Priorities

Evelyn: Gizmo finally got Pito home, very late at night, with just minutes before the midnight hour. Of course, other than trying to see what Pito brought him in his bags, belly rubs were priority.

Pito & Pup

Evelyn: I found this picture spectacular. Between Gizmo missing Pito and staying with me for three weeks, and Pito missing Gizmo and staying at Grandpa's for 3 weeks, they both have a look of subtle curiosity and a sliver of anticipation.

Circles & Stems

Monica: We took the day off and headed to Wilbur Hot Springs for a mini-retreat. We have friends who highly recommended Wilbur for its tranquil atmosphere and therapeutic thermal waters. Wilbur is tucked away in a golden valley surrounded by rolling hills with a creek through it. There's no TV or internet, so it felt very much like home. Guests bring their own food and can cook in their enormous kitchen. I prepared us a simple dinner of asparagus & lemon risotto with a green salad & white wine, the perfect meal to eat out on the screened-in veranda as the nearly-full moon rose over the hills. 

Evelyn: A drive in Pa's Jag, hair whipping around in a mosh pit of locks, sand blowing from crevices and holes into my grinning smile, and the guttural drone of not one, but two, growling mufflers. Quite the adventure between rain storms, on a late Sunday afternoon.

Labor Day

Monica: One thing about running a lodge that I don't like: not getting days off. Or holidays. Technically, we're supposed to get two days off a week, plus a paid two-week vacation. The reality is, we're lucky if we get two days off a month. I feel a little guilty complaining, though, considering that I live in such a beautiful place and my office is at the other end of the house. But sometimes, I just want to be "off" from work and that's hard to do when work and home are one and the same. The only time off is when we physically leave the property and go into town, or better yet, take a couple days to visit friends in Petaluma. Tomorrow, we will do just that. I look forward to the brief time away from responsibility.

Evelyn: All I can say to make sense of how the last few weeks have gone is: retrograde. Today was ridiculous—between two glass objects breaking (and Nana's cut foot), and in an effort to install my water filter, finding puddles from a broken garbage disposal, then a leak in the new spigot that resulted in water across the full length of the kitchen counter, the maintenance light on my car making faces at me, broken door hook, my loveseat busting to pieces, and a 4 for 4 record of people leaving from my new job, I am uncertain if I should leave the house. I understand that Mercury will finally be back on its normal routine by September 9th. Meanwhile, we are working on fixing all of it. Pito's a "Pro!"

Father's Day 2011

Monica: I didn't get to spend Father's Day with either of my fathers today, but I called them both to tell them I love them.  In the afternoon, I took my visiting sister-in-law shopping in Mendocino. We stopped for coffee and as we left the coffee house, I notice this little table with its "For Sale" sign. A six-year-old boy sat on the wall with his dad, manning his yard sale while munching a slice of cheese pizza. I asked (with a wink) if he was saving up his money to buy his dad a Father's Day present. His dad explained he wanted to sell some of his things to raise money to help people. I bought a rock for $2.

Evelyn: "I don't know how to put this but... I'm kind of a Big Deal" is what my Dad's shirt said - and I can't help but smirk. Pito, you really are, especially to me and Gizmo who depend on you for so much. We enjoyed a Daddy-date to the Plymouth Woodshed—a greasy spoon cheap-date, sludgy coffee and biscuits-'n-gravy kinda place. Gizmo got most the grease and honeyed biscuit morsels out of Pito's beard.

Pampering in Paradise

Evelyn: Spending time getting things done... sadly, I hit the gym for two hours, instead of floating down the Wekiva with Monica and Pito. Regardless, the most exciting of today's "task-list undertakings" was Monica's Ponytail Haircut adventure. Apparently Monica can't get a decent haircut in California without spending $100, so, I told her she REALLY needs to move to Florida!

Monica: I spent some quality time with my dad today and he took me to Rock Springs, a gorgeous state park with  freshwater springs that you can float down. There was hardly anyone at the park, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Looking up at the brilliant blue sky, cotton white clouds, and emerald green trees as I drifted in the cool, crystal clear water, I felt like I was floating through paradise. 

"Pro" in Procrastination

Evelyn: My dad wears goofy shirts. It is expected that he will wear something to any event, any date, that will get someone's attention. I thought it was cute that he greeted Monica this morning with his "I put the 'pro' in procrastination" shirt (the shirt Monica needs) and promptly asked if it was time to finally get our pedicures. I love my dad!

Monica: Our dad treated us to lunch and spa pedicures today (THANK YOU, PITO!), where he sat between us as a captive subject for today's photo. I had to grab my camera when I saw him quietly grimacing, then contorting his face and snorting as he tried to suppress the ticklishness resulting from the pedicurist scrubbing the undersides of his feet with a pumice stone. He was so cute, trying to endure an obviously uncomfortable sensation for the sake of smooth, well-groomed feet. I think he got a taste of the meaning behind the adage: beauty is pain.

Pito's Birthday Dinner