Aug. 5, 2006, Saturday morning in Whitefish
7:15 a.m. I had a dream last night about writing thank you cards. Ben and I got an unbelievable array of thoughtful and generous gifts for our wedding -- more than we asked for, mroe than we could have imagined. More than just the tangible gifts, however, I really want to thank people for being in our lives. We had a fairly small wedding, and there was not a person there that one of us doesn't feel a deep connection to.

Anyhow, I guess I'll start putting my thoughts into mroe individual terms later this morning. After breakfast, we've got plans to head to Montana Coffee Traders for a few hours with our books. Only, I finished my book last night.

I guess I'm ready to head back to the airport this afternoon. I'm kind of worried about what state we'll find our apartment in when we get home. Will it be as messy as it was when we left? Will it be worse? How will Mister be holding up? Will we have running water and electricty? Will anything else have failed in that decrepit old building with the beautiful wood floors and yellow walls? I guess we'll know soon enough.

9:15 a.m. Today's breakfast -- fresh fruit, including mango balls, which I ate and survived unharmed; berry muffins; scrambled eggs with veggies and mushrooms, piled artistically atop a croissant. The others in our party had shrimp with their eggs.

This was the best breakfast group yet. Virginia was there, again. So was Karen from Florida, a design big wig for Publix with awesome hair, ready for a little luxury after a week of tough hiking. And a couple from Chicago -- the husband a patent attorney -- also joined us. They were nice and did a good job at buttering up my ego by comlementing my college, my major and my career success. I like that.

Now Ben's showering. We'll be packing up and heading out soon. Our flight's not until 4 p.m., but checkout's at 11 a.m.

The plan is to sip coffee, read and write thank yous for a few hours at a downtown Whitefish coffee shop. I may also do a final round of meandering through Whitefish's touristy stores. I'd like to buy a T-shirt.

The End.