Done and gone

 Sailing west on I-84 at 80mph. Sarah basking in the imagined perception of wind blowing her hair as she presses pedal to the metal. Just stopped at Flying J near Jerome, ID for road trip nutrition: Jalapeno Cheddar Chicharrones and a Dr Pepper. Doesn’t get much better than that! 

Left Anne’s place around 9 with the addition of an old oak chair and several photos of long dead relatives. Anne has a thing for pictures. Her cabin is covered with them. Literally covered. Almost no bare wall exposed. Above the old library table at the front door is what I call the Mostkoff/Frehling shrine. Portraits of Aunt Minnie and Uncle Aldo, my grandmother, Hattie; wedding picture of my parents with Mom all white and proper; baby pictures of her brothers, Paul and Norton; an older photo of Captain Norton in his Navy uniform (I always thought he was a milk man in his dress whites). Other small framed images of me and Anne and Momma and Daddy at various still life poses are scattered across the worn table. The kitchen is adorned with an assortment of non-professional art pieces. Some VERY non-professional depicting her long gone 3 legged dog, Barney, painted by a friend’s child; a couple of fading Christmas cards; and a collection of painted nudes of Anne posed as an Indian Maiden, much to the distress of my mother. In the dining area are two very nice (read: professional) magnolias below an antique 12 candle chandelier that has already scorched the roof beams. The adjoined living room besides offering the above magnificent window view of the Tetons displays an oil of an antebellum home, a photo of Hale-Bop comet over the Grand, and a concert snapshot of Dillon in much younger days. The small bathroom concentrates on her island travels and Anne’s bedroom upstairs is dedicated to her. Then there is the connected original 100 year old sheep herder’s cabin kept a bit more rustic with oil lamps, threadbare tapestries, and the occasional animal skin draped over a chair. For added authenticity daylight shines thru areas of lost chinking. And, of course, every flat surface has collected chatcha memories from vacations, antique finds from thrift stores, and long unused or even unidentifiable objects d’art pilfered from my father’s, Baton Rough Restaurant Supply store. I have to admit, the girl’s got an eye!

The shed we raised on blocks is gone. Two good ole local boys showed up yesterday afternoon with a trailer and the same front end loader and while drinking a Pabst (Don the loader driver, not me) the shed was expertly and gingerly loaded and unceremoniously driven away. It was not decided how they were going to get it off but that was going to be their problem!

The horse with no name (she actually has a name but Anne didn’t know it) finally got comfortable with me and Sarah to allow us to pet her. She didn’t seem to interested in carrots or apples, just wanted some attention and lovin’. 

For friends that may be wondering; yes, Anne is still alive and I’m not too scared. At least not physically! For two siblings that have lived distanced physically and emotionally for the past 40 years and, honestly didn’t have much success as playmates in the early years, we managed with a lot of understanding and a good dose of tolerance. As Sarah observes, with me and Anne together, it’s a big bag of mixed nuts!!

Tetonia 9/2020

 Sitting on the back porch of Anne’s original cabin. Beyond the ancient galvanized wash tub supporting two sun bleached moose antlers, the back acreage punctuated only with 3 abandoned sheep wagons to the north and a 40 ft kit cabin to the south. Dry grassland everywhere else. Over the roof of the nearest neighbor a quarter mile away the Teton range blue with Oregon smoke haze hides the horizon. Thru the cut that houses Grand Targhee ski area, the Grand rises majestically yet barely visible today shrouded in blue. Here in the valley the sun is bright and warm with a comfortable breeze causing the grass to dance. Herman is making his rounds chasing grasshoppers, digging for gophers, or hunting spirits. Anne and Sarah are going thru hoarded boxes of dusty coffee table books and pictures of long dead ancestors. The occasional private jet overhead taking the rich to Jackson. 

We left Boise late, around 11 yesterday driving the interstate across miles and miles of flat geology past solar farms; memorials to the trials, tribulations and massacres of the Oregon trail pioneers; museums dedicated to the versatile potato; and Yellowstone bear sanctuary (“Bear sighting guaranteed”). Gas and lunch of greasy Crispy’s Cajun chicken strips and instant mashed potatoes at one of the ubiquitous oasis truck stops. Arrived just in time to help/supervise(?) raising the kit cabin 3 feet onto cinder blocks with a hay fork front end loader in anticipation of it getting trailered off the property at some time in the near future. After requisite cocktails dinner of thawed out age undetermined halibut casserole. The only sound is the wind sweeping across the valley, the click click of the grasshoppers, and the occasion neigh of the horse with no name corralled behind a circle of electric fence wanting a pet but yet too cautious to come close for an offered hand. 

Spent the morning trouble shooting why Anne’s stereo won’t get loud enough and changing out the off/on knob for one of her 12volt lamps, a holdover from her previous life off the grid. Tonight supper planned around deer meat spaghetti with whatever leftover veggies from the fridge that can be chopped up and thrown in.

Moving Sidney to Boise 9/2020

 Sitting out side at Big City Coffee, Boise. Got Sidney all moved but it took an extra day. It’s a challenge stuffing a 26ft UHall into a 10ft and 8ft storage locker. And, since there was a no-show for one of the unloaders, Sarah and I stayed and helped. Getting burned out physically and emotionally by 6, I facilitated an overnight break resuming yesterday with rental of yet another storage locker. Finishing early enough to explore Boise we ended up at a huge Army/Navy store resulting in a new bug out bag (I do have a bag fetish!) and a dead car battery. After a 4:00 celebratory beer at Sunray Cafe with Sid and ex-bro in law, Clyde, Sarah and I retired back to the Modern Motel, old Travel Lodge cum hipster motel, enjoying the 3 meat special from BBQ4LIFE using the ironing board as a dining table and watching unidentified HBO movies until midnight. 

The drive over uneventful except for the canopy of the milky way and near freezing morning temperatures at Chickahominy Reservoir just west of Riley, our regular layover going west to east. Today we continue east hopefully arriving at Anne’s in about 5 hours. Will keep y’all posted. 

Feel free to share.........

The Grand......

The Grand...

Awoke late this morning. The sun blasting thru the window a good 5 fingers above the Teton range. To the east the Grand shimmering in all it’s perky suggestive glory. 

Sleeping quite well in the old cabin. Moving onto 6 acres of pasture land (nothing taller than a fence post) acquired in the mid ‘90s Anne has kept it in it’s original rustic condition complete with chinking fall out from between logs and scorched ceiling from a past too aggressive stove fire. Now a single room appointed with bed piled snuggly with quilts, chest of drawers and cedar chest containing years of domestic accumulation, and a sitting area with leather couch and vintage chairs, it is the perfect albeit somewhat dark guest quarters. Exiting thru a door, the only structural modification, at the back, the kitchen acts as a connection between this very vintage abode to the newer two story log cabin that is now Anne’s primary quarters. Replacing barrels of water and a sink draining into a bucket (to be emptied out into the pasture) it is now festooned with real plumbing and electricity making a very functional kitchen. Walking past 3 aging china hutches containing years of collected family detritus, the attached 2-story contemporary log cabin is set up comfortably downstairs with dining room table, couch, desk, and a collection of various aging side tables and chairs warmly arranged around a very efficient gas stove. The view out the east window is another postcard perfect scene of the Tetons. Cold wood floors are warmly covered with a variety of threadbare oriental or Nepali rugs kept pristine with Anne’s obsessive cleaning activity. Up stairs, in what would be the attic, is the master bedroom with a collection of antique furnishings and a clothes rack hanging between log rafters. Scattered thruout this structure, on every available flat wall surface and table top, are photographs. Pictures of ancestors young and old, collections of Anne with friends skiing, hiking, eating and drinking; pastoral mountain scenes; old paintings by now deceased family members intermixed with a few professional florals or mountain scenes hang on every available flat surface with more to add!

Swinging on the squeaky porch swing on the back of the “little cabin”. Looking past the bleached moose antlers resting on the old washtub; pile of fire wood protected under a sheet to Tevac; the 3 sheep wagons, aluminum siding glowing silver in the setting sun; the scattered houses across the valley, the Tetons are cloaked in low hanging clouds as a dark thunder front marches down from the north. The temperature dropping rapidly, I’ll retreat to the warmth of the cabin. KHOL Jackson playing a good mix. 

Dinner tonight: frozen ravioli in canned spaghetti sauce with leftover chorizo and bag salad accompanied with toasted olive loaf bread. Anne is the poster child for frugal living. Actually living well below poverty level she scores most of her consumables from the local food banks and, shall we say, is not too particular regarding her source of nutritional intake. 

Dusk has fallen as the tree line along the creek is nothing but shadows. In the distance, in the winter, we would watch the lights of the groomers crawl across the blackness of Targhee. Tonight we’ll settle in to watch a movie recently obtained from the little Driggs library. The cabin toasty and glowing warm by the 12-volt lamps Anne likes to use. The last piece of baklava gifted by the tenants in the north cabin is calling my attention.

Family work parties

         A glorious clean Teton Valley morning. Sitting on the back porch gliding in the old swing surrounded by the necessities of country living: wood stacked ready for the fire, wash tub slowly rusting on a nail, moose antlers bleaching in the sun. The Tetons commanding my view with the Grand perky in all it’s suggestive glory. Lingering snow glistening along the surrounding ridge. Anne’s 6 acres newly mowed with young green shoots pushing up between the straw stubble. Three ancient sheep wagons patiently awaiting the adventuresome traveler for a romantic albeit claustrophobic stay. Birds secretly roosting in the rafters warbling their morning greeting to all. 

This is day 2 of my visit with dear sister, Anne. The goal, to help her decorate: mostly sort and hang decades worth of photos, posters, amateur paintings, and other memorabilia. 

Recently forced to move out of the cabin on the east side of the Tetons (other side of the “hill”) into her 2 cabins near Tetonia, ID it’s kind of like trying to pour a gallon of water into a quart jar. There’s family pictures going back generations, landscapes of world travels, records of antics with friends thruout the years, paintings done by 6 year olds and semi-acclaimed artists, and of course the various posters commentating concerts past. The deciding what to keep and what to toss is interrupted by fond reminiscing and telling of antidotes. So far, there’s more keep than toss. I’m even looking at the ceiling considering available flat surfaces. Patience is the required quality to have now. But we’ll get er done. Bourbon helps!

The past 2 weeks have been spent in Anchorage with Sarah to celebrate her Dad’s 90th; with an alternative agenda to assess and offer insight how to assure her folks ongoing care needs and safety. Determined to remain in their home of 50 years, the march of age is not going to cooperate as they negotiate stairs and continue the required domestica necessary to be comfortable. Other than the occasion conversation about “what you gonna do now”, my job was to cook (Cajun mostly), entertain Sarah’s brother, Kelly, smoking cigars and drinking Scotch and, by my own restrictions, stay out of the way. Sarah is still up there enjoying family time and by the sound of it, making some headway regarding life changes that hopefully will assure more safety (i.e. Dad no longer driving!!). I wish her luck and hope she can remain in the presence (read: sane!) during what can only be a challenging time. 

Sitting by the fire enjoying post prandial bourbon. Anne browsing thru the DVDs we got from the library choosing our evening entertainment. The aspens across the road alight with gold as the sun slowly drops in the west. Alpenglow on the peaks to the east. The wind active as tin roofs rattle and windows shake. Dinner of honey garlic salmon with quinoa and asparagus. Enough butter makes all palatable. And I cooked!

We got a lot accomplished today. After much thought and deliberation the big pictures have found vertical real estate. Many following themes: Teton Valley, family old and new, celestial bodies, adventures, and still life. Next, scatter the smaller photos to fill all the available space. Won’t be enough wall visible to verify this is a log cabin!

Still alive....

Ok, y’all.....for any of you that are actually following this blog, let me tell you we are still alive....barely!

Haven’t written in a while (ovbiously) because having just too much fun or too tired, or just not motivated. Stories abound about NOLA, Mardi Gras, local cuisine, local characters, sore feet, and fickled weather. Will be glad to entertain any of you preferably over a beer. You buy, of course!

Our stint in NO is over. We are on the road home. Currently holed up in Kerville, Texas. Left our humble shotgun home in Algiers Point on Thurs. First stop was Urgent Care for Sarah to get antibiotics, codeine for cough and a nebulizer. She developed asthma progressing to bronchitis on Mardi Gras day. I was actually a bit worried about her but she is getting better slowly. And since we share everything, I now have fever, congestion, and a cough. Self medicating with Rye and guaifensen. Not getting better for feeling better! So we are still alive and headed west.

The NOLA “what’s happening”...

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