For some reason, this past week went by so incredibly fast----- I felt like I couldn't keep up. I'm feeling exhausted tonight from everything (though it was all so worthwhile--) and am excited for the fresh start a Monday can bring.


We spent Fourth of July evening at Natasha's mom's place. Renee has about eight animals - maybe more - and it's so amazing to see them all communing so beautifully. Natasha's sister, Emily, trains them well: she can put a bird, or a guinea pig (see above), on a German Shepherd (a 150-pound one) and the dog just lies there! Very cool to watch. Renee made us a wonderful meal, we got to meet Jonathan's mom, and we got to play with cute kittens and birds and rodents and dogs. A perfect night.

Then we were able to watch some fireworks (one of my favorite American traditions), which I enjoyed even though there were people pretty much sitting in each other's laps. I guess that's part of it, along with the craziest Woman in an SUV that I have ever encountered nearly killing us on the way out of the Bonanza parking lot, after the show. That was fun.

My favorite part of the week was being at my family's cabin (my grandpa had it built: it belongs to the whole, extended Whitmore clan). My dad and grandpa were the only ones left there after the 4th, so I decided on Thursday to surprise them. Well-----my only choice was to surprise them, actually, since the cabin has no electricty and they have no cell phones... (though there's barely reception, anyway--). In fact, this is the best thing about the cabin: it is simple. Quiet. There's a small stove with a gas line, so we can make dinners, but at night we find the oil lanterns and read by a dark window, or play Monopoly on the floor in front of a fireplace. It's peaceful enough for you to be able to think, or not think at all----To swim in the lake for your bath, to use an outhouse and wash up at the end of the dock, to go fishing and listen to loons call and then be back inside the cozy cabin within ten minutes--- . I am so, so grateful for this place, for every time my dad brought us up there. It's the place of some of my best, most consistent memories from growing up, and I feel happy I will have this place for my children, too. (whenever that may be.)

While I was at the cabin, Adam's dad and brother, Aaron, visited. I got back home in time to see them, too, which was nice. It was a good weekend together. Yesterday we went frisbee golfing, and these pictures were taken before we realized it was 100 degrees outside --- . Any photos taken after that realization would have been very bad.

I will remember this time from the photographs, of course, and from my memories, but I will also remember it every time I hear R.E.M's version of "#9 Dream" or Christina Aguilara's "Mother"----. Music has always been this way for me; songs I love always end up being little soundtracks for certain moments in my life. Maybe it's this way for anyone who loves music. Anyway, I'd listened to these songs before, but on this drive I first felt that they are really beautiful. They're both John Lennon songs, and the CD is put out by Amnesty International to raise awareness about (and money for) the Darfur crisis. There are so many great artists/groups who contributed (like Regina Spektor, Greenday, U2, Jack Johnson, Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Corrine Bailey Rae, ----) , and the compilation is amazing. It feels good to know it's for something important.

OK. I think it's time for bed so I can get a lot done tomorrow. I have to. --- And I'm sure the time isn't going to slow down at all...