When are we going to get there? To normal, that is.

I keep saying it, and lately I've been catching myself, knowing that what I'm saying ain't never gonna happen. Yes, I know that's grammatically incorrect, but it's still true.

So many times this summer, I've assured people with whom I'm working or planning things that now that X is over, I'll be back to normal. It's been like a broken record, and lately I've been aware that the record keeps cracking all the more.

My promise of things "getting back to normal" is so lame.

And, on this morning of weekend after THE COUSINS' visit, my concept of "normal" is getting pretty murky. I was just telling Bill that Chris is here from Tacoma, and we have to visit. Dave and his wife "Marianne" are here, and he wants to visit. But then Chris didn't know if she was leaving today or Tuesday but maybe today would be the best day to get together.

So, it seems her concept of anything normal is very much like mine. She really doesn't know what life is going to dish out to her in the next hours, days and weeks, so she leaves it kinda up in the air.

Now, Dave, whose claim to fame, literally in my book, of eating 8 or 9 pies in the 1973 pie eating contest at Sandpoint High School, a feat somewhat accurately documented in my last book in a chapter called "Ponderettes and Pie, Not a Good Mix," is in town for a cousins' reunion also. He'll probably call today, and I told him that whenever we get together, of course, it has to be over cream pie and coffee.

By the way, I knew that one sentence up above was kinda run-on and a bit abnormal, but this is all about arriving at an elusive state of norm, so that's why I departed from my usual grammatically correct wonderful sentence structure. It all needs to fit in for the theme of this posting.

Actually, I'm quite aware that sometimes my sentences do get to be a mouthful, but that's just the fun of writing like that and wondering what some of my readers out there are thinking. Probably something like, "SHE thinks she's and English teacher!"

Anyway, I digress, but let me do it just for a few more seconds. I was snapping beans last night during Abby Gibb's weekend KREM-2 news and she said something "sunk" four times during the newscast. I couldn't stand it any more so I wrote to KREM news writers and told them there were English teachers our there cringing every time something "sunk" from Abby's lips.

Speaking of normal, aren't we supposed to say the ship "sank"? Or, am I in a whole new abnormal world?

Well, that's enough of that. Let's get back to when we know we're back to normal. When does that time come? I submit it comes to North Idaho in winter when days are dreary and people are cooped up and they do the same things every day for days on end. That's pretty normal and so boring.

I submit that we shouldn't even think of things getting back to normal during summers in Sandpoint. Too many variables, too many people coming to town. Too many possibilities of unknowns dictating our schedules.

Now, yesterday was kind of a normal day, but in the grand scheme of summer days in Sandpoint, it was kind of abnormal. The phone never rang. I caught up with stuff I hadn't done for a while. The weather was pleasant---in the 80s, a slight breeze.

Bill took off for Smith Creek to fish with the same rod he bought from Ron Raiha at Pend Oreille Sport Shop 35 years ago this month. He took that same rod to Smith Creek and fished with it 35 years ago this month. This time, however, the abnormal aspect of the trip was Kiwi. She did not accompany him 35 years ago this month, nor did any dog that I know of.

And, speaking of abnormal, how many Border Collies really get in to fly fishing?

Back to normal. It's normal when Bill goes fly fishing in late summer, early fall, that he's not gonna be back until after dark. Knowing that and knowing that I had most of my projects finished and embracing the comfortable day, I saddled up my Lily.

We went for a seven-mile ride down South Center Valley Road and to the Tibbs Arabian ranch on Center Valley Road. It was heavenly and a nice change from the hurried pace of most summer days.

I don't know what today has in store. I'll just start my usual routine and see what happens. If I go about my day with no surprises, I'll write about that tomorrow. I'm guessing, though, that I won't get there today----to normal, that is.

May you have an abnormal and fun Monday.