Journal: 12/11/05

Yesterday I drove up to have an early breakfast with Jessy, Jaimie, and Noah. The roads were silvery and icy at 6:00 am, so the drive was somewhat stressful. I decided to take the interstate, figuring it would be freer of snow and ice, but even there I passed across slick patches now and then, causing the car to shiver and slide a little. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to enjoy the scenery like I usually do on the drive, because I was so focused on keeping my little Kia on the road instead of off in a snowy ditch. Nonetheless, I arrived safely at the little stone house in the forest and we all had a cheery morning by the fire. Jaimie fixed me a stack of delicious blueberry pancakes, and he and I had a brief time to chat as I ate. Then I played with my favorite playmate, young Noah Converse Salsich. In front of the glowing fire and in the wintry light from the big windows, we went from trains to books and back to trains, laughing and talking the way grandfathers and two-year-olds are supposed to. The drive back home was much easier, the roads being thawed and splashy and my heart filled with the warmth I got from my friends in the stone house.