Catching up with Friends - May 23-25

After a comfy night we left Glacier National Park.  On the way out we checked out the Fish Creek area, though the road was still not open all the way in.  We then headed to Liberty Lake, WA, to visit friends.  We took a route that avoided the Interstate by going down the west side of Flathead Lake.  The "back" side of the lake was a lovely agricultural area, mostly growing many kinds of fruit.  Apple and cherry orchards in bloom scented the air.  We then crossed an Indian reservation and had the choice of getting on the Interstate or crossing the mountains on small roads that would have added 300 miles to our day.  (Seen on the Reservation- dilapidated sign advertising a hot springs- "Hot Springs Spa-Limp in, Leap out")  We reluctantly chose the Interstate.  It winds through the gold, silver, and lead mining region, and actually had quite interesting scenery and  historical markers.  We checked out the historical district of Wallace, ID,

which had bordellos and a 50's motel called the Starlight Motel.

It had a vintage space ship at the sign.  We then stopped by Cataldo, ID, to see the mission, which was built by the Native Americans.  It has walls that are several feet thick, and was built with straw and adobe without using nails because they didn't have any.  Impressive!

We arrived in Liberty Lake about 5 PM, at the home of our friends Bette and Tom Brattebo.    They are to be our companions on the rest of the trip to Alaska.  Bette and I (Candace)  have been friends our entire lives, as her family moved across the street from mine when we were only a couple of  months old.

Monday arrived with a phone call saying that the Brattebos had a sick grandchild, so Bette went to babysit as Tom left for the week to chaperon a fifth grade field trip.  A long time ago he had said he would substitute for a pregnant teacher whose baby chose to arrive yesterday.  Bad timing, but that's Mother Nature for you!  We spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry.  When Bette returned we went shopping for rip-stop fabric.  I spent the evening crafting a skirt to lengthen the walls of our screen tent.  As a retirement business I will probably create prom and wedding gowns as I now can sew quite well amid a gigantic pouf of net and taffeta.  The project turned out remarkably well.

On Tuesday Bette's brother, Jim, arrived with his wife Jan.  We spent the morning catching up and visiting Kate Brattebo Swain and her three children.

  Lunch was at a Mediterranean restaurant, but unfortunately Bette couldn't come as the sick grandchild had been hospitalized.  Jim and Jan dropped us off and we cleaned the van until Bette came home.  A quiet night at home was just the ticket, made better by the news that little Ava, while still hospitalized, was improving.