Sitting at the breakfast table surrounded by tousle haired, caffeine hungry men, I quoted aloud the first line of my new book Player Piano. Unfortunately this was not my audience and I was met with blank stares and silence. After a moment Kelly piped in from across the room, “Is that Kurt Vonnegut?” I was awestruck. I had read one sentence. “How could you possibly know that?” I asked, desperately trying to keep my jaw in it’s upright position to hide the fact that she had just completely won over my literary heart. “I dated his nephew.” This turned out to be one of the many great stories Kelly kept in her back pocket.

Cristian appeared moments later asking   Continue reading →

There we were, cruising southbound from Chachapoyas when a diabolically camouflaged speed bump materialized beneath the front wheels.  As the rear wheels hit, the spring loaded turnbuckles had just enough play to allow the camper to shift forward an inch.  And thus we were liberated from of one of our rear windows.

We may or may not have been party rocking at the time of the incident.

Not 5 kilometers later the check engine light illuminated.  We’ve got an 02 sensor out along with a fuel filler cap gasket gone bad.  Problems easily remedied by two visiting friends who don’t mind packing a few auto parts in their carry-ons.

Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you   Continue reading →