The cold and wet weather continues, even as we are packing our bags, tidying the AirBnB rental, and getting ready for our return home. This of course does not prevent me from going down the hill in Mineral Point to get a cup of milky coffee for breakfast.
(I pass a window with the same street scene further down the block, photographed probably toward the end of the 19th century)
I choose the more distant Cafe 43 because I am enjoying the walk, and also because they offer a larger selection of milk. I'm not fussy, but given a choice, I'll go with skim.
As I hike back up, I think about how actually good the weather has been for us. On sunny and warmer days, we would be itching to be outside. Some of us like to hike. We often split up for this. But the weather has been so bad that we jwere forced to stay "home," and the conversations were endless and good. We played Hygge (ask scripted questions of the person to your left) until almost midnight last night, and we never spent less than an hour or two at the table, even as we emptied our plates easily in ten minutes. This is why we get together, after all.
(a very long breakfast)
We need to be out by 11 and we are indeed out of the Jones House then. But not out of Mineral Point. We switch tables, moving down to the Cafe 43 for a pre-lunch, or coffee, or snack. Whatever. Really, it is just to talk some more.
No surprise then that it is close to 3 by the time I pull into Madison (our city is less than an hour away).
We drop off Barbara and then came back to the farmhouse. Diane's flight was cancelled and so she'll stay with me until early tomorrow. In the meantime, I throw a glance at the very wet flower fields, took note of the exponential growth of both flowers and weeds in my absence, check the water bucket (more than 2 in/5 cms of rain!) and come inside to greet Ed.
Did you miss me? Of course!
I am home.
with love...
