And Here We Have Idaho

Oh, what a week! I arrived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on a spectacularly perfect day: blue sky, sun shining, and Dad waiting by the car to help me with my suitcase before we sped off to Hayden Lake. As we pulled up to the country club, I couldn’t help but comment on the extraordinarily stunning scenery and how lucky I was to return home to such a gorgeous, refreshing place. Mom joined us and we boated across the clear, midnight blue lake to the cabin. I voiced my wish list early on, and nearly every dream came true over the next several days (largely with the help of my newly retired parents)…- Bond with Arney. Sam’s dog provided an array of activity whether he was running off with the neighbor and his dog or pleading for a game of catch. He’s a good-natured pup with LOTS of energy and was always happy to see me (albeit a bit too visibly happy, if you catch my drift).
- Water ski. Mission basically accomplished. When I wasn’t doing the splits (unintentionally, of course), I was crashing and giving myself a lake water enema (too graphic for the blog?). Despite my poor performance, I was entertained and appreciated my parents’ patience.
- Eat at Hudson’s. A trip home isn’t complete without a stop at the all-time-favorite, savory-yet-simple burger haven. I broke tradition by getting a cheeseburger to go and pampered myself to a picnic lunch while reading a novel at the base of Tubb’s Hill.
- Witness Jenny Mick and Mick Gray tie the knot- finally. Together for over seven years, this pair of high school friends finally made it legal while I was home. It was great to catch up with Lake City HS friends, many of whom I hadn’t seen in six years. Naturally, I had to dance the night away once the music started playing. Fun, fun time!
- Chat with Chelsey. We connected not once, but twice (!) during this latest path-crossing trip. We caught up over coffee and mingled at the wedding before Joel abducted Chelsey to another wedding with his brethren in his homeland to the north. She’s enjoying her two jobs, making progress toward her masters, turning her Utah house into a home, tending to the pets, and cleaning up after Joel (kidding!). - Kayak. I spent a bit of time tootling around Hayden Lake in one of Dad’s handcrafted wooden kayaks. It was great to reflect on the beauty of North Idaho (again), relax to the max, and contemplate the meaning of life. Okay, maybe I didn’t get that deep, but it was a very peaceful trip around Yellowbanks Point and into the neighboring bay.
- Check out Coeur d’Alene’s newest additions. I peeked in the new public library downtown and was amazed by its modern, open feel and popularity. The real jaw-dropper came with a tour of the state-of-the-art Kroc Center. Whoa. Miranda Fisher led me around the top-shelf facility from the competition pool to the indoor track to the community wing with its meeting rooms and theatres to the play pool with all its bells and whistles. I stopped by development director Harry Amend’s office to say ‘Hi,’ and we had a nice chat. Way to go, Cd’A- things are looking good!
As soon as the trip was just getting started, it already seemed to be coming to an end. For my last dinner at home, I feasted on some favorites: rack of lamb, cheesy potatoes, salad with berries and poppy seed dressing, zucchini bread (straight from the harvest of Mom’s garden), and huckleberry daiquiris. Add in the idyllic weather, two awesome parents, one brother fresh from a Boise internship, and a breathtaking view, and perfection was achieved! Without a care in the world, I remember thinking, “It doesn’t get better than this!”