This homeleave has gone SO fast. The blissful QM2 trip home was followed by NYC for a day, then 4th of July fireworks from the very cool lake-front cabin my sister hooked us up with at Donner Lake. We brought my mom up to Tahoe and the first morning here we heard that Peter's niece, our sweet Emily, had died, which has colored our entire trip blue.
Peter took off to see his family, then came back in time for a visit with our "old" friend Gina and her new husband. We all visited the dentist, typical home-leave-work. Then Peter and Stefan flew to San Diego and Stefan's dream: Legoland. A hike in the Sierras and then I got my new blue bike, which I brought to Tahoe. By myself for a few days I rode and ran, I think as much as during the two-week Triathlon! Only outside and with a lake view or surrounded by 100 kinds of Sierra wildflowers.
Peter and Stefan went to a motorcycle race. Camille — with 88-year-old-Grammie at the wheel! — went up to Oregon for a sweaty week with her race-horse training cousin, and got to know some family along the way. A burrito bowl from Chipotle and an Anthropologie side-trip later, I was back in Tahoe, playing Words With Friends, and listening to our friend's band, lakeside.
A couple days later we saw those same friends, Luanne and Evan, and they took our kids to Marin for a few days of constant drumming and s'mores. Then, a last weekend with Ludmilla, Sonja and Mary, Emily's nearest. Blueberry galette, bbq chicken, and today, a final hike around the lake and a swim.
We love it here, the frozen yogurt place and bears wandering the woods and the condo we rented, so clean and cheerful, with a swimming pool that has a resident bunny. I hope we can buy a place in Tahoe someday, but not until the prices have gone as far down as they can possibly go. And then I want a place like this, where in the morning I hear coyotes howling like loons and chipmunks scurrying around and around the pine trees and blue jays.
The Washoe said that The Lake of the Sky rejuvenates the spirit. I think not only the lake, but also the sourdough bread from Truckee Bakery and the zillion stars in the sky.
Summer isn't over, we have Washington DC still to come before the mystery of Bucharest; I hope your days are full of these kinds of blue skies and that like Peter, your iPhone works after you take it kayaking.