Bugs & Rugs

Today brought further car-touring around points of Ginna-interest: my old (detested) school, my old (beloved) house, and the lovely, tree-enshrouded Hoopes Reservoir, where swimming is strictly prohibited (and where I skinny-dipped in high school, and into whose waters my mother before me also once ventured). We made a brief stop at Valley Garden Park, a place Granddad used to take me when I was little. On arrival, Molly and Josh immediately scampered up an excellent climbing tree:

On the trunk of aforementioned tree, Josh discovered a cicada shell and promptly planted it on my snout. It is a family tradition:

Ma hates having her picture taken but I do it anyway:

Mother and daughter at the park, taken by a treed Lulu:

Back at the apartment, we continued happily to cross off the remaining tasks on Ma’s small list. She has this old rug that won’t lie flat atop the wall-to-wall carpet, and develops treacherous three-inch-high waves and ridges that are bound to trip the unwary. The three of us “young ‘uns” hauled her living/dining room furniture aside, rolled up and then carefully unfurled the offending rug to try to smooth away the wrinkles, and replaced chairs and tables. But as soon as we walked across it a time or two, it returned to its hazardous, rumply condition.

Our jobs completed, I once again hid away in the guest bedroom to continue my online camping research while the others socialized. After extensive consultation with and help from Eleni, I chose a state park in the northern redwoods, found a decent campsite there for three nights, and booked it for Ember and me, should Lassen not work out. I’m still holding on to the Lassen reservations just in case, since I’d much rather go there.

Molly and Josh made two perfect quiches for our dinner. Unfortunately, Ma has funky ankles and can’t navigate uneven surfaces or extended distances, so couldn’t join the three of us on our twilight after-dinner walk through the fields that surround this semi-rural retirement place. We saw one bunny and some tent caterpillars, but not a single lightning bug. They used to be abundant here in the summers, but no longer.