Books, Bucks and Friends

 

I was sitting on the tractor plowing out some trails in our hay field yesterday afternoon when I saw this big buck jump up from its resting near the fence in our Lodgepole pasture. 

Its rack was one of the most impressive I've ever seen on a live deer. I tried to move closer to get a better picture of the antlers, but the buck bounded off into the woods. 

You'll just have to take my word; it was a spectacular sight. 

Hoping to see it again and get a good photo. 

The Corner Book Store is no longer on the corner. 

Since 1997, Jim Orbaugh has been selling new and used books in Sandpoint. 

His original store was located on the corner of First and Cedar, but for several years, his store has been located at 405 North Fourth. 

Since the beginning, Jim has featured my books in his collection.  I'm amazed that 30 years after the first publication of Pocket Girdles, he's still calling me up and asking for some books to sell. 

Yesterday, we swapped a few stories when I delivered the most recent order. 

Jim told me about a time when he received a check from the government during the Pandemic. 

"I didn't really need it," he said.  So he took some books to the Hoot Owl cafe for people to pick up and take with them. 

While sitting in a booth, drinking coffee, occasionally, when the server would come to the table, he'd hand her some cash from that check to give to someone at the book table. 

He loved watching the expressions of unsuspecting recipients while playing innocent at his table. 

I always enjoy catching up with Jim, and it's really nice to know that my books are still appearing on book store shelves.  

The group of friends in the photo below got together yesterday.  

Well, sorta. 

Longtime friends Chris Moon, Susie "Sky" Baldwin and Marianne Love two years ago at a rendezvous in Idaho Falls. 

Susie "Sky" Baldwin sat in her home in Colorado, while Chris Moon and I occupied a booth at Matchwood Brewing Co in Sandpoint. 

Unfortunately, Susie did not have a glass of wine, like Chris and me, but we toasted with her anyway. 

Knowing we would be visiting with Susie, Chris and I had found a table where we hoped we would not bother anyone while talking with the iPhone speaker on. 

The idea worked out perfectly because there wasn't a crowd at the restaurant. 

So, we talked and talked and talked for about an hour. 

Subjects ranged from the aftermath of the Presidential election to family and traveling experiences to some really great news Susie had learned this week after having surgery.  

No worries about cancer means a whole new lease on life for our friend, the lifelong outdoors adventurer who spent the past summer camping with her horse on several occasions.

Of course, we toasted her again with her good health news. 

The three of us have been connected as friends since our teenage and young adult years. 

Susie lived in Sandpoint for five years while her dad worked for the U.S. Forest Service.  Their home, a red house,  sat above Sand Creek off from North Boyer at what is now the Bonner County Fair grounds. 

I probably first met Susie on the school bus.  At the time she was a fifth grader at Farmin and I attended Sandpoint Junior High as a seventh grader.

We soon learned of our common love for horses.  Susie had free run of her old gelding Major because her folks, Dick and Marge, didn't have much experiences with horses. 

At my house, however, both parents had led a lifetime with horses, and they imposed rules---especially the one about never running your horse on the roadway. 

Well, Mother and Harold never really saw me running my horse on the roadway because once Susie and I met aboard Major and Largo on what's now known as Woodland Drive, the races began---clearly out of sight from my parents. 

We spent our time riding and often racing on the back roads until Dick Baldwin was transferred to Missoula during my senior year of high School. 

A couple of years later, I went to work as a survey aide for the U.S. Forest Service during the summers.  Eventually, Chris joined me.  

For three summers, we drove our "rigs" on the back roads of all the mountainous areas in Northeastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle and Northwest Montana. 

We also did a little sneaking just like Susie and I had done with our horses.  In Chris's and my case, the sneaking happened behind the wheel on "slight detours" from our assigned job of reading and moving traffic counters from Forest Service Roads. 

One illegal trip took us to Chewelah, Wash., while another clandestine destination ended at the Canadian Border.  In each case we were driving miles from where we were supposed to be but never got caught.

I think the statute of limitations for our Forest Service bosses to discipline us has run out.  

When Chris and I worked together, we learned that Susie was our mutual close friend. 

One time, Chris and I were sent to Missoula to pick up a traffic counter which would be used at the entrance to main Forest Service Roads. 

We surprised Susie and had a great visit. 

We've enjoyed a few other visits as a trio of friends over the years---the most recent two years ago when we all met in Idaho Falls. 

We shared some reflecting yesterday on our longtime friendship and on where we are in life these days.  Both Susie and Chris are 75 this year, while I turned 77. 

We all agreed that we had the good fortune to be born in relatively blissful times shortly after World War II.

We grew up when prosperity began to abound and when life seemed much more simple and the pathway clearly comprehensible, thanks to the direction inspired by our strong family units. We also accepted  from parents and from other adults the universal respect for the values and principles that made America a great nation. 

The three of us all worry about the country's future and especially about the uncertain future of the generations who follow us.  

Speaking of uncertainty, we also agreed that we learned the most about life's uncertainty during the Pandemic and with the political situations that have followed. 

In short, yesterday's phone visit was very special for all involved.  

We are sincerely hoping for more visits where all three of us "golden girls"  can be together to raise a glass and to reflect some more on this life journey we've all traveled in different and unique ways. 

Happy rainy Friday.  Stay dry.