Cousin time

My sister, Connie, and I finally accepted an on-going invitation to visit our cousin, Tony Kopczynski, at his lake cabin on Coeur d'Alene Lake.  Clouds covered the sun, but our spirits were not dampened in the least by the cool weather.  We just grabbed fleece jackets and sat out on the lower deck.

Nice view of the Coeur d'Alene Hotel from the lower deck.

Tony told us he'd be serving dessert!  Little did we know we'd have to help.

We all took turns making ice cream the old fashioned way, by hand cranking!

Here's the finished product! Perfect homemade ice cream, served over huckleberry, rhubarb cobbler.  YUMMM.

View of the back of Tony's Cabin, with his prized Mini Cooper in the driveway!

Tony's cabin sits across from the boat slips.  This development once had a small resort with a dozen or so A-Frame cabins for rent.  Modified A-Frames sit across the small bay from Tony's cabin.  He told us he paid $50,000 for it in 1980 and feels like a millionaire when he gets his property tax statement.  "I've gone to the assessor's office many times and argued with them that my modest cabin cannot possibly be worth what this tax statement indicates."  Usually his attempts proved futile in reducing the tax liability.

Tony told us many stories!  I wish I could remember them all.  We talked about our idyllic childhood in Cottonwood, the joy of being a part of the larger Kopczynski family, and the challenges to keep connected to our 50+ cousins.  Some stories brought tears, including the recent sudden death of Tony's best friend and brother-in-law, Les McDaniel.  Other stories had us wiping tears of laughter from our faces, especially the stories of his walking buddy's 94-year old mother and her escapades of losing her keys and breaking a window of the wrong car!

We learned about Tony's generosity toward his nieces and nephews!  Every year he invited the kids to Everett, bought tickets to the Nutcracker and then treated everyone to pizza.  He named every one of them, where they are now, who they are married to, what kind of work they do.  He loves his family! Pictures of his kids and grands cover the refrigerator, but he found at least one picture of the extended kids as well.  Once again, we drove home counting our blessings.  

Mid-summer in Sandpoint

My friends, Kati and George, invited me to join them for a little adventure in Sandpoint, Idaho.  They'd been on a major road trip and the trip from Leavenworth to Sandpoint would put them in their hotel around 5 PM.  So, I rented a cute pink bicycle and rode around Sandpoint and SandCreek, taking the East-west Creekside route.  Lovely clouds danced in the sky and light breezes made little ripples in the water.  

Connie suggested that I have a meal at the historic Connie's Cafe! I enjoyed the short walk to the cafe, admiring all the lovely hanging baskets along the way.

George, Kati, and I boarded this lovely boat for a Full Moon Cruise on Lake Pend Orielle.  

The low clouds caused concern for some of the passengers, but our guide, Linda, felt quite certain that we'd eventually see the full moon.

The passengers waited patiently for the moon to rise above the clouds.  

The following morning we enjoyed a great breakfast at the Tango Cafe!  Took a few minutes to find it, but well worth the wait.  

We resisted the bakery goods, but enjoyed an awesome traditional breakfast.  Kati ordered Strawberries and cream waffles and we shared bites.  Do not leave Sandpoint ever again without having a meal at this lovely cafe, inside the Sandpoint Center Building.  

Thank you to my dear friends for including me in your road trip.

Susan Kuwana Wedding

Connie invited me to travel with her to Boise to attend her college friend, Susan's, wedding in Boise.  We marveled all the way about the gorgeous weather across the Camas Prairie, through McCall and then onto the Payette River Canyon.  Our native Idaho is the best place to live and enjoy, hands down!

A must stop in McCall - the Pancake House!  We enjoyed a nice lunch and the gorgeous flowers everywhere around the building.




Friday morning the Greenbelt trail along the Boise River beckoned us for a nice walk.  Bikers, walkers, roller blades and kayakers joined us on this gorgeous morning.  Experienced kayakers use the falls from this little dam to practice various river maneuvers!  Everything delighted our senses until we got hungry and headed back to the Riverside Hotel.

The hotel offered yellow city bikes for a free bike ride into the city.

 We rode almost to Broadway, stopping at the Boise Zoo and getting a glimpse of the giraffes who live there.

 Levi met us at Fork and we enjoyed a great lunch outdoors on 8th Street.

He told us all about the Boise scene - so many restaurants on 8th Street, within a short bike ride from his home.  He entertained us with stories of his cat, Alaska, and new brain books he's reading.

The outdoor courtyard at the Riverside provided a perfect place for the ceremony.  Sue's Mom escorted her and Sue's step Dad escorted Renate.

These lovely young cousins dropped petals and carried the rings.  

Connie got to be in the music group after practicing for only 20 minutes!  The songs reflected Susan's love for the Catholic music she played as a guitarist at St. Auggies all those years ago.  

 We met, Karen, Susan's godmother, who at one time lived in Delco, near the Kuwana family.  Susan converted to Catholicism when she was a teenager.  Connie sponsored Sue when she was confirmed at St. Auggie's during the U of I days.  We listened to lovely chamber music in this reception area before moving to a ballroom for a sit down dinner.  

Susan and her team of organizers provided such beauty, down to the lovely lettering on the name cards and gorgeous table settings.  
Love the pictures of these two college friends who have remained good friends for over 40 years.  Below is a picture of Sue's lovely Mom and her second husband.  Her father, Mas, died but was remembered in a large bouquet of white flowers.

Sue's Dad was Japanese and the wedding kimono, umbrellas, and many other symbols decorated the ballroom.  Even the colors and cloth held symbolic meanings.  The name Kuwana symbolizes the mulberry, a tree that is often used for special papers.  I think Sue made many of the 1,000 white origami cranes that hung from a black drape.

 

I felt all the love and joy present between this couple and their extended families.  I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to witness this lovely event.