1. Patrick and Meagan had not finished their vacation after our time in Glacier National Park. Late this morning, they packed up their things, loaded their car, and headed west to Alta Crystal Resort near Mt. Rainier.
I waved goodbye to Meagan and Patrick sadly. They are fun to be with, treat me respectfully and light heartedly, and we enjoy doing a lot of the same things: hiking, exploring, talking about all kinds of things, trying out beers at different places, eating decent food, and spending time with family -- it was especially fun that Patrick and Meagan got to spend so much time with Christy, Carol, Paul, Molly, and Zoe -- and some time with Cosette, Taylor, and Sapphire, too.
Meagan made it a special point to tell me, as she left, how much she enjoyed her time with my family. I know she was speaking for Patrick, too.
Lastly, I really enjoyed that I let Meagan and Patrick be in charge while we traveled. It did me some good as far as developing flexibility to let Meagan and Patrick shake me out of my usual schedule and ways of doing things, to get going later in the day, often play things by ear, sometimes figure things out on the fly, and just enter into their world and, in a sense, be like Meagan and Patrick.
It all worked out splendidly. We experienced some wonderful surprises (East Glacier, party on the deck Wednesday night!) and had a ton of fun.
2. Debbie texted me today with a strong suggestion that I book a flight to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport for July 4th, and join her, Ellie, Jack, Josh, Adrienne, Gibbs (and Spike?), and the Diazes in Silver Spring, MD. She recommended that we spend some time in Maryland and then make our way to the area close to her brother Brian's lake place on Lake Michigan and be present for Hiram's performance of a piece commissioned by the Michigan City, Indiana Municipal Band (hope I got the name right) in mid-July. Hiram has played with this group before, leading them to have this piece composed, featuring him.
From the northern Indiana/Chicagoland area, Debbie, Gibbs, and I would then, at some point, start our trek back to Kellogg and, by the end of the month, it sure looks like Debbie, Gibbs, Luna, Copper, and I will be back together on West Cameron Avenue. It will have been about eleven months since Debbie and Gibbs flew off to help out with Jack and Ellie back in Valley Cottage, NY.
It's a pretty big deal.
(My flight is booked. I will arrive at BWI around 4:30 in the afternoon on July 4 🎉🎉🎉.)
3. I like how it's working for Luna and Copper to be spending more time out back -- whether on the porch, on the deck, or roaming on the lawn and among the weeds in the meadow (cough cough) that surrounds three sides of the yard. Copper seems the more adventurous.
I'm wondering if time outside might help relieve some of Copper's anxiety when I'm gone. It's hard to say. I'm also wondering if the cats might use the litter boxes indoors less often if they are spending more time outdoors. I'll be keeping an eye on these things over the next several days.
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