"TRIP" WITH SUSAN, EVERY DAY

This is how it began.  Worth a grin.

Downtown Lake Superior Area, Grand Marais

About a dozen years ago, Dave and I, were up on the North Shore at Lake Superior, Grand Marais, MN.  We dropped in again at one of our favorite touristy sales stores, Blue Moose.  I saw something I thought would be neat for Susie's Mom, Etole.  She, because of stroke-related illness, she had moved in with her daughter, because serious illness had forced her out of her own home.  Susie was more than a blessing in helping her mother.  With both of them in wheelchairs and life not very "easy", we were always just amazed at how the Lord would provide protection and support.  Etole died near Mother's Day, 10 years ago.

Well, while Etole was at Susie's, the gift was over the kitchen sink, facing the east, and at sunrise it could be a bit shiny.  And, as the day increased, the colorfulness and sparkliness was a treat.  Anytime I visited, I couldn't help but smile and smack it a bit so it would twirl around and watch the "jewels" send their sparkles around the room.

When Dave and I were up there a couple weeks ago, looking

forward to seeing her, of course, but also "meeting" Caleb since his birth, spending time with his parents/Susie's dear family, and running and about a bit to see others.  We had a wonderful time, in spite of the fact that the weather was pretty stormy and we couldn't "play" very much.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, Susie told me that the "jewels" in the kitchen were now mine.  I was so very blessed!!  Could hardly NOT feel guilty, because I know how much she loved it.  But she insisted, so I did.

Well, on the way home [550 miles], I decided to hang it from the mirror.  So, I did.  Originally planned to take it in when reaching home and hang it in our kitchen.  But got side-tracked... my personality issue ... and then over the days it was left in the car.

It will be forever.  And today, when going out and about to do basic shopping, while on one of our main streets, I looked at it and though, "Oh, Susie and Etole are with me ALL THE TIME now."  Been smiling about it ever since I got home a couple hours ago, so decided to share it with the rest of the world, too.

I met Susie and her mom in the summer of 1960.  Her mother was a very important person in my life then, and forever.  And Susie, too.  

When I'm driving through Klickitat, WA, next month, on my birthday, 68th -- ouch!! --showing my grandkids where I lived and where their "Grandma" Susie lived, it will be shy of only a month before she entered my life 53 years ago.  [The first time I saw and

met Susie was when I was being shown around and was taken down to the Klickitat River where the swimming "pool" was.  She was walking up from the river.  We were introduced.  I immediately was amazed at her beautiful red hair.  I never forget where I met her.  -- While living there, I swam across the river, dove from the low rocks, name is somewhere, maybe, even after all these years.]

So, during my drive in July, I'll be taking "her" with me as she "jewels" herself in the window. 

[PS.  Can't get the font colors to work out.  Oh, well.  Computers are wonderful sometimes; drive me nuts other times.]