Let's try this again, shall we?

Summer 2014

What do you call someone who celebrates her 65^th birthday sick as a dog with just days to pack and leave on an annual RV/Fishing/Wilderness jaunt?

What do you call someone who is pulled aside at the Maui airport and detained for well over an hour by TSA agents?

What do you call someone who is thrilled to pieces to be looking out the living room window at the ranch right now, with a view of nothing but pine trees, meadows, cattle and – oh yes – heavy storm clouds and a smattering of rain?

The answer to all three questions: That would be ME!

            Somehow or other I managed to come down with the mother of all colds on Sunday night, June 1, less than four days before we were to fly off to Alberta for four months. Two days later I turned 65 in a state of oblivion (I’ve been told that’s the best way to become eligible for Medicare); two days after that I heaved myself out of bed and turned into a whirlwind – cleaning, packing, sorting, storing. It felt good to get to the airport.

            It was a fleeting happiness. We checked in, got our boarding passes, and had just reached the line for security – note, we weren’t actually AT security – when I was singled out and told I had set off “an alarm.” Huh? What alarm? Where? A TSA agent escorted me off line, through the metal detector, swiped every morsel of every item in my carryon. No alerts there. So, it was into The Room and a full-on body pat-down and check of clothing, hands, feet, neck, you-name-it. The agent was wearing gloves, of course, and those went into the scanner and that’s when it hit the fan. Code Blonde went off. I was declared a suspicious figure I guess because I was put at the TSA desk, guarded by no less than two agents at any given time for the next hour or so. One more pat-down in The Room, another search of my carryon, my passport held.

            Now here I want to be clear about something: The TSA agents were terrific, polite, sympathetic, courteous and very professional. As their calls to “headquarters” went unanswered, and their confusion about my status increased, they (and by this time there were at least 6 or 8 of them involved in the caper) began apologizing for the delay and inconvenience. I found the whole thing interesting and not a bit stressful except for the part when Jim said, “I’m going to the restaurant and have dinner; see you at the gate.”

            With 10 minutes before boarding, the team told me I could go. There was no explanation about where, when, how and what set off “an alarm” but, at that point, I felt it was prudent to thank them for their service and head to the gate. Twenty minutes later we were on the plane. Hmmm, rather an auspicious start to our holiday, wouldn’t you say?

            We spent the first week in High River with Cousins Shane and Peter, visiting Mom (she’s doing so well!), shopping for ranch supplies, planning our various summer trips, and touring the town which is only now recovering from the devastation of last year’s historic floods. I fought jet lag and my cold in my spare time.

Sunday, June 15

            We arrived at the ranch yesterday, unpacked food and clothes, and spent a peaceful full-moon night, waking to thick fog and 45ºF temperatures. And now it’s raining. Fortunately, Jim has a fully equipped art studio in the attic and I have a fully equipped sewing room so we’re happy to be indoors. The creek is running high and muddy with the June rains and snow melt, so I won’t be fishing anytime soon. On Friday we’ll take the RV into Claresholm and camp for a couple of days so we can spend time with Mom. A week from today we’re heading to B.C. to meet our friends Rick & Daphne and Sherry & Sharon to camp at a lake for a week. Let the fishing begin!

            My access to Internet will be hit-and-miss all summer long so please don’t be offended if I don’t get right back to you. And if you’re one of my Words With Friends friends, well… take advantage of the extra time between plays. 

 Storm clouds on the prairie east of the ranch

 The storm has passed, the Rockies in view

Saturday, June 21

The 1^st day of Summer, we’re camped in Claresholm and have had a couple of sunny days after more flooding. Remember the rain I mentioned? It turned into five days of constant downpours, the creek rose, flooded the banks and hit the bridge, taking out the south approach. Good thing both vehicles were on the other side, eh? Fortunately, High River was spared this year but Claresholm was hard-hit; more than 40 homes had to be evacuated – flooded basements and roads like rivers.  Our campsite is in the dry half of the community campground. And all this took place on the one-year anniversary of the huge Flood of 2013.

            I’ll get this posted and try to get back here in a week or 10 days to give you the fishing report from BC. In the meantime, enjoy your summer and a big Aloha from both of us.