Slight Detour: Norman Rockwell on a Sunny Day

Bill told me the other evening that if I wanted to get some neat pictures, I should go to the Third Avenue Pier in south Sandpoint.

He had seen all kinds of activity at the spot that day while driving across the Long Bridge from Coeur d'Alene.

So, after a grocery-store run yesterday, I drove to the neighborhood where the pier overlooking the Pend Oreille River attracts skaters, spectators and lots of happy dogs.

It took a while to find a place to park because the frozen river has attracted so many recreationalists to that access point.

Looking east, you see the Cabinet Mountains, Gold Hill, trains moving back and forth and the traffic on the Long Bridge.

Looking west yesterday, I saw a plethora of active and moving silhouettes having the time of their lives on the frozen-over river in the late afternoon sun.

It was, indeed, a sight to behold, as well as a place where I enjoyed short visits with a couple of friends.

Kevin, who used to own Outdoor Experience, had just finished skating and was walking to his car, so we did some catching up, including Kevin's reminder that he shares birthdays with Bill.

Later, I saw Pearl for the second time in less than a week. We don't see each other often, so it was a bonus treat for me to visit with her.

My 20-minute stay at the skating site, where it's hard to tell who's happier---the dogs or the peeps, provided a nice touch to a day that had already turned out well.

Earlier in the day, I spent time with a surgeon, Dr. Robbins, who says my appendix is enlarged but not quite ready for prime time in the operating room.

She says to have its portrait taken again in six months, and then she'll decide if she needs to remove it.

She also gave me several suggestions for dealing with my unruly gut.

I have some more hoops to jump through before finding out for sure OR NOT what's bugging my innards, but I feel pretty relieved to know that I'm not exactly a ticking time bomb.

As my provider Paige told me yesterday, figuring out this medical mystery is a journey, taking one step at a time.

In the meantime, I'm continuing on to enjoy life and learning some valuable information about diet and how it can affect one's digestive system.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers in determining this particular problem like there are with broken bones.

Nonetheless, I'm sticking with the journey and with the medical professionals who are doing their best to help me find some answers.

All in all, yesterday, by comparison to the past few weeks, was a great day and visiting Sandpoint's own version of Norman Rockwell's world on such a beautiful afternoon provided some much needed emotional therapy.

Plus, once again, I pinched myself, feeling so lucky to live here in the gorgeous Sandpoint area.