Miriam is friendly and communicative, and she readily put me right at home; although the warm welcome of her beautiful dog, Tess, may have had something to do with that. Tess, in fact, decided to live at my feet and proceeded to help bring in my luggage, find sticks for my appraisal, and offer during a fun conversation with Miriam and her son - during which we discussed childhood barbershop fears, Pink Floyd, rural living, and Pastafarianism - as gifts several of her favorite toys. I felt at peace.