A visit with Cathy

I've driven past the Russell place several times in the last week while going to and from the Colburn farm. Occasionally, I've seen Cathy walking around the yard or sitting in one of two white plastic chairs with a small barbecue grill a few feet away. One night someone had joined her, and, while passing by, I figured they were waiting for meat to cook.

Each time, I wanted to turn in to give her a big hug and extend condolences for the loss of her mother Ouida, but every trip was dictated by having to be some place on time. One doesn't just hug and run in situations like that. I couldn't attend Ouida's graveside service at Pack River Cemetery for the same reason I had missed another friend Mary Neuder's the same day.

The commitment to announce a horse show had been made months ago, so I hoped that future conditions would allow me to spend some time with Cathy before she headed back to Alaska. Last night presented that opportunity. After attending riding lessons and enjoying a nice ride through the Tibbs Arabian fields on Lily, I headed toward home and pulled into the Russell driveway.

Cathy came to the door and seemed pleased to see me. It had been several years. She moved off to Alaska and taught there for more than 20 years. That was a few years after she had taught my son Willie at Washington School's kindergarten class. Cathy's teaching career came a few years after I'd watched her grow up and even taught her as a sophomore in my English class.

We also had shared a wonderful trip to Dallas, Tex., back in 1973, when her team of 4-H horse judges earned the right to compete at the National Youth Horse Congress. I was honored when they asked me to accompany them as their coach. It was the first time I had ever flown, and the flight happened to be the same one my newest boyfriend was taking back to Louisiana.

So, Jack (Cathy's dad), Omerita (her sister), and Cathy, Bill Love, and the remaining team members, Dan Lund, his cousin Jane, and Linda Woolsey set out for a great adventure deep in the heart of Texas. I'll never forget our arrival when we walked outside into the Texas August heat. We thought we were gonna die as we walked around the block where our hotel was located.

We made it, though---a bunch of farm bumpkins from Idaho spending several days together and creating vivid memories, a few of which surfaced in last night's visit. Cathy gasped when I told her that Bill and I had celebrated 34 years of marriage since meeting that summer in 1973.

Time has flown by. We've lived our respective lives, and has Cathy's mom Ouida. The Selle neighborhood gathered to help Cathy say good bye to her on Saturday at Pack River Cemetery. Cathy says she spends a lot of time at the country cemetery, walking past graves and remembering.

Cathy now works on the Alaskan Pipeline after retiring from a career in teaching. She plans to come back to Sandpoint often, though she says it will be strange not coming to see her mother. Our conversation last night involved the beginnings of what I'm sure will be a wealth of tales associated with the Center Valley community.

I never knew until sitting at her table last night that the Russell house once served as the Center Valley School teacherage. The school was on the corner of Colburn-Culver and North Center Valley Roads. Eventually it was moved to the Russell place, where the family has lived for 60-plus years.

"It was destined that someone in this house would be a teacher," Cathy told me. "I turned out to be the one." She seemed proud of her years as an educator, and, of course, I was beaming as she reminded me that she's the teacher who started my son on his educational journey.

Our bond, as farm kids and lovers of the land, started long ago, and I'm looking forward to rekindling the friendship that has taken a break as we've gone our separate ways.

While walking out the door, it was obvious there will be plenty to share. Cathy brought up her experience on the Pend Oreille Trail Ride---with Peggy Watts Shadel. Of course, I had to talk about my own experience riding my mare Tiny---with Peggy Shadel---on that annual ride through the mountains. It was an eating and riding extravaganza, usually involving up to 250 riders, created by the Hope Hawkins family long before they started Litehouse Dressings.

Coulda been that Cathy and I were on the same ride for all we know, but with rural paths constantly weaving back and forth, maybe not. Anyway, I'm glad time finally allowed me to stop in, extend condolences to Cathy and revive wonderful images of good times and good folks from our mutual past.