Mike came down for the weekend to visit everyone and get some more items to make his time in Missoula feel just a bit less Spartan (not that he's complaining). Would that everything went smoothly, but that has not been our experience of late.
We had Kitty for another few days. She tried cozying up to Kai and Fergus. Kai seems to have taken over Dad's side of the master bed.
UM's classes officially started Monday, including Mike's first in-person graduate course in a while. It was like getting back on a bike, and he had a great time interacting with his in-person and synchronous online students.
Afterwards, he attended Academic Convocation with incoming Freshmen and members of the academic community. They had ice cream afterwards!
Hallie got Kai a bandana from Dutch Bros.
As summer winds down, Starbucks is shifting over to its fall theme. Hallie helped out a couple of times during the week.
Hello, again, pretty kitty!
Mike hit yet another Duolingo milestone. He may be done now.
Hello, yet again, pretty kitty! Her parents were quite happy with all of the photos.
Hello, handsome Ferg!
The night before he drove down to Springville, Mike got to experience
Shakespeare in the Parks' performance of As You Like It on the UM Oval. So fun! Too bad Henry V was scheduled for Saturday.
The weather proved to be a bit blustery, and the wind blew a wee visitor onto Mike's jacket.
We're talking wee. Here she is on Mike's water flask. She eventually took to the wind again and drifted away.
Mike had a good time with the others watching the play.
Kitty continued hanging out with us until Saturday.
After some nine hours on the road, Mike got into town in time to join Hallie and Eliza while Eliza worked with Leslie's horses.
Later in the evening, he got to hang out with Ferg. Let's say the kitty seemed quite happy to have his person back home.
Yeah, what?
Mike encouraged the little kitty and the big kitty to make nice, with limited success.
At school, Landon is learning the bass guitar. In his free time he has learned a line to Nirvana's Come As You Are.
Earlier in the day, Mike had taken Eliza to work at Creekside. She made friends with the animals there.
Later in the day, she took a solo ride up to the east bench in Springville. She enjoyed racing down Center Street and taking in the views.
Saturday meant it was time to take Kitty home. Here's a parting shot.
But before we took her back, Landon had a driving test. He passed! Congratulations on qualifying for a license, Boy!
Mike found some sunflowers at the high school and took some pics.
After dropping off Kitty with Heidi and visiting with Gma and Gpa M before getting Mike's office boxes, and picking Landon up from Jimmy John's, Mike finally got this year's First Day of School picture. He's grateful to have gotten the picture he did get. The kids were not too interested in doing more than one picture.
Mike and Hallie visited with Hallie's Smith's friends while running a couple of errands. Thank you Ty and Julia for her yummy iced chai with salted caramel cold foam.
Unfortunately, in the evening things went off the rails with E again after Mike caught her with an old tablet of Hallie's in her bedroom when she was supposed to be asleep. Things escalated to the point where we needed to call the police to keep her safe, and she ended up staying overnight and Sunday at a local residential facility.
Landon seems to take it all in stride, but we feel so much remorse for both the kids when Eliza loses it. Here Landon is trying to convince Hallie she needs to learn how to play the electric guitar.
Mike, Alicia, and Hannah helped Hallie clean and organize the garage so we can get more things packed and ready to take north.
Later on, we had our Sunday Social and got to know new neighbors and old friends. Here's Aunt Hallie's favorite baby, Brooklyn.
Mike jumped right back into tending the fire pit and helping roast marshmallows for the littles.
They had fun with sidewalk chalk and s'mores.
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