First Things First - going out of town

When I was fresh out of graduate school I went out of town one weekend per month. I wouldn't go anywhere terrific, but I would drive to see a friend in Madison, Des Moines, St. Louis, etc. Every 4th month or so, I could afford a plane ticket. I flew to D.C., Denver or Santa Fe. I only visited places where I knew someone I could stay with, as I couldn't afford to travel and to pay for a place to stay, I joined in and did whatever my friend was doing. I attended graduation parties, wedding receptions in the basement of churches, laid saltillo tile in a kitchen, shopped for new steel guitar strings, and drank a lot of coffee.

Once I became a mom, the weekend get-a-ways slowed dramatically. On my list of 50 things, traveling monthly has been reinstated. Since getting my notebook I've gone to Traverse City and split wood, San Francisco for a birthday party, stayed in an Air B&B in Hyde Park while at a conference listening to Kate Braestrup, ate burritos every meal while in Taos, and drank a lot of coffee. Nothing tremendously special, but time away from my own laundry piles and papers to be filed is always good for the soul.