1. I then called my sister Wendy and inquired if she would like to rendezvous with us at Flathead Lake as well. Husband Barth could not make it, but Wendy was game for the trip.
2. Her arrival happened to coincide with plans that her oldest son, Andrew, was making to bring his girlfriend Katerina up to Montana as well. A good gathering so far.
3. A nudge to her other son Brian and his wife Amy. They would also like to come- pending getting approval from their employers. At the last minute they got free and drove from Olympia, Washington.
4. We gave our daughter Inga the high sign and suggested she should make the trip to Montana from Oregon as well. She agreed and booked a flight to Missoula.
5. Sister Sheri and Tony had already scheduled a July 4th retreat last year and rented a cabin in Oregon. Sorry, not able to be a part of the gathering this time.
5. Sister Sheri and Tony had already scheduled a July 4th retreat last year and rented a cabin in Oregon. Sorry, not able to be a part of the gathering this time.
6. Our favorite son Grant was on the short list for invitees too, but his girlfriend was starting a job in New York city, so he opted for the bitter-sweet adventure of helping move his sweetheart out of town and into her digs supplied by her employer the Daily Mail (of London) in a swanky flat in uptown Manhattan, instead of chilling with the old family. Understandable decision. (Word has since filtered back to us that he and Kaileen had a grand time of it in NYC).
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| Great Gathering of the Suneson Clan (with some notables missing) July, 2016 |
First Step
Always a good first step when leaving Dallas is to check in with Sue's brother Bill and his wife Susan in Wichita Falls. Fighting traffic out of Dallas is slow and maddening start to a long trip. So an afternoon arrival in Wichita Falls just 120 miles from Dallas for an overnight stay and a fresh and early start from the unencumbered, broad-horizoned, no traffic congestion spot of the North Texas plains is the best cleanest way to start a western road trip. As a courtesy for putting us up for the night, Sue proudly selected a few tomatoes from her above average garden as gifts for brother Bill. Once she arrived and looked at Bill's garden and his large tomatoes, Sue had a bitter epiphany: "Never compare your tomatoes with those from a professional and degreed botanist". Indeed, Brother Bill weeds a mean and superior garden.
Road to Denver
It is good to have friends in high places. Denver has always been high in elevation, now it is high in the cannabis context too. We'll take in the thin air and leave the inhaling of smoldering vegetation to others. Having lived quite happily in Denver back in 1985-1986, we made some good friends quickly, but had lost contact after the years. Our journalist son, Grant, had done a digital (video) story which was picked up by a local Denver TV station. Our good (but long lost) friend Cindy saw his report that ended with his sign-off identification... "and I am Grant Suneson". Cindy wondered, how many Suneson's can there really be out there? So, through FaceBook she found Sue and asked if we were related to one particular Grant? Proud mother, said why yes, that is my son! So, with old friends welcomed back into the circle via digital means unavailable in 1986, we invited ourselves to stay with Cindy overnight both coming and going from Montana. I'd say it worked out very well.
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| Dining al fresco on Cindy's Denver Patio We picked right up laughing a good bit right where we left off with our friend some 30+ years ago. |
Race to Missoula
We had to leave Denver early in order to pick up Inga in Missoula at 8:57 PM once her flight landed from Portland. It is 907 miles to the Missoula airport from Cindy's place. A 7 AM departure should get us to to passenger pick-up zone about the time Inga lands. We get a text that Inga is boarding as we are driving through Butte. The race is on; Who will get there first, driving from Butte or flying from Seattle? Inga landed 10 minutes ahead of schedule, so she deplaned while we were on the outskirts of Missoula. Plane beats car.
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| Inga traveling light. Arrives at MSO minutes ahead of us who raced from Denver, CO to meet her. |
Welcoming Party
Emphasis on party. Everyone had already arrive at the lake ahead of us. So we texted ahead from the airport to let them know we were to arrive soon. Andrew had beer on ice, he had also purchased some fireworks from the local Indian tribe and as we pulled in on the gravel drive, everyone was out on the front lawn ready to light up the pyrotechnics in our honor (this being July 2nd). Brian lit a fist full of sparklers, and that did not end so well. But the intention was noted and appreciated.
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| Brian and Wendy Applaud and Cheer our safe arrival |
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| Andrew starts the gathering off with a spark |
After the outdoor show, we gather in the kitchen for some gentle ribbing and enthusiastic boasting between cousins, nephews and assorted kin.
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| Andrew with an enthusiastic boast to Inga, while his girlfriend, Katerina (R) looks on in bemusement |
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| Late night game of Camel Up Wagering on dromedary & dice |
And the First shall be last...
I was the first to put in reservations for a stay at Suneson Chalet; but the last to arrive. Shuffle your feet loose your seat, swivel your head and loose your bed. Finders keepers, losers weepers - so they say.
Wendy, Andrew and Katerina all came up a few days ahead of us. So they snagged the 3 upstairs guest rooms. That leaves the basement and the garage for the late-comers. Inga and we, her parents, get a pair of mattresses on the basement floor. Brian and Amy get private accommodations in the camper shell stored on blocks in the RV garage.
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| Cellar Dwellers: Inga sleeps in the basement along with us. Fashion Forward decor in brown cubism furnishing - so chichi moderism |
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| Camper Dwellers |
We wake up to an early sunrise of the northern latitudes and find ourselves in paradise.
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| Our morning view as we sit for breakfast |
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| Fruit, cinnamon rolls, muffins, and eggs over easy for me |
Celebration! 60th Wedding Anniversary
Before Andrew and Katerina have to return to California for work, I called a family gathering in the living room. The joyful cause was to observe and celebrate Grandma & Grandpa's 60th anniversary of last week. Wendy offered a solemn and spiritual thanks tied to the lyrics of a country western song for the good union and the fine family, now 3 generations, that have gathered. I composed and read a tall Texas tale in parable format of the mythical (or not?) 'Shugga 'Dillo' who is said to help provide for good and kind folks in thin times. Those in the room that morning know the Shugga 'Dillo is real.
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| The Suneson Family Gathers in Celebration |
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| Wendy reads and shares her thoughts aloud in gratitude and spiritual praise |
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| Grandpa shares his memories and thoughts on courting Grandma 64 years ago. |
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| Sixty years. Well Done! |
Activities Woven Around the Gathering
We all mixed in a trip to Glacier National Park, did some hiking (to be posted on a separate post). There was rhubarb to pick and pies* to be made. The Arotcas had purchased 2 paddle boards in Kalispel before we arrived, so those had to be part of the aquatic entertainment. A water color painting session on the back deck and there was a side trip to the National Bison Range by the Suneson girls along with Amy and Brian. A lot to work in for a brief time. But we all did it.
* Some have suggested this Montana trip was solely so I could get a rhubarb pie - could it possibly be that simple?
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| Stalking the Rhubarb stalks |
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| Bhee-Bhop-a-Rhee-Bhop Rhubarb Pie!! |
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| Mom leads a water color painting "class". We experiment with color and technique. |
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| Inga scoots along on the new paddle board on the waters of Flathead Lake |
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| Brian & Amy scan the landscape for wildlife National Bison Range |
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| I see one! |
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| More wildlife. A bighorn sheep |
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| Where the deer and the antelope play Home on the Bison Range |
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| Chasing Rainbows all the way to Montana |
Click on the link in the box below to see an extensive slide show of the Great Gathering if you've got the time and interest to see most of the doings under the Big Sky.
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| Photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox |
Nerdy Numbers
OK, so maybe I don't plan way in advance, but I do like to track numbers attached to this narrative:
Miles Traveled = 3,977
Gasoline Consumer (Gal) = 203.2
Cost of Fuel = $442.19
Average MPG = 19.6
Flying can be nice - or a TSA disaster these days.
But driving across the western states is a joyous birthright.
Enjoy the journey.
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