Thursday, June 9, 2011

Directions or Descriptions?

Ah, Muskoka. Where I live. And where directions to someone's place are more like descriptions. They include phrases such as:

  • I do not know her address 
  • She lives on This Road off of That Road 
  • It is on the left hand side a little ways past the dam 
  • There is a red sign but it's spelled wrong 
  • You go down that road past the house on the right to the next house on the right 

and then a phone number "in case you get confused."

Which I did.

So I had a nice detour down a remote rut and crater infested road I'd never driven before. The shoulders were either non-existent or so soft and squishy I feared executing a 3-pointer would mire the Odyssey in mud. I followed the road all the way to the end before turning around. But I got to my destination.

Descriptions. They lead to places you've never been before. Isn't that what writing is all about?

6 comments:

Peni R. Griffin said...

Last time I went back to Iowa with my mom, she thought we were lost until she saw "the pig sign." It was advertising something to do with pigs and hadn't been maintained in decades, but apparently was allowed to remain standing because it was such a useful landmark. They have street signs on the country roads now, but I don't think anybody thinks in terms of them.

Unknown said...

Love "The pig sign" story. That is so true, Peni. I also love it when people say someone lives in "Joe McFro's house" when Joe McFro hasn't lived there in 15 years. Thanks for reading!

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Lizann, what a pleasure to meet you! Thanks for giving me a follow because I wouldn't have found your wonderful blog without it. Your post about Catherine Austen was SO inspiring. And, wow, have you done a TON of books! Congrats!!

Unknown said...

Thanks, Cathy, for reading. Your blog is great too. I'll be hanging around there. Always glad to know things here strike people as useful, amusing, or whatever. Thank you so much for the follow!

Malcolm Robertson said...

So true Lizann.
Don't forget about:
Just past where Uncle Bob hit the deer last year.

Unknown said...

I forgot that one, Malcolm. You're right!