This morning Pete dropped me off at the Meeting House and I resumed sorting, getting books further readied for two upcoming events – Who Let the Girls out, to be held at the depot in downtown Palmer; and the Friends of the Palmer Public Library story hour, to be held at the Muskox farm.

Beforehand, Pete and I stopped at U-Haul and loaded four boxes of books into the Tundra pickup. I sorted through them at the Meeting House, so they’ll be there, ready to be cleaned next Tuesday. By the time I finished, all the boxes of books were in their places with bright shiny faces, meaning, organized.

Bea Adler stopped by and picked up books for Wolfe Eyecare and Who Let the Girls Out. And Pete and I again loaded up the Tundra, our destination Anchorage, where the Science of Reading symposium was being held. We drove straight to the Eagan

Wolf bookcase in need of stocking

Center loading dock, unloaded the books onto a cart, and unloaded them in the exhibitor area, a long hallway. There were no other vendors present, just a long row of white tables.

Pete left. I set up. I then called my friend Judy who had invited me to stay at her and her husband Brian’s house. I couldn’t reach her. I kept getting the answering machine. I got concerned because I didn’t have an alternative place to stay. Finally, at 6:10 p.m. I called Pete. We talked about our options. I was for coming home but realized that this wasn’t a good option since Pete would then have made two trips to Anchorage. We finally decided that I’d hotel it. He made a reservation for me at the Westmark Hotel, a block down the street.

I checked in, went to my room. I then again called Judy, who as it turned out, had a phone problem. You talk about a disconnect . . . Oh Oh. I decided to forego staying in the hotel and checked out. I didn’t get a refund. My thinking was that it would be more fun to stay with friends. Turns out I was right.

Brian came and picked me up. He and Judy were the ones who in 2021 gave me an assist during the final stages of my Fairbanks to Valdez ride. They gave me a ride in their 1977 Chinook from the top of Thompson Pass to the town (I refuse to call it a city) of Valdez. We’ve since gotten together often.

I spent the evening at their place. We had a late dinner then sat around their table and talked. Judy’s working on a book and said she’d give me a draft to edit. I had previously looked at her online version. I explained to her that I can’t read anything lengthy that’s online.

Funny, how my friendship with Judy and Brian materialized, prospered, and grew. I’d thought that when we met that Judy thought I was a few bubbles off plumb. I still think that, to some degree, Judy thinks this.

Next: 116. 4/28/23: Geese