We had taken a hike on the lake trail, and this time we had a blanket with us. Then we’d washed the ‘61 Chevy but ended up getting more water on us then on the car.

The most significant thing that had happened to us is that Amy and I had graduated from college, and she did it as a Summa Cum Laude graduate. I love this girl and I’m so proud of her.

Well, our parents giving us a new car was another big thing that happened.

Today was Monday, April 3, the first day of our final quarter of undergraduate studies. We had a calendar in our bedroom that showed the countdown to two things. The first was the countdown to commencement, and that was at seventy days. The second was the countdown to the day we leave for New Mexico, and that was at eighty days.

Amy and I only had three classes each this quarter, and none of those classes met on Friday. So, in theory, we had three day weekends. But Amy set Friday as her day to study for her test for her registered nurse's license. And that was okay because it was important to her.

Something had told us that we should take the little tree that had grown from the twig that we’d buried a few months ago in mom’s flower garden with us to New Mexico.

I had all but given up on Maria and Mark coming out to New Mexico when Kelly and Larry were there so that the whole crew could experience a Southwestern barbecue together. But I still had a few months to try and figure something out.

Dr. Whitmeyer had come back into our lives again. Dr. Grunewald had sent me a copy of Dr. Whitmeyer paper titled, ‘The Nádleeh. The two spirit people of the Navajo.’ He has promised to write this as part of his apology for what he had tried to do to Dr. Grunewald and Larry at the seminar. Everyone that has read it was happy with what Dr. Whitmeyer had written.

Then Kelly, Larry, Amy, and I had talked about how to get Maria and Mark out to the resort with us for one of the Friday barbecues.

How did I feel about this?

We’d be leaving all of our friends and family, that made me sad. We’d be going to someplace that we loved, that made me happy. We’d probably make new friends our age out there. That was a good thing. I’d be with Amy, and that made me extremely happy. So yes I was happy about this, but at the same time nervous. It was a big move, but we have friends and family out there.

Tonight we were having ice cream with the crew, Maria, Mark, Kelly, and Larry. And we were talking with them about having to go out to New Mexico early because they wanted Amy to take a couple of classes.

We also learned that Kelly and Larry were planning on going out to the resort in early July. And we’d told them about the barbecue.

On Friday we had a wedding rehearsal, a rehearsal dinner, and then we decorated the church hall for the reception. Larry didn’t want a bachelor’s party. But the girls went to a bachelorette party set up by Kelly’s cousin Mary Beth who was also the maid of honor. The party had been a bust thanks to a stripper. And there had been some nasty words between Kelly and Mary Beth.

It was possible that Mary Beth wouldn’t show up at the wedding. Who would take her place?

Amy had told me that what she saw with Mr. O’Brian and his nervous breakdown was looking good. But we’d see happens with the wedding. I was keeping my fingers crossed.

The Chief Nastas Todachine Memorial Scholarship was finally a go.

Today, Saturday, we had some fun when all the bride maids in Kelly’s wedding came to town for dress fittings. And Tammy went along. Of course, only Amy, Kelly, and Maria knew that Tammy wasn’t a real girl. It appeared that Kelly and Maria were a little nervous undressing in front of Tammy. But a talk afterward seems to have gotten them to understand who Tammy is. Maybe.

Amy had started having a reoccurring dream about an Indian girl and a sailor. They appeared to be lovers, and it was a long time ago. And Amy felt that she knew them or should know them.

We had gotten in touch with Naainish, and Amy had talked to him about the dream. After they hung up, I asked her, “Well. What were his words of wisdom?”

Then, Mr. O’Brian had said, “Oh. So, you’re an Indian.”

“Yes sir, I am.”, I’d replied. “And proud of it!”

“You all should be kept on a reservation.”

We’d run out, and Amy had checked the only occupant. Amy looked at me and said that it didn’t look good. After the cops and fire department where there, we’d come back inside and were talking with our friends.

Then I’d remembered where I knew this guy from, and I said, “Oh my God!”

“What’s wrong, honey.”, Amy asked.

“I just remembered where I knew this guy from.”

And along with some friends Chief Peshlakai was also here. Why?

Chief Kinlicheeny and Naainish had brought him along to apologize for what he’d done at the dance competition. He tried to apologize, but I wasn’t in the mood to accept it. So, instead, I gave him a piece of my mind.

The three of them, Chief Kinlicheeny, Chief Peshlakai, and Naainish, had talked after Ajie, Uncle Paul, and I had walked away from them. And now the three of them were walking towards us.

Chief Peshlakai had pulled something that had made me very mad. He had told everyone at the competition about the Chief Todachine Scholarship and that Dee would be the recipient of the first one.