On the road again

Seems like the family is gonna put in the miles over the next few days. Bill's already been doing just that, leaving the house every morning just past 5 and rolling in every evening about 10. We've exchanged a few sentences in the past three days, and a couple of times, I've found myself ripe to tell him something, when I realize he's already left to go back to his fire duty.

The fire near the Canadian border did expand by a few acres, but along with that one, several other smaller blazes have started in the area. So, they keep him at the Bonners Ferry Ranger Station as their logistics coordinator. Last night he asked about the trip to Spokane and Auntie's tonight.

I said I'd probably leave around 4. Then, he said he could go but he still has to be back up at Bonners Ferry tomorrow morning by 6 a.m. With the reading starting at 7:30 p.m., the signing afterward and visits with a few friends after that, it's doubtful the car will head home until at least 10 p.m., putting us home at midnight, at the earliest. Still, Bill is considering toughing it out and joining me on the trip to Spokane.

He says he'll surely be working through the weekend on the fires. Rain has been forecast for tomorrow, but as logistics coordinator, he always has to stick around to take care of final details.

My sisters will be on the road both Saturday and Sunday, also headed to Spokane for the August Sport Horse Show. Laurie will be riding her gelding Rusty in two dressage tests, tomorrow around 1 p.m. and Sunday around 3. If you're in Spokane and like dressage, the event is at the Sport Horse Arena off the Pullman Highway near Zip Trips.

By the way, speaking of horses and sisters who also teach riding lessons, I'm hearing my friend Rose Marie aka RMT on the slightdetour comments section did A-Okay on her first lesson ever. We're all proud of you, RMT! Keep up the good work.

After all the weekend driving, Barbara and I will head out Monday morning for Ronan, Montana, to pick up our babies, Lefty and Dusty. Their present owner weaned them from moms this week and has kept them up near her house. It's been hard containing the excitement of these new additions to our horse herd for the past several weeks, but now it's getting close. So, I'm not containing any more. I'm downright excited.

By now, both of our little guys should have shed their baby hair, and we'll have a really good idea what their hide will look like for the rest of their lives. Barbara's Dusty will be dun with four white stockings and a blaze, while my Lefty (formal name "Mokadot") will be a deep dark chestnut with red mane and tail, one white stocking and a cute star smack dab in his forehead, hence Mocha-Dot.

Life will be different with the babies, and we're looking forward to bringing them home. I've been telling Lily (who's been chasing Bert Wood's Angus calves out of her pasture daily) that a new friend will be coming. She hasn't commented except to ask for one more carrot, but I'm sure she'll be pleased when Lefty shows up.

That way, when they go to the pasture, Willie Nelson will be proud to know that there'll be "Lefty, Lily and the boys."

"On the Road Again" should lead to some fun ventures and memories this next few days.