My friend and former teaching colleague Pam has been staying with us for the past couple of days.
She sat and visited with Bill last evening while I took Terra and Lefty to my sisters' arena for practice.
On our way home from Barbara and Laurie's, I told Terra stories about 9-11.
She was born a few years after the horrific attack on iconic sites in our East Coast. So, I told her about how fear and uncertainty of our country's future prevailed for quite some time.
Later, while visiting with Pam and Bill over some eats, I noted that the three of us had all been together on another significant day.
Our kids, Willie and Annie, were 3 and 2 at the time when Mt. St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980.
Pam and I were both teaching at Sandpoint High at the time. She lived in the general neighborhood at the time and had come by that afternoon. During her visit the cloud of thick ash moved in to our area.
Almost instantly, another dark cloud of uncertainty began to prevail over the Northwest. How would this affect our water? our animals? our lives in general?
At first, not wanting to go home alone to her house just a couple of miles away, Pam sat with us that afternoon as we discussed all the eerie possibilities.
Later, she decided it would be okay to head home.
Last night, as we reflected that day, she recalled how she looked over the situation at home and decided she could hold out for quite some time, thanks to a good supply of water and cupboards and pantry filled with food.
We've had a good time during her visit discussing a variety of subjects, fun memories and catching up with each other's lives.
I still haven't heard her tales of the Camino. About two weeks after Annie, Justine and friends walked the Camino from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain, Pam who just retired from teaching in California and two friends made the trek.
I told Pam when she arrived that I was on two tracks this week: her visit and helping Terra and Lefty get prepared for this weekend's horse show.
Both have gone well. My sisters found some chaps and a nice jacket to add to Terra's showing ensemble this Saturday.
Of course, each item has history, involving stories of other young ladies who've worn them during the relative infancy of their horse show experiences.
That's kinda how it is with horse show stuff. There's a certain amount of hand-me-downs, especially for horse lovers who are just getting started.
Later, if they stick with it, they'll most likely purchase their own apparel and if they really stick with it, that apparel may eventually appear on another aspiring young rider.
So, thanks to Barbara and Laurie, Terra's gonna look pretty impressive with Lefty this Saturday.
In addition to my two missions this week, life goes on with dogs, birds, buses and fruit trees. If humans are lucky and can get past the deer, they'll get their share of apples and pears.
It's been a good week.
Happy Wednesday.
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