We woke up in Spokane, Washington this morning. El told me that it is our mother’s birthday. We didn’t plan on meeting up on this particular day, in this particular place, but here we are. El and I agreed that mom would be pleased to know that we are together and enjoying one another’s company. Yes, my sister really is my best friend, and I so enjoy being with her.

Tom and Cynthia live in a two-story brick home that they have refurbished. It’s close to Spokane proper. It is one of the last rural home sites in the area. Pine trees predominate and the bird song is near-deafening. El, who is a bona-fide birder, always has her binoculars at hand. Today she taught me a trick, which is to look in the direction of what catches your eyes and then put your binoculars to your eyes.

I’ve been doing this with my monocular and having good luck seeing things that I might ordinarily miss.

El, Cynthia, and I left Tom and Pete to check out his basement mancave and went on a road trip. We went to the feed store and purchased seven bales of hay. We gave four to Tom and Cynthia. I have this new theory – there are haves and have nots in this world. Right now, with all the attention our horses are getting, their horses are the have nots. What we now have on hand will get us to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

While on our road trip I got a call from CJ who with her husband Dave owns Synergist Saddles. She says that it is raining and snowing in Cheyenne, where she lives. Oh oh. What to do? Pete and I have decided that we’ll go there anyways. Again, it is looking like it was a heavy snow year.

Over lunch at a Mexican restaurant I talked with Cynthia and El about our all purchasing three adjacent lots in Port Townsend, WA. Problem is, we three all have places we’ve put a lot of time into and because we’re getting older, aren’t wanting to start anew. Neither fish picked up the bait so I pulled in my line.

So tomorrow we head in a southerly direction, just like the early settlers on the Oregon trail. The horses are now resting in their pasture, in the sun, and their bellies are full of grass and hay. They seem content. I wish they had room to roam at home like they do here.

El, Pete, and Cynthia, are now looking at maps. I should join them. It is cool now. It was hot here today. Pete and I are not used to this. This and the complete abandonment of our usual routine have made me quite drowsy.

The meaning of life tour continues – to a large part it involves interacting with family members and friends. The hard part is, of course, parting company with those you meet up with. I am not sure when I’ll see Eleanor again – maybe in September we will again meet up. I sure hope so.

148. 5/30, 2019: The Gift of a Good Ride