Fodder For Fiction » family fun

Family Bucket List Series. Vol. 2. Issue 1

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:00:42 +0000

I probably should call this, Family Bucket List. Volume 2 ½, because I’m merely writing to tell you I’m in the planning stages for my next exciting Family Bucket List Vacation. For those of you who didn’t catch Volume I of the Family Bucket List, first let me explain what’s going on.

The idea for this trip grew out of a family movie-watching experience. We saw the movie The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. In the film, the two main characters, being treated for terminal illnesses, decided to carry out every adventure on their bucket list before it’s too late.

Luckily, my entire family is happy and healthy. But we do have limited time before my oldest is off to college. We decided that since we only have a few more years with us all living under one roof that we would each make our own bucket list of the places we would like to travel together. Then we compared our lists and came up with our family bucket list.

Our first family bucket list trip was a tour of National Parks including Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Bryce and Zion Canyon, ending in Las Vegas (to offset all of the Natural Wonders, my kids wanted someplace “fake” on the itinerary). You can read about some of the highlights by clicking on “Bucket List” in the popular tags listed in the sidebar on the right of this blog.

I have spent the better part of the past few days, knee deep in travel plans for the summer. Our next bucket list trip will bring us to Hawaii! I’m so psyched! I have been calculating points mileage for our airfares, comparing hotel prices, checking out Frommer’s and other travel guides for suggested itineraries. It’s looking like we’ll spend most of our time on the Big Island and Maui. As I said, I’m still in the planning phases. So if any of my readers have been to these locales and know of any attractions or restaurants I shouldn’t miss (or should avoid), let me know!

When the time comes, I’ll be sharing more about our adventure. So stay tuned!

Best to you,

Lisa Lipkind Leibow

Author of Smart Women’s Fiction

www.LLLeibow.com

Fodder For Fiction First Friday Writing Excercise: March 2010

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:50 +0000

This month’s writing exercise is kid’s stuff! I thought it would be fun if we all tried our hand at Madlibs Online. Complete the form here. Press the “generate Madlib” button, then copy and paste the result in the comments section below. It will be fun! You don’t have to stop there. You can use the silly result to inspire a new story.

Best to you!

Lisa Lipkind Leibow

Author of Smart Women’s Fiction

www.LLLeibow.com

Valentine’s Day Flew With the Greatest of Ease!

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:00:35 +0000

I had a different post planned for today, but I had to share this! Last summer, when attending an event in downtown DC at the vacant lot where the old Convention Center used to be, I saw people swinging from a trapeze. Fascinated, I watched as one woman climbed up the ladder, grabbed hold of the bar, and started swinging. We were in a hurry to get to a tennis match, so I couldn’t linger as long as I wished. However, I vowed to find out more about what this trapeze was doing in the middle of the city.

Once we got home, I did a little research. Laughing, I said to my husband, “Can you believe that’s a trapeze school? Who ever heard of such a thing? It looks like a blast!”

Well, yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Hubby is a hoot! Tucked inside of my Valentine’s Day card was a listing of the class offerings and a promise to send me to the Trapeze Class of my choice. This is the next best thing to Clown College! Some might say it’s a step up from my law school days! I haven’t decided when I’m going to begin my lessons, but I’m certain there’s got to be some fodder for fiction hiding in this impending experience!

Wish me luck on this upcoming CRAZY trapeze adventure!

Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com

Family Bucket List Series. Vol. 1. Issue 6

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:13:00 +0000

Day 5

We woke up and decided to take our time getting ready since I spotted lightning while I sat on the balcony during hubby’s shower.

We ate at the Marina buffet again, and then we headed over to the boat rentals. The problem: everyone and their brother had also waited out the weather and arrived all at once. We waited for an hour in the heat to have our tutorial and boat assignment. We were all pretty hot and grumpy by the time we set out.

But as he attached the inner tube and rope, the fellow who set us up on the boat told us of a really awesome natural swimming pool formed by the rocks across the bay.

We all perked up and set out for the first stop on our adventure. We slowed the boat as we approached the natural pool. I jumped out, thinking I could stand by the edge and hold the boat, like our guide suggested. Impossible! I climbed back aboard with hubby’s help and we decided to move on.

On problem: the end of the rope from the tube had wrapped so tightly around te engine propeller, it stalled. I tried to untie the know but it needed cutting, and I had no knife.

We were stuck! We radioed for help and waited as we drifted into the rocks, trying to paddle away with the one, flimsy paddle provided. Oldest sat on the bow with the paddle poised and ready to push us away fro the rocks if we drifted too close.

Help arrived and he towed us to the shore. I let the kids swim while the guy cut the tow rope for the tube from the engine and provided us a new one.

We finally got on the road – or – I mean, the LAKE. We explored a little and found a great bay to tube.

Hubby was a great driver and everyone had a blast, tubing on the lake. We took turns in pairs and singles. I felt like I was flying! A couple of times, Oldest and Thing 2 fell off because as the boat decelerated, the tube submerged in the water. But all was well. After our rough start, all decided it was worth it!

We left the marina and drove from there to Bryce. The driving through this area sure beats the New Jersey Turnpike. Ever turn offers spectacular buttes, cliffs, riverbeds, and mountainsides.

We pulled over a few times to take pictures. Even the view from the gas station took my breath away (for once the view and not the fumes…)

We arrived at Bryce just before sunset and stopped at the Visitor’s Center for quick info about where we should go to watch sunset. We drove out to Paria Point.

Thing 2 said, “This is cooler than the Grand Canyon,” as we all caught our first glimpse of the Hoodoos.

We looked at them and walked along the paved rim trail a bit. As we drove from Bryce at sunset, a baby deer ran out in front of our car. Hubby’s quick reactions at the wheel saved the deer and us from harm. Yikes! This was a day filled with excitement. Oy!

We’re staying about twelve miles out in Tropic, Utah America’s Best. The country store and Restaurant served us a nicer than expected dinner. I had a delicious Red Trout dinner.

We don’t have connecting rooms, here. So, I’m sleeping with Thing 1 and Thing 2. Hubby is with Oldest.

Good night! More tomorrow.Oh wait! One more thing. I can’t figure out how we drove west and it got later! Weird. I must investigate the time zone boundaries.

Upto the Nines!

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:09:00 +0000

I don’t really have much to write about. I just love the number games, though. And if you check out the time and date stamp on this blog post, you will notice something special. At 9 minutes after 9 in the morning, today, it is exactly 9:09 09/09/09.

Cool! Enjoy the moment everyone!