I don't say good-bye well...

Partly in denial, like if I don't say good-bye I will see everyone again. A young lady chased after me to say good-bye and I did realize the sneaking off isn't any form of good form, and always bad manners. Doesn't change my attitude about saying good-bye. Okay, I am giving hugs and a warm good-bye to my aunts and mother - they deserve my best and I might not be back soon enough.

I have some great times with my niece's family - possibly because I remember playing with the neice when she was so young, between my adventures in foreign parts. The boys are loud, move fast and still willing to share, and being boys always testing the limits of their parents and other adults. I did play chess, I did play PayDay (never before), I was also a very good cabin builder with Lincoln logs (a couple pieces borrowed from Caleb) and I helped move them back into their storage box for evening clean up. I sat and watched the struggle over dinners, which were always wonderful food met by resistant to good stuff boys. I was always eating very well and had nothing to offer except that the food was great and plenty - especially with the boys not sharing - wait till they become teenage gobbling maniacs.

I got to watch Prince Caspian with them, a special treat, television isn't a daily staple - books are. I had the most fun with them reading books to them, including Garrett that is approaching two. The two older boys brought me Yertel the Turtle by Doctor Suess, and I read four more of his fine works - out loud and in cadence (he wasn't the first rapper was he?) and I had a great audience - absolutely still and engrossed. Too cool, should happen more in my life.

Still, when it came time to pack out this morning, I was encouraged to stay by Caleb, he wasn't done finding out what I was good for in his life. Nice, he will have to learn how to write and I will reply and tell him. I once wrote to his mother when she had time to ask.

Today's ride was unremarkable except someone tried to untie my stuff and I didn't catch the person nor the lose bungi cords - so my load shifted, fell off and I had to stop and repack, one boot has a hole in it, and the dirty clothes bag is frayed, although the clothes are just a little more dirty. I am in North Carolina, looking at going into the mountains for the 129 experience then on to Knoxville.