A long, lazy weekend in Durango.

I spent the week of the Fourth of July in Durango, Colorado- my home away from home. Cholula and I road-tripped across the hot desert from one lovely mountain town to the other. I was able to soak up some Sarah time while she’s in the U.S. (along with her sweet hubby and Little Miss Macy). Cholula got her fill of Grandma’s lush, park-like yard and swimming pond. There was a big group dinner with good friends and a lot of laughs, a small and intimate happy hour with good conversation and one of my closest friends, and a long overdue catch-up session over a beautiful meat-and-cheese board.

On Independence Day, we took Cholula on her first boat ride on Vallecito Lake. In 2002, a massive wildfire torched the area, but it’s rebounded beautifully. The water was glassy and perfect, the hillsides were vibrant and green, and I think Cholula liked being a boat dog!

Afterward, we spent time in the gorgeous yard, sipping drinks in chairs my grandfather made while Dad grilled kebabs and corn. Delish! Later, I joined Sarah’s family for the downtown parade; there’s nothing like a small town parade on the Fourth of July. When the rain started, we ducked into a restaurant and met up with Nancy’s family. We munched some snacks and watched the kids splash around in the rain. We ended the evening with some tasty desserts for Nancy’s July 5^th birthday, and I didn’t even regret missing the fireworks.

I really don’t like traveling without John, and Cholula misses him, too. The drive through the rain felt extra long on the way home, even though I saw my favorite herd of buffalo. But it sure is hard to beat mellow summer days with your family and dearest loved ones in a special place like Durango.