My Heart is Home Tonight 6/1/2014

As tired as we were when we hit the parking lot at Shepler’s Ferry, as aggravating as the huge swarms of midges (black, non-stinging insects that hatch, mate and die within a 10-day period just after the Great Lakes thaw, and it warms up a bit) were on the dock at Mackinaw City, and as crazy as it was to have to haul our sweatshirts and jackets out of the totes before we boarded the ferry, I was still grinning like a kid on Christmas morning when we boarded the ferry.  As we pulled into the dock on the Island, I looked out and saw Jill standing there waiting with her camera, ready to capture our arrival – just like she’s done for the last six summers.

Posing for Jill before the ferry ever cut its engine.

 

It feels so good to be back!

 

We took a taxi to the cottage we’re going to call home for the next nine nights, unpacked, and walked back downtown to have a bite to eat at the Pink Pony . . . where else? Jill joined us, and we spent the first 15 minutes saying hello to lots and lots of friends who were in the Pony also!

 

We walked back to the Mission District around 9:30, just as the lights were coming on around the marina.

Fort Mackinac against a slowly darkening sky.

 

So pretty . . . and so different to be walking home and NOT climbing the hill!

 

A little glimpse of our “digs” for the next nine days. Awesome!  As you can see, Bear is OUT!

It feels strange to be here and not be residents any more, but everyone is sure making us feel like we’ve come home.  About an hour after we arrived, we discovered we left my pillow and Maddie’s bed on the taxi.  Ted called the taxi office, and Dean answered the phone.

Ted:  “Hey, Dean, it’s Ted.”

Dean:  “Left a pillow and a dog bed on the taxi, didn’t ya?  We got it right here for ya.”

My heart is home tonight.