Twas a perfect day with a plan that worked out pretty close to perfect. Bill would go to church, where he was conducting the service in the minister's absence. I would meet up with my brother Kevin and two sisters.
We would drive to Bonners Ferry and pick up sandwiches at Subway. Then, we would head to Marv's place a few miles north of Bonners Ferry in the majestic Kootenai Valley.
Marv is a trainer who returned recently a year or more in Ireland where his wife Tish is working for the Port of Dublin. Now that Marv is back for a while, he's doing some training, and that includes my brother and sister's horse Chrome.
I heard yesterday that my brother owns the back half, and Barbara owns the front half.
When we arrived, Marv had Chrome all saddled up. Then, we sat back on plastic chairs, watching and learning as he took us through the steps of training he has used with Chrome over the past ten days.
Marv is a pretty laid-back cowboy who treats his students with kindness. He also allows them to make mistakes, which can then be corrected early in their training. We watched Chrome being lunged, driven and ridden.
We also watched her buck a little, but that was pretty short lived. It's obvious Chrome likes and respects Marv, and why not: lots of affirmations and pets go along with each moment of success.
It was pretty neat to sit there on a Sunday morning, watching a teacher who has perfected his craft, and, as a result, his students progress quickly and basically pain free.
Thanks, Marv. You're something else, and that Chrome looks pretty good too.
By the time we were about to leave Marv's, Bill was on his way to meet us at the Boundary Creek Wildlife Management Unit, where we've enjoyed a few Easter picnics and just outdoor enjoyment.
There are picnic tables, a beautiful creek, a town called Porthill across the way and some Canadian horses which occasionally put on a pretty impressive show galloping through their farm field on the other side of the border.
As Barbara, Kevin, Laurie and I turned on to the last stretch of road leading to the picnic area, I asked Barbara to stop the truck and let me out. I would walk the rest of the way, pick up a few steps on my Fitbit, enjoy the scenery and the freedom and take a few photos.
A few minutes later, along came Bill. I told him I'd see him on up the road.
Well, I did underestimate just how far I was from the picnic tables. That long straight stretch of road can be deceiving, but that was okay.
When it's September and the sun is out and you have plenty of time cuz you are retired and everyone with you is also retired, you can enjoy the moment.
Well, "the moment" turned into nearly an hour, and I did pick up more than 4,000 steps on my Fitbit, but no regrets.
Watching geese hanging out in and occasionally flying from the ponds, seeing dozens and dozens of bright red rosehips along the way, ripe elderberries ready to for picking and lush green grass in the meadows after a week of all that smoke---it was the best of times.
Plus, I was pretty hungry for my Subway sandwich by the time I arrived at the table where we have had our Easter picnics.
Nobody there!
So, I continued walking and found the rest of the family sitting at a table enjoying their sandwiches in the shade.
Bill said that table would serve as our Labor Day picnic spot while the other would still do us okay for future Easter gatherings.
It was peaceful. It was relaxing, and it was a lovely experience as we enjoyed sharing stories.
Later, we parted company as Bill took Kevin up Smith Creek where he had worked for the Forest Service during his first summer in Idaho, while Barbara, Laurie and I enjoyed a rather quiet ride home, with some of us even nodding off a time or two.
Retirees can do that!
Later, I saw that Barbara has posted a video from four years ago. It had come up on her Facebook wall as a memory.
This was the video put together by Willie and my sisters for our mother's celebration of life in 2013.
I had not watched that video for four years-----always knowing it would be 13 minutes of sobbing, but I did okay last night, with a few tears of nostalgia and love, of course.
It was a very nice way of topping off a wonderful day spent with some family members and a pretty cool horse trainer.
Our mother would have highly approved.
So, I'll include the link: she was a pretty remarkable woman, and the video certainly showed the depth of her talents, her sense of humor and, more than anything, the influence and love of her family.
It was nice to see all those reminders of good times with parents, siblings, friends, etc., all centering around our mother, who left her special touch with each person in unique ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq_lFs4lvKM
Happy Monday to all. Enjoy the photos.
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