I do like to travel. I in fact would like to do a horse pack trip this summer. This is going to be contingent upon getting the right people to run the Bright Lights Book Project in my absence. We are heading in this direction.

A summer crew could do the work. Or we could continue to amass and store books, then resume distribution in the fall. Yes, I like this idea.

Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home. I have, since first returning from Portland, and then returning from Barrow, repeatedly said to Pete that, “I’m so glad to be home.” Yes, yes, yes, I say it most when I’m in bed, but I say this at all times during the day.

Hrimmi's first trimming

Home is where the heart is. Home is the place in which you return after a long day of dealing with other worldly things.

Today I left early, so as to get to Colony Middle School and talk with the students about book restoration. Getting there, for me, this was the challenge. It was snowing (still), and visibility was low. I slid around some on Buffalo Mine Road, which had not been plowed. I white knuckled it, and ignored the drivers behind me, all of whom wanted me to go faster.

I hate roundabouts. I had two to deal with. Fortunately, there wasn’t any traffic to contend with.

After, I went to the senior center to see if anyone had any books on hand. Oh my – the place was packed to the gills (Isn’t that an interesting statement?) with what I called craft barbarians. The organizers crammed vendors into every conceivable space – it wasn’t at all festive. It was the opposite. And each one had to pay $75.00 to hawk their wares.

I found two friends, Cathy and Taylor, in a back room. The organizers put them in a far off space, so they were out of the fray. However, their work was not front and center. On the one hand, they didn’t have to deal with large numbers of people. But on the other, their work wasn’t getting the attention it deserved.

I think that they were happy where they were. Taylor has a service dog named Cloey, a small black dog who is trained to keep an eye on Taylor should he have heart problems. This dog has an old soul – I think she and I have connected.

Taylor was a very convincing Santa Clause. And Cathy was her usual reserved, quiet self. I enjoyed talking with them both for a bit. And Cathy gave me some of her handmade cards.

The sun was out by the time I was done visiting. So there was plenty of visibility on the drive home; although Buffalo Mine Road had still not been plowed upon my return.

I turned onto Murphy Road, which had been plowed and then onto Oceanview. Josh, our farrier, was finishing up shoeing Hrimmi. I breathed a sigh of relief as I climbed out of the car because – as I thought, there’s no place like home.

Next: 337. 12/9/23: A Pat on the Back for a Job Well Done