Went paddling with Susan again today. The river was running about 900 CFS, which is headed toward low water. Susan has a torn hamstring and was more uncomfortable than usual in her boat, but the water was the lowest we've seen it yet, so it balanced out. We're getting comfortable paddling together. It was a lovely warm day.

I used the lightning paddle that my friend R built, and it was so light and easy! I rolled three times on each side at the put-in and confirmed what I already know, that the wooden paddle I have been using makes it harder to roll. We started catching more eddies in this run....it's just getting low enough to HAVE lots of eddies. I guess I am a low water boater, because all those eddies make me happy. I am still not satisfied with my kayak. I guess I should find another one that I won't complain about every time I use it. I wish for the one that I left behind in Flagstaff, in T&T's garage, my old Inazone 240. So what if it has a big dent in the hull?

Had a few friends over for wheat-free mac & cheese last night....including R who brought me the paddle, kellamaste and K. It was a laid back evening, wine and cheesy mac, stories and scrabble....comfort, you know. Comfort food and comfortable people. I am beginning to think that I have friends here. It takes a little while for me when I move to a new place.

In the course of the evening I dragged out my ziplock back full of river otter poop, and showed it all around. I remember the day I collected the poop from a rock in the Verde river in Arizona. I was on a multi-day low water float with my friend neptunia67. I collected the otter poop before I knew what it was, but then later that day saw the otters, and then after arriving home looked up otters to discover that they are aggressive carnivores who chomp up any animal prey they can catch, and shit out piles of bones. Otter poop makes me happy too.

I'm plotting when to throw my first party, a convergence of people I like who have not yet met each other... I'm also plotting when I can do an easy river trip for all my friends who don't run rivers yet. It's the least I can do. Go bounce a raft off some rocks on a class II stretch, or something. Of course, I'll be in a kayak yelling instructions. I am retired from raft guiding.

But to put a sour note on a Friday evening, I got a letter in the mail from Fannie Mae saying they received my student loan request but are unable to process it because ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS REQUIRED TO CONTINUE PROCESSING YOUR LOAN REQUEST but they don't tell me what info they need. Just a phone number in the letter, and no one will be answering those lines until Monday morning 8am. So until then, I will entertain the thought that I might not be funded for my education anymore. Seems like this idea gets entertained regularly when dependent on external moneys.... Oh well, whatever happens, I will do my best and it will come out OK. Que sera sera, and all that.