January 5, 2019: The Boise Adventure

Showing off my new gift from Kathy - evil eye ring
(wards off evil...been a family thing for years)

It's amazing how quickly one adapts to new surroundings. We are enjoying our little rental home up in the foothills. There is a lot to be said of natural light and lots of windows. The view looking onto the city is an added plus. We are only here through the end of March, so will definitely enjoy the time we have it.

Of the three of us, Zeke is the one a bit lonely. He misses his best friend, Lucy, and our spacious backyard which had turned into his playground. This is even with a very long walk this morning and lots of love from his humans. Part of my adventures planned for next week include finding dog parks and other venues for doggy interaction for our Zeke.

This morning he and I put in 7,000 steps around a neighborhood to the south of us. There was a nice park with a walking path and lots of new smells for the pup. My last movie of 2018 was about a man who spent 6+ years walking every street of New York City. With his inspiration, I enjoyed every step this morning, taking in the different houses with varying personalities and the people I met along the way.

Our afternoon included signing up for a gym down the street. I also spent a fair amount of time researching meet-up groups and joined two. One is a writer's group. My first event is on Wednesday. More to come on that. The second is called "Boise Movie Fans". For this one I had to answer a series of questions in order to be accepted to the group (double secret). Garrett and I are going to an outing with them next Sunday to view the RBG movie with a discussion and brew pub to follow.

Living in the same city with my Aunt Kathy again has become a sweet reality. Looking back at my 51 years, she and I have gone in and out of each others lives several times while living in the same cities. Each time has been a special experience.

Kathy has always been my favorite aunt from the days she let me hang with her as a high schooler, with me nine years her junior. I would follow her around my grandparents farm like a shadow. With my mom the oldest of nine Pick kids and Kathy is the youngest, she has like an older sister to me.

When Kathy graduated from high school and left for Creighton University in Omaha, we exchanged letters frequently. Visits to Omaha became even more fun and Creighton attire was added to my teenage wardrobe.

I later went to college in the nearby town of LeMars, Iowa. By my sophomore year, Kathy moved to LeMars with her husband and young children to run a new local restaurant in town. Her three toddlers became an extension of me as I picked up babysitting duties while Kathy was busy with the restaurant. I was also a waitress at The Alamo, along with some of my college girlfriends. I loved the Valentino kids like my own and am still close to them to this day.

Kathy has returned the love to my own kids. She is Grant's godmother and fills the same capacity to all three Lane boys. Kathy has since moved back to Omaha twice; with the last time, just a few years ago. We had a blast. With Garrett still in Denver, he and I traveling back and forth between cities, Kathy was my +1. She was my companion to all the events that Garrett couldn't attend. From Creighton games to dinners, plays, and social mixers; she and I had a great time.

And now here we are, both in Boise. Who knows for how long, but we certainly wouldn't have guessed this in our future back in our days at the farm in Remsen. We would have laughed at this prospect just ten years ago. But here we are in our new normal.

Dinner tonight felt like we have never been apart. Family is forever, so it is an extra special gift when they are your friend too. The best of both worlds. And now in the same city.