The Dynamic Duo

We usually have a very predictable, sort of ‘nothing’ kind of weekend, and sometimes is gets kind of depressing going back into the workweek with nothing memorable to think back on. Let me just say that this past weekend was interesting and memorable and even occasionally fun!
I started thinking earlier in the week that it might be fun to go camping (we have a tent now after all); maybe even somewhere we could take the bikes, if the roads were good enough. UltraDad dutifully hauled the tent and camp chairs home, but he had a better idea tied upside down in the bed of his pickup: the 14 ft aluminum boat that had once belonged to his dad. On Friday while I was at work, he licensed it and procured anchor, life jackets and battery for his 10 HP electric motor.
Ruby Lake, or more accurately, Ruby Marshes, was, he heard, the place to go. People were catching and releasing 40-50 bass and easily filling their limit of 10 bass over 10” long. And the lake was only a short 40 minute drive from his home in Ruby Valley.
On Saturday, about 4 PM, we arrived at the Ruby Lake Visitor Center. Following the confusing direction arrow, we ended up on a row of park ranger homes. The nice park ranger told us how to find the actual visitor center and also gave us lots of good information and advice. The popular 1st boat launch area, just over the hill, was the best one; the water was deeper and you didn’t have to go too far to find some good open water and good fishing. The 2nd dock, less widely used, was about 8 miles further on, and you had to boat for a long stretch on shallow, swampy water to get anywhere.
We pulled into the parking area at the 1st launch, and gaped in astonishment at the long row of vehicles and boat trailers on one side, and the long row of trailered boats waiting to be launched on the other side. As we were eating our lunch and considering our options, a young, bespeckled, skinny-legged Ranger approached us. We had seen him earlier near the actual visitor’s center, where he had somehow talked UDad into agreeing to fill out a survey of his personal recreational habits.  Ranger boy was still carrying his clipboard, and I had watched him working the crowd, looking for more survey candidates. “Doesn’t look like you are having much luck getting launched,” he sagely observed. “ You might want to give the other boat launch a try.” I was leery; it was after all, our maiden voyage and I had visions of spending the night lost in a swampy maze, but in the end it seemed our best option if we actually wanted to get on the water in the next 2 hours. And, as UDad had informed the ranger, we did have a GPS.

Crowded 1st Launch Area

Launching at the 2nd Boat Dock

After the metropolitan aura of the 1st launch, coming up on the all-but-deserted 2nd launch was a bit surreal. There was one other vehicle there, and we were alone as we (mostly not me) hauled, righted and shoved the boat into the water and tied it to the dock. Now for the hard part; as I lugged out tackle box, cooler, anchor, life vests, etc., UltraDad got out the motor and battery. Just then we saw a boat approaching the dock: the other vehicle was now accounted for. Hurriedly we moved our boat to the front of the little pier so the other boat could come in. In the craft were ‘Dad’ and ‘Jerry’; we never formally introduced ourselves, though in the next hour or so, we heard much of talkative ‘Dad’s’ life story. It seems they had burned their gas motor up (from too many weeds?) and had come in to get a different one. UltraDad sat on the dock in an attitude of apparent rapt attention as ‘Dad’ informed us that he was 85, his wife was 83 and his son was 65. They used to have a little dog, but it died, and someone had recently given his wife a fake dog that breathed when you turned it on and she treated it like a real dog. He had been married in New Orleans, and his son was born 9 months and 1 day after his wedding; everyone was counting the days, but nowadays noone even gave it a second thought.
I sat on the dock with the dogs and tried to drop a few hints: “We don’t want to hold you up.” “John, do you want me to put this stuff in the boat?” and in my head “John, could you work while you talk?” When he finally got to it, it took a good half hour to get the motor and battery all hooked up. I threw in an old blanket for Murphy and Rowdy, and they gratefully curled up in it for most of the voyage. Over UDad’s protestations, I insisted on bringing the cooler. If we did spend the night on the lake, at least we wouldn’t starve!

Dad and Jerry

Sea Dogs

Jerry and Dad had earlier cut a nice swath through the swampy reeds, and we tried to follow it. Still we ended up rowing a while before we found an area deep enough to give the propeller a try. If you watched for them, once in a while you caught sight on a long pole, which were the channel markers. Dad and Jerry had warned us that we should take flashlights. In the dusk, we would need them to spot the reflector tape on the channel markers to find our way back. It soon became apparent that we wouldn’t get out far enough to fish and still make it back before dark, so after an hour or so, we turned around and successfully found our way back to the dock. The scenery was amazing, especially the way the clouds reflected in the water. The GPS had been of little help as neither of us knew how to use it.

Captain John

First Mate Kathy

Getting dark

To my surprise, Dad and Jerry were still there, and Dad came forward to tie our boat to the dock and lend a hand to help me alight. They had decided against going out again that night, but were having trouble trailering their boat. It was crooked on the trailer, but strong UltraDad soon helped put it aright, and as we drove home we made plans to come back early the next morning and give the 1st launch a try.
As we drove back early the next morning, UDad informed me that he had slept little the night before. “I kept thinking of ways to shorten our launch time. I don’t want to keep people waiting.” He is more considerate that way than I am; I figure everyone takes their turn, and I am as entitled to make someone wait as the next guy. As it turned out, his fears were ungrounded. A lot of boats had been anchored near the pier, but there were very few people around as we got underway, and noone was kept waiting on our account.

Boats anchored near the pier

Underway

Murphy

Again the dogs huddled on their blanket in the bottom of the boat and I was glad I had worn my jacket; the morning was chilly. The water was much deeper here, and I enjoyed the ride as John powered the nearly silent electric boat motor through the reedy channels. We were passed numerous times by other boats; their loud gas motors seemed to violate the morning tranquility. This was nice, I thought as I snapped photos of the passing scenery: again the amazing reflection of clouds, mountains and water reeds; duck families paddling by; John at the tiller.

“You know,” John remarked after a while, “I probably should have charged the battery last night, but I was just too tired.”
“WHAT??!!” I thought, but what I said was, “You have to charge the battery in a boat? It doesn’t recharge itself like it does in a car?” “No, of course not,” my husband replied in the tone of voice he would have used had I suggested that the moon, indeed, was made of green cheese. “There is no alternator.”
We kept getting passed, so it seemed logical that the best fishing was still further up ahead. I tried to put on my game face, but as we sped out past yet another marker pole, my enthusiasm was tempered by thoughts of a long row back to the dock. And John had made me leave the cooler behind. And I was starting to have to pee.

Heading out

Notice the marker pole near the duck

Reed Reflection

“Hey, I have been a little worried since you mentioned the battery,” I said with a little laugh. “Maybe we shouldn’t go so far out.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure it will be fine,” said my husband, examining the object in question. “Oh, maybe not. It says ‘recharge needed.” And then it died.
And so we rowed, with fishing along the way. First, as usual, UDad had to unsnarl the line around my fishing reel. He ended up cutting it at last and starting over, as I urged him to forget about it and go ahead and fish. But it was fun to string on a shiny lure and cast it out over the water in hopes of a bite. We often had to back up and bring the boat alongside some reeds that had snagged our silly lures, and even more often hauled in a line dripping with mossy water plants. In the end, I brought in one fish and UDad hauled in three, all well under the 10” criteria for keeping, so back in the lake they went.

John’s first fish

Kathy’s usual catch

A real fish!

An amazing sky

When I finally got a turn, I found the rowing was kind of fun, though I wasn’t very skilled at aiming the boat in the directions I wished to go. I rowed an artistic zig zag pattern with the occasional running aground in the ubiquitous reeds.
As we approached the dock, there was Park Ranger, still clutching his clipboard. As we related our experiences he said, “You would be surprised how often that happens. I hear it all the time.”
And so an eventful weekend, and I have finally finished a post. I have 2 half begun and I promise soon you will be able to read about my Lavender Selling weekend in McCall and my beautiful daughter Heather’s wedding to handsome Heath. Well, semi-promise.

UltraMom

I wonder if I still remember how to do this posting thing? It’s been a while! My intention was to be a more regular Duo contributor once school was on hiatus for the summer….but I have a lot of intentions that don’t turn out as planned!
My summer if flying by, and mostly I’m not even aware of it until I catch a glimpse of the calendar and see some landmark date passing or looming.
It is less than two weeks now til the wedding of the year: my beautiful daughter Heather and her love of many years, Heath will make it official one day before my 56th birthday. The wedding will take place in most scenic locale, Long Dog Lavender farm in Emmett Idaho run by the capable farming team of John Ryder and Debi Ryder, who also happens to be my amazing little sister.
A couple of weeks ago, many of us journeyed to Idaho Falls to Jim and Jessica McDonald’s new townhouse for a bridal shower. I love how Jim and Jess have fixed up their place, and I especially love the table Jim made out of many, many different types of wood, including Russian Olive cut on his Dad’s sawmill in Howe. The table is counter height; chairs have been ordered but not yet arrived, but we WERE able to STAND around the table by partake of Jessica’s delicious breakfast waffles.

Jim’s table full of party delicacies

The walls in the living room are decorated with the standard McDonald hunting theme, and I seemed to have, if not a death wish, then at least a ‘severe injury’ wish as I repeatedly nearly missed gouging out an eye or incurring head lacerations on the massive elk antlers conveniently hung at eye level☺

Living Room Decor

UltraDad and I arrived on Friday, the day before the party; our thoughtful kids took us out to eat at Dave’ Famous BBQ, a newly opened sister chain to the one we had so enjoyed a meal at in Nashville. We had a 45 minute wait for a table and the waitress had just taken our order when Jim got a call from Johnny. We knew he was driving in that night also, but had not planned to be in the midst of a restaurant meal when he arrived.
Jessica had gone to a lot of work to make sure Heather’s Bridal Shower was fun and memorable. Party games were ready to go, along with a tiara and apron reading ‘Queen of Everything’ for Heather to wear.

Jessica hard at work in the kitchen

Party games ready to go!

The Queen of Everything! At least for the day. Notice the striking elk antlers apparently growing out of Heather’s shoulders!

The food………how to describe it? It was a wondrous! Chocolate cookies, sprinkled with powdered sugar, nut bread (originally slated to be banana-nut bread before the bananas went bad, yes even too bad for that!), the most wonderful cake/pudding cups with pound cake in the bottom, strawberries, kiwi and blueberries in the middle and whipped cream (NOT Coolwhip), sour cream and white choco pudding on top. We rounded out the refreshments with chips, dip and salsa; and elk salami and cheese. (I made the salami for Jim and he graciously agreed to share it).
The Shower was tons of fun. Heather got lots of cool gifts; Chenoa’s daughters Rowan and Djouli were lots of help decorating everyone and everything (mostly themselves) with tissue paper and ribbons. Pat won the wedding word scramble, though I got just as many right as she did……….after cheating just a tiny bit. Patty won the other two prizes by 1st:giving Heather the best wedding advice “Be each other’s best friend,” and by catching the rest of us saying the forbidden words of ‘bride’, ‘groom’ or ‘wedding.’

Djouli, Jessica and Heather posing with the bridal bouquet that Jessica crafted out of tissue and ribbons

Some of the shower attendees

After the shower, the guys came back, including Patty’s husband Bill, Chenoa’s husband Mike and son Snaider for more food: Jessica’s homemade Chicken Enchiladas.
Another thing accomplished on the trip was getting UltraDad a new bike for his birthday. He has been wanting to get more exercise, and after test driving Johnny’s new Hybrid Carmel, discovered this activity, unlike walking or the Elliptical Machine, did not hurt his feet. We drove to Bill’s Bike Shop, that elusive establishment so often driven past in days of yore as we searched for UltraBob’s Orthodontist (He once told Aunt Joy that he always knew we were almost there when I drove past Bill’s Bike shop for the third time). This was the first time I had been inside, however, and the sheer number and variety of bicycles was astounding. In the end, UltraDad wanted one just like Johnny’s only an ‘extra large’ frame instead of merely a ‘large’ one.  We also purchased a bike rack, so we could haul it home. I am amazed at how much larger it is than my own mountain bike, and also how much lighter! I have quickly discovered that I cannot keep up with this new man/machine combo!

If I used this artistic angle, I could fit both Udad and Bike in their entirety into the picture

The day after the Bridal Shower, Heather came back into Idaho Falls, and she, I and Jessica went shopping. I needed a new dress for Heather’s wedding and I did not want a repeat of Jim’s wedding where I found one I liked only 2 days before! It was a lot of fun, and I felt like the star as the girls brought me armloads of dresses and gave me feedback as I modeled each one. And I was thrilled when I went to buy our selection from the Dress Barn and found out it was on a half price sale!
UltraDad and I spent Sunday night in Pocatello with Heather and Heath. It was a lot of fun, and they fixed us a delicious dinner of steak, seafood wraps and corn on the cob. I was impressed to see Heather give her diabetic cat Callie a shot of insulin like an old pro.
The real hero of the weekend was my sis in law Pat who kept my poodles with her at Chenoa’s house and then hauled them home with her on Sunday. Jim’s appt is strictly no pets and at Heather’s place live 3 cats who are a bit traumatized by 2 small active, yappy, cat chasing dogs. All in all, it was a great family weekend.
Okay, that wasn’t so bad, and I only got sidetracked about 10 times. Maybe I will become an active part of the duo once again!

UltraMom

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Be patient, photos will load here after a time young padowan.

Dear Linc,

Today you turn two years old.  They have been very eventful years for you, and for your Mommy and I.  They’ve also been, unequivocally, the best of my life so far.  I feel safe in saying they have been the best of yours too, but I expect you’ll have far better ones.  It has been astounding to watch you go from being unable to lift your own head or roll over to being commander of the entire household.  Perhaps you don’t use that many words; and yes, you do call me Mommy, but it is pretty clear who you are talking to and what the command is when you pull me into the kitchen by the leg and point at the animal crackers or Cheerios.

I love watching you develop, and while there are constants (e.g. your love of cars and Anpanman), every day your interests shift and you pick up a few more skills.  Just in the past couple of days you’ve picked up the words seven, eight and nine and you seem to recognize written numbers when you see them.  You’ve become much more adventurous on the playground, climbing up and over everything in reach, even climbing unassisted (heedless of the nervous hands ready to catch you should you slip) to the top of a set of monkey bars I would have never predicted you would even attempt.

I’m not surprised that you can point out police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks on demand, but it astonishes me when I see you continue without hesitation when asked to identify individual car makes, and any of about 30 different characters from Anpanman.

Even as a newborn baby you were extraordinarily even-tempered and easy to deal with.  I have never encountered a baby who cried less, and while you have adopted tears as a method of asserting your independence lately, your overwhelming cheerfulness makes me a better person just for being around you.

I could go on all day pointing out your accomplishments and the characteristics that make you delightful to be around, but none of this gets us any closer to an understanding of what makes you so special.  That is beyond my linguistic capabilities so I’ll have to leave the inexpressible unexpressed.

I’m writing this letter to leave you with some observations that I hope will help you make the best of the endless potential ahead of you. 

I have no regrets. Every decision I have made in my life has led to this point, and I love where I am right now.  That being said, had I taken the insights below to heart, in high school and college particularly, I would have made more confident choices in the moment and been much less stressed out about almost everything.  So here is my advice for you this year.  Who knows, maybe I’ll turn this into a yearly tradition.

• Everyone else is just as uncertain as you are, some may just be better actors.  No one can see the future or read minds, so the only people not nervous about the results of their actions, are those who aren’t thinking.
• Nothing you will face today is as momentous as it seems to be.  Don’t be afraid to try things out and figure out what works and what doesn’t.  Keeping that in mind can help overcome the uncertainty.
• Trust Yourself!  This ties into the rest of my advice, and if you really manage to follow this one, the rest will take care of itself.  Your instincts are overwhelmingly correct, if you’ve thought it through, and it seems like the right course of action, then do it.  Remember that you have a strong moral compass, if yours tells you a course of action is wrong, plot a new course.  From time to time it will be convenient to fool yourself for expediency’s sake, recognize it and don’t let it happen.
• Live in the now.  It is important to remember and learn from the past, and to anticipate and plan for the future, but you should be living in the present.  Don’t wait for that mythical future when circumstances will be perfect.  If circumstances aren’t ideal, fix them.  If they are close enough, embark!  Always be mindful that you are an active participant in any situation you are in, and you can influence the outcome.  Never get lulled into the seductive notion that circumstances dictate your actions.  You decide how to live your life, and how you act in the world at every moment.

Love,

Daddy

Some photos from your second year:

Last Sunday was a beautiful day, and we went for a bike ride down to Kamakura beach.  This was Linc’s very first bike riding experience, and of course he is still too small to peddle so he had his dad do that part.  All Linc did was just to sit in this green child seat for bike called iBert we got last week.  In spite of the advantage of being too small for peddling, Linc refused to sit in the seat at first.  UltraBob had to struggle through the massive tantrum Linc threw; trying to have Linc just sit in the seat and get the safety belt adjusted.  After managing to put him in the seat (we don’t remember how we succeeded with that!), we rode around the park near our house to make him comfortable in the seat without a helmet.  We know it is the law that children must wear a helmet but Linc just tried to throw it off his head every time UB put it on.  We kinda expected this might happen, especially since Linc does not like wearing any kind of hat/cap.  After a while, UB asked me to talk to Linc about the helmet.  We pulled over and I looked in Linc’s eyes and said something like “Linc, I am sorry to tell you this, but you have to wear a helmet when you go biking with Mommy and Daddy.  I know you don’t like it but we all will be in trouble if you don’t do it.  I think you are smart enough to understand this”.  And I just kept telling him he is a good boy.  Then UB softly put the helmet on his little head and … no reaction!!  No throwing off the helmet, kicking Daddy’s bike, or anything.  Linc just understood what I said and accepted it.  We told him thank you and took off to Kamakura.  It was good exercise to bike, and it seemed like Linc enjoyed riding as well. The beach was beautiful and we enjoyed walking on the sand.  We plan to go for bike rides as much as the weather (and Linc) cooperate!!

Tantrum

Got settled

Got to the beach

Running on the sand is fun!

For several reasons I find myself wide awake at 1:43 AM, and this is what I think: might as well get up and write a long overdue post! I used to count myself fortunate that, though I often got to bed late, when I DID get there, I slept like a top, or like a charm, or like a person that slept well. Maybe the age-thing is starting to catch up with me. Or maybe it’s because just when I start to doze off, one poodle or another suddenly needs to go out.  And when I get back to bed, pointless movies play round in my head. You know the ones that remind me how very much I should have gotten done today and how very much I HAVE to get done tomorrow. The ones that say ‘Are you really sure about this nursing thing? I mean you’re doing okay, but do you really think you’re going to like working at it day in and day out?’ And of course the ‘what if’ movies, concerning my life, and the lives of those I love. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my sister and all she’s going through and how very remarkable she is and if there’s anything I can do to make it easier.
Tomorrow is Easter, and I will celebrate it by going to church and having dinner with UltraDad and Pat, followed by an afternoon of studying.  With some nostalgia I remember Easters past: coloring eggs and hiding them for excited children to find. Filling cleaned & saved margerine tubs with cellophane grass, colorful candy, pinwheels and bottles of bubbles. Preparing a turkey or ham for a big family gathering later in the day. Turning plain round cake layers into a cake shaped like a rabbit to amaze and astound gullible children who at least pretended to believe this transformation had been accomplished by the Easter Bunny. Getting up early to attend the annual Easter Breakfast put on by the teens of our church; many years my kids were involved, which meant I had to get up early to make sure they got up early! Then there was usually an Easter Program at church, again involving the kids, and the Easter Service with the story of the Resurrection and all the familiar Easter hymns.
But as they say, the only certain thing in life is change. At times it seemed as though I would forever be cooking large meals and arbitrating fights. Now it seems as I will be forever missing my kids(and grandkid), worrying about UltraDad and trying to juggle work, school and time for me.  But I know that this too will come to an end and I will enter a new phase of life. Hopefully one where I am able to sleep!