Autumn and Guest Arrive!



(10/07/10)  Miles slips down the corkscrew at Alameda Park.  We picnicked there after the Terrific Twos program at the public library with my friend Dixie and her grandkids.  We also took Miles' tricycle which he rode very fast on the sidewalks.  He is just growing too fast!



    It's been nearly three weeks since I've posted to this blog; a frenzy of fall activities has filled our calendar and time, too.

    In September, we welcomed my long-time (notice, I didn't say "old") friend for a week's visit.  Mary Jo (Krick) Weessies arrived in Inkom on Wednesday, September 17 and stayed until the following Wednesday.  MJ and I go waaay back as we met in kindergarten!  From good ol' Reese Elementary, we booked our way through St. Elizabeth's K-8, and ultimatedly graduated from RHS together.  We've kept in touch all these years. . . and what a great surprise and delight to have her be our first non-family visitor from the midwest!

     Miles took to Mary Jo right away and they became pals while she was here.  In addition to showing her around Pocatello (including a hike along the boundary trail), I traipsed her around my neck o' Idaho and into a couple of neighboring states as well!  Our three-day, two-night road trip included short stops in Jackson, WY, the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, Idaho Falls, Craters of the Moon, Sun Valley/Ketchum, Shoshone Falls and the Oregon Trail Interpretative area near Burley, ID.  We capped the trip off the following day with a dip in Lava Hot Springs and then "Poof!" she was off on the return shuttle.  A whirlwind visit to be sure, but most delightful and so appreciative that she'd take the time and expense to visit us here.

     Friend Dixie and I discovered a neat program offered through Idaho State's Continuing Education Department called "New Knowledge Adventures."  It's sort of a subset of the program formerly known as Elderhostel and for $40 a semester a member may sign up for a number of programs, lectures and classes.  Dixie and I have finished a four-Friday 'class' called Hiking Our Hills which afforded us the opportunity to hike four different trails in the hills and mountains surrounding Pocatello.  Next week is the last installment of First Ladies and Their Husbands . . . 1935-1948; we've spent several weeks reviewing the lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.  We also attended a one-time program about the new health care law and in a couple of weeks I'll take a tour of the current Supreme Court Justices as well.

     Mingled in with these items, deer hunting has started in Idaho and Glenn's been giving it a go with the rifle.  Hunting here is so much different than the midwest; primary, of course, is that he's hunting on public land rather than private.  He sits up in the national forest behind our house; with the spotting scope I can see him in the blaze orange vest he wears.  So far, he's seeing deer but they are either too far away for a good shot or offer no antlers.  Tentative plans call for him to start the drive back to the DDR on Monday, October 25 -- we'll be celebrating Meg's 31st birthday the previous day.

     Of course, our weeks continue to be filled with the Miles-Guy who is growing in leaps and bounds and talking up a storm.  A couple of anecdotes:

     On Tuesday, Glenn went out hunting in the late afternoon.  As he was leaving, Miles said "Don't get hurt, Grandpa.  Miles loves you!"

     Wednesday, while I was out and about with the First Ladies class, Glenn told Miles to go into the bathroom and wait . . . that he'd (Glenn) be right in to help wash his (Miles') hands.  When Glenn got into the bathroom, Miles was sitting ON the counter, water running, soaping up his patties.  Glenn asked "How'd you get up there?"  Miles demonstrated climbing up on the drawer handles!

     Autumn is officially here as well as figuratively.  Our mornings and evenings are crisp-cool with mid-afternoon temps hitting the low 70's.  Glenn told me just this morning that he plans to take down our patio door screens this weekend for the season. . .

    Meanwhile, I've been doing a bit of preserving having frozen peaches and zucchini and oven-roasted/dried tomatoes.  This weekend when I have a few moments, I intend to dry some of my herbs, the basil particularly.

     Each day draws us nearer to winter and then spring, where waits the 'new life' promised annually. . . as well as Baby Jurgen #2!