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Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A Trip to Pearl Lake State Park

Dear Maia and Isaac,

Last weekend was Labor Day, so I decided to take my dogs camping at Pearl Lake State Park in Colorado.  I have always wanted to take you camping there because that lake is named for your great, great grandma, Pearl Hartt. 

How does a lake get named after someone?

I don't know how every lake gets named, but I do know what Pearl Lake State Park was named after my grandmother.  My grandfather had a huge sheep business in Wyoming in the early 1900's - His name was John Kelly Hartt.  He came west from New England on a train.  He wanted to make it to the West Coast, but he ran out of money so they put him off the train in Wyoming.  To support himself, my granddad learned a lot about helping with sheep and cows. 


Over the next few years, my granddad started buying sheep for himself.  Eventually, he had one of the largest sheep companies in the United States.  He lived in Wyoming in the winter but brought the sheep to the place where the lake is in the summer.  The problem with sheep is they eat the roots of the plants, so the cattleman from Colorado didn't like having Wyoming sheep on their land.  In fact, there was something called a "range war" going on between the Colorado cattle people and the Wyoming sheep people.  My granddad was hunted by a famous cowboy named Tom Horn and hired men who worked for a famous robber, Butch Cassidy

Kachina, Maizzy, and Sazi at Pearl Lake State Park

After a few years, grandpa married grandma on a trip back to New England for his mom's funeral.  Grandma always talked about getting off the train in Wyoming (a new bride) and having someone say to granddad "They shot Wilkes last night, sir".  This surprised your great-great grandma because she had never been to the Wild West before.  Eventually, my grandparents built a house near where the lake is now.  My mom spent the summers there when she was growing up. There was still no lake in those years. 

Pearl Lake State Park
After World War II, the sheep business got less busy and my grandpa died.  Grandma kept having her grown daughters come home for the summer.  That is where I came into the picture.  I loved the big family - my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  There was still no lake, but my cousin Patrick and I hunted frogs all day in the creek near grandma's house. 

Kachina, Sazi, and Maizzy taking a rest during our hike

My grandma had a friend who was a Forest Ranger.  He was concerned that if grandma sold all of the extra land from the sheep companies to just anyone, that it would become too commercialized.  He felt nature up there should be preserved.  So, grandma sold the land where all the sheep once lived to the Forest Service and they built a lake near the cabin where I spent summers as a kid.  Grandma kept some of the land for us to live on in the summer.  Part of the deal with selling the land to the Forest Service was that the lake would be named for Grandma. 

Steamboat Lake State Park (near Pearl Lake State Park)
I hiked part way around the lake with my dogs.  I was wishing you were there to tell the story to because this lake is a family legacy.  I hope you get a chance to visit the lake someday.  It would be a dream if we could ever camp there together.  I would love that!

Back with a new look!

It's been awhile since I added to this blog. Maia is now a teenager (almost) and Isaac is growing up quickly, too. They are in my thoughts every single day. I have decided to blog about my #traveladventures in hope that someday they Google themselves and find my journal. I will change the name and pictures to reflect the changes shortly. I wish they could come on adventures with me, but life had other plans. I want to make the journal inspiring for all #kids and #youngadults who like travel and learning about the cultures and geography of the #West and #Southwest. It is my brainstorm to resurrect this blog as a living journal! It will be written as if you are on the journey with me.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

I Guess He Would Rather Be in Colorado: Flat Stanley's Western Colorado Adventure

I Guess He Would Rather Be in Colorado: Flat Stanley's Western Colorado Adventure














Photos by Cathy Hartt (Maia's Grandma)
Maia-n-Isaac Publishing
Shot on Location in:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Montrose, CO
Ridgway, CO
Ridgway State Park, CO

Starring - Flat Stanley, Maizzy (the dog), Galveston, Chaco, Sage and Soks (the cats). Video Music - I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado by John Denver

Saturday, February 8, 2014

A Tooth Fairy for Maizzy

A Tooth Fairy for Maizzy

Written and Illustrated by Cathy Hartt

Maia-N-Isaac Publishing

Positive Psychology Short Stories for Kids

Video (YouTube) version at bottom of page.

Maizzy had only lived with Granca for a couple weeks when she went for her first vet appointment.  It was just a visit to make sure she was healthy, because she was 8 years old.  And that’s pretty old, for a dog.  It was something like the doctor visit that kids have before school each year.  


The morning came, and Granca loaded Maizzy into her car, Mini Pearl.  Mini was so excited that her horn let out a squeal.  She loves that dog, Maizzy, almost as much as Granca does.  Maizzy, however, was in for a less-than-fun morning.  

The vet was nice enough.  But, Maizzy didn’t really like the exam and shots.  After the vet was finished, Granca waited for the news.  And there was news!  The good news was that Maizzy had a healthy heart and she would probably live a very long life!  

Then, came some bad news; Maizzy needed a dog dentist.  For dogs, that’s the vet, too.  Maizzy had at least six teeth that needed to be pulled, and her other teeth needed to be cleaned very badly. In fact, it probably hurt a lot for Maizzy to chew her food and treats.  When the vet showed Granca the teeth, she cringed just a little.  Maizzy’s teeth looked very sore!

After that, the vet told Granca how much it would cost to fix Maizzy’s teeth.  It was a lot of money because of all those teeth that had to be pulled!  Granca loved Maizzy so much, that she didn’t care a whole lot about money.  But, at the same time, she wished there was a tooth fairy for dogs.  If there was a tooth fairy, then maybe that fairy would leave enough money under Maizzy’s pillow to help pay the vet bill!  “That would be so nice, because I have a lot of pets to take care of with my money,” thought Granca.  

When Granca and Maizzy got home, that pup took a long nap and Granca logged into Facebook.  She wrote a note on there (they call that “posting”) about needing a tooth fairy for Maizzy.  That is when she met that dog fairy – RIGHT THERE ON FACEBOOK.  That dog tooth fairy had a Facebook account all of his own.  And, he even knew how to type people words!!!

That dog replied to Granca’s post – RIGHT THERE ON THE COMPUTER!  That dog said he was the tooth fairy for dogs and he would help Granca to fix Maizzy’s teeth.  “If you are the tooth fairy, they what is your name?” asked Granca, suspicious that this was a bad joke. Because dog’s don’t have Facebook accounts nor do they have tooth fairies.
 
“Maison is my name,” said that tooth canine.  Canine means dog.   “Maison is the name of the tooth fairy?” asked Granca.  “Yes it is,” replied Maison, “and I have a Facebook account so I can find dogs that need help with their teeth. It hurts to have bad teeth, and I don’t want other dogs to hurt like that.”

“That is very kind of you, Maison,” said Granca.  “You must have the strength of kindness.”  “Yes,” said Maison, “That is why they promoted me to tooth fairy!  Tooth fairies for dogs have to be kind.”  “OK,” said Granca, “What do I need to do to have you help with Maizzy’s teeth?  I don’t want her to be in pain anymore.”  That kind little fairy dog then sent Granca a message with a date and time that Granca should take Maizzy to a special, extra kind vet.  

Granca got up early the day of the dentist visit and took Maizzy on a walk.  Oh, Granca loved that silly short legged dog and didn’t want her to be in pain any more.  



When they got home from the walk, Granca asked Mini Pearl to drive very carefully to the special vet that the Maison had arranged for Maizzy.  It was a little bit of a drive – all the way to a little town called Delta.  As she drove Mini, Granca wondered if Maison would leave enough money under Maizzy’s pillow to help pay the vet bill.    

Mini Pearl was very cautious that morning.  I mean, she was almost slow.  She was worried about Maizzy, just like Granca was.  “I wish there was a gasoline fairy for cars,” said Mini.  “So do I,” said Granca.  “Every time you lose a gallon, I could use a little money under your pillow!”

With the help of Mini’s GPS, they found this special vet in Delta.  Granca almost missed the driveway the first time, she was so nervous.  But Maizzy seemed happy and did not notice much that Granca and Mini were so worried about her.  

Granca took her into the vet’s office and a nice man with a leash came out and took Maizzy.  It would be 7 hours before Maizzy could come home.  Granca had a little tear in her eye when she handed the leash to the man, who she thought might be Maison’s helper.  She went out to get back in Mini Pearl and that car was so worried that her bumper was in a big frown, I tell you. 
 
The day passed, and it was time to go back to Delta and get Maizzy.  Granca and Mini were both anxious to see that little dog again.  Granca brought the leash, in case Maizzy would want to take a walk.  Maizzy’s favorite park is in Delta, after all!  
 
When Granca got there, a nice woman went back and brought Maizzy out.  Poor little dog looked like her mouth hurt.  But, the woman showed Granca Maizzy’s teeth, and they were white as pearls.  And they only had to pull three teeth!  “I think that Maison is already helping Maizzy,” thought Granca. 

The best part happened when Granca went to pay the bill, though.  Because that vet’s helper said Granca didn’t own very much money for Maizzy.  Granca replied, “I thought this was suppose to cost a lot more.  I know it was only three teeth and not six, but still.”  The vet’s helper replied, “Well, when Maizzy woke up after her surgery, there was enough money under her pillow to pay most of the bill.”  Granca just smiled!  “Maison is the tooth fairy for dogs,” she thought.

Boy, that Mini was happy to see Maizzy, I tell you.  She honked so loud that the vet could hear her clear inside the building.  Then, Granca loaded Maizzy in Mini’s seat and away they went to the park.  Mini drove so carefully that it was like drifting on a cloud, I tell you.



They got to the park, and Maizzy still felt a little tired and her mouth hurt. It was her favorite park, though, because it had lots of crinkly leaves.  Maizzy loves walking through those crunchy things, and that is no joke!  

So, Mini waited patiently in the parking lot, while Granca and that little dog walked all around the lake and visited the dog park.  Maizzy seemed happy, but a little worn out. 
That night, when Granca got home, she started thinking a lot about the tooth fairy that had come for Maizzy.  That Maison was so kind to Maizzy and to other dogs.  Granca thought about how wonderful the strength of kindness was, and that it was a good strength for both tooth fairies and vets to have.  

For the next few days, Granca and Mini took extra especially good care of Maizzy.  Mini drove very smoothly anytime that pup was in her seat.  And, Granca took her for lots of walks and gave her soft treats.  Even the cats tried to tip toe around when Maizzy was sleeping.  


When tooth fairies come for kids, they leave money under pillows.  When they come for little dogs, they leave money to help make hurting mouths healthy, again.  When that Maison came to help Maizzy, Granca and Mini knew they had adopted a very special dog, indeed.  

The end

Friday, February 7, 2014

A New Home for Maizzy

A New Home for Maizzy

Written and Illustrated by Cathy Hartt

Maia-N-Isaac Publishing

Video version at bottom of page

Positive Psychology Short Stories for Kids

It was the day after Thanksgiving and Granca slept late, because eating too much makes her sleepy.  Once the sun came up, though, she opened her eyes and remembered!  “This is the day! This is the day!” she exclaimed.  She was so excited that she jumped out of bed wearing only her pajamas, and ran out into the driveway to wake up Mini Pearl.  It is a good thing it was very foggy and Granca’s neighbors could not see her! 

 

“Mini Pearl, Mini Pearl, wake up and get ready because today is the day!” shouted Granca.  Mini Pearl opened her eyes real wide and gave a little honk, and then scratched her hood (because cars don’t have heads).   “I hope this means we are going on a road trip, Granca,” said Mini.  “Because I love road trips.”  

“Oh, Mini,” said Granca, “Today is the day we go to the animal sanctuary to find a dog to go on road trips with us.”  Mini smiled a little, just thinking about road trips always made her happy.  “What is an animal sanctuary?” she asked. 

Granca explained to Mini that an animal sanctuary is a place where cats, dogs, horses, donkeys and other animals stay while they are waiting to find new homes.  “Oh, something like the car lot you got me from?” asked Mini.  Granca smiled and said, “Well, yea, something a lot like that, Mini.” 

“Now, get your fog lights ready while I get dressed and have breakfast, because it is a bit of a drive through the country to the animal sanctuary,” said Granca  In a few minutes they were headed down the road.

They drove for about an hour through little towns called Olathe, Delta and Crawford.   It was less foggy when they got to the country, near the sanctuary.  Granca dug out her directions and Mini tuned-up her GPS.  Pretty soon, they took a curvy dirt road past the horses and donkeys.  And, off in the distance, there were lots and lots big pens with dogs in them.  “Ah, we found the right road,” said Granca, sounding a little relieved. 

When they got there, a lady named Sheryl came out and greeted them.  She was assigned to find just the right dog for Granca.  They went into a big building with lots of different dogs.  Mini waited outside, of course.

Sheryl knew Granca was looking for a small dog . . . so she took Granca into a couple of cages to meet dogs.  And, there were dogs, dogs, dogs, I tell you.  There was every size and shape of dog you could imagine in those cages. 

In the first cage, was a cute little brown dog, who seemed happy enough to meet Granca.  She was quiet and liked to chase her tail.  She was a funny little short-legged, long-bodied dog with pointy ears.  Sheryl told Granca that this dog had lived with lots of cats before, so they thought she might be just the right match. 

After they looked in a few more cages, Sheryl had Granca sit in a little chair and she went and got two dachshund dogs that jumped all over Granca and barked a lot.  They were really lively little things, and Granca was afraid that they would scare her cats.  So, she told Sheryl she would take the little brown dog with pointy ears. 
 
When Granca came out with Sheryl and the little dog, Mini Pearl winked just a little.  Only Granca noticed, of course.  “I think Mini likes this little dog, too,” thought Granca.  So, they tied the dog’s leash to Mini’s seat belt and away they went, back up the windy road and through the little towns.



On the way home, Granca asked Mini, “What should I name her?”  Mini thought for a minute and said, “I think Mini Pearl is a good name for her!”  Granca laughed because she would not be able to keep them straight if they both had the same name.  “Oh, Mini,” she said, “You are named for my Grandma, Minnie Pearl.  My grandma always kept me safe when I was little, just like you keep me safe.  That name is just for you, not the new dog.”

Mini got real quiet for a moment and then she smiled so big that Granca was afraid her hood would pop open.  “Mini,” said Granca, “Be careful. I don’t want your belts to fall out on the dirt road.”  Mini reassured Granca that she was just smiling.  “But, I have a name for our dog,” said Mini. “I think we should name her after your grandkids, Maia and Isaac.”  “That’s a cool idea, Mini, but she only needs one name,” replied Granca.  

They both thought, as they drove down the road with the little dog sound asleep in Mini’s passenger seat.  Mini tried hard not to hit any bumps, because she liked the little creature and wanted to let her snooze peacefully. 

But, then, all of a sudden, Mini let out a loud and crazy “HONK!”  “I have it,” she proclaimed happily.  “I have a name for our pup.”  “Ok,” asked Granca, “What is it?”  “Maizzy! – Spelled like Daisy but pronounced like Maia and Isaac (whose nick name is Izzy) put together,” shouted Mini Pearl. 

“I like it a lot,” said Granca.  “Plus,” she added, “If you are named for my grandma and she is named for my grandkids, it is like you are related!  Let’s see – you would be Maizzy’s great, great grandmother.”  Mini Pearl laughed because cars can’t be great, great grandmas to dogs!

Soon they were home and Maizzy settled right into her new space in the laundry room.  Maizzy liked her new bed and enjoyed playing with Granca a little.  They had so much fun getting to know one-another that they hardly noticed the spies at first.  



Then, Granca got an odd feeling, like she was being watched.  She was the first one to notice the little spies on the stairs.  When she turned around to see who was watching, she saw a big fluffy grey tail disappear around the corner.  She watched for a few more minutes, still playing with Maizzy.  Pretty soon, little grey ears popped around the corner.  Then, ever so slowly, two four-pawed spies with very puffy tails crept cautiously toward the doggy gait. 

“Oh, Sage and Galveston,” said Granca, “You are curious and scared, all at the same time.  Look at your tails!  You don’t make very good spies when your tails like big dust mops on your rear ends.  I can see you a mile away.”  Sage and Galveston looked away, as if they had no idea what Granca was talking about.  

Maizzy didn’t seem to mind the little spies, and Granca felt happy because she knew that would help the cats feel safer around a dog.  “Those little dachshunds would be barking their heads off,” thought Granca, as she gave Maizzy a small pat on the head.  

The next morning, Granca went downstairs to the laundry room first thing to get Maizzy.  She noticed the spies had been down to visit, because the milk bones where all knocked over on the stand near Maizzy’s bed.  “Hmmm.  I have a feeling curious Sage has been fishing around in the milk bone,” thought Granca.  

When Maizzy got upstairs, the spies got really silly.  They all crept down the hallway together, all five of them, and they peered around the corner into the kitchen.  That’s where Granca was exercising and the new little dog was sleeping.  “Five spies with feather duster tails,” laughed Granca.  Those spies tried so hard to act innocent that Granca burst out laughing.  Then they all tucked their ears behind their heads and ran back down the hallway a little, acting like they weren’t curious at all.   



By the next week, though, the cats relaxed.  Well, pretty much, anyway.  And they all sat under the kitchen table, together with Maizzy, and watched Granca doing her exercise.  Granca went around and patted them each on the head, because she was proud of them for getting along so well.  When she got to Sage, however, she did notice her breath smelled a little like a milk bone.  That’s the moment Granca knew for sure that Maizzy would become part of the family.  

The End


Saturday, January 11, 2014

Sirena: The California Christmas Mermaid

Written and Illustrated by Cathy Hartt

Maia-N-Isaac Positive Psychology Short Stories for Kids 

Video version at bottom of blog





White was the color of Christmas Eve at Granca’s (that means Grandma Cathy’s) house.  She knew the white of Christmas would be gone by noon on Christmas day, though, and that it would be warm and springtime sunny again.  She sang a little Christmas carol to herself, as she packed her suitcase.  

The cats watched, suspicious of the whole thing.  Granca went to put a sweater in the suitcase, but there was no room.  “Hmmm,” she said to herself, “I have only put a couple things in that bag.  Why am I out of room?”  Then she saw something like her sweater moving in the suitcase, except it had two big green eyes.  “Oh, Galveston, I can’t take you with me on this trip.  I’m going to visit my California cousins on a big airplane.  You would not want to ride in that suitcase down the baggage conveyer belt, I assure you.”  Galveston jumped out and watched from the corner of the room, frowning just a little. 
 
When Christmas came, Granca got up way before the sun.  She waived goodbye to the cats, and drove off in her car, Mini Pearl, to the airport.  Mini Pearl was also a little sad because she had to spend Christmas in an icy, cold parking lot.  She preferred road trips and would not even honk goodbye to Granca.  


“Oh, Mini,” said Granca, you have a lot of cars here to keep you company.  And I promise to take you on a long road trip to California in the summer, when the roads are not so slick.  Mini watched her walk away.  When Granca looked back at her, she swore there was a little tear under Mini’s eye.  She waived goodbye and was sad to leave Mini Pearl looking so gloomy.

Then Granca got on the giant airplane (well, giant compared to Mini Pearl, that is) and flew for the whole morning.  When the plane landed, she got out in a place that was warm and sunny.  “Ah, I am in San Francisco, California” she thought.


Granca felt both scared and excited all at once, because she hardly knew her California cousins.   On the way to the baggage claim, she felt a little sick to her stomach.  But in a few minutes, she was riding happily down the road with her cousins and her Aunt Frannie to a special Christmas celebration.

Once they got to Aunt Frannie’s house, Granca got to visit the garden.  It was so beautiful that she could hardly believe she had just left Mini Pearl in an icy parking lot.  There were pink azaleas and geraniums blooming outside, with water flowing in a three-layered fountain.  In fact, there was even a tree with real oranges hanging from its branches.  “Those are California ornaments, for sure,” thought Granca.


Granca was born in California and lived there for a short time, once when she a baby and a once when she was a teenager.  But way before that, her own dad was born in San Francisco.  That’s why she has very special family to spend Christmas with this year – because her dad’s family still lived in this beautiful place by the Pacific Ocean.  Granca was always curious about her dad’s family.  

It was a fun Christmas day celebration.  This family gave something called white elephants instead of regular Christmas gifts.  When Granca first heard about the white elephant thing, she though an elephant was too big to fit on the airplane.  Why, that’s bigger than Mini Pearl!  But she found out that a white elephant is really giving away something you don’t want anymore to someone else.  “Oh,” thought Granca, “That kind of elephant will fit in my suitcase.”

The white elephants were hilarious.  And, with the game, people take turns choosing a gift . . . or they can steal someone else’s gift if they like what someone else had already opened.  Granca’s Cousin Ted got a port-a-potty.  That’s a toilet that folds up into a little box.  And her Aunt Frannie got two really wonderful gifts that were both stolen by other family.  She ended up with a ceramic lizard that she really didn’t want very much.  The white elephants were so hilarious, that they laughed and laughed until tears came running down their faces.  



After that, Granca started to feel more relaxed.  “This family has the strength of humor and playfulness,” she thought.  After the white elephants all had a new home, they ate German chocolate cake and then Granca went home with her cousin Sherri, and Sherri’s husband Alberto, for a few days.  

The first day, Sherri and Alberto took Granca for a long walk on the beach.  The waves were so pretty and relaxing. The sun was so warm that Granca took her long underwear off for the rest of the trip!  It was fun to look at all the birds.  Sometimes, they see dolphins and whales on that beach.  But not on the day after Christmas.  


The second day was a magic because it was the day that Granca met Sirena, the mermaid.  The day started with breakfast and lunch at Sherri and Alberto’s house on the beach.  But, then, in the afternoon, they took a long drive on the beach.  They went to towns named Monterey and Carmel.

At one point, they stopped on the beach for Granca to take pictures to share with her grandkids, Maia and Isaac.  It was like no beach she had ever seen before.  It had beautiful rock structures that looked like castles sticking out of the blue waves.  There were all sorts of seagulls flying around the rocks.

Granca walked down to the water to take some pictures of the birds.  And, that is when she met Sirena.  She thought it was a sea gull squacking at first.  She listened more closely and it was a voice saying, “come here, come here.” 

Granca went down closer and it looked like a little blond girl in the water.  In fact, it looked a little like her granddaughter , Maia.  Grandma did a little gasp.  Then the little girl said “Oh, it’s OK.  I don’t want to scare you.  My name is Sirena and I am a mermaid.”  “A mermaid?” asked Granca.  “I have lived in California and I have never met a mermaid.”  

When she went closer, she could see it was a real, live mermaid.  Granca gasped again!  Then Serina explained that she had come to find Granca because she wanted to meet Maia.  Granca said, “My granddaughter, Maia?”  “Yes,” said Sirena.  “Why?” asked Granca.  “Because I know you miss Maia and you want to send her a gift to remind her that you are thinking about her.”

“Ok,” said Granca.  “But you will dry out if I take you back to Colorado in the big plane to mail.”  Sirena laughed, “That is why I am turning myself into a little doll that you can put in your purse. No one will ever know I am a real mermaid, except for you and Maia.”  

And, with that, Sirena (that name means mermaid in Spanish) became a little blond mermaid doll and Granca quickly tucked the doll in her bag and headed back to find Sherri and Alberto.  They got in the car and drove to the town Carmel to go shopping.  


Granca still could not believe she had a mermaid in her purse.  Who carries mermaids in their purse to go shopping, after all?  Well, it was a good thing that Sirena was there, because she pointed to a little alligator outfit for Isaac.  I mean Granca was just walking down the aisle, minding her own business, and that little mermaid almost flipped out of the purse trying to get her to stop and notice.  

Sirena told Granca that Isaac needed a gift to tell Isaac that she missed him, too.  So Granca grabbed the little outfit and headed to the counter.  Then Serina almost flipped herself out of the purse to grab a special a special key holder for Granca’s daughter, Stephanie.  It had her name right on it, too!  “It is quite an adventure to shop with a mermaid in your purse,” thought Granca.

Granca looked at the gifts, knowing she wanted to savor  this trip with her special family.  (Savor means to share smiles about something you enjoyed doing.)  “It is important to savor things,” said Sirena.  It helps us to be happy, because we share our joy with others who we care about and everyone smiles.  So, Granca bought the gifts, of course.

The third day, Sherri and Alberto took Granca to the redwood forest.  Those trees are giant, I tell you.  They are as tall as a sky scraper in the city!  All Granca could think about was savoring her trip with her family so she took lots of pictures to share.  


Then, on the last day of her trip, Sherri and Alberto took Granca to pick up Aunt Frannie for a special journey.  They drove up the coast for a long time to get to a beach house.  There was a lady at the beach house who was friends with Aunt Frannie and Granca’s dad and uncle, Bert.  That was cool, because the woman was very old and wise to remember being a kid so long ago.  She was 86 years old!  That woman would need a huge birthday cake, I tell you!


Granca had put Serina in her purse, again, in case she would like a trip to the beach house.  There were a lot of people at the beach house who where kids and grandkids to the woman.  People were talking and laughing.  That is when Granca heard Sirena talking to her.  Granca looked at the doll and said, “I can’t believe a doll is talking to me.  You are not a real mermaid anymore.”  

Sirena looked kinda sad for a moment.  But then she explained, “I must be a mermaid.  I have no fear of depth and a great fear of shallow living.”  Granca scratched her head a little.  “What does that mean?” she asked.  Sirena explained that she was a teacher of living life in a way that made people feel really close to each other.  “People have to tell each other openly, and without fear, how they feel about things that happen.  And when they do, they need to be listened to and respected. Always!   “Even kids, like Maia and Isaac?” asked Granca.  “Especially kids, including Maia and Isaac,” replied Serina. "In fact," she replied, "They can always talk to me about anything because I'm not afraid of depth." 




Granca felt good about having spent the day at the beach house with her family, the wise woman and Sirena.  After a couple hours, they drove back to Sherri and Alberto’s house.  On the way back, they stopped in San Francisco.  Now, that city has class!  There are steep hills, cable cars and special chocolate! But the best thing of all was a gargantuan, world famous bridge, called the Golden Gate Bridge that they drove across in the car! It was an awesome site on Granca’s last day!


The next day, Alberto drove her to the airport.  Granca still had Sirena in her purse.  Well, that little doll came to life again in the airport, I tell you.  She almost flipped out of the purse again when they got through the baggage check point.  “Sirena, shhhh!” said Granca.  “You are going to get me in trouble for bringing a real mermaid on an airplane.  Besides, you will dry out if you become a real mermaid.”  Sirena just smiled and pointed to two things for Maia and Isaac.  One was a special San Francisco chocolate bar and the other was a Golden Gate bridge toy. 

“They can have fun sharing those,” said Sirena.  “The bridge toy is a good idea for them to share, but Isaac can’t eat chocolate, silly.  Don’t mermaids know anything about babies?”  Sirenna laughed, “Well, I bet your daughter can figure out who else Maia can share it with.”  “Your right,” said Granca.  And she bought the gifts.  


After the long airplane ride home, Granca was exhausted but Mini Pearl was all smiles when she saw her walking through the parking lot.  Mini honked happily.  That car has car-o-nality, I tell you!  Mini took Granca safely home, as always.  

Granca knew that her cat lady, Liz, had been there to take care of the kitties.  When she opened to door, she didn’t see them at first.  But she heard Serendipity singing for joy!  That cat is so afraid when she is left alone, even when Liz takes care of her.  Granca could not see the other kitties at first, but then she went into her room, and there they were all snuggled up in her bed.  “Well, at least I won’t need my electric blanket to warm my bed tonight,” she laughed. It felt so cold in Colorado after walking on the beach in California. 


She patted each of the kitties on the head and then carefully lifted Sirena out of her purse and put her in a bag with the other gifts.  “I will be sending you to Maia very soon as a way of savoring my trip,” said Granca.  The little mermaid looked like a stuffed cat toy that Sage might want to fish out of the drawer to play with, so she needed to be put away safely.  

Just before Granca closed the drawer that she had put Sirena into, the little mermaid did a quick wink at her.  Granca was glad she had picked Sirena and the other gifts to share the joy of her magical California with her family, who she missed very much.  “Savoring,” she thought, “is a good way of living life deeply just like a mermaid would want!”

The end.