This post is going to be rife with visual aids, so it will hopefully make up for the recent ones where I skimped on photos.
Since I was off work for four whole days this week Olive and I zipped down to Maryland on Tuesday morning after dropping off Rob at the aviary. I was doubtful that the trip would happen since the goon was feeling less than perky the evening before with a low-grade fever, but when 5:30 am rolled around she had most certainly come 'round. We only had two days to pack in all the visits that we wanted to have (and still missed a few, regrettably), so there was a lot of time spent in the car. Expertly gauging and avoiding the DC beltway traffic, we went to visit Sam, my college roommate and 7 month-old son, Grant, who is still wonderfully bald as day is long. Sam's mother, brother, and stepfather were visiting from Massachusetts, so it was really good to get to see all of them, too. Her husband, Howard, got home from work right as we were getting ready to leave. Always a treat. Olive was delighted with Grant, gently touching his velvety head and giving him sweet kisses. I'm glad to have had the cats because I think they've taught her to handle other living things with care.
Wednesday was gorgeous and 80 degrees. Ben graced us with his presence, and when Olive and I went to greet him in the driveway it was clear from her immediate grin that he was no stranger to her. I'm looking forward to seeing the many photographs he snapped of her out on the deck. When she rose from her afternoon nap Ben left and she and I left for Baltimore, first to visit Amaryllis, the jewelry store where I used to work, then see Christina and Teresa, two of my old coworkers from there. Allie, my beloved old boss, was working and it was delightful to see her as always. Olive wasn't at all interested in the jewelry in the cases but in the fax machine on the floor - very telling. It was so great to be back in my old city and see my friends, some of whom I've known for nearly ten years. I'm always a little sad that I don't live there any longer and probably won't again. It's just not a place I see raising my family and I've already spent a good part of my life there, so I can be satisfied to leave it at that, though when driving through the northern sections of the city en route to Teresa's house in Towson I was tempted to think about signing up for the marathon in the fall. We'll see how the one here goes in three weeks before I commit to anything I can't handle.
Getting comfortable at the in-laws'
That's him, the boyfriend.
Uncle Trev
Buggy and Sam's mom, "Oma"
Trying to make sense of Christina's hair
The handsome rowhouses of Baltimore's Charles Village
Blueberry Goon
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