Normally, when we go to breakfast at the inn, we are the only ones walking the meandering footpath which abuts the pond and water features. But today, we are greeted with a robust, southern “Good Mawwwnin”. A fast moving triangle was headed our way. Leading the trio is a slightly hunched older woman in sweatpants and a zippered jacket. Behind her, a foot taller and 150 pounds heavier are two younger men. In one hand, the woman is holding a coffee cup and in the other, she clutches a paper napkin presumably with something tasty. “Good morning. I see you are all set for the day”, I replied. The woman laughed, “I surely am” and lifted her goods further in the air to show me how prepared she was. She reminded me of a friendly squirrel, hands up and chattering away. She was a delight. The men behind her smiled broadly and proudly. As if to say “Isn’t she wonderful?! We love her” I nodded to them – yes, she is. It was a simple good morning from a stranger but this short exchange still affects me in a wonderfully positive way.
Other than making coffee and preparing a few sandwiches, I have not done anything resembling cooking. So, this morning, using the ingredients from the breakfast buffet counter, I artfully placed the sliced sausage in the middle of the plate, put the cubes of potatoes all around it and then cheesy eggs on top of the sausage. The plate needed a little color, so a dash of Tapatio hot sauce brightened the plate. In real life, I would have wanted tomatoes and other items but beggars can't be choosers. This is the best I can do with free. Pleased, I looked at my creation for 5 seconds and then promptly woofed it down. I take a bit longer than the 17 seconds it takes for Sparkles (our neighbor’s dog) to eat her meals but to be honest, I don’t take that much longer. In a few minutes, my plate is clean and I am ready for my day.
After the trials of earning a living were over, I walked the few blocks to town and convinced myself that I absolutely needed a root beer float at Jackson Drugs. Sitting on a leather and stainless steel stool at the counter, I sucked down a tall frosty fountain glass of creamy, sugary goodness. Revived, I strolled the streets with vigor and popped into the various stores.
A furrier – I went into a fur store just to see what it was about. My intent was not to shop, covet or buy but to satisfy a curiosity. I ended up having an interesting discussion with the salesman who asked if I owned a fur. Yes, I do. It was my mom’s coat and it was ringed with mink(?) on the sleeves. I remember my mom wearing it years ago and it was magical. The salesman asked if I wore it. “No, I don’t.” Then he asked where I lived. I told him. “I’m sure it’s beautiful but the politics there are terrible” he said. I just looked at him trying to understand where he was coming from, and then something special happened. He added, “I’m sure the people are nice. Just like anywhere. I don’t know maybe it’s the media trying to divide us”. I added, “The country would be better off if people just got together, had an ice cream and focused on the stuff we have in common”. He smiled and laughed, “Yes, we should all have an ice cream. That would be a start.” Solving the American crisis, we soon said our goodbyes. I’d like to think we both felt better about America after our chat. I know I did.
Later in the evening we went out in Van Diesel together. Francesca took me to see Schwabacher Landing. The clouds threatened rain but we got out and went for a walk anyway. We were on our way to see a beaver pond! Earlier in the week, Francesca had been lucky enough to see one of the godly creatures. I am quite a beaver fan. Impressed by their industrious, habitat making efforts and their cutie-pie faces, I am unabashedly a beaver believer. Once, we even went to a Beaver Festival (which I loved). It’s in Martinez in case you want to go too.
Passing their log and branch laden dam, I admired their constructed by-product – a glorious, wide pond. While the structures were quite impressive and there was much to see, we couldn’t stay long as it soon began to rain. Walking the dirt trail back to Van Diesel, we were having a quick bite inside when we saw lightning flash on the edges. Wanting a better view, we drove to the main road where there was an unfettered vista of the Teton range. Rain clouds formed and drifted through the snow capped mountains and outlying lands. Then suddenly, the skies opened with a burst of rain before slowing to a sprinkle and stopping altogether. The skies had grown darker and it was time to go back to the cabin we called home. As I drove, the dark clouds blended in with the fading sky until it was one and the same. Night was here.