The Final Oregon Hurrah

We roasted sticks (and "shmarshmallows," but the sticks were more plentiful),

threw "really big, humongous heavy rocks" into the lake,

and generally had the perfect last-Oregon-summer-before-moving-to-the-sweltering-humidity-of-the-South weekend.

It's always interesting to explain time and distance to children.

Me: Hey nephews, I need extra hugs and smooches, because I'm moving far away.
Nephew 1: Like, as far as the beach?
Me: No, really far.  Like, the other side of the country.  The beach is one hour away.  I'll be seven days away, in the car.  You'll have to get on an airplane to visit me.
Nephew 2: Oh, so it's like a whole mile?!?
Me: Farther than a mile.  I won't be able to play with you until Thanksgiving.  That's all the way after Nephew 2's birthday.
Nephew 1: It's okay, Aunt Mary, you can still come to my house next week.  I'll make you a special cake.

...They never did get it, really.  But it was wonderful, at least, to have one last romp with them, and to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law.  Our camping trip was a perfect blend of sunshine, thunderstorms, salamanders, pine trees, water, star-gazing, running around, relaxing, and hilariously earnest conversations with my boyses.

Tomorrow, morning, though, I'm off!  I'm glad finally to get this show on the road and see what this new place brings, even if it does mean saying goodbye to some of my favorite people for a while.  Moves are almost always bittersweet like that, hey?