Gone almost 5 out of the last 6 weeks

It has been a very busy month and a half. It began with a trip over labor day to Colorado Springs, then our 2 week trip to Wisconsin, a short trip for me to Green River for the TA meet up and then a week along the Redwood Coast with Alice. Every single trip brought perspective, beauty and joy. Russ said to me, "If I get Friday off we could have a four day week for labor day, do you want to go see Enoch?" So I asked Jessica if she would let us visit and once we had that ok we began to plan. Of course both of us were asked to work all weekend. It would have been nice to be bringing in some money instead of spending it, but Enoch was worth it. Louisa came with us as we drove all Friday out to the Springs and camped outside of town. In the morning Jessica was working and didn't know when she'd be done, so we took our time enjoyed the balloon festival, found a farmers market while scouting for parks in Monument and bought some items from the locals. We met Jessica at Walmart and then went for a picnic lunch at the park. Enoch was a little shy at first but then let us hold him and helped him walk and smiled when we had to leave. It was all too short, but so good to see his smile and watch him totter and walk a little bit. Then I felt like taking it easy on the way back. We went to Great Sand Dunes NP. It would have been funner when I could walk more, but it was still fun to see. We camped out in the middle of the valley at a dried up seasonal lake. Then on to Mesa Verde where we camped in the park. It has been since the kids were little that we did Mesa Verde and it was wonderful to see the ruins again and see some of those I'd never been to before. Cliff Palace on the last tour of the day has the evening sunglow of red rock. Long House with the longer tour was enlightening and informative of the lives of those who lived there. It was a good trip. Then three days later Russ and I boarded the plane to chicago. I'm thinking the trip to Wisconsin was life changing, though I know how that has felt before and I always seem to fall back into old routines and comfortable zones. You can read my report on TA. Then two days later I am on my way to Green River for the TA annual meet up. I got what I wanted out of the trip and that was a great rafting trip through Gray Canyon. It had more rapids than I expected. Half the group followed in duckies and it was fun to watch them.. Then I made a return trip to Little Wild Horse. Ended up walking about 7 miles that day when I didn't want to go more than 3... but I made it. Then we enjoyed Amanda's wedding. And that week I actually had a patient to see. Then I took off to California for a week with Alice. We had plans to drive up the coast to see the Redwoods. It was a great week. We saw so much from the USS Hornet in Alemeda and little chinatown in Oakland, to the Stonegate Villa's in Legget and the Hippie town of Garberville, to those magnificent forest which were saved in the nick of time by foresighted and generous people who bought the land. Humbolt State Park and the Avenue of Giants and Bull Creek Flats Road to the Big Tree. Pierre Creek State Forest and the Newton Drury Parkway, the Redwood NP and the Bald Hills road to Lady Bird Johnson's grove. They were all magnificent. We also enjoyed the ocean vistas south of Crescent City, the waves and tide pools at Trinidad. And lastly the Indian restaurant in Santa Rosa. All such new and beautiful places, and so different from Chicago and Wisconsin I had a little bit of a disconnect. But it was good to share the time with Alice. I don't have anyone else like her in my life and it is good to love her.