Sisters playing

   

Happiness

Rain dance

Maxine

 I didn't want to leave Judy, but I hadn't seen Maxine and Simone in 10 months. So I booked a trip to Texas. "John and I will  come down and stay with Judy," Rose volunteered immediately. I was ready to stock the refrigerator and leave with a clear conscience, but Judy was dithering. After two weeks she admitted that she would rather that John and Rose came to visit another time. "Things work better when you are here," she said after her first day alone, "but I had to try this."
     Courtney, Maxine and Simone picked me up at the College Station airport. Simone took care to wear the dance outfit that Maxine had worn in the

Not a metaphor

Maldives. Back at the Ninja castle Maxine climbed the walls, telling me that in her case it was not a metaphor. After dinner Maxine did her nightly music practice on the guitar and drums, with Courtney patiently helping her through the complicated patterns.
   After school the next day, Maxine played and played with her best friend Rossi, with little sister Simone trailing behind. "Watch this," Maxine shouted, as she stood up on the swings. I was transported back to my days of doing tricks with my sisters on the swings. Thank goodness Maxine has not yet discovered jumping off.  The three girls swung and zipped around the grassy playground for more than an hour, chattering and laughing.

Swim meet

Princess boots

Scooter  in the rain

    Later we went to the closing buffet  at a conference Courtney was involved with.  Simone danced to the music in her pink boots. "They are NOT cowgirl boots," she insisted. "They are princess boots."

Simone in the ball pit

    It was raining heavily in Texas, a result of Hurricane Patricia. The creek

Halloween

behind Courtney's house roared through its channel, almost overflowing the banks. On Saturday Maxine raced in a  swim meet, and then the girls played in the ball pit. When we got home, the driveway was flooded. Maxine rushed to open her umbrella and jump on her scooter to ride around in the deep puddle.

Saying goodbye

     The girls prepared a dance show. Simone decorated with empty Kleenex boxes while Maxine chose the music videos. The costuming was exquisite, and the dancing was graceful and energetic. Later Maxine set up a nail salon and painted all of our finger nails.
   On Sunday we went to a Halloween party, where the kids painted pumpkins and faces and screamed  in the scary closet.
     Courtney and I had a good quiet morning together on Monday, and then it was time to leave. I came home with a full heart.