The Hazard Chronicles

The air conditioner is humming, and so are we. A lot of little things this week add up to a pretty involved stretch for our family.

Rach and I went to the annual Blues Festival in Wallace. Good food, good music, and lots of dancing. When it was all over, we walked up to our little house and spent the night. It was a nice getaway before Rachel flew off for the week (more on that later).

This is the band "Solis." Josh (Ev's boyfriend) is the drummer. They cut an album and have been playing a local tour, meaning that Ev is gone a lot to hang out with them and, sort of officially, be a "drum tech." They are actually playing at a largish (for them) venue in Spokane this week (Big Dipper), which is pretty cool.

Post Falls Days was SUPER busy this year.

Gelato during my Sunday morning art walk with these two in downtown Coeur d'Alene

While Rach and I were up in Wallace, the kids went to a parade in Post Falls

Quite the haul. Ev told me that after this picture, they sat around and "played communist" for an hour, divvying out the goods that everyone had collected.  

We have become really good, as a family, at spontaneous camping trips. Rachel was already gone at this point, but it still only took us about 30 minutes from the time we decided to go, until we were on the road. Once we got to the site, kids were all super helpful with set-up. It was a dream. I guess all those years of doing it for them have finally paid off, because I hardly had to lift a finger.

We caught the river at sunset, which was part of the reason for going to this place. What a beautiful area! We couldn't help but revel in the warm light and cool summer evening.

L and J

Ev, appearing to stand on the water

A and M

E and A

Some of our kids have become quite the naturalists. Jack showed me his collection for the evening.

Ev prefers to collect photos. These next ones are all from her. I think she has a good eye.

We didn't just take photos. There was also a lot of hiking around and scrambling on rocks. Because we are us.

I have alluded to it a couple of times so far, but Rach is currently away for the week on a much-anticipated trip to Nashville! While there, she will work to further develop her interpreting skills in music and entertainment. This means that every night she will be going to shows and either working as an interpreter, or giving feedback to colleagues, who, in turn, will do the same for her. She has a Springsteen tribute concert coming up that she is prepping for, and maybe a stand-up comedy gig.

There is a quote we often refer to with each other. It says that "If you ever find that you're the most talented person in the room, you need to find a bigger room." This explains Rachel's first text to me when she arrived in Nashville:
"I am in a really big room."
She is with some seriously accomplished interpreters from around the country, and she belongs there just as much as anyone else. That's kind of cool. This is a photo of her and a friend who also happened to be up there this week.

*****

Well, that's what we have for you this week. Coming up next, we'll hear all about Rachel's trip. Also, the kids and I are playing with the idea of a weekend in Banff, so that might happen as well.

Have a good week!