JUST LIKE SUMMER . . .

It’s a beautifully sunny winter afternoon. When Mike returns from his bike ride, he’s going to barbecue a pork roast. “A bike ride and a barbecue – just like summer,” he says excitedly. The weather has been rather cold, and as Mike puts it, it’s not that it’s so very cold, but our daily highs haven’t been much above freezing for several weeks – lows in the high teens to 20s. This afternoon, however, the temp actually hit 40.

Here in the valley we had just a few inches of snow this past week – enough to require some shoveling, an activity which exacerbates Mike’s back pain. However, he came up with a solution and a new use for his leaf blower. I was skeptical but he said he thought it would work since the snow was light and fluffy. He was pleased with the outcome and pronounced blowing the snow so much easier than shoveling.  

Outside of helping to set up the tax operation at the office, Mike is fully retired -- footloose and fancy free. I guess he’s adjusting. Bird hunting has filled some of the time, but the Washington season finishes Monday and the Idaho season in about ten days. He joined an eight-week competition pistol-shooting league at the local gun range and has enjoyed some success – third overall for the first two sessions. In his “spare” time he plans trips. He’s also looking into volunteer options.

Nellie has stood the hunting fairly well. She hunts hard and gets tired but seems to bounce back fairly quickly. Nevertheless, Mike takes care to plan a hunting regimen that doesn’t overwork her. Again this year, Mike has “ordered” a female German Shorthair from an anticipated spring litter and has hinted that if there are no females, he would consider a male. I am sincerely opposed, as in “over my dead body.”

Otherwise we’re passing time in the learning of technology. We decided life might truly pass us by if we didn’t make the effort. It came as a surprise to both of us that Mike would love his new iPhone. I expect my iPad to arrive on Tuesday, and my children have assured me that I will love it.

LIBRARY EXHIBIT

One thing I learned through my experience as a museum director is that humanities programs struggle to gain public interest. It’s difficult to get the word out and then difficult to get people to participate, so when I saw that the Asotin County Library was hosting a “gala opening” for a traveling exhibit, I suggested we attend. I traded my jeans for black velour pants and my Nikes for slip-ons. Any more dressed up and I would have been out of place. This is Asotin County.

Sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Washington Historical Society, the exhibit is “Hope in Hard Times: Washington during the Great Depression,” which explores the adversity and triumph of everyday Americans, comparing the struggles of the 1930s with those faced today. The interpretive display (text) was augmented through local artifacts, such as quilts, toys, games, photographs, etc. High school students served hors d’oeuvres and demonstrated a radio play.

Typical of how smaller communities cope with the need for visual appeal, one young lady (11 years old) is sharing her American Girl doll, Kit Kittredge, for the duration of the exhibit. Kit is from the American Girl historic dolls series and her story and accessories are patterned on the Depression Era. She’s the same doll I bought a few years ago to serve as my model for doll clothes. So the doll owner and I had a nice chat about our American Girl dolls. (The photos here are of my doll and the outfit I just finished for our granddaughter's AG doll.)

If you come to our valley, why not visit this exhibit? It’s at the Asotin County Library, 417 Sycamore St., Clarkston, through March 28. KW