A Slight Detour

My friend Mow aka Jean likes the spirit behind Annie's thumbs-up with most of her photos, so, of course, she was thinking of Annie when my friend and former student Zach Spohn took this photo yesterday at Trinity. 

And, since Zach was kind enough to take our photo, I snapped a shot of his group, Sandpoint's Bulldog Bench.
 
I especially wanted to take this picture because I knew everyone at the table.  That doesn't often happen in downtown Sandpoint these days.  

Great group of people, all wonderful contributors to the community. 
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Today seems like a good day to think of "slight detours" or maybe better yet to "refocus." 

I've been headed on a somewhat disciplined track for several weeks, involving all the family and community activities and visiting that occur during typical summers in Sandpoint.

This year, especially, my focus included several touch-up projects around the place, all aimed at completion with the visit of my friend Jean aka Mow.

And, proudly, it's nice to report that most of them were completed, allowing for a wonderful weekend of just plain enjoying the place and the sights and sounds around the community. 

Well, the weekend fun all came to a close yesterday with a culinary grand finale of sorts, occurring at Trinity Restaurant, where I told Mow that she must try the pecan-crusted chicken salad.

Have I mentioned that I live for every chance to sample that salad at Trinity?  

Well, yesterday I learned that I'm not alone.  

When the server asked us if we were ready to order, I asked her, just out of curiosity, what she thought we would all want to order.

"Pecan-crusted chicken salad," she said. 

Case closed. 

It's, indeed, a very popular selection, and yesterday's tantalizing experience did not disappoint.  The salad always varies slightly--ever so slightly---during different times of the year.

Debbie, who's also quite well acquainted with the salad, noticed, like I did, a little extra kick in maybe the dressing.  That had no effect on the fact that I'm pretty sure all three of us ate every bite, and my friend Mow highly approved.

Anyway, that dining delight completed, we said good bye to Debbie and headed for Spokane Airport.  I'm assuming as I type this morning she has reconnected with Webster, Lovie, Fionia and Bob and has shared many of her experiences in North Idaho, no doubt highlighted by tales of her new canine friend Foster.

Foster has a way of slowly working his way into everyone's hearts, and that he did with Mow.  I think he especially loved his "tummy rubs." 

Anyway, this morning, life returns to a somewhat normal pattern here at the Lovestead, absent the major goal-setting activities.

I actually started with a mundane errand yesterday on my way back from Spokane by driving around the Valley for about an hour, finally finding Valley Vac n Sew, where I dropped off our back-up Dyson vacuum cleaner for repair.

It has been sitting in the shop off the house for a few years after the duct tape used around the hole in its hose quit holding in all the debris sucked up by the cleaner.

Time to get that fixed, I thought.  So, I quickly gave it a once-over with the shop vac, trying to remove as many cobwebs and excess cat fuzz as possible. Somehow fuzz and cobwebs tend to build up on most everything in the shop.

After a quick cleaning, I put the Dyson in the back of the car.  Once at Valley Vac n' Sew, I pulled it out, took it in and asked if they could fix the hose and give it a general tune-up.

The nice man said yes but he wanted to listen to the motor.  So, he plugged it in, and the second he hit the switch, a tree toad leaped from somewhere in or on the cleaner. Guess I should have spent a bit more time removing all the excess at home.

Anyway, Valley Vac n' Sew now has a Lovestead tree toad hopping around the store, and the clerk cautioned me that the "laboring" motor might mean the cleaner is not worth fixing.  Guess I'll know in a week. 

After returning home last night,  I compiled a list of "things to do," now that life is taking a slight detour from the summer super highway. 

That list includes getting a new sack of grain for the horses, since the grain in the bin overheated during the summer.  Ride horses also tops the list, and if I do that, a fresh sack of grain for the post-ride treats will be in order.

Lots of other miscellaneous items on the list will get attention, along with the fall lawn mowing and winter prep.  

Overall, though, looking back, I'd say the summer far exceeded expectations, and I have lots of wonderful memories to support that. 

Life is good.  Happy Tuesday.