Back at the beginning of May we went to Columbia for a reunion of Lee's college friends. They've done this every 5 years for the past fifteen years now.
We drive down from Minnesota on a Thursday. We are bringing a trailer filled with furniture we have no place for in the new house. The dogs get to come along for the ride. They are thrilled because they love to GO and they haven’t gotten to go anywhere in awhile, but its a long drive and we have to stop several times to tighten the tarp around the furniture.
We finally arrive at Joanne’s. The dogs are not to be trusted because of Simone the cat and carpeting in an unfamiliar house. So we set up a pen for them in the office. Of course they don’t like being apart from us, but we can’t watch them every second.
That night three dogs in a double bed isnt so bad. They all cuddle up with Lee anyway, no matter how big the bed is!
Friday morning I go for a run. Its in the upper 50’s, I can wear running shorts! The dogs get lots of walks, so they get freed from jail plenty. We have Columbia Sub sandwiches for lunch, Missouri frozen custard and coffee in the afternoon, Flyover restaurant for dinner. Then at 7 we go over to the Park restaurant to meet with Lee’s college friends. I see people I know too. Richard Mansur from my late college days, Bob Schrieber, Bob and Beth, Joe Hein who is an old friend of Lee's but has become a Facebook friend of mine. I spend a long time talking to Terri Timmons. Our daughters are the same age and we were friends when they were little. We had a lot of catching up to do! Robert Schrieber, Bob’s son, was there. He and Sarah were friends in daycare when they were babies! It was a nice evening and we stayed until after 10 pm, crazy late for us.
On Saturday Lee goes with Joanne and Mary to the Columbia farmer’s market. I walk the dogs and putter around. When they get back we stand around chatting and eating homegrown strawberries. It’s a beautiful day. I take the dogs out back and they sniff around in the grass and sunshine. With treats and no others dogs around it’s safe. There’s a park behind Joanne’s house too.
Then at 5:30 we go back to the Park restaurant to eat dinner with Lee’s friends. This time Christine is there. It’s great to see her. I have a good time talking to various people, Liz and Dan, Beth, the ladies across the table from us. This night we leave at a more reasonable time, for us. Lee wonders if this reunion will happen again. Everyone is getting older, it gets harder for people to travel, their lives are moving on.
On Sunday I run 7 easy miles on the MKT trail. Its easy to get from Joanne’s to the trail if I go through a subdivision to a connector trail. I have to navigate a long hill but I take my time and it’s fine. Another beautiful day, lots of runners out. I say good morning but a lot of people don’t bother to respond. Funny the different cultural norms of runners!
Later in the afternoon we go over to Mark and Mary's with the dogs. I'm little worried because they have 2 boxers. When we get there Elsa and Sam are still there with their 10 month old boxer mix. He’s huge, they think he might be part Great Dane. He’s not very well trained yet and barks frantically at our dogs. But really it goes very well. We let everyone sniff each other through the fence first. Then we let our dogs in one at a time, first Harper, then Heather, and finally Cos.
There’s a little bit of snarling on Cosmos part but no contact. Once Frankie leaves it’s actually very calm and pleasant. They play, they sniff, they hang out in their big yard. We eat a delicious Cinco de Mayo meal outside on their porch. So very nice. We throw a ball for the dogs and Heather is in heaven. Toward the end Harper starts limping, rats. She’s still limping in the morning but they’re basically going to sleep all day in the car. She did limp for about a week, but the strain or whatever it was gradually healed itself with lots of rest.
On the way back we stop in Zumbrota to drop of the trailer they let us borrow to bring the furniture down to Missouri. The dogs get out to stretch their legs and visit with the cows a little. Cosmo barks at them bravely, but only from the other side of the fence!
On the way back we stop in Zumbrota to drop of the trailer they let us borrow to bring the furniture down to Missouri. The dogs get out to stretch their legs and visit with the cows a little. Cosmo barks at them bravely, but only from the other side of the fence!
