I hear it all the time — Nora’s travelogues rival her books for many readers. Well, I’m pleased to say Nora, BW, Jason, Kat and Griffin set off on their annual summer adventure tonight. And the most wonderful time of the year is upon us: Travelogue Time!
I practice an abundance of caution in exact details during Nora’s vacations — after all it’s time to relax and explore as a family. Nora does have one public, ticketed, event at Ashford Castle but otherwise it’s private time away. (BTW, there are 10 tickets left for the Ashford Castle event on August 18. More information here.)
You can expect a daily dose of Nora’s travel notes and everyone’s photos once they get their bearings and some wi-fi. Plus your RDA of the Amazing Griffin.
What has Nora been up to since the family spa trip? Well, first we had Turn the Page Bookstore’s 24th Anniversary weekend on what was surely one of the hottest days of 2019. Despite that, we had happy readers all afternoon long.
And Griffin met a peer named Logan.
The next day was the 7th Fall in to The Story Brunch at Vesta. I describe it as a Big Fat Nora Wedding. We visit tables, chat, take photos and have the most fun.
I may have mentioned a couple dozen times at the brunch that I needed to get home and do laundry because the next day we were off to our third year at The Greenbrier. (For those who worried, I got it all done.) Every year it gets more magical and fun. From that first sight of the iconic building…
to greeting our parlor companions…
to watching Griffin crawl further and further each day…
to finding a fun new outlet for creativity…
to finally getting a group shot on the stairs…
it was a most wonderful, magical, relaxing time (even though I came down with bronchitis and lost a few days to extensive naps). We’re already booked for 2020.
Nora’s spent the intervening week working on In Death #51, unpacking from one trip, packing for the next. I hear there’s a joint birthday/bon voyage dinner to celebrate Kayla turning 17, Colt turning 9 and BW turning a different age before they set out for the airport. Pizza and birthday cake are the perfect send off!
I’ll be back with the first of the travelogues once I have copy and photos and time to work on my captions.
Until then, Griffin says, “See you soon!”
Laura
Can’t wait!!
Griffin is so utterly adorable! The wind chimes look like fun to make and the result is lovely. I always look forward to Nora’s travelogues, almost as much as I do the books.
Those CHEEKS!!!! OMG I would be a nana-over-the-moon too if I had lil cheeks like that roaming around! (Hopefully that is years down the road, as my #1 daughter is seeking med school…) Looking forward to the newest adventures abroad!!
Que the music ??? Its the most wonderful time of the year….
With the DAILY travel blogs, the photos galore and the #RandomKatness!!!!….
It’s the most wonderful time, it’s the most wonderful time, oooooooooooof the YEAR ??
Look forward to these!!
Always enjoy reading about Nora’s life….so appreciative that she shares with everyone. Griffin is just the cutest baby! You just want to squeeze those cheeks and he seems like such a happy baby. Safe and wonderful trip to all…
I love wind chimes ? I even have a pinterest board of all thousand wind chimes I want to do once I stop pinning and start doing ?
Thank you LAURA for this dose of goodness and sweetness ? until is time to travel vicariously through Nora Travellogue ?
Hope everyone is having an amazing Summer ☀️
I would love to know how you made those wind chimes! I work at a library and we are always looking for good adult crafts!
Strips of glass to which we glued pieces big and small. Then they were fired in a glass kiln.
Laura
First of all, as much as i love the travelogues, Nothing on earth can hold a candle to Nora’s books. I’m so happy they are coming, & that Griffin is adorable. I kept waiting for him to put that napkin in his mouth. I saved my son’s Fisher Price house, & this weekend, I had visit from my first great grandson. The problem is, today the people that go with it, are considered dangerous, as they are too small, & a choking hazard! And as one shoe nut to another, i love Nora’s red sandals, at the bottom of the staircase. They are stunning.
Griffin is terrific! Nothing like a crawling baby to keep you on your toes!
I hope everyone enjoys their vacation and a early HAPPY BIRTHDAY ???? to everyone!
Can’t wait for vacation updates. My family (daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter) are off to Hawaii for 2 weeks on the 20th. Celebrating my daughter’s 55th birthday while there. Visiting 5 of the islands with plans to enjoy the scenery, people and the fresh seafood! I actually lost weight the last 2 times I was there. Ate so healthy, with papaya/pineapple/greek yogurt for breakfast, poke for lunch and fresh seafood every night for dinner. Plus, I walked miles every day and was in the ocean at least 2 hours every day! I hope the kids enjoy as much as I think they will!
Love, love all the stories and pictures about her family and their travels. Everything she writes is interesting. Griffin is just too adorable and growing up so fast. Thanks Laura for all you do too to keep us aware of what’s happening
Griffin is the cutest!!! Can’t wait for vacay pics…ones we’re privy to.
Love you ladies!
This was an awesome update and can’t wait for the next update with pictures ❤️❤️❤️
Great update. I have a great nephew about the same age as Griffin. They are so much fun!!
so looking forward to the travelogue; it’s my vicarious trip! And love the videos of Griffin; in the second one there’s a small frown on his face for just a second. As happy as that little fella always seems; I didn’t think he knew how to frown!
Read (and loved) Under Currents but noticed how similar General Zod is to Spock in Tribute (and checking that of course drew me in so I’m rereading Tribute which is one of my top favs of Nora’s). I had to wonder if there is a beloved dog in Nora’s past that she automatically thinks about? And if this is too personal a question, please tell me so!
Enjoy the trip!
I saw that too! And I also thought of rereading Tribute!!
Griffin is such a cutie! Can’t wait!
Can’t wait. Enjoy these post so much.
Loved the videos! Now they get to teach Griffin the difference between pages of books and paper that tears. When my niece was tiny, they placed a present in her lap and urged her to tear it open. She got that look, she’d been admonished for tearing a magazine page and she knew better, no way was she going to go there. Then, her great-gran reached in and gently tore a corner open. Her face just lit up! Oh, the joy! Then the training began again – lol. Wishing you a wonderful trip, and Laura, some beach time.
Paula, daughter of a friend of mine when she was two; the Christmas before they’d encouraged her to tear into all her packages. My friend walked into the bedroom a bit before the next Christmas & there sat her daughter, opened packages all around her. She looked up at her mother & said “why did Santa send me socks like Grandpa’s?” Yeah, that needed some retraining!
Griffin definitely can make a bad day much better.
Thinking about the new In Death book coming out soon I wondered about how to pronounce Roarke. I have always thought Roarke like York. There is a pitcher recently traded from the Cincinnati Reds who pronounces his name Ro-ark, as two syllables. He does not have an “e” on the end of his name.
Just wondering!
Rork (like fork).
Laura
Donna, I follow the Reds, and laughed at the pronunciation every time he pitched. I just figured it’s the way his family said it, that they liked hearing both vowels. I noticed that while most of the time the announcers said Ro-ark, ever so often, someone would forget & we’d get Rork. Definitely prefer that pronunciation!
Beautiful wind chimes! May they bring you happy memories as the sing in the breeze.
I so look forward to the travelogues. Thank you for sharing time, pictures, and memories. I live vicariously through them, especially as Montana and Ireland are on my bucket lists.
Blessings and safe travel to all.
Griffin is such a cutie. He seems so happy in the pics. Just want to hug him! Enjoy the vacation.
Griffin is just too cute. Enjoy the trip can’t wait to here about it.
So adorable is Master Griffin! Just love the insight into the family, please keep them coming, thanks! Xx
I love and so appreciate that Nora gives us these glimpses into her family life. Her novels have gotten me through so many difficult times in life. I could “fall into the story” and always count on her for keeping me sane. I’ve read every book, and have two bookshelves full of every novel she’s written, and re-visit them all. Now that she shares these posts, I appreciate her even more. Have a safe and wonderful trip, Nora…and family!
Love the notes but would like to know what is the wind chime craft called. I want to do that
It was called the Glass Fusing Experience. You had choices of what to make, we made wind chimes. https://www.greenbrier.com/RetailObjects/Virtu-Made-by-You-Studio.aspx
Laura