Tippy Canoe and Kittens, Too!

Mom and I wake up once again to a silent house. The turbulence of Meeting Weekend is over!

We celebrate by pitching the tent she is lending me for Pennsic later this summer. I get all excited and start planning what's going to go where and what needs to be on the packing list. I'm a little concerned with the rainfly--it looks like a bikini on a Rubens. Pennsic has the well-deserved reputation for weather roulette.

As I jump online to find a more substancial solution, I casually mention Gander Mountain, the outdoor store down in Winchester. Mom gets all fired up. Pitching a tent has that effect on us. "Let's go!"

We pull into the parking lot. "Look, there's nobody here! Maybe they'll give us a boat!" Mom hopes. She inspects the boxy, plastic boat-shells more closely. "These are so funny looking! How do you make them go?"

All-knowing, I demonstrate: "You twirl the seat around like this, dangle your feet over the stern and kick!"

And Pete walks out of the store!

Happy reunion--he and Mom haven't seen each other in a couple of years-- and here we are far from any of all of our usual stomping grounds. There is much rejoicing!

Later this evening we head to Border's for our rendezvous and kitten exchange. I find the Civil War magazines. Sho' nuff, the current issue features the article which randomly includes JEB and I--cool! We enjoy our paragraphs of infamy.

KB's mom shows up. She is delighted with the two remaining kittens. I'm overjoyed that they all have wonderful new homes.

...I ignore the pangs as I give them over.