Early May: A Quiet Game and a Flight Out

A quiet weekend in early May before a short trip. We had the chess board out on the dining room table, set up and ready to go. I don't know if we ever actually finished a game, but it’s a nice object to have sitting out, promising a slow-paced afternoon that doesn't always materialize.

On Monday, it was time to fly out. The scene at the Reno-Tahoe airport was standard for a spring afternoon: a mix of sun and scattered clouds over the mountains that frame the valley. Our Southwest plane was waiting at the gate, looking bright against the landscape. It's always a familiar feeling, that sense of transition in the terminal.

The climb out gave one last look at home. Lake Tahoe was brilliant blue, ringed by mountains still holding onto a significant amount of snow. It’s a perspective you don’t get tired of, seeing the whole basin laid out below before disappearing into the cloud layer.