Boise or Bust

Every great trip begins with Stumptown coffee from downtown Portland! There is something comforting and familiar with getting that smooth rich coffee, I think it must be an addiction because we manipulate and contrive and go out of our way to get this coffee. The froth is just perfect as is the body. Needless to say we left town with a satisfied smile on our face.and coffee on our breath.

We were equipt with our new Honda Pilot with its on-board GPS, that is actually big enough for us to see. We plugged in Paul and Maria Sestero's address and told Tilly to route us there.

Fully anticipating a long and boring drive Edik and I had our DVD players. I have my McGyver series and my cross dressing favorite with Patrick Swazy and Wesley Snipes To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar this is a classic funny movie, with a fun message about being yourself. Oddly enough they are men dressed up like women so I am not really sure how that equates but they help the other people in the movie be who they really are. Anyhow that is a whole nother discussion!

I thought it would be fun to take photos at each of our stops. We were alloted a bathroom stop each 2.5 hours. Edik has an imature or shy bladder we dont know which but he needed to excersize his right to go more frequently. We had lunch at Subway in Pendlton, there was road work going on and traffic was a bear, but the sandwich was good. I was so board all I could think about was chocolate.

We stopped just a little out of our way at my friends car wash in Union Oregon. He had just started his laundry mat and dog wash coupled with the car was and a coin-op video rental, "Red Box". This detour really bummed Andy out because it made us getting into Boise later than he had anticipated. I think that it still worked out pretty good. Our dear hostess had just returned from 7 days in Coquille, Or. spending time with her young grandson. She was exhausted and I am sure the few minutes she had to reacclimate to her own home was appreciated.

The Sestero's greeted us with open arms and welcomed us into thier lovely home. We were given the down stairs suite to ourselves. Andy took the family room and Edik had his own private Golf themed room and our room was beautifully decorated by our hostess. The beauty was one thing but we later found that the strange abillity to sleep late into the day was a part of these rooms as well. We certainly got some good sleep there.

The meals the Maria prepared for us were out of this world. Full course meals each meal. Breakfasts were amazingly delicious, fresh fruit, quiche', eggs, thick french bread that was a pineapple upside down cakes, sausage, home made cinnamon rolls and did I mention fruit. We even got to enjoy the Stumptown coffee each morning. Life was good!

We all enjoyed each others company and had lots to talk about. Paul, Brian, Andy, Sophie and Edik went golfing at the course that Sophie works at. It was very hot that day, but a dry heat. Maria and I went shopping at all my favorite places and a few of hers. She is an incredible shopper much like Lori V. so we were well matched. I saw her shop and just got to get familier with Maria and Boise. We had so much in comon that if I lived there we would keep very busy.

Maria does flowers, works at a school making the hot lunches for the children, she was in process of painting all the cabnits in the kitchen at the school, she caters and does an amazing job, she decorates businesses and peoples homes for holidays, she decorates for wedding and events, she loves to scrapbook and she is always being thoughtful of other people and extending some sort of kindness to them. She really is a remarkable person. I had house envey and yard envey, I am inspired to do more and improve what I have. I think the most inspiring thing is that she makes it look so easy and effortless. It was fun to be with such a ball of energy! Oh we also had the same taste in tee shirts 50% off the clearence at Fred Meyers purchased about the same day :)

There was a big cook out and many family members and some friends came over to eat and meet us. We had a blast, everyone was so fun and easy to talk to. I sat with Maria's sister a lot of the evening hearing stories and telling stories. Once again the food was outrageous. I think the picture will represent what it was like.

Earlier in the day, Paul had taken more time off of work to take us rafting down the Boise River. Hundreds of people do it everyday. I have always wanted to do a lazy raft ride down a river, it looks fun and relaxing. Well, our raft was not quite as big as it needed to be for all of us, Paul, Brian, Andy, Sophie, me and Edik. I will never forget having my back down river, and hearing the roar of the river and questioning why is there a sound the water is flat and smooth. As I turned I saw the break in the horizon of the water. I started out afraid, now I was scared. Paul had said there are just three small drops. I figured they would just be slants not really drops. But as we approached the roar, I saw the drop. A long drop (3 feet) and then a big trough and a wall of white water, frothing and hungry to eat our boat and all of us. Now I am terrified! I tell the people in the boat I don't want to die but we go over the edge and we all survive but soaking wet. It was so fun! We wandered down the river and made it through all the drops and oddly enough, we ended up being forced by the currents to all the rapids as well. It did not come to my attention untill late in the trip that Paul was purposfully paddling to them. It just added another element to the trip. It was a lot of fun. Andy got to go in an innertube and free float, he had to go down two of the drops and the rapids, I was worried for him but he did great. It was very fun.

We had so much fun with the Sestero family, they truly are fun, real people. We hope to go back for another visit.