Philip W Holland

Apologies, the website was temporarily down due to a combination of financial and technical difficulties, but is back up! Heading further and further south towards the third coast, weather became less and less amenable to sitting down and writing during the day, and I either would be tired or out of cell service or some other excuse. There’s a lot of ground to cover since the last blog post.

Since I circled around a couple states, had to do another loop back to check off Tennessee and Kentucky. Pros: mountains and forests. Cons: local authorities. I think I was awoken or run off from where I was sleeping in my car more in Kentucky than in the whole rest of the country. I had some personal business to tend to there, to lend some more personal closure on my Grief Tour 2025.

[Various Tactful Omissions]

Came back through Tennessee and into North Carolina (to buy more livermush) via US 129, aka The Dragon. “318 curves in 11 miles”. Mostly motorcycles and Miatas, with people at every turn taking photos from a branded tent to sell back via their websites, like after you get off a roller coaster and they have photos available. Got another patch for the guitar case but haven’t sat down to sew it on yet. Need to get new front tires and an an alignment but they’ve got enough to em to make it home.

Stopped in Georgia on account of the pleasant weather in the mid 70s, and was able to get a week of handyman work on a backyard AirBNB off of Craigslist to keep me going. Plenty of fat and lively fishing worms behind the local Chick-fil-A. Stopped off at a friend’s in the Florida panhandle for a few nights. Didn’t see any alligators, but was able to freshen up the laundry and my own self.

Not wanting to acclimate myself too thoroughly to their cold air conditioning, I headed west after sunset to avoid the sun in my eyes and drove through Alabama into Mississippi headed towards New Orleans. My late best friends’ mom’s remains  (she passed unexpectedly not long before my friend) were scattered under a very large tree in City Park, so I was able to pay a visit, and grab some dirt as a physical token of loss, something which I have had less access to than has seemed adequate for my own emotional processing of various losses. 

After that, and another purchase of small town hyper local bayou head cheese and smoked pork tasso, the next waypoint was to head towards The Woodlands/Conroe, north of Houston, to eat with my aunt and check out how places from my childhood memories have changed as the city develops around or in place of them. The polar bear is still there north of Sawdust Road, although it has changed from the taxidermist into a head shop and then into the current cctv/alarm security installation service. My maternal grandparents’ old property is unrecognizably developed with apartments and townhouses.

Spent the night and a good visit with my uncle, who was at their property about halfway up towards Dallas in Centerville. Got a shower and a night in the AC in their second RV, morning breakfast and coffee, and then headed west without looking at the map which led towards 35, which leads south towards Austin and north to DFW. Intersected 35 further north than anticipated, so scrapped my plan to visit whatever available friends in Austin, since I don’t feel like backtracking.

Might end up back home tomorrow, and will be able to stay a short time to prepare to to head out again and take care of some things. I could make it there in a couple few hours, but want to take another day, as I am feeling emotions as I become closer to everything that I left behind. Already have some work lined up and will be assessing what I need vs will be able to sell, as well as finally begin the process of applying for disability. Definitely want the money but maybe just as much am looking forward to the fishing licensing and park admissions associated.

Anyway, my shady spot is disappearing at this Buc-ee’s, and I will continue to once again chase the ice water and shade until the sun sets.

Don’t need any donations at this time but wouldn’t argue, but maybe save your bucks for what should be an expansion of available inventory in the web store. If you are local to DFW then we could even arrange local delivery in person to keep the postman out of the whole affair!

Not sure exactly what’s next but I know I will have continue to have unfinished business until I drive through all of the contiguous 48 states. That’s how you end up stuck as a ghost and I don’t wanna do that!

Live carelessly pwh 08-24-25