I thought I was just on a relaxing, post-book tour innertubing trip (above), but Amanda’s photo (below) proved that without my knowing it, this was in fact a working trip (we’ll show the photo to the IRS) — I was using wilderness, of course, as inspiration to flush out my next book ideas. Yes, that is my bathing suit in the foreground. There was no one else around (except maybe Dick Cheney the coyote) for approximately 275 miles. And yes, I did suffer some sensitive sunburn as well. It was worth it.
Then I soon learned that this is a trend — that my office is the Earth. Here’s little Nico proofreading (do I have to put her on payroll?) as she nurses my pen. I like my employees to multitask. It makes me feel justified for not outsourcing to Bangalore goats.
She’s turning out to be a superlative goat, by the way — friendly but not needy, sweet in disposition, and just mischievous enough. Natalie reproduced well (and nearly identically)! And I’ll even have to give Walt 50% of the genetic credit, even if his stay at the Funky Butte Ranch has given me PTSD.
Oh, one other note in the suddenly almost mundane-seeming world of publishing and book promotion (I’m back into goat-milking, river-tripping and pending fatherhood) — looks like NBC is re-airing the episode of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno wherein I’m a guest. It airs Wednesday, May 28. No word on if it was my, Hugh Laurie’s, or Prince’s performance that earned the coveted summer re-run slot. But I’ll take another fourteen million eyes on Farewell, My Subaru. Which gives me an opportunity to thank everyone so much for their support. You’re the reason I can do what I do.
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4 Responses:
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 am
You deserve all the attention, loved the book and have told everyone I know about it.
Oh, and now that my wife has seen your goats, we have to get them…moving to Taos in just 30 more days, so next up is goat shopping. Thanks. 
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I spent my morning cruising the countryside to get 55 gallon barrels. (1 for WVO, 3 for downspout rain collection, 1 for a pasteurizer catch basin)
We have a standard home pasteurizer and when it gets to temperature it must be cooled down by running water around it for 15 mins. then it can be bottled. Ive tried various water catching schemes with limited success.
My new set up will be on the back deck. I have built a small cabinet with a sink that drains into the 55 gallon barrel tapped with a spigot on the bottom. All the water gets collected and the veggies get plenty of water too.
Unpasteurized milk can be very dangerous to little ones and I know you’re a ways out from having to worry about that, but please give it some thought
Ed
Bay City MI
May 26th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I devoured the book and appreciated the digs [such as the name of the varmit-Dick Cheney] nearly as much as the rest of the content. I hope to adapt at least some of your pioneer work when we move to old Mexico within the next year. Looking forward to the next book.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:17 am
I listened to your book on CD this past weekend, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Thank you for the inspiration. I’m glad there is someone else out there thinking similarly.