Monday Minutiae

Well, it's Monday after a fun-filled, full weekend, especially for Annie.  Yesterday Annie rode with Mom, went to the beach and swam with a friend, drove Debbie home from the Art Show at Ponderay Garden Center where Debbie had spent the day at a POAC booth, visited with Debbie and Willie and checked out their new home, went to Sunnyside and swam with Debbie, came home and enjoyed a family barbecue and accompanied her dad and the two Border Collies to Grouse Creek for an evening of fly fishing.

She's still snoozing but will leave around 10, bound for Seattle, where tonight she could be on TV cuz she'll be in the rowdy end zone section when the Seattle Sounders soccer team hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Nope, grass has no chance to grow under Annie cuz she's always on to the next thing.  We've had a great time with her home this weekend.  

In a couple of weeks, she'll once again head over the pond to Germany for work and then on to Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and the Czech Republic for vacation with friends.  They might make it to Slovenia and Croatia, but that's not for certain just yet.

Whatever the case, once again we'll love enjoying her travels vicariously.

I was thrilled that Annie had the time to take a little ride on Lily with the Australian saddle I purchased this past week.  I really did not NEED the saddle but have always been curious about its highly reputed comfort.

It fits both my horses, and I do like the feel and the sense of security. 

One item, not planned on Annie's bucket list for yesterday, was the opportunity to see Miss Kea in action whenever four-legged invaders show up on the Lovestead.

This Shorthorn mama from next door presented a bit more of challenge as she has a bit more mass to run back through the fence from which she came.

I first spotted her eating grass which has been growing in our gravel pile.  So, I told Annie to get her camera.  With cameras in hand, we kept Kea under control and then told her to send that cow home.

Well, as said, it wasn't easy this time.  The big brown gal got cornered by Bill's wood pile, and it was obvious that she hadn't entered the Lovestead through that section of fence.

Eventually she went back to the gravel pile and easily found her way back through the fence into the Meserve Preserve.  Bert came yesterday afternoon to fix the fence.

No visitors this morning . . . . so far, anyway. 

After Annie left for town to visit with her friend, I drove down to the garden center to visit with Debbie.  While there, I learned a bit about this "meditation yurt," which evolved from plans to build a chicken coop.

I'm not planning to buy any yurts in the future, but it was fun viewing and standing in the structure, which its creator said could have any kind of siding the owner desires.

He'll have it on display at the garden center in Ponderay if there's anyone out there who meditates and wants a yurt.

I also met this couple, Rick and Karlyn Urdahl from Cheney.  First, we talked art and fly fishing, and they told me about Rick's book about his friend, J.D. Mackin.

Then, when we got into the real niddy griddy, we learned that we have a couple of common friends, both teachers.  They know my longtime good friend and teaching colleague, Marian Whitfield.   So, of course, that connection made us instant friends.

Later in the conversation, they asked if I knew Lynn Benson.  Paydirt!  Yes, she taught at the high school too, and I taught her son Jake.  Smart kid!  Turns out Lynn lived down the block from them while she was finishing her degree.

They think she lives and teaches in Morocco now, which, if true, is very ironic.  My sister sold one of her photographs to another former SHS educator who is on her way to Casa Blanca for a new education-related job.

Anyway, as a journalist, I've got to get to the bottom of this and make sure, if it's true, that those two ladies get acquainted in this "small world."

I really enjoyed my visit with Rick and Karlyn and have a feeling I'll be keeping in touch with them. 

This lady remembered me from mentioning my blog to her several years ago when Debbie and I were dining at The Dish in its original spot off HWY 2 in Sandpoint.

Well, she's moved on, and she's movin' on all the time with her Jupiter Jane's Traveling Cafe.

We had a nice short visit when I purchased some raspberry lemonade, and I promised to mention her on the blog again.  So, if you need a traveling restaurant, you can contact her at jupiterjanecafe@yahoo.com.

Be sure to mention "Slight Detour."

Actually, I'm not in the business of advertising for people.  It's just if they show up in my day, and, of course, if they're nice enough to remember the blog, they may show up in a posting.

And, I guess that's enough blog for today.

Happy Monday.