Author Reg Spittle

When Is the Right Time to Quit?

Reg Spittle 4 Comments

Today, Christmas Eve, Sue and I made a difficult call. It will mean we will miss tonight and Christmas Day with our adult kids.

They are just 64 miles away, but we are an ocean apart. An “atmospheric river” has California in its grip and it has sent wind and rain that has stranded us in a Sierra Nevada foothill RV park.

Have you ever quit a trek or other adventure?

This photo shows us at our finish line at Land’s End, England on the South West Coast Path after a day of horizontal rain. A few days earlier, fierce winds hit as we were about to walk miles on a clifftop above the ocean. Warnings to avoid the trail were broadcast. What should we do? We so badly wanted to walk, but we took a bus to the next town, avoiding what we considered a risk not worth taking.

It all brings me to this article in Backpacker. Sometimes it is smart to quit, or take a day off. When? Often it is a tough call.

Tonight, Sue and I very much miss being with our kids. But, if the weather cooperates, we’ll see them in a couple of days. It will be worth the wait. I am sure of that.

Tell us about your story in comments.

Gordon Korman Takes Us Back to Middle School

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Old School is a Gordon Korman masterpiece that will surprise and delight you while delivering a profound appreciation for the elderly.

Dexter Foreman is 12 years old and lives with his grandmother in an old folks community. Home schooled, Dexter has a best friend and favorite teacher who is 99.

This is a kid who wears hand-me-downs from the old guys at the retirement home. He carries the knowledge and wisdom of people several generations his senior, but talks and acts like them too.

What do you think would happen if Dexter is forced to attend public middle school? You may have guessed that bullies would target him from day one. You are correct, but his life and the lives of his fellow students as well as folks at the retirement home take turns that may keep you reading beyond your normal bedtime.

This is a heartwarming, funny story that, like other books by Gordon Korman, caused me to want more—more of this author’s gift.

If it leaves you wanting more, there is good news. Try Korman’s The Unteachables for starters.