covering World Vets, please click here. I think genuine smiles are much more interesting than canned ones. You can tell. You can always tell. And as much as posed photos work in certain circumstances, I tried to avoid overly ... Read more »
Asante sana
I actually have an Ask Dr V segment I did yesterday that covered my favorite travel items I'm packing. I filmed it. Did I edit it? No. Am I out of time? Yes. So, I guess I can just tell you, though that lacks a certain visual impact, that I refuse to leave without having my buff (of course), my quick dry undies (some places in Africa won't launder women's undergarments), my Steri Pen to kill any garbage in the water, and jelly bellies. A long time ago when I was running a lot and was ... Read more »
Pie eatin’, dog and kid abandoning mom here
I opened Facebook on Mother's Day morning, shortly after my chubby fingered kiddos brought me (and Brody) toast and eggs in bed, and saw this oft-repeated quote: "A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." And I sighed. I really don't like that quote. It's like what we talked about on Friday all over again. Hey, unless you're cutting off your limbs and giving away all your pie and raising free range ... Read more »
It’s a black and white world sometimes
We had a full and busy weekend, like, I imagine, most of you. The kids are on a two week spring break, which has both its ups and downs. I'm sure they would be more thrilled if we were going somewhere exciting, but we're not, so they're not as thrilled as, say, their friends who are off to Maui or the like. Such is life for a kid. I've spent most of my spare time this weekend obsessing over black and white photography. I don't know why but I've always loved it. I think it's just so much more ... Read more »
Contagion
Not much of a post today, I'm afraid. I've spent the last week trundling my youngest back and forth to Urgent Cares, doctor's offices, and emergency rooms (twice in one day! hooray!) as we dealt with an ever-snowballing cascade of viruses, secondary infections, and tertiary allergic reactions to the medications sent to treat the secondary infections. It was a mess. My husband ended up with pneumonia, on the eve of another overseas business trip. And I fought it off as long as I could, ... Read more »
Then there was the time my husband almost sold me for some goats
It's Friday, and I'm in the mood for some Africa. How 'bout you? I don't know where my footage of me being the bush pilot in the Serengeti went, so I've decided I'm just posting Africa posts all out of order while I try and find it, and oh well. That was what happened after we left chimp camp, though. I talked the pilot into letting me fly shotgun over the FREAKIN SERENGETI which might be the only thing that could have topped a chimp brushing by my legs. It was spectacular. Anyway, the ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: a very special souvenir
Yes, for my big Africa trip I have a giveaway Tuesday item from the trip. I don't know what it is yet, since I haven't bought it, but I'll make sure it;s an actual item from Tanzania and not something from the duty free shop at the airport on the way home. (I was so pleased to finally have a reason to drag my Zoo Vet Barbie out of the garage. I think I will have some adventures for her when I get back, no?) To enter, you simply guess what is the first cool African mammal I will see on the ... Read more »
Heartbeat
When the idea to finally go to Africa came up, I was admittedly a little daunted. It is, after all, an entire continent. So how does one choose where to go, assuming this may be the only chance you get to visit it? I'm thrilled to do the safari, of course, and get a glimpse of the Big 5 if I'm lucky: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, cape buffalo. But the deciding factor in going to Tanzania, the one need that pulled me there more than the desire to see the Great Migration or watch a lion take ... Read more »
Me Jane
Many, many years ago, in college, a group of classmates went on a group trip to Africa to see wildlife and go on safari. As a biology major, this was pretty much the penultimate experience of a lifetime. As they all took off excitedly for the airport, I sat in my dorm room and sulked because I was a typical college student, and as such, had no extra funds for gallivanting across the globe. I grew up idolizing Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, dreaming those typical romanticized dreams of the Out of ... Read more »
