OMG - I really have to blog

I really should have been blogging over the last 2 weeks while I've been relaxing out here in Northern Idaho.... sitting on the deck, looking at the lake, looking at the mountains surrounding the lake, watching the Osprey pluck fish from right in front of our dock, watching 2 Osprey chase down a Bald Eagle.......
Hmmmmmmm........
Maybe that's why I didn't spend the last 2 weeks blogging. It was too, too perfect to do anything but sit back, relax, and enjoy!
*sigh*
Tomorrow is our travel day. Over 12 hours of a combination of security checks, flights, layovers, baggage claim. Won't be fun, and the weather will be barbarically hot when we return, but we will be home. I will have some time to blog before my next life adventure begins. I've got to finish up my "really crappy day" story, and do some catch-ups here and there. I also have some profound thoughts to ponder.
SO.......I'll catch ya after we return and I've had time to smooch & snuggle with my pups!
C'ya!

Skunk Encounter

During our lovely and relaxing vacation in Northern Idaho, we had an incident with a skunk. We knew it was nearby because a musky breeze wafted through the house one lazy afternoon.
That's often the case with a skunk....you smell it, but you can't see it. The stink passes by and you continue on with your business.
The question is, what happens when you come face to face with a skunk? Well, Lacey did just that. They were nose to nose under the dock when the skunk sprayed its stank so it wasn't a direct hit. But, it did lead to one smelly puppy!
We pulled her out from under the dock, along with the strong, gamey scent which took 6 washings to remove. Did this upset Lacey? Was she bothered, did she run? No, she wanted to get back under the dock and play with her new friend. Much to her dismay, we chased the skunk out from under the dock and it scuttled up the hill into the empty, wooded lot next to us. Even the next day, Lacey looked under the dock for her most recent acquaintance.
Why is it that we can be so trusting?
That we allow someone to emit their stank on us, whether direct or indirect, and we still look to spend time with them. We wash off the smell, we cover it with a perfumed scent, and continue on with the business at hand.
I recommend going another direction at the first whiff of the waft!

Lane 4 is No More

And, this makes me sad......

Our cabin on the lake in Idaho has had the address of Lane 4 since I was born.....Hell...since before my Father was born. This lake has been an integral part of the Smetheram Family history since at least the 1920s. And, that cabin has always been on Lane 4.

To conform to modern times, the county decided we needed to change the name (I think it was for the purposes of emergency services, but I chalk it up to the government nosing in). We submitted names which had to do with Moose......moose have now become an integral part of Lane 4, so we thought that would be a great match.

Alas, the county shot down our moose....names, that is. Apparently, there are too many Moose-type names in existence in Kootenai County. I had some really great suggestions:
Evil Squirrel Lane - in honor of the squirrel which tortured my sister this past summer
Twin Moose Lane
Moose Lane.....but my Dad knew those wouldn't be accepted by the county. He proposed to honor the Quail which run around from the empty lot next to us, to the empty lot across the street. So, now it will be known as Covey Lane.

It sounds so trendy. How can I make fun of Lane 4, and the quaintness that is Idaho with the name Covey Lane? How sad that we are not able to honor the Moose of Twin Lakes!

At least The Lightning Bar is still there! Please do not take that away from our Idaho repertoire....

Here's to you, Lane 4! Cheers to you, Lane 4! Regardless of the Covey, you will always be 4th in my heart!

The moose, the fish

Quick Idaho update:

No fish. When I told Ginny I couldn't catch any of the stupid fish, she said that might actually make them smart.

I only saw moose clumping through a meadow as I was driving across Route 90 between Montana & Idaho. They were too far to see very well, and they were on the opposite side of the road so I didn't get to stop and take pictures.

100 degree days to start the trip, big storm came through with 2 days of rain, temps dropped to 70. Wild weather patterns!

The vacation was amazing! Ginny had a blast with her cousin Amanda. They are the same age, going into the same grade, and can talk on the phone for hours. They are sisters at heart! I spent 10 days in Idaho. Prior to the trip, I was worried and thought to myself.....What am I going to do in IDAHO for 10 days???? I'm always worried I'll be bored. I read 3 books, fished a bit, hung out with family, went out for great dinners, and woke up to the most beautiful view every day.....even in the rain.

Pictures above: View from the deck, Drew at The Smetheram Wheel

Pictures below: Idaho on foot :)

Please God.....Oh, Please...

Please let me see a moose on my vacation. This I pray to you, my Lord.

For the last 3 years in a row, I have seen moose while vacationing in Idaho. The first year, we went out searching for them. Our neighbor drove us up a logging road, and there along the side of the road, was a bull and a cow. The bull's face was so big! And we were so close to them.

Year 2, the moose came to us. My father and I were out in our little boat (rowboat with outboard motor) fishing (we left at approx. 6:00am). We'd had a rough morning with a slight wind, and no luck catching anything. Another boat (same type) was coming toward us. The guy yelled "There's 2 cows to your port." Now, when I hear cows, I think.....cows....as in ....Moo!" Not in Idaho. That means female moose. Sure enough, we look to our left and there were 2 moose swimming in the lake. They were maybe 5 car lengths from us, we could hear them grunting. We were close to the mountain side of the lake, and they headed over to the shore and disappeared into the mountain forest.

Last year, we saw a couple of moose. The first one was swimming across the lake. She got out near some houses farther down from us. I ran to the road (Lane 4), to see if I could meet her on the path. Alas, that did not happen (maybe for the best since they are HUGE!!!). The final moose was seen amongst the lily pads. He was shoulder deep, munching, eating his lunch. We were in my cousin's motor boat, there was another boat, and a jet ski hanging around watching him eat. In the picture below, the moose is in between my 2 kids eating his lunch.

So, God, if you are so inclined, I would be very happy if you would send a moose my way while I'm in Idaho. For some reason, Lord, this very large, odd-looking creature brings me much joy, excitement, and even peace. (Not to mention the fact that all my sister saw when she was out there were Quail.....hehehehe).