Slight Detour: Thursday, This, That and Throwbacks

Yesterday was filled with both fun times with friends and with hope.

I had a doctor's appointment with my provider Paige yesterday and found out there's something in my left knee that has been causing the pains and aches, and, it's probably not just arthritis.

So, she's putting me on track for some imaging and physical therapy. She thinks it's a meniscus problem.

That gives me hope---big time because I have places to go and people to see, and I'd like to do so with a relatively pain-free knee.

I'm also very thankful to have Paige as my doctor. She's an amazing and down-to-earth practitioner.

Before my appointment the two friends above came rolling into the driveway while I was snapping some more photos of the cedar waxwings--now regular visitors to the service-berry bush.

Karlen grew up in our neighborhood, and we can go back to the days of the party lines when we may have encountered each other while someone not to be named was playing on the phone.

Karlen's dad Harold was the Kaniksu forest supervisor at the time. Her brothers were classmates of my brother Kevin and me.

I've known Karlen in a variety of venues and activities, but most appreciated is the time she gave our mother, not only when they both traveled to Kentucky with a judging team but also during the final months of her life. Karlen was working as a nurse at Life Care, and she was so good to Mother, like all the others.

Besides that, I have always enjoyed a good conversation with her and yesterday was especially fun with both Karlen and Paul.

Paul is a retired lawyer. Both my son and my sister taught his son Dylan, and I had his wife Sharon as a student.

He is always great and thoughtful in conversation.

So, it was great to see them.

Last night we got together with Willie at MickDuffs for Day 2 of my birthday meals. As we sat and visited, I noticed a couple at a table nearby.

About the third or fourth time I looked their way, I sensed a touch of familiarity. That led to leaving our booth in mid hamburger and walking over to their table.

She looked my way and then it all clicked. Indeed, I knew her and she knew me.

Donna was a student in my English class during my first year of teaching, but that's not the most important fact I want to share about her.

As I hinted to my sisters while they were trying to guess who she was from the picture: back in the early 1970s, Donna set the standard for equitation in Bonner County horse circles.

When I shared that description, my sisters knew immediately who she was.

Many of my horse loving friends from the old days will probably agree with me in saying that when Donna Trone first rode her AQHA mare Patsy Jo Reed into the arena at the old fairgrounds, jaws dropped and eyes fixated on the elegant and sophisticated rider and her beautiful horse.

The picture was amazing, daunting to some but inspiring to others. Donna stood out in virtually every class she entered and Donna's presence more than likely opened a lot of minds to that we could reach a higher standard in our horsemanship.

So, to see this former student and rider extraordinaire after a drought of many years was, indeed, exciting. I also knew the "impish" side of Donna but that never diminished the respect I've always had for her and her horse talents.

We vowed to get together some time and have a good visit.

Thursday Throwbacks . . . . It's horse-show and visiting season, and, of course, family and friends are always fun for nostalgia. So, today's assortment reflect some of the above. Enjoy.

My sister Laurie and her friend Roxzene are at a horse show in Monroe, Wash., as I type. Sadly, Laurie had to leave her horse home because of an injury, but she's there to cheer on Roxzene.

Below: older brother Mike, Willie and Bill at a horse reception for Laurie and Mannie (Laurie bought him from Roxzene).

The two had come home with a national championship and a whole bunch of ribbons from the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals.

Sweet Lou's used to have a satellite in Hope so the family, including Barbara and Debbie, dined there one summer evening.

Below: I call this the "classics," and I love to post the photo. It was a wonderful memory of a group who came to Laurie's reception.

Mother in the front. Second Row: Mardette, Marianne, Terri, Gail, Donna and Jean, all horse lovers and friends in a variety of ways.

An early birthday party where Lorna (front) was a guest. Batch Two of our family: Jim, Barbara and Laurie.

Below: A carrot for Manny. I'm thinking that's Sarah from down the road.

My niece Laura brought some of her friends from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe so we all went out for the Lodgepole Society induction. Sure do miss that stately tree.

Dearly beloveds and much missed Kea and Kiwi.