A week, apparently, is all it takes for things to happen in your absence. Good things and not-so-good things alike.  When we left the rental cottage in the Waterville Valley the sky was as overcast as it had been all week long. A circumstance of nature that didn't keep us from enjoying the plenitude of scenery and opportunities to hike at our leisure, even in the rain, in this most choice of areas for nature-lovers.
At least my husband was able to load up the car before the rain started.

Which it did do, as we progressed in our journey. Invariably, driving within mountain ranges, and taking those roads that wind about and up a mountain side does invite inclement weather. Inclement to the degree that it rains, that it tends to be cool, that enjoying one's surroundings comes complete with a challenge. But one easily enough overcome with adequate rain gear. The sight of rain-soaked clouds impaled on the peaks of mountains, of mist rising from the valleys, of the mountains looming high and bulky out of the cloud never fails to inspire awe in us.

The drive home was uneventful enough. We stopped at a rest station in Vermont, having since exited New Hampshire, to have our packed brunch, to savour our thermoses of tea and coffee, and to rest from driving. Our little dog had the opportunity to amble about a bit on the soaked grass surrounding the rest area, and so did we.

When, after over six hours of steady driving, we pulled into our driveway we were pleased to see the lush green of the trees we've grown and the flowering plants with their colour punches creating a very personal and quite private Eden for us. All was well. Our neighbour had looked about from time to time, but at no time was she required to water anything, since the same rainy weather we had enjoyed in New Hampshire had visited Ottawa as well.

We did discover a number of voice-mail messages on our telephone, and a number of them were from American Express. We soon discovered why; someone had somehow taken possession of one of our credit cards and racked up a considerable bill of several thousand dollars; so very nice of them. And there was a colony of little black ants that had established itself happily, moving from entry at one corner of our sliding glass doors, from garden to kitchen.

And it was oh, so very nice to be home, to sleep in our own bed, to look around us and be grateful for all that we have.