In Small Ways

In small ways, today was like no other day.

We are getting ready for our November trip down the Grand Canyon already.  Yesterday, we had a phone interview with a couple from Colorado who would like to join us:  Arthur and Mari.  Mari has been down the Canyon twelve times; Arthur is a very experienced boatman.

Today, we got out Chuck's "new" raft that he bought last fall.  We have it spread out on the floor of the loft for repairs.

 You can see the problem, now that the boat is partially inflated:  one of the baffles in the floor is blown, causing a fat sausage on one side, instead of a tidy floor.  Chuck will cut is open all the way down the length, glue the baffle back together, then patch his incision. 

 I baked an Italian Cream Cake in the wood cook stove.

I felt rather irritated at Chuck's ex-girlfriend Marianne and her boyfriend, Jim.  They are also our next-door neighbors, unfortunately.  I do think it is unfair that they are able to berm me in; then break the steering column on the plow van so it no longer runs; then escape situation because of insufficient evidence; then use their top-of-the-line snow-blower to clear their parking area and their part of the road, while we stay buried. 

On the other hand, it is a lot of extra work for them to clear their part of the road.  More effort than it was when Chuck was plowing their section of road for them.  I do know that they shoveled until their snow-shovel broke: Chuck and I found it in the dumpster.  This is a bonus for us, because in the midst of all the fighting and vehicle vandalism last week, our snow shovel was run over and the handle was crushed.  Chuck retrieved Marianne's shovel from the dumpster and removed its handle, took it home and put it on our snow shovel, and we are happier now.  Still, today's low point was thinking about how mean they have been when we were trying to be helpful to them. 

Today's high point was centered around Tobi, our pet rabbit.  Nate is being a very good owner, happy to clean Tobi's cage and providing lots of snuggles.  This is Nate's first pet ever.  Si was allergic to dogs and cats, and poured cold water on pet ownership in general.  When he heard that Chuck and I had bought a rabbit for Nate, he voiced his concerns to the children:
1.  Had I considered the cost of pet ownership?  Was I sure that I could afford to feed and house a rabbit?
2.  Who would care for the rabbit when Nate wasn't there?
3.  Had everyone had a tetanus shot!? 
During the day, Tobi likes to hide; but in the evenings, he is more playful and expressive.  Tonight he came out from behind the wood stove to play make-the-fireplace-poker-go-"clink" with Nate.

Chuck has come to bed and is teasing me, wanting to know what I'm writing about.  He is sitting next to me now, reading his magazine, "Good Old Boat".  Time for bed.