Drawing to a close

Soon we'll be heading home. This much-needed vacation is all too quickly coming to an end. It seems like I was waiting forever for the time to come when we could hit the open road and see what there was to see in an unexplored (by me) part of the country. And now it's almost over.

The kidlet and I have had such a brilliant time of it up here. Everything about the trip has exceeded my expectations in just about every way. Pardon me for a moment while I get all mushy.

I looked forward to this trip not only as a chance to see a part of the country I'd never been to before but also as a chance to spend time with my new-found family and see what their life is like up close and personal on their home grounds. I have known them now for about five years but most of the time the communication has been via Internet and phone calls with the occasional flying visit from Gary and wonderful few weekends in Lincoln at Jo's. This trip seemed a good opportunity for a little familial bonding.

I can't express enough gratitude and love and warmth to Gary, Jo and family, Charlotte and family, and Nora for letting us into their lives they way they have. It means ever so much to me and to my daughter and we love you all dearly.

/mush

This past week up at the cabin has been a blast. I hand-fed deer for quite some time last night as a group of about 8 of them wandered into the yard looking for treats. Such beautiful animals. I really do love wildlife even though I'm not very much inclined to the outdoors. I used to think I wasn't really made to be an outdoorsy type, but now I'm just wondering if I'm not outdoorsy because I haven't really had much in the way of opportunity to be one in my life. I never camped much growing up and if I did it was in my aunt's cabin at a reservoir that had all of the comforts of home. No roughing it etc.

I do detest bugs though and while I feel I made progress in regards to not shrieking like a banshee when I discovered a daddy long-legs in the shower with me or flailing about like some spastic moron when a bee hovered nearby, I still wish bugs could be eradicated without upsetting the delicate balance of nature. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside with my book and listening to the creek, feeling the occasional mountain breeze (according to Gary, the mountains "breathe." In the evenings, the breeze would come from the direction of the mountain behind the cabin and this was the mountain "exhaling." I like that thought.) I didn't even realize it until last night but I have not watched a single thing on television since I left GI over a week ago. Didn't even miss it.

I didn't know how enjoyable it is to have everyone just sort of gather around a fire in the evenings and just chat, toast 'shmallows, and feed the occasional duck that waddles by. For anyone reading this that might do this all the time, well you're lucky and I hope you appreciate it. For anyone who might scoff at the thought, well... don't knock it. I'm well-rested, I've learned a great deal about my family that makes me love 'em even more, and I've seen extraordinarily beautiful things this past week and a half.

This is also the first vaca I've sort of "live-blogged." I'm looking forward to being able to look back on this blog and these photos in the Roadtripping gallery and relive my first foray into this wild, fascinating part of the country.

Finally, I just want to thank Jo for making the trip with us - it's been wonderful getting to spend all this time with you, Gary for taking us to the best places in Montana and for just being with us - it's been such a lovely time for us, truly, Charlotte for letting us stay in her beautiful home and making the best brownies ever :) and the lovely Miss Nora for hanging out with us even though she should be preparing for college in a month :)