Everyone has a back story. Sometimes it’s tragic. Sometimes it’s magical. Mine falls somewhere between the two extremes, but definitely leaning toward magical. Over the years I have come to deeply appreciate the life and family that I was born into, and I hope I never take them for granted.

    One of the biggest blessings my parents gave me was the love of travel-to see the things others only read about and to experience a greater world. Trust me, it made for some delightful stories. I have traveled extensively throughout the United States and have logged a few steps in Europe-but not enough to win a badge. Obviously, I need to work harder on that goal. In my current world I travel with different friends who each bring a unique perspective to the journey. What a hoot sometimes! The stories I could tell you! But the bottom line is that I hope our indelible memories will warm our hearts when our bodies betray our wanderlust.

    Once upon a time, in a post-Watergate period where journalism was an honorable profession, I followed a college curriculum of political science with a journalism minor. As so often happens, that career path was derailed….by a boy. A different story for a different time. Regrouping, I found myself retiring from a 40+ year career in the oil and gas industry. The utopian plan for retirement was to enjoy my log cabin, digging in the dirt. Instead, I spent 3 years being a caregiver for my mom-the one who instilled the travel bug in my soul. It was the most rewarding and the most challenging work I have ever undertaken.

    In my everyday life, between traveling, gardening, exercising, volunteering, and pickle ball (I have a very full life), I read. My preferred genre is historical fiction, especially those stories set during World War II. I am forever impressed with the courage of the men and women who were faced with trying to stay alive, while the world was trying to kill them.

    Occasionally I write blog articles as a tongue-in-cheek Tomte (Gnome) who has been exiled to The South to take care of a crazy old aunt. For a glimpse into his struggles, visit thorstravels.wordpress.com