Tom Ryan, Author

Tom Ryan, Author

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Tom Ryan, Author
Tom Ryan, Author
Our Favorite Coddiwomple Stop

Our Favorite Coddiwomple Stop

Samwise and Emily find a way to be themselves

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Tom Ryan
Jul 07, 2025
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Tom Ryan, Author
Tom Ryan, Author
Our Favorite Coddiwomple Stop
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Finishing a pre-dawn ramble where dogs are not allowed to be off-leash. Yes, we are scofflaws.

Upon our return to New Hampshire, a friend wrote and asked, “What was your favorite stop?”

Since I was writing a letter, it gave me time to consider my answer.

We don’t travel like most folks (and dogs). This is because I had not traveled for decades. Since we are under a deadline of sorts, we now cram as much as possible into our coddiwomples. Our annual trips take us to deserts, canyons, forests, prairies, cities, and shorelines. But my favorite place we visited is different than all of them.

I’ve mentioned this Richard Osman quote from The Thursday Murder Club before, but it fits our stage of life: “You always know when it’s your first time, don’t you? But you rarely know when it’s your final time.”

I swear, the older I get, the more sentimental I become and the more poignant this line is.

Our first two trips came about when I was told I would not live much longer. There was a hurry to drink …

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