Visiting marathon

I put in a full day of gabbing and listening yesterday. When it was over, I reveled quietly over the vast offering of perspectives the experiences had provided me during this August heat.

It all began when Willie arose from a short night of sleeping and tried to read the paper while fielding our questions about the first event of his ten-year reunion at the Beach House Restaurant. Apparently, the plan for 1995 SHS classmates to just show up at the Edgewater deck worked out okay. Lots of people and lots of fun seemed to be his overall assessment.

Shortly after Willie's morning appearance, Carson Jeffres called at 8 a.m. sharp to tell us he'd be a bit late for his promised breakfast of huckleberry hotcakes and bacon. He was at his family's lake cabin packing for his return trip to Davis, Calif., where he works in fisheries for UC Davis. As usual, once he arrived, we enjoyed his entertaining fish tales and humorous updates on family and friends.

Just after Carson headed on his way shortly before noon, Bill took off for his Saturday rounds in town, and I put my bike on its carrier and drove to the north end of the Long Bridge. While pedaling the bike path, I could see leftovers of the Long Bridge Swim organization crew. Honeybuckets were still standing. People were gathered in clumps around the registration area while others were relaxing in the trees or on the beach.

It was a good time to ride the empty bridge, which had just hours before, been filled with fans cheering for their respective swimmers. I read in this morning's paper that more than 400 people took the mile-plus swim across Pend Oreille. The event seems to get more popular every year since its inception about 6 or 7 years ago.

My destination on this bike ride was the Thompson cabin off Lakeshore Drive where various factions of the family had gathered for the weekend. Finally managing to cross HWY 95 through a quick gap in the busy traffic at the south end of the bridge, I was soon sitting on the dock and dangling my feet, tenny runners and all, in the refreshing water and visiting with Sig, Beth, Kirsten, Laura, Judy, et. al. Kids and other young adults were sunbathing or playing with water toys while other generations relaxed on Chris and Judy's deck.

Soon, it was time to board my bike and head back across the bridge. Bill and I had a late-afternoon date at the Kiebert home at Hope. Travis Kiebert, a local logger, and his parents, Kermit and Susan, were hosting a company picnic. When Bill had heard ribs with Auntie Kay's special sauce were on the menu, he made sure we'd be attending. Actually, the company picnic extended far beyond the company as most of the neighborhood from the Spring Creek Road showed up.

I visited with our new county commissioner Karl Dye and was surprised to learn that his wife was one of my former students, Tiffany Dowling. My classmate Karen Martin Rolf was there, so we reviewed our favorite moments of last week's reunion. I learned that another former student Rod Berget is married to one of Hope's Van Stone family, and that's why they're building a home on the family property just up the road from Kieberts. Also, met several people Bill has worked with through the forestry industry.

It was a peaceful, quiet, relaxing party set on a gorgeous huge lawn in front of the Kiebert home. Throughout the gathering, we also listened to Omodt family fiddlers and another band of local musicians. The Kieberts had thought of everything and offered some generous helpings of their characteristic hospitality.

Later, when my watch indicated 7 p.m. was approaching., we said good bye and headed back to town so I could attend one more gathering. My teaching friend Bette Fredricksen Bicshel had come to town and called in the afternoon asking me to show up at the Edgewater at 7:30 where she and other friends would be dining. So, I headed the Jimmy down that way and met with them.

Bette told us of her new life in Southeastern Montana as the wife of a rancher. She's excited about her very own horse and looking forward to taking riding lessons. At this point, she's proud that she can put the halter on the yearling filly. I received instructions to be sure to tell my sister Laurie about her newfound interest in horses.

It was good to see Bette again and to visit with other teaching friends, Lynn Bangle, Angie Olmstead and Kerri Alarid. Dr. Rust even showed up for a brief time since his wife Marian (one of Bette's friends) was off camping for the weekend. We all said our good byes around 9:30, and I came home to a very quiet house.

It would be an understatement to say that yesterday offered a full plate of good visiting.