It's August.
Sunday was yesterday. It was actually the first Sunday in awhile that I spent home alone. Being a bishop's wife is sometimes a lonely calling. But I really, really enjoyed myself this time. I watched Agatha Christie movies, crocheted, ate Spaghettio's and prayed no one would call me. And they didn't. So it's all good.
I think about the future and I see myself writing a book either a murder mystery or comedy. I wonder, could I combine the two?
But first I must write about our trip to Bonner's Ferry, Idaho on July 23 through July 25.
Bonner's Ferry is 20 minutes from the U.S. Canadian border or about 12 hours from our home.
We took Rod's mom, Maxine, with us in our new Honda Ridgeliner. It was a barrel of laughs.
Rod and I had been with Maxine for about 10 hours when we arrived in Missoula. We got separate rooms. Maxine was concerned it cost too much, but Rod said we got the senior discount.
"See bringing you was a good idea," I said.
"Uh, honey, we got the senior discout because of us, not Mom," Rod said.
Since when did I become a senior citizen?
We had made pit stops all day on the way to Missoula and now we were searching for a place to sit down and eat dinner.
Sign up ahead.
Maxine asks, "Is Hooter's a restaurant?"
"Yes, I said.
"Can we eat there?" she asked.
Rod, I and Maxine are very conservative members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in other words, card-carrying Mormons.
Rod's face got all tied up in knots as he blushed and I realized this 82-year-old woman was perfectly serious.
"I said, "Nope. Rod and I don't eat there."
When we arrived at Bonner's Ferry the next day, another day long trip because Rod took the scenic route, I told his sisters they get to explain to her what Hooters is. I tried, but I kept laughing and couldn't get the words out.
Anyway, Sarah and James' wedding was wonderful. I want bagpipes played at my funeral. They had bagpipes instead of an organ played inside the Lutheran church. About 200 people showed up for their wedding ceremony. I love small towns.
It was when we got there on Saturday Maxine pointed to her ankles. They were very swollen.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Oh, I decided not to take my water pills on Thursday so I wouldn't be a burden," she said.
"Well, you better take one now because you're going to be a medical emergency if you don't and I have no idea where a hospital is," I said.
Gads, we had stopped every hour or so while driving so we could all go to the restroom. What was she thinking?
So her feet hurt. She didn't want to walk anywhere. Now that ticked me off because she knew there was going to be a lot of walking at the reception. It was outdoors. And lovely and everything.
I put her at a table with the pastor and his wife. I then disappeared with Rod and we decorated Sarah and James' rental car.
I went up to Sarah after we finished and told her "The code is 45."
She then asked, "Small or large denominations."
"A combination," I said.
We don't just trash the inside of the car. We make it a treasure hunt also.
Then all too soon it was time to leave. Naturally, the water pills kicked in.
So on the way back as we weaved through a canyon that had mostly campsites, Maxine asked if we could possibly stop at a nice place so she she could go to the bathroom.
"Mom, notice trees," Rod said.
"Wait," I said spotting neon lights ahead. "Look that may be a place."
As we pulled in the parking lot, I thought, "This is not possible."
It only had motorcycles in the parking lot.
"Well, it's a bar, Mom," I said.
"Do they have bathrooms?" she asked.
"Yup, and they flush too," I said.
Rod wanted to know how I knew restrooms in bars had flushing toilets.
Going inside felt like stepping into the movie, "Wild Hogs" except Rod, Maxine and I were dressed in Sunday best clothes.
Those bikers were very nice. They didn't even make fun of us, which was nice.
The drive home the next day was stopping every hour or so at rest stops, convenience stores, cafes or whatever.
