Thursday, after we’d finally gotten everything else out of the house, after I’d mopped my way out of the house, after the van was loaded up and everyone else had left, I got out and took pictures of our happy little house. It doesn’t really fit us so well anymore, like a dress that one of the girls might have worn as a baby, but I love it. We have so many happy memories of life here, and somehow as I took the picture, a melodramatic thought crossed my mind, Maybe someday I’ll look back at this photo and think, “Ah, those were the simpler, happy times!” Boo hoo hoo. Mostly I think it was the combination of stress, bad eating and weariness. I think that a house is a house and wherever we end up we will make more happy memories. But no matter what, this is the house I brought three babies home to, where I watched them all grow up, where we welcomed so many friends, where there was so much singing and crying and love. I wrote recently about Orcas and a sense of place. This place has a sense of place, too. Goodbye, Little House, or maybe just See you later.

Saturday we had another garage sale with our friends. Aside from getting money from purgings and visiting with all the neighbors, one of my favorite things about garage sales is that you are doing something without doing too much. What I mean is that besides talking with people and trying to help them see the benefits of buying your old carpet or chocolate fountain, there is usually plenty of time to just sit in the sun (and we had some!) and hang out waiting for more customers.With the exception of Zeus who is such a busy bee that he can’t sit still but instead did lots of weeding on the garage sale fringes, we sat about and chatted. While chatting, I asked my friend Kerry if her daughter would like some toy pots and pans to play with. (Hermes isn’t much of a toy cook.) Because Holly’s mother is an outstanding cook, it was ironic to find out Holly didn’t yet have a toy kitchen. (well, okay, she’s only two!) The mamas had a stroke of inspiration, and then we handed execution off to our skilled eldest children. Here is the finished result. and the happy recipient-now she can cook just like mama! This is also an opportunity to introduce the fabulous new blog of Artemis– she wrote a great post about making the stove. Her blog is currently private, so if you are interested in following it, leave me a comment with your email address. You will be able to read about our travel adventures from her perspective as well.Sunday we drove up to Bellingham to a graduation/farewell party with my aunt and uncle and all my cousins. We haven’t had that many of us all together in….well…, a COON’s age! It was delightful to catch up on each other’s lives in glorious afternoon sunshine, and to be reminded, as we head off to adventures and the enjoyment of family far away, of the family ties that hold onto us here. My sister Julie graduates this week with a B.A. degree and teaching certificate in special education after several years of hard work and juggling being a mama and a college student. As an observer, I think that’s got to be one of the hardest combinations. She’s been an inspiration to her family and mine, my daughters especially. We are all SO proud of her!