Albuquerque: Day Three

It was a quiet day. After two days of going full speed in the heat, we all needed a rest.

We started the day by returning to the Farm at the Botanical Gardens. Lulu just had to pet the pigs once more, and all the other animals, too. The pigs came trotting out right away, eager to investigate and get some affection. Lulu loved petting them, until they started fighting over her. (A harbinger of things to come?)

We made the rounds, and then Lulu said goodbye to all the animals. What a cool place! She'll certainly miss it.

Then we met Kat and the boys at the Museum of Natural History, where we checked out the dinosaur exhibit and went to a demonstration at the planetarium. Lulu liked the interplanetary tour, but then she'd had enough.

So we all went back to the hotel. We wanted to swim, but there were thunderstorms. So we just stayed in the room and talked. The kids watched Happy Feet and drew pictures. Kat and Ann made wild, unrealistic plans for next year's vacation, while Barry listened in horror.

In the evening, we went to dinner with Kat's mother-in-law, Colleen, and then went back to her house to meet her dogs, Skidmore and Chevy. Skidmore is a Great Dane. He's huge, and the gentlest dog I've ever met. Lulu adored him and followed him around petting him. He didn't mind that! Chevy is a Shepherd mix that Colleen rescued recently, and he's a bit shy, but after a while, the kids and dogs were playing and running around all over the house and the yard.

At the end of the evening, Ian didn't want us to go. He tried to block the door so we couldn't get out. Then he suggested that we leave Lulu with him and pick her up on our way back. We were all sad to say goodbye, but Ian was the saddest of all. We told him we'd see him soon, but he was inconsolable. He was still sobbing as we drove away. Poor kid.

Back at the hotel, we packed up. Tomorrow, the drive to Amarillo. Lulu says we all have to get cowboy hats so we'll fit in in Texas.