Thursday, August 6 Home from Theodore Roosevelt National Park

I woke up early to gray skies heavy with rain. During the night I had been awakened around 1 a.m. to hear coyotes calling to each other, one from off to the east, one to the north. I woke Rosie up to hear them but she didn’t remember it the next day.  I love listening to coyotes at night.

I went back to sleep and just as I woke up again around 7:15 and was going to start heating up water, the rain hit earlier than I had expected so we raced to throw things in the tent and then headed into Medora for breakfast. The Cowboy Café was full so we settled for the Elkhorn. We weren’t crazy about it…the waitress was not friendly at all and the food was so-so. I won’t eat there again. We hit the road before 9 and despite rain the first few hours, we made pretty good time. We made a few gas/food stops but for the most part just kept driving.

We arrived home at 7:15 and were just about knocked over by the dogs (and were scratched). They were SOOOOO happy to have us home. Then, after greeting us, Wilbur went to every room in the house. When he went in one of the bathrooms I realized what was going on. He was looking for Hayden. He must have thought she would come home with us. After failing to find her he laid down and just stared at us with sad eyes the rest of the night. It had been 2 ½ weeks since he had seen her and he still remembered and was searching. Who says animals don’t think or have feelings? It was a sad part to a happy homecoming.

It was a wonderful, fabulous, amazing  second part of my summer trip, some wonderful mother-daughter time with Rosie.

The problem is, I already miss the West. It seems that every time I leave there I leave more and more of myself behind. I need to find a way to spend more time there or move there…it is where I am meant to be!

Thanks to everyone who helped take care of my kids or who drove them places, who provided moral support, to Bill for cutting his own trip short to drive home with me, to everyone who called/emailed/brought flowers/etc. when Hayden died, and those of you who have expressed interest and appreciation for this blog.