Thursday This and That

You are looking at Lisbon, Portugal, earlier this morning, as Annie snapped this photo just before landing.   

It was neat to be online when she touched down just after 5:30 our time, but I don't think she thought her experience getting there was too neat.

She encountered somewhat of an "Amazing Race" challenge in Barcelona Airport after learning that her flight to Lisbon had been cancelled.  

So, she asked around and around and finally caught a flight that put her in Portugal much later than expected.

Fortunately, unlike the television series,  she was only racing with time----time lost from taking in as much of Portugal as she could.  

Annie does that when she travels.  She makes the most of every moment, even every second,  and when a lot of moments were spent frustrated in an airport, I doubt my daughter was happy.  

She did see a lot during her one full day in Barcelona, and if you're on Facebook, just go to my wall where you'll find 207 of her photos.  Spain definitely has some intriguing architecture as evidenced by her pictures.

Annie met one of her Groundspeak colleagues in Lisbon.  They'll be attending a geocoinfest and engaging in other geocaching activities over the next three days. 

In other news, Bill took off early this morning on another mission for his "after-retirement" job with Inland Forest Management.  This mission was in Elk, Washington.  

So, his early departure meant that HE made the coffee.  

I think he hated it when I retired ten years ago because while I was still teaching,  the coffee was always perking when I got up at O-dark-thirty.

Well, that's one perk (no pun, of course) he has enjoyed since his retirement, except for mornings like this one.  

I have come to appreciate those rare occasions when the coffee's ready.  Today was one.

Another brother is here today.  Mike and his wife have been on a road trip for the past several days----Glacier, remote parts of Montana, the Dakotas and back to Sandpoint last night.  

So, I'll be seeing him this morning and hearing about their adventures, which included time spent with Mary's North Dakota relatives while exploring areas where her family rooted themselves many, many years ago.

All these travelers----I'm jealous.

Around here, the garden keeps growing and producing, and that means I've been working overtime to keep up with it.  So, no excursions for this lady for a while.

Some peas picked the day before yesterday are still waiting to be shelled, and more are still on the vine.  So, that will be on today's agenda along with more lawn mowing. 

It's cool enough I may be able to climb on a horse sometime today.   

I should be talking about The Festival.  Happy Birthday, Festival---30 years old this year.  Dyno and her crew have lined up some great acts.

Still can't bring myself, though, to plop in the midst of all those people.  It's nice to hear about The Festival and its success and nice to be out here in the quiet country while all the commotion goes on in town.

Am I getting old?  Could be. 

I would probably like many of this year's headliners, especially Alison Kraus.  She's been here before---when Bill and I were ushering for The Festival.  

We sat in the front row just below her stage and enjoyed every minute.  We also liked her as a person; she seemed so down-to-earth.

I read this morning that her show sold out more than a month ago, beating Lyle Lovett's record sell-out.

Now, we served as ushers when Lyle came to town too.  He may be talented but he was  no Alison Kraus when it came to likeability.  

I'll never forget our volunteer ushers being rudely rounded up like cattle by his crew and  ordered to stay inside the Barlow Stadium fieldhouse while Lyle did his mike checks.  

They were not nice people. 

I wish the Festival and its staff the best of luck for another banner year.  Dyno has certainly been a dynamic director of the annual activity. 

Guess that's enough for this morning.  Peas await.

Happy Thursday.