Dear Tommy,
I live in a small town now. You’ve visited this town with me 3 times and for that I will be forever grateful. I thought you’d be here with me now, but things don’t always go as planned.
This small town isn’t the place where you grew up. In this place, many people drive trucks. The thought of your little blue VW here makes me giggle inside. It just wouldn’t work down the long and dusty road.
You may have been a little too city for this small town, although I think you would’ve adapted.
The water in the river is dropping noticeably every day. A few times in the last 2 weeks, deer have jumped in and swum across while I’ve been sitting on the dock. The dock that you fell off of when the stairs broke under your feet. It’s more stable now and there’s actually a table to sit at. You know… the green picnic table that followed us to the house on Rosemary.
Last week, the neighbor came to ask if I’d seen the black bear in the yard. Sadly, I didn’t. I would’ve loved to have seen your reaction to a bear walking through.
In this town, there are hawks and eagles and wild turkeys.
In this town, there are deer resting in the field. Chica doesn’t chase them anymore. When we are out on walks, they stare at her, as she does them. Each daring the other to run first.
At night in this town, we often hear the coyotes and wolves out killing their prey. It’s something I’ve never experienced before.
Everyone tells me that we have about 3 weeks of summer left. 4 if we’re lucky. I know that the leaves will start changing and the nights and mornings will become cooler. I’m looking forward to experiencing the seasons here. Steve built a fire pit down by the river. I know that we’ll use it this fall and every time we do, I’ll think of you.
I know that you are here with me, in this new town, experiencing it too, just in a manner that we never would’ve expected.
xoxo, Mom
