Back in Colorado

After two weeks in California, where the three of us who flew developed nasty colds and passed them along to my Mom, :( , we braved the viral skies and flew back yesterday. I had such different plans for this trip, visiting old friends and playing tourist but instead, we sat on the sofa and watched many hours of Dog Whisperer, which was fascinating enough. I definitely need to assert my pack leadership more, at least with the dogs.

We stayed in California long enough to forget what life in Colorado was like, which was strange. I couldn't even remember our neighbors' names when we returned. The house was cold but fine and the fish survived though they're very feisty on the desk next to me right now. There was a dead black Phoebe under our deck. I'm theorizing it got beaned by the squirrels who dragged a giant bag of birdseed valiantly over the edge of the deck and to the ground, where they enlarged the previously gnawed hole in it and emptied it over the course of the vacation. But Steve figures the bird just got too cold. How boring.


Steve drove cross-country and back in the van, bringing one of his wooden canoes back with him. The dogs were uncomplaining travelers. And now we're back. Time to start inhabiting this new life. Leaving California yesterday felt more real (and harder emotionally) than it did in the moving van six weeks ago, because I don't expect to return for several months. And yet I'm eager to get involved in the church and to finish unpacking and settle into a life here. Guess I should start by unpacking the van!