The trip north on State Route 22 never failed to impress travellers with its beauty, even those travellers who had homes there in its hamlets. It was a pleasure to look at in all seasons: the starkness of winter, autumn glory, emerging spring.  Now it was full summer, and a treat in all its greenness, the road's curves harmoniously nestled in the hillsides.

Jack took over the second leg of the four-hour drive from Manhattan to Rotsblok Falls. Piki was deft at navigating their midsized car out of the city, whether in snow or heat, but his concentration tended to turn into tension around Poughkeepsie. The happy discovery of Bell’s Deli on one of their earliest trips years ago had led to a ritual halfway point to stop, rest, and eat on their way to their vacation home.

The two girls in the backseat had succumbed to the notorious "Deli Belly" food coma, and were blissfully quiet, each engaged in her own pursuits... Emily glued to the window, mentally cataloging the age of each and every rock formation they  passed, and making entries on her handheld... Sera sketching away madly, seemingly ignoring the countryside but trapping every detail in ink on paper.

Miles flying by under the tires and quiet music on the car radio contrived to put Piki in a relaxed enough state that he actually fell asleep in the passenger seat.  Jack smiled at the sight; with one hand he carefully removed Piki's sunglasses and laid them on the seat between them. His husband's mighty nose pointed at the sky, the lines of his face falling into gentler formations... Jack reminded himself never to take these glimpses of happiness for granted.

Just before 7pm, they pulled into the gravelled driveway.