Dear Pip,

I've been thinking about you today. It's been four years, you know? Four years of not celebrating my birthday with you, and not buying Christmas presents for you, and not going to concerts with you, and not having three- (sometimes four-) hour phone conversations with you about anything and everything going on in our lives. I'd go to school on days following those lengthy brother-sister talks and tell Baustie about some of what was discussed and he'd always say, "Hannah, you and your brother are closer than any brother and sister I've ever heard of." Because we were.

If I was able to call you up right now and tell you about my day, you'd do that deep-in-your-chest rumble-chuckle (my favorite character Sebastian does that deep-in-his-chest rumble-chuckle, and it's because of you) and call me "silly." Or maybe "goofy." Or maybe, depending upon your mood, "a fuckin' weirdo." No matter the words, they'd be spoken with affection... but you will find the things that brought pleasure to me today to be on the absurd side... so brace yourself.

The first great thing that happened today was waking up to a bed full of cats. Kip was by my left hand, Harvey was at my feet, and Petey was tight against my right calf. I took the day off work so I was able to hit snooze approximately eight times before finally telling the boys it was time to get up... and when that monumental event eventually occurred, it was largely because of Arlo. He'd positioned himself outside my bedroom door and was whining.

I'm sure you remember that Arlo and I have a love-hate relationship. It's definitely more love-heavy than hate-heavy, but he does have a unique ability to drive me bonkers. Today, though, he was supremely sweet. He even tried to climb onto my lap while I peed! I guess he needed some extra hugs and attention today as well.

My next order of business, after readying myself for the day, was coffee. I stopped by your old place of employment, Bantam Coffee Roasters (they've changed the name since you worked there) and saw both Alex and Chad... and their new puppy. Her name is River and she is every bit as cute as my dogs and she was especially cute today because she was dressed as a United States Postal Worker. I know this means something to you because of the game we used to play in the car: United States Postal Worker. You'll be happy to know that I wrote that into a book. I forget which one, but Bas and Bert play it sometimes, and Bas and Bert love each other exactly the same amount that you and I love(d) each other.

Anyway, back to my day. Armed with caffeine (hazelnut lattes, obviously), I picked up Mom for a day of shopping. We went to Belk's, which is a store that would interest you not at all, and I got Christmas presents for Annie, Mary, my new coworker Landon, and Kathy. (I know you remember Kathy: she once tricked you into eating a cupcake wrapper...)

After Belk's, we hit up Olive Garden for some mozzarella sticks, salad, and pasta, and from there we headed over to Home Goods. This is where you'll no doubt start rolling your eyes because my adulting was hardcore. I got:

• a shower curtain rod

• hooks for the above-mentioned shower curtain rod

• bathroom towels (they're grey)

• storage baskets for my laundry room

• a laundry hamper

• a new cat dish for Harvey because I've somehow managed to lose a cat dish...

• pillows for my couch (they're teal and really nice)

• a soft table cloth (it's orange and grey)

Mom and I were pretty tired after that and I was (more eye rolling -- go ahead) super excited to get home and organize my basement, so we drove home. And guess what was waiting for me on my front stoop. The upholstery steamer I ordered from Amazon! So in addition to organizing my laundry room and doing several loads of laundry and using my downstairs shower for the very first time (it's AMAZING!), I also steam-cleaned my couch and the IKEA chair that Augusta likes to both sit on and occasionally chew on. My house is so clean right now! I love it!

So, yeah. That was my day. And if I was able to call you up on the phone and tell you about it, I'm sure I would've made the saga span at least thirty minutes because there'd be a bunch of asides. And I'd share other little anecdotes, of course, because that's how I do. Like the fact that I learned about steam cleaners from Kristin several years ago and then Beth recently told me that as a person with pets, it is an "eye-opening experience" to steam-clean a sofa. And how I have a new friend James who appreciates my interest in imagining myself as miniature and swimming in oddly-shaped vessels (some of which I saw today at Home Goods!). And how Chris from Bella's Bartok -- the one who built an invisible brick wall at Garryowen and then unbuilt it to ask if I'd yet made my decision about taking the band home with me -- is not only recording The Way Back for Audible, but he's also writing music for the Flannel Lobster lyrics that appear in my books. And how my other new friend Marc is going to hook me up with pistachio ice cream just because I mentioned it to him when I couldn't find any at the grocery store. And how the woman who read Like A Flip Turn for Audible is now recording my Christmas novella and the first fifteen minutes could be arriving in my inbox at any moment. And how Annie and I have plans to get together on a Wednesday in the near future and we're each going to make a dish and I don't yet know what I want to make. And how Amy is coming over tomorrow night for dinner and wine and a tour of my basement. And just... boring life things that are somehow really exciting. And somehow both happy and sad because I can't share them with you.

I miss you, Pip. And I love you. And wherever you are these days, I hope you can sometimes peek into my world and keep tabs on what I'm up to. I'm not saying that you need to spy when Arlo's attempting to sit on my lap while I pee -- that would be super inappropriate -- but I do like to think that you might sometimes catch me dancing in my kitchen. Or belting out song lyrics really, really loudly while vacuuming. Just silly stuff like that. And I hope, too, that wherever you are, you're able to laugh deep-in-your-chest rumble-chuckles on a regular basis... because mostly I hope that you're happy.