As a Florida resident for 36 years, I always avoid the east coast of our fine state but glad you and the girls enjoyed it. Bring the band back to St Pete! Or even Tampa!🎶❤️
Imagery, thoughts, sounds, feelings brought to life so effectively, and a maybe in a manner that was a touch too relatable, haha. I will consider it a great gift, the rhythms of change and passage of time although sometimes I wish we could jump forward or back, make it stand still, and even at times, go away. Thank you for the gift of your thoughts and transporting us via your writing. I now know I need to read MacDonald’s book, and I appreciate the inspiration. I’m glad you got this time with your daughter and her crew. Teenager-land is a unique place and you captured it perfectly.
Great read, thank you. I’m currently at the airport, taking a teacherly spring break trip to visit my daughter, a California kid who moved to New York City after college. It will be my first time in NYC! Sadly, I will miss seeing the Old 97’s in SF. But I will get to take a side trip to Vermont to see the solar eclipse in its totality. May you, and all of us, hold onto that sandbar long enough to enjoy many springtime pilgrimages to come.
As good writing always is—unique and entirely relatable at the same time. I’ve been on a literary pilgrimage or two and I’m hoping to slip in a visit to Sarah Orne Jewett’s place this fall on a painting trip to Maine.
Perfecto. Travis one of the all-time greats, love the connection. First spring break in Lauderdale 1978 contiguous to Bahia Mar before I knew him, but I’m pretty sure we were drinking Plymouth….
Bravo! Well done in the realms of writer, reader, and father. I particularly love this line: "... Spring Break (two verbs, which together make a noun, which I am using as a verb) ..."
Love this! My HS bestie (of 33 years how can I be that old, lol!) and I, recently did a similar pilgrimage but it was based on Anne Rice in NOLA. Anyway, as much as I love that part of it, what hit me most, is how lucky your daughter is to have a dad like you. I wish I could have had a relationship like that with my dad. Mine was a jobless, drug addict that didn’t have time to sign a bday card, let alone go on a spring break trip. You are a busy rock star making time for your daughter, I respect that so much! If you weren’t my favorite already…❤️
This was amazing! I can relate… I recently took my tween to see Olivia Rodrigo and 6 days later my right ear is still fucked up from the “super fan” next to me. More importantly, how did WE become the old people???
This is an incredible way to start a week. Travis McGee is an all time hero of mine but to date I haven’t made the pilgrimage to his marina. I’m jealous. That passage was perfect, definitely sums up how life rolls on if we are ready or not. John MacDonald was a national treasure, we need more heroes like Travis McGee (not Kelse). Thanks!
This is lovely; makes me feel both the dubious glory of having been 17 and parading around Ocean City, Maryland, without a care in the world, except for which sunset-painted t-shirt to buy, and the wistful weariness of a mom whose own daughter turned 18 last fall--how did it happen so fast?! She is more inclined to want to hit the summer horse show circuit than go to the beach, but it's still hard to be an onlooker, beach or horses. Glad your pilgrimage was gratifying! Thanks, for the thousandth time, for putting into words a feeling I can never quite define ❤️
I highly recommend Lucky You, by Carl Hiaasen. You’ll love it.
As a Florida resident for 36 years, I always avoid the east coast of our fine state but glad you and the girls enjoyed it. Bring the band back to St Pete! Or even Tampa!🎶❤️
Imagery, thoughts, sounds, feelings brought to life so effectively, and a maybe in a manner that was a touch too relatable, haha. I will consider it a great gift, the rhythms of change and passage of time although sometimes I wish we could jump forward or back, make it stand still, and even at times, go away. Thank you for the gift of your thoughts and transporting us via your writing. I now know I need to read MacDonald’s book, and I appreciate the inspiration. I’m glad you got this time with your daughter and her crew. Teenager-land is a unique place and you captured it perfectly.
Great read, thank you. I’m currently at the airport, taking a teacherly spring break trip to visit my daughter, a California kid who moved to New York City after college. It will be my first time in NYC! Sadly, I will miss seeing the Old 97’s in SF. But I will get to take a side trip to Vermont to see the solar eclipse in its totality. May you, and all of us, hold onto that sandbar long enough to enjoy many springtime pilgrimages to come.
That was a blast! I loved everything about this. Just a great diary type read. I felt like I was there with you.
As good writing always is—unique and entirely relatable at the same time. I’ve been on a literary pilgrimage or two and I’m hoping to slip in a visit to Sarah Orne Jewett’s place this fall on a painting trip to Maine.
Perfecto. Travis one of the all-time greats, love the connection. First spring break in Lauderdale 1978 contiguous to Bahia Mar before I knew him, but I’m pretty sure we were drinking Plymouth….
Classic. Like us. Wait till your kids start having kids (all in good time) You reflect a whole lot more when things come full circle. Thanks Rhett
Bravo! Well done in the realms of writer, reader, and father. I particularly love this line: "... Spring Break (two verbs, which together make a noun, which I am using as a verb) ..."
Same here!
Love this! My HS bestie (of 33 years how can I be that old, lol!) and I, recently did a similar pilgrimage but it was based on Anne Rice in NOLA. Anyway, as much as I love that part of it, what hit me most, is how lucky your daughter is to have a dad like you. I wish I could have had a relationship like that with my dad. Mine was a jobless, drug addict that didn’t have time to sign a bday card, let alone go on a spring break trip. You are a busy rock star making time for your daughter, I respect that so much! If you weren’t my favorite already…❤️
Great post Rhett
This was amazing! I can relate… I recently took my tween to see Olivia Rodrigo and 6 days later my right ear is still fucked up from the “super fan” next to me. More importantly, how did WE become the old people???
Not only pretty sweet, but utterly sublime. Thank you, Rhett, for rocking the world in so many ways.
This is an incredible way to start a week. Travis McGee is an all time hero of mine but to date I haven’t made the pilgrimage to his marina. I’m jealous. That passage was perfect, definitely sums up how life rolls on if we are ready or not. John MacDonald was a national treasure, we need more heroes like Travis McGee (not Kelse). Thanks!
This is lovely; makes me feel both the dubious glory of having been 17 and parading around Ocean City, Maryland, without a care in the world, except for which sunset-painted t-shirt to buy, and the wistful weariness of a mom whose own daughter turned 18 last fall--how did it happen so fast?! She is more inclined to want to hit the summer horse show circuit than go to the beach, but it's still hard to be an onlooker, beach or horses. Glad your pilgrimage was gratifying! Thanks, for the thousandth time, for putting into words a feeling I can never quite define ❤️
A lovely piece of writing, thank you