Three Beautiful Things 09/22/13: Torn Between Kellogg and Eugene, Riding with Don Knott, Back with the Deke

1.  Mom and I put flannel sheets on the twin bed in the basement in anticipation of Christy's visit in mid-October, looked everywhere to see if I was leaving anything behind, and at 12:50 p.m. said our goodbyes as my two week stay in Kellogg came to an end.  Mom expressed gratitude for the way we got work done in the yard and gardens and in the house and I know she was grateful for the trips we made to Spokane, Orofino, Priest River, and Sandpoint.  I'd like to be two places at once:  in Eugene with the Deke, visiting the fine pubs we like to frequent, enjoying worship and fellowship at St. Mary's Episcopal Church,  taking pictures with Russell, spending time with my great friends here and being just two hours from T.A.T. and an hour from R.C.P. (charter members of the Hall of Fame of Great Guys), and cherishing the fine life we have here -- and, in Kellogg, spending time with Mom, helping out with little projects, seeing my sisters and their families, enjoying the beauty of North Idaho and Eastern Washington, and spending time with the North Idaho/Eastern Washington members of the Hall of Fame of Great Guys.  I never get used to this divided life I live, always torn between two places I love and all that they encompass.  It's taken me many years to say I love Eugene, but I do love it here: the moderate weather, the church, the beer, Billy Mac's, Falling Sky Pour House, Sixteen Tons, the Bijou Metro, my five, ten, twenty, even thirty years long friendships with people I teach and have taught with (Eugene members of the Hall of Fame of Great Guys/Gals), the Corgis, my doctors, and there's more.  All of this was swimming in my mind as I walked out the door at Mom's house to stroll down to Don Knott's house and climb in his pickup for a ride to Spokane International Airport.

2.  Riding with charter member of the HOFOGG Don Knott was awesome.  The hour trip seemed like ten minutes as we talked non-stop about everything from the Occupy movement to Silver Valley Men's League basketball and the cast of players who played for Johnny's Bar over the years.

3.  The Deke picked me up at the airport and we headed straight to Cornucopia where I enjoyed a couple of Ninkasi Oktoberfest beers and we shared a pepperoni personal pizza.  We launched right into the calm and thoughtful discussion we've been having for a long time about what we want our future to be, trying to sort out how to live with being in Eugene while family members live in Kellogg, Portland, Chicago, New York state, and Virginia.  We never quite figure out how to be six places at once.  We never quite figure out with any finality what we are going to do in the next five to ten years, but the talking is smart, calm, cooperative, encouraging, and productive.  Whatever we figure out, we'll be happy with each other.  That's the great thing.