The Day the Martians Invaded- Stories from Papa

Scene:  the day is October 30, 1936.  A young RC Davis (aka Papa) had been helping his Dad (Pa Clayton) at their Country Store. At some point during the evening he had to go back to their house for some reason. When he got home, he walked into the kitchen, turned on the radio, and found out that life as he knew it had changed forever---or so it seemed. 

 Papa stood transfixed as tales of martians landing, attacking, taking over poured out of the radio. He was, understandably so, TERRIFIED! He was alone. And all thoughts of WHY he had come home were long gone!  

 He ran out of the house and all the way back to the store. He ran into the building screaming, frantic, FREAKED out. Yelled for Pa Clayton to turn on the  radio and they stood together listening to the rest of the attack. Mars exploding. Aliens landing. People being annihilated with ray guns. The military attacking, reports going silent, people frantically calling out for anyone--is anyone there? Then at least  there is a survivor detailing the alien occupation and the ultimate defeat of the Martians by microbes.

So, what happened? Was Earth under attack? Had Aliens invaded? Was this the end?  No, of course not. This was the day, Halloween Eve, that Orson Wells took the country on an unexpectedly terrifying adventure and allegedly caused wide spread panic for those who missed the beginning of the broadcast that clarified it was only a story. The hour long program ended with Orson comparing the show to "dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying 'boo!'" 

This was The War of the Worlds.  

Did wide spread panic ensue? Did people think was true? The reports I ready seem to have different conclusions, but I can say for certainty that for a young boy in East Texas, Orson met his goal of FREAKING the listener out!   86 years later, that "boy" remembers every minute of that experience.  Well Played, Orson. Well Played.

 

 

Went for Ice, Came Home with a WIFE--Stories from Papa

In the Way Back Times of June 1943, my Papa, RC Davis, was 16 years old. I presume he was a relatively normal teenager doing whatever normal teens did in 1943. Times were different then, of course, so I don't know if it is appropriate to say that he was a teenager. He had finished school and was helping out his dad, my Great-Grandfather, Clayton Davis, in his various businesses. Pa Clayton did many things over the years, including (but not limited to) running a country store and delivering ice to local families in the Nogalus and surrounding areas. 

 

My Papa (RC) was responsible for the weekly ice deliveries. He would take the truck to Groveton on delivery days, pick up the big blocks of ice, and then make the rounds to distribute the ice. Families would leave the money indicating how much ice they wanted that week and he would unload the proper amount and put it in their icebox, chest, or wherever ice went in 1943. 

 Saturday, June 26, 1943 probably started off like any other normal ice run. RC headed to Groveton for a trip to the ice house. But on that particular Saturday morning, one Lona Kennedy, age 17, walked out to Hwy 94 and hopped on the bus to Groveton. Once she got there, she met up with RC and their adventure began. Now, RC and Lona (also known as Papa and Mamaw) had been dating, or courting if that is more appropriate, for a couple of years. They had started talking about getting married someday, but hadn't decided when or where that someday would be.. 

 Those two crazy kids decided to go for a drive that fateful Saturday morning. As the day wore on, they realized that "someday" had arrived and it was a good day to get married. Remember, it was a Saturday and not many things were open---but it was a also a small town and most people knew each other. So, even though the county offices were closed, RC knew where the County Clerk lived and decided to stop by and take a chance. The clerk was outside, working in her garden, tending to her tomatoes, and presumably enjoying her day off. 

Not to be deterred, RC shared their plan and asked if she would help them out. Now you might think she would brush them off and admonish them for disrupting her day off. But that was not the case. Fortunately, she must have been a fan of young love because she agreed to their plan. She dusted off the dirt and they headed to her office where she prepared the marriage license for them. 

First step down-- license secured. BUT they still needed to find someone to perform the ceremony. Once again living in a small town paid off. They headed to the home of a minister they knew and asked him to marry them. Fortune smiled on the young lovers again and he agreed. So, there at the minister's house, with no family or friends of their own-- just the two of them, and the minister's family, RC Davis and Lona Kennedy became husband and wife.  And thus began the journey to me. But we will save that story for another day. 

So what happens after these two crazy teens tied the knot? Did they run off together? Go out partying--(whatever partying in 1943 looked like)? NOPE! They realized it was time to tell the families and off they went. First stop, the Kennedy's. Lona and RC drove to her parent's house, Grover and Gertie Kennedy (aka Ma Gertie and Pa Grover), to share the news. I imagine them driving up slowly, excited but also very nervous. Maybe clutching hands and wondering if it was all a crazy dream they were going to wake up from. Of course, what do I know...it was 25 years before I was born. They could have screeched in to the driveway, throwing dirt, and whooping it up like it was two-thousand zero zero party's over, oops out of time!  You choose your own version! 

What I do know is that, Papa got out of the truck and very politely approached Pa Grover. Again I imagine him holding his hat in one hand while extending the other to Lona's dad and saying "Mr. Kennedy, I want to let you know that Lona and I just got married." Pa Grover looked at these two giddy lovers, shook his head (poetic license allowed here), and said what we would expect any girl dad to say in this situation, "Well, let's cut open a watermelon." I mean what else are you going to do on a suddenly not so random June Saturday in Texas? To be fair, Papa said that Pa Grover was known around town for having the best watermelons--- so this was not some run of the mill watermelon. This was a MARRIAGE feast watermelon. Highly appropriate and a great way to toast the newly weds. 

 After the watermelon was eaten and the visiting was done, it was time to go see the Davis'. Papa was proud, and I imagine perhaps slightly nervous, to introduce his wife to his parents But it appears all went well and the new couple was received with open arms. After a little more visiting, possibly some more food, they went back to Groveton to spend their first night as husband and wife in a hotel--- and we will just leave the story right there. 

 UNLESS you are like me, and are really concerned about the ice. I mean what happened to the ice? Did it get picked up?  Delivered? Did it melt in the truck? Was Pa Clayton left with a ton of ice to deliver the next day? Did people have to come pick up their own ice?  Were the communities of Nogalus and surrounding areas left ice less that summer weekend? Did their food spoil?  What happened??  As it turns out, no ice was picked up or delivered that day.  So, was the lack of ice and any potential inconvenience to faithful customers worth it? 

 I would say so. RC and Lona were married for 64 years-- wait, what? Can that be right? Let's see...they married in 1943 and Mamaw passed away in 2007. 2007-1943= 64 years. 64 years, four months, and 1 day to be exact-ish until the day Mamaw moved on to whatever comes next. That's a long time. A life I am sure was filled with ups and downs, mistakes and successes, challenges and adventures, but most of all an enduring love between a 16 years old kid and his 17 year old bride.

 --- as told by RC Davis with related commentary and speculation from me, Debi Gresham., the first granddaughter  (third grandchild--but first girl) of those two crazy kids!

Hanging from the Beams of an Outhouse-- Stories from Papa

 I was hanging out with my 96-year old grandfather (Papa) the other day and he shared a story I had never heard before. I just can't seem to shake the visual of the story, so I thought I would share it with you (whoever YOU may be) so you can also have this visual stuck in your head. I am kind that way. 

RC started first grade when he was five years old. I don't remember exactly which school he went to as there were several small community schools in the area. We will just say it as was in the greater Apple Springs area. Of course, school buses, bicycles, parents giving kids rides, public transportation, and all the current options weren't available then, so he did what all kids did-- he walked. Around 2 to 3 miles one way to get to school. May I remind you, he was FIVE.

Now, to be fair, it likely wasn't snowing and it definitely wasn't uphill both ways. In fact the area around here is relatively flat. But still 4 to 6 miles a day for a five year old to go to school. That's intense! AND may have something to do with why he is still here telling these stories 91 years later. As a little, he obviously couldn't trek that far on his own. Fortunately he had some aunts and uncles who were still in school and he was able to tag along with them. One of those uncles, who was 18 at the time, had already finished school (schools only went to 9th grade then) but he just kept going back every year so he could play basketball. AND no one stopped him. I guess they really need the players!

As was the norm in those days, the school had an outhouse instead of an indoor restroom. One day RC was out there by the outhouse. He didn't specify why, but I think we can all assume he was doing what you do when you are in an outhouse. I mean why else would you be there?

UNLESS you are out there to ruin the day for some unsuspecting child. Which is what happened when some of the older boys from school came out and trapped him in. They were picking on him--goofing off-- being losers--whatever you want to call it. He didn't go into a lot of detail about it, but the end result was that they picked him up and dropped him INTO the pit. INTO THE PIT!

Just take a minute to let that settle in. Are you getting the heebie jeebies yet? Blech! Fortunately, RC was a pretty strong little due and he was able to reach out mid-fall, grab on to the wooden beams of the pit, and hold on for dear life. Uhh...what?! Hanging on to the sides of the pit. Again. WHAT?! Then he just hung, trying not to fall, probably freaking out (although he didn't say that) until they gave up tormenting him and went back to class. 

After they left he pulled himself up and crawled out of the pit. Do you have this visual? A five(ish) year old kid, hanging from the beams INSIDE an outhouse pit. Perilously dangling above all the outhouse business. All alone. Dude. That is the stuff nightmares are made of. I mean we are talking the anti-version of Little House on the Prairie, here! 

Thankfully, He did NOT fall all the way into the waste and gunk and who knows what else. In the end, he was fine. Unharmed and unscathed. The boys in question? They were not so fine. They apparently got in a LOT of trouble. And 91 years later, Papa is still laughing at the memory of that!

Pawhuska.....The place I never knew I needed to go! August 2022

Welcome to Pawhuska

This week I joined my Mother on a trip to Pawhuska, Oklahoma  Like most, I daresay, of the visitors to Pawhuska we went to see the Pioneer Woman's Mercantile and Lodge.  But what we found...was so much more!  

Top things to do in Pawhuska, IMHO

Frontier Hotel

1. Stay at the Frontier Hotel located in the historic Triangle Building. Now, I know what you are thinking. Most people want to stay at the Boarding House and experience ALL the Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) has to offer. BUT the Boarding House is small and there aren't a ton of rooms. AND those that are available seem to be more suited to couples than family members or friends traveling together. NOW the Frontier Hotel (which is still under renovation) is AWESOME!  We had a huge room with two beds, a kitchenette, table, desk, and walls of windows overlooking the town. Amazing!. As part of the renovation of this historic building they have kept the doors, windows, and all the other gorgeous features.  Definitely, check this one out!!!

Cheers from the Mercantile

2. Pioneer Woman Stuff. Obvi...this is why we go, right? So, check it out. Do it all.  We started out at the Mercantile for dinner and some shopping.  Then the next day we headed over to the Lodge for a tour of where Ree (Look at me, Ree---like we are buds! I mean I was in her Lodge, so there's that!)  films her show.  It was lovely.  I took TONS of pics in case I ever decide to build my own awesome Lodge. You Never Know.   Then you want to make sure you check out the Pioneer Woman Collection store (right next to the Boarding House) for some more shopping of course. For dinner the second night, we went to P-Town for a DELISH figgy pizza. No Judging, okay? It was YUM! We did not go to Charlie's for dessert, but we did hit up the Mercantile Cafe for breakfast one day and it did not DISAPPOINT! I highly recommend you check out ALL of them! OH..and while you are at the Lodge, be sure to share some loves with Rebel. Apparently he is Cowboy Josh's dog and he is the cutest ever!

Rebel @ the Lodge

3. Jewelry!  We hit up several jewelry stores around on a hunt for turquoise and were successful! We met super friendly people and came home with beautiful trinkets. I must beg your forgiveness and admit that I cannot remember the name of the first gallery/ jewelry store we went to but I can tell you where it was. Right next to Prairie Sky Jewelry and across from the drugstore.  Check them out. The person working there was super nice and allowed...no ENCOURAGED us to try on tons of stuff!  We loved it! Then we went to the Bucking Flamingo (how do you forget that name?) where a very lovely young girl helped us out. She was very patient while I picked out the perfect earrings to match the pendant I got at the other place.  Mom got stuff too! Super cool cactus turquois earrings to be exact.

4. Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Seriously. Go.  BUT plan your time better and go with the light is right for taking awesome pics!  I read on one of the travel tip sites that around 6:00 p.m. buffalo were congregating at the gate.  So we got there about 5ish and there weren't any buffalo at the gate. We drove

Our Friendly Buffalo

the loop, stopped at the visitors center (it was closed) and saw some cows.  We did see one small group of buffalo and were quite grateful for them because of the heat!  THEN around 6:15 ish we made it around the loop and were headed back to the gate when what to our wondering eyes did appear, but a sh*t ton of buffalo around every bend!  Seriously, they were cool. It was like there were on duty!  6:00 p.m. time to be at the Pawhuska gate! They did good. Now, I was a little disappointed because we read in the brochure that visitors were advised to stay in their car because of the potential running AND jumping of buffalo! Did you know buffalo jumped? We didn't'! And they did not jump for us.  Go see them, maybe you will get to see the jumping buffalo! And if you do-- please send me some pictures!  Do me another favor, okay? If you encounter a white pickup of obnoxious impatient men, slow down, drive in the middle of the road, STOP for everything, and really give them a reason to honk and show their butts!

5. Bob Johnson Museum.  Do you know who Bob Johnson is?  I didn't.  At first. But I recognized him from all the pics. He was in A LOT of movies. Think Godfather, The Last Picture Show, Mighty Joe Young, and TONS of westerns. The museum showcases his accomplishments as well as those of the AMAZING artist John Free (gorgeous western scenes), several Oklahoma native rodeo stars, the Drummond family, and other fun Pawhuska tidbits.  As with everywhere we went (pickup truck maniacs excluded) the people were friendly, forthcoming, and very kind.

6. Osage Nation Museum. The Osage Nation Campus is in Pawhuska and their museum is lovely. The first room has a lot of info on their culture and the upper room has a traveling exhibit of drums. 
BEAUTIFUL drums paying homage to their culture, heritage, and family. They have quite a history! Not part of the museum but interesting tidbit-- there was (is) a lot of oil under the Osage land. The tribe was (is?) very wealthy and this made them a target for greedy and unscrupulous folks.  That is all I know of the story right now. I am reading the book now though, Killers of the Flower Moon. I will update you when I know more!  

7. Pawhuska Historical Society Museum. Did you know Pawhuska was home to the FIRST Boy Scout Troop. Seriously, no joke. Troop #1  Pawhuska, OK!  The first Native American Prima Ballerina was from the OSAGE tribe, She had a sister who was also a ballerina and performed in Europe. I think their names were Tallgrass. The Tallgrass Sisters. Look them up! This town had LOTS of money (due to the previously discussed oil riches) and the people loved to show off their finery!  If you didn't know any of this---- go check out the historical society and learn about this fascinating area!

8. Need a break from the heat or a chance to just relax and step away for a minute? Swing by the Osage Casino for a spin or two on the slots!  Air Conditioning, complimentary water, and a chance to win it big! Enough said!

Furniture & Undertaking

9. Take a walk (or a hike)!  My first morning in town, I got up early and walked around the downtown area taking some pictures.  Beautiful old buildings, staircases, alleyways, and quirky spots.  What I didn't do, but hope you will (whoever YOU are) is take a stroll on a portion of the Osage Heritage Trail Scenic Byway. This 70-mile trail winds through "some of the state's most unique and beautiful landscapes." Sounds like a must see to me!

10.  If you drive (from Texas) make sure you stop off at the Chocktaw Casino in Grant, OK.  The rooms are nice. The restaurant is good. The drinks are De-Lish. And the SLOTS are fun! My faves were the Wheel of Fortune game and both the Duck and Cherry slots.  They were the nicest to me!  Let me know what "you" think! 

There you have it, Top Ten adventures from our Pawhuska week!    

Mom at the Lodge

Book Review— The Island of Missing Trees

 The Island of. Issuing Trees

Author: Elif Shafak

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  Five Star Read.

Quote—. Chapter 6

‘What I meant was, some people stand in front of a tree and the first thing they notice is the trunk. These are the ones who prioritize order, safety, rules, continuity. Then there are those who pick out the branches before anything else. They yearn for change, a sense of freedom. And then there are those who are drawn to the roots, though concealed under the ground. They have a deep emotional attachment to their heritage, identity, traditions …So which one are you?’

Thanks for asking, Ada. I always notice the branches first— the way they sway, twist, reach. The rustle of the leaves. The soothing sound. Calling me. Whispering to me about possibilities and opportunities.  Reminds me of my Dad. We shared that desire for freedom and touch of wanderlust. When I read that passage I was shocked. It spoke to me  Like, are you actually talking to me, Kosta? Are you in my mind? Do you know me? Mind blown 🤯  Seriously.

Reflection: It took me a minute or so to figure out the flow of the story but once I got it, I was in.  Hooked. Invested. I felt Ada’s angst— was there with her in the classroom. Lived Kosta’s and Defne’s story— could see the back room of the Happy Fig where they met and feel their loss.  I loved J and J’s love— their whispers, stolen embraces, dances, and the significance of the gift. And Meryem’s search for identity—YES, I feel you girl! Wear the bold colors and pretty patterns.  DO ALL THE THINGS. 

 ALL the feels.  Legit  ALL THE FEELS.

I loved the historical aspect (even with the fiction built in), the cruelty of humans mixed with  hope and compassion, the wonder of the natural world, the humanization of insects, animals, and trees—anthropomorphism, according to Google.  SO. GOOD. A truly unique perspective with an unexpected twist. 

About that twist. Come on now. I gasped out loud.  Read it a couple of times to make sure my eyes didn’t deceive me (similar to my reaction when Dumbledore died—but that’s a whole different story). Went back to re-read sections to look for clues. Something I missed. Some early foreshadowing. And  S L O W E D down my reading to prolong the experience. Always a good sign when you don’t want it to end. I mean YES to all of this  

Okay, I get it. This is an emotional review and pretty useless in terms of what the book is actually about. But you can get that info from the summary. This raw feeling only comes from being immersed in the story.   Embracing it  Feeling it. Loving it. 

Recommendation: GO. READ IT NOW.  Don’t wait  

My Wish For You:  That you love it as much as I do.  Then you tell two friends.  And they tell two friends…. And so on  

 ~D

  

What I am Doing Now

 

UPDATED January, 2022. I had a horrible loss shortly after this post was originally made that changed my perspective and my plans.  My world was wrecked and I haven’t really figured out the next step but since that loss I am craving family, connections, belonging.  Reevaluating plans now. 

***************************

August 2021–. I sold my house about a month ago and set out on what I HOPE will be a year of travel around the United States. I put my stuff in storage (I have learned from past attempts NOT to get rid of everything right away), packed a suitcase, and hopped on a plane!

First the basics, I work full-time for a company. I am not self-employed, or an influencer—of any sort.  I work a basic 40-hour week job—that just so happens to be remote. I am fortunate to have started working remotely prior to Covid-19 and intend to continue doing so as long as possible…12 more years would be perfect! 😊 My requirements for work are that I have secure, reliable Internet connection, power, and the ability to work my set office hours. I can do that from anywhere…basically.  

Second, the plan.  I have parents in Texas and Vermont. Children and grandchildren in Oregon, and friends all over the place.  I hope to be able to weave my way across the country checking out hiking trails, national parks, scenic points, and reconnecting with people.  I will be using a combination of planes, trains, and automobiles to get around and using Airbnb’s, hotels, couch surfing, and camping for lodging.

When I started researching this plan, I found TONS of people on the Internet who travel internationally, travel in an RV, live in their cars, live off the grid, or housesit. Those all seem like cool things. But not my thing. I want to pick a place, find a place to stay, and hang out for a couple of weeks to a month. I want time to experience, explore, work, live, breath….BE.  I want to just BE in a place.  

I am currently trying to figure out how much space I need. What are my must-haves and how can I get those on the cheap?  I need a room. A private room. With space to work.  I am okay sitting at a table, on the bed, on a cushion, even on the floor if needed. The place needs to be relatively quiet. I must be able to interact with my students in a quiet, seemingly professional, and confidential setting. I need a place to store and heat up food. Microwave, hotplate, full kitchen—I can work with all of that.  I think I need a private bath—or do I? It would probably depend on the place. And I really love an outdoor space. I want to engage with the outside world.

Can I do all this in the U.S?  Maybe. Maybe not. But I am going to give it a go!   So, hey, if you know me, have an extra space, and want to show me around your area…send me a message! Let’s explore.

Roadtrip Lessons

I set out today to see some things and do some stuff. Mission accomplished. I also learned some things along the way. 

Let’s start with the seeing and doing.  I started out driving down RT 100. Stopped off in the adorable Rochester, VT for breakfast  at the Rochester Cafe.  The highlight was the Iced Green Mountain Latte with Maple Syrup. DeLish.

  

For the beginning of my adventure, I let the Route 100 Gypsy Guide lead me through the Mad River Byway. Short stops at Texas, Moss Glenn, and Watson Falls soon gave way to busier towns, traffic, and massive hordes of people.  There were a couple of covered bridges and hikes I wanted to see/do but there were just too many cars and pedestrians around for me to figure out where I needed to be (Lesson #1).  

I eventually made my way to Waterbury, where I attempted to visit the Green Mountain tasting room--it was closed. So, I headed over to Ben and Jerrys and thought I would take a factory tour and see what the “flavor of the day” was--also closed.  How about Cabot Cheese ? (closed) (Lesson 2). Not to be deterred, I went down to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill because I saw RAVE reviews about it online and in all the “Things to Do In Vermont” You Tube videos (Lesson #3).  

My original plan was to head to Stowe from Waterbury and go stroll around a hiking trail I saw online.  With the massive hordes of people in Waterbury and the long line of traffic headed towards Stowe, I decided the other direction would be better for me. Of course by this point, I was desperately wishing I had decided to go to the beach instead because the heat and traffic were starting to fry my brain!  (Lesson 4). 

I drove for a bit listening to the Gypsy Guide and taking in the views because I didn’t really have a plan anymore (Lesson 5). As I was considering going to Fort Ticonderoga, but not really loving that idea because of the heat, I passed a sign for Sherbourne Farms and decided to take a detour.  It was mostly closed-- but their trails were open (some were even shaded) and they had cute goals.   What’s not to love about a place with weird art installations, trails, and goats?  After hanging with my goaties for a while and enjoying some quiet space, I started to feel a little more relaxed and open to other ideas. Considered my options for the rest of the day. 1)  Continue on to Fort Ticonderoga--too hot.  2) Get a hotel and hang out for the night, maybe do some swimming--swimming suit was in Rutland at the AirBnB. 3) Get some dinner--wasn’t hungry yet.  4) Turn on a podcast, point the car toward  Rutland, and enjoy the scenery. We have a winner!

Just as I reached Rutland I decided I was hungry after all and really wanted a brick oven or wood fired pizza.  Instead of going straight to the place and getting one, I decided to swing by the AirBnB first to freshen up. Once I got here, it was all over. There was no way I was heading out again. Ended up eating Tater Tots and fake chicken with Buffalo Sauce — not NEAR as good (Lesson 6).  

Overall, I would say it was a good day. Didn’t go exactly as I planned--but then what does? 

On to the lessons….

Lesson 1: Avoid touristy locations on sunny Saturdays. Judging from the license plates I saw, everyone in the states of Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York all read the same blogs and watched the same YouTube videos.  In order to preserve one’s sanity, one should avoid “Top 12 Places” like the plague! Or maybe go on a rainy Tuesday morning when others are not as likely to be out.  Too. Many. People.

Lesson 2:  Do some research before you head out!  Seriously, we are living in Covid times. Things are different. Don’t assume that just because it’s a beautiful sunny day and 10,000,000 people are out on the roads, that any of the destinations will be open.  Why would they be open?. Side note: I just don’t really understand the rationale behind why certain places are open and others are closed. There doesn’t seem to be any consistency or logic. 

Lesson 3: Remember that you don’t particularly like shopping or looking at random things with the names of states, local specialities, or other cutesy things  on them. Shopping is not fun.  All the stores have the same things. Even if something shows up on the “Top 12” list, it doesn’t mean it’s for you (me). Find other ways to “support local” and avoid touristy stores.  Sidenote: While I did enjoy the donut and my “We are All Spots on the Same Cow” tshirt does make me smile---I didn’t need either of them  and wouldn’t have missed them if I hadn’t been there.  Stick to what you know you love. 

Lesson 4: Always choose the water activity. Beach, Lake, River, Pool whatever. If it involves tubes, toes, or kayaks getting in the water…ALWAYS GO WITH THE WATER. 

Lesson 5: Plan ahead.  Seek out the things you love (see lesson 3) and have some back up locations in mind for when things fall apart. Things will always fall apart. You can’t control other people’s path, but you can always choose a new path for yourself---take some time to plan ahead!  Find all the waterfalls, places to rent kayaks or dip your toes in the water,  quiet shady trails, or somewhere that something important happened a long time ago and just go there instead of the crowded towns and shops. Be a planner. 

Lesson 6:  Do everything you want to do BEFORE you get “home” because once you get “home”, just accept that you are not leaving again! Admit it. Own it. Embrace it.