Thursday, July 2: NH: River Rafting Day

Today was river rafting day--one of our favorite days of the summer. We headed to Great River Outfitters after lunch, and after the usual safety presentation and distribution of life jackets, we were taken to the put-in area and our float down the river began. It was in the nineties today, absolutely sweltering, so it was the perfect day to just spend on and in the water. We made our first stop very quickly so we could all take a swim before getting the journey underway.

As we always do, we stopped at our favorite rocky outcropping for a long spell of swimming, floating in the current, lying in the shallow water, and searching for rocks and riverglass. It was delightful. We scattered around the rocky area, enjoying the complete silence and isolation. Not another soul was in sight. What a beautiful place.

We continued on, making one more stop by Hart Island for another dip in the water, and then continued on to the takout point. Along the way, over to our left, was a floating object that looked suspiciously like an otter. "Is that an otter??" I said. We maneuvered closer, or tried to in the fast current, but even as we moved closer we were unable to determine whether it was an otter, a piece of wood, or something else. At one point it looked like a threatening creature with its head and eyes out of the water, about to lunge. We got a little nervous at that point. We began floating past it. A new angle showed it to be--what? What was it? A piece of wood, a dead duck, a dead fox? I'm certain I saw fur, and feet, so my vote is dead fox, though it was quite small. We'll never know. (Though we know it was not an otter.)

After hauling our raft out of the water and up a hill to the drop-off area, we changed clothes and went to Harpoon Brewery for dinner. We sat outside, feeling cool from our river swimming, though it was still hot outside. Glasses of water were brought to the table. Greta almost immediately knocked hers over, sending water and ice everywhere. No problem. Just water. We sopped it up with our napkins and Andrew threw the ice into the parking lot. Our drinks were brought next--beer for Andrew, iced tea for me, fruity mocktails for the girls. A few sips in, Lucia knocked her glass over, sending ice and liquid everywhere, and this time we had no napkins. "What is going on at that table," someone said loudly. "They're cut off," Andrew responded. More banter ensued. I don't know what is wrong with us as a family but we are just spilling a lot these days. Andrew held on tightly to his beer.

We headed home after dinner, anxious to check on the pets, who had been home all day in the sauna-like house. Farrah was so hot she wouldn't even eat her dinner. Andrew hosed her down again. I put some cold water on Nutmeg's ears. She seems okay. We all spent a little time at the pond just to cool down again, and then we came inside to play Rummikub (Andrew won twice). 

It is still very, very, very, very hot inside the house. We are all anxious for this heat wave to end. Farrah is sprawled out on the stone hearth; Nutmeg is sprawled next to a frozen water bottle I put in her hop n' flop. We are all very very very hot.