Spokane & Coeur D Alene

     Since last post we have traveled to Spokane and Coeur D Alene. We spent time with our kids and grand kids in both locations. While in Spokane, Don and Aaron began to dig out a hillside in their efforts to build a fire pit for all to enjoy. After working themselves to exhaustion, a trip to home depot and the rental of an electric jackhammer made the work on day 2 go quicker.We did enjoy evening fires and of course S'mores. Together we explored Spokane, went wine tasting, listened to music, and even got in a couple of golf games. Shelley played for the first time after recovering from her shoulder surgery. Actually managed to par a hole! Don participated in the Grief family yearly golf tournament and took first place for net score!
     This leg of the journey has been all about "Family". For 3 weeks we did family things everyday. A gondola ride in Sweitzer, family BBQ's, boating on Hayden Lake (the baton is officially passed from Dad to the boys on the boat), 4th of July fireworks, music at wineries,dancing at the "Boiler room", a couple rounds of golf with family, days on the beach at Coeur d 'Alene, diner with our good friends. it all went by way to fast but spending quality time with family is priceless.  What we know from this experience is that life changes, our kids have grown  into successful adults and have beautiful families. It is a true joy to spend time and not have to rush.  Shelley and I have diner at Beverly's at the Coeur d' Alene Hotel each year and we reflect upon the year past. This year was no different.  We had so much to talk about having just spent time with our family and friends.
Family makes you better in so many ways and though every family has challenges we are blessed to have such a great family . So thanks to all our children and their families. Over the past months you have made such a great effort to share your lives with us and we are  truly grateful parents and grandparents. We all move on in our journey in life, for us on to Glacier National Park. You kids, get back to work, pay taxes as we all do but thanks for helping us continue on our trip. Social security and medicare..hummm Are we those people yet?

Canada

6-12-18 to 6-16-18

Canada O Canada,

Our friends who live in our Solera community in Arizona also have homes in Canada. They invited us to visit them and we couldn't think of a reason not take them up on it. Our 1st stop was Osoyoos  to drop off the trailer at Doc and Dawna's RV park; "Island View RV Park and Marina." It is an awesome place with great RV pads and is located right across the street from their private beach and marina. We will revisit their place later as we only stopped long enough to drop the trailer and headed north to Pentictin to see Reg and Nancy, our neighbors across the street in Arizona. Their home is located on a mountainside that overlooks the Okanogan Valley.  Views in every direction. Our greatest gift is their friendship and the hospitality they offered us. The valley is filled with fruit orchards and vineyards. We spent the days wine and cheese tasting, and sight seeing. We couldn't help but embrace the passion of the vineyard owners who shared their stories of their journey from planting saplings to 5 years later their long awaited 1st harvest. Don has enjoyed some time to sit alone with a glass of wine in one hand a pen in the other to write his thoughts in our journal about friendship and passion. Friendship brought us to this place but passion was the wind that filled our sails throughout our visit. We spent 3 nights with them before heading back to Osoyoos. Doc and Dawna have busy days as this was the start of their high season. None the less, Don and Doc managed a couple of golf dates, cocktails and sunsets on the beach in the evenings with all of us together, and great dinners. We did get our little boat out on the lake for some trolling and unsuccessful fishing. (Don did get a bite but as the story goes, he got away) Canada is a welcoming country filled with wonderful people who love what they do.  It didn't matter where we went, we found waitresses, cheese makers at the wineries,  store clerks, restaurant owners, wine makers, and most of all our friends to embrace us and share hopes and dreams. We know friendship to be the cornerstones in each of our lives. We have met so many wonderful folks along the way. So many who are doing the same thing we are. Together we have begun a journey into our next chapter  and friendships old and new have made our life better in every way. We could not imagine what time on the road, living in the trailer, and waiting to see what each day has in store for us but now we can't imagine it any other way.