The last few weeks have been really tough. It feels like I’ve spent months running marathons, and now I’m collapsing as my purpose, time, energy, and reason are all disappearing. First, Shai and Hulud move on to their next stage of life. Then Ambrose leaves for the military. Then Tipsy, Tillie, and Penny all go to their respective next-stages. Now we’re making plans for how to get Laurence up to Canada when it’s time for school to begin in the fall. Meanwhile, we’ve lost all three planned vacations for the year, and it looks like there just won’t be any time off. Well, not meaningful time off – just extra time to sit at home alone, in all this heat. So much, all happening at the same time.

I need a place to go. A place to spend a week or two in July. To get away for a bit before Ambrose graduates boot camp and Laurence moves to Canada. A time away from the oppressive 100+ temps that have been relentless over the last seven weeks. Time away from home, to reset my body and brain, to give myself a bit of fresh start. I’m not sure what that will be yet, but I’m on the prowl, so if anyone has ideas, leave them for me! They need to be places I can either drive to, or I can easily get around without renting a car. Jason and I thought about visiting Yellowstone, until it flooded, and then Olympic, only it turns out that everything there costs like $500 a night right now. So I don’t know. I just know I need something better to do than to sit around watching Murdoch Mysteries reruns while doing puzzle after puzzle after puzzle…