Budget Saver Motel Coeur d'Alene

My friend Diane just reminded me that I hadn't finished the story with the jade earrings. Here is a photo of the finished product. I love them. The jade is actually a very pale green color (all jade starts out white and is affected by other minerals as to the colors). The settings are silver and I am very happy with them indeed.

... br> Leaving Saturday for L.A. where I'll meet up with Terry Chamorro and stay at her place Saturday night. Sunday morning we have a 7:45am flight out of LAX which means going to the airport at 5:45am. Ungodly time. We are flying on Mexicana Airlines via Mexico City to Guatemala City.
Not exactly sure yet where we'll meet up with Rose and Jim....probably at LAX before the flight.

Finally got the truck back, all fixed and running beautifully. Decided to get on the road, though it was already 2 pm. Headed south along Flathead Lake through green forests and valleys to I-90, then west, west, west. All uphill, what a climb, to Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, then downhill into Washington State. Spent almost two hours trying to find Riverside State Park in the city of Spokane, finally set up the camper and tried to settle down for the night.

... would win a silver belt buckle. 

We have to mention at this stage and without fear of offending our American brothers and sisters how flabbergasted Ian and I were with the build up to the Mutton Bustin race.  In the ring was a fit looking cowboy who told everyone to give themselves a round of applause for being here and supporting the fair, then went on to "thank the troops abroad who were fighting to protect America and Americans right to independence, freedom and ...

... plinking which was shooting clay targets using bolt shotguns (live bullets) which thankfully were all held in blocks by the sling.  They started off shooting at the grass or into the trees but by a few goes they were aiming at the pile and even hitting targets. 

One evening the children were taken off for a pow wow and barbecue and the adults were spoilt with a seven-course sample menu.  We did not know what to expect and we must admit ...

... at home and this was a Ford Focus but that didn’t stop him breaking the world record rally course time and nearly giving Steve a heart attack on the way! We got there in one piece and off we went to the clubhouse to sign in. Here I found that we were playing a top 50 US course famous for one particular hole "The floating green at Coeur d’Alene!" – the ...

... gmacht sond**n händ eifach kilomet**wiis em b**g nah däruf baut.

Churz vorem idunkle hämm** hööch üb**eme see en bär entdeckt wo det go fische isch. Er hät sini büüti as uf** bracht und gnüsslich v**schlunge. Eus hät ** üb**haupt nöd beachtet, sind v**muetlich zwiit weg gsi und drum hämm** eus mittel steiwurf (kei angscht, nöd diräkt uf ihn) für äs foti vo vorne bem**kbar gmacht. Nachh** isch ** abzottlet ...

... blind as a bat and Ian was ace shooter.  The kids went on a climbing experience on a climbing wall where Lily and Katie succeeded in climbing the full way and ringing the bell.    

The night was a cowboy games night at the ring with Wranglers resulting in the adults wrestling goats and putting boxers on them then to the Saloon for drinks.  It is similar to skiing with all the fresh air and activity you are shattered by 10 and ready to crash.

... welcomed us in and started to show us around the log ranch house,  From the  back porch we glanced the first view of the ranch.  In the middle of this wilderness  we were struck by a valley full of  paddocks, ranch houses and horses.   It was beautiful.  We signed the obligatory insurance forms and we were off to find out log cabin.

En route we spotted another (but larger and luxurious) RV with a group standing outside drinking wine.  We were introduced ...

... You Die, added some 100+ miles to this leg of the journey, but rewarded us with two unique side treks.

The fist detour was to The Craters of the Moon National Monument located just outside of the teeny tiny town of Arco, Idaho. We followed the seven- mile loop around a volcanic caldera that has lay dormant for 2,000 years. The landscape had a moon-like appearance ...