Meet the Parents

I have been blessed in my in-laws, no doubt about it. They jumped at the chance to come visit me here, and so far have been the perfect guest companions. They love to ride, they agree that the Palouse is one of the most beautiful areas on earth, they enjoy visiting small rural towns (Moscow and Pullman) and eating in restaurants I recommend, and they, too, are fascinated by grocery stores the world over. AND, they are perfectly happy letting me tell them what to do for the few days that they’re here.

I’m particularly impressed with their athleticism—these two haven’t ridden a horse in four years, and we took a fairly long first ride yesterday—at least two and a half hours—and they’re feeling fine this morning. I hope I will be in such good shape in a number of years that I won’t specify, in deference to them. The only minor struggle anyone had yesterday was Dan, riding The Sofa with a saddle. Per the usual, Shadow’s saddle slipped, regularly, particularly when racing up the long gallop. Dan chose to stay with the horse rather than the saddle, though, and we were able to put it to rights, more or less, whenever we walked.

It’s been raining the last few days, so much of the ground is muddy and much of the brush-lined trails wet, but I was able to hang back and be third horse (on Sikum; Janet bonded with Toby) where it mattered so I came home dry for once. Dan was soaked to the bone.

I am pleased to report that both Dan and Janet felt often lost—or rarely even remotely found—on the trails we rode. I feel better about my own struggles, and evident successes, finding my way around these endlessly changing, and yet eerily the same, woods and meadows and roads.