Good Day...

Today we celebrated my Father's 71st birthday... His birthday is tomorrow, August 22nd. ...Yes, the day after my daughter's birthday... I called to let my parents know, my son and I would be stopping by for a visit. My Mom sounded weak. ...She has four more chemo treatments... She called me back saying she wanted to go out to eat. I told her, we could just visit, we didn't need to go anywhere, she didn't need to fix a meal, just enjoy our visit together. She insisted she had to eat, either way, so, if we wanted to join them at dinner out, they would like that. My Dad picked the restaurant, his favorite bar-b-que rib house.

As we pulled up into the drive of this restaurant... I noticed several black vehicles, loaded with antennas. They looked like something out of a spy movie. I joked, "...the President must be here!" We parked right next to one of four SUV's with Washington D.C. plates. The vehicle in the center of all these SUV's was a Cadillac limo type, with the same Washington D.C. plates.

It was the Secret Service... President Bush is due to arrive in Boise, tomorrow. There were five men sitting a few tables away from us, enjoying ribs, Idaho style! Things appeared very normal, the guys looked like normal guys off the street. They weren't dressed in uniforms. They left 8 x 10 photos of the President's limo, posed in front of the White House, for all the wait staff at this restaurant.

Here's an excerpt from our local newspaper:

"Before the president even sets foot in Idaho, an advance team of Secret Service will have walked every possible step Bush might take while he's here.

"They scout everything out so there are no surprises," said Ken Walsh, chief White House correspondent for U.S. News and World Report.

And then there are the image people who will determine where the president should stand and where TV and newspaper photographers will film so that Bush appears in the most photogenic light possible.

The Secret Service will bring its "war wagon," a van or SUV loaded with weapons and communications equipment. Close to Bush at all times will be the "football" -- the package of top-secret nuclear launch codes.

On Monday, the president and some reporters will fly into Boise from Salt Lake City, where Bush is scheduled to speak at the Veterans of Foreign Wars conference. Other reporters will charter a plane. A U.S. Air Force cargo plane will bring at least two limousines (one real, one decoy), and other planes will be used if needed to carry Secret Service vehicles, staff and other equipment, possibly including Marine One, the presidential helicopter that will likely take Bush to Donnelly because no airport near there can hanndle a cargo plane or Air Force One."


Just west of Donnelly, Idaho... The mountains of Idaho are absolutely gorgeous. The president will be staying at one of Idaho's newest resorts, Tamarack, on the Cascade Reservior.

The news is reporting that the president will be enjoying a couple of private days in the mountains to ride his mountain bike along the many trails at Tamarack.

Maybe this will be the next generation of Secret Service employees? Aren't they cute? Tamarack has miles of mountain bike trails.

I do hope the president has a good visit, here in Idaho. We have some of the most spectacular sunsets, I hope he gets to see one. By the way, I didn't vote for him, either time.

On another note... I called my daughter to wish her a Happy Birthday, and she answered the phone on the first ring! I about fell over in my seat!

She has rejected most every call I've made to her since Christmas. I didn't expect her to pick up the phone.

We didn't talk long, but she told me she was in Victorica, British Columbia, Canada, with her boyfriend. They took a ferry from Seattle for her birthday. I could hear the breeze in her phone, she said she was sitting on a park bench, listening to church bells ringing. She couldn't see a church, but the bells were beautiful. I asked her to take lots of photos and send some home, she said she would. I let her go, I didn't want to overstay my welcome.

Today... was a good day! I had dinner out with my parents and my son. I was able to talk with my daughter for a few minutes. I feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Baby steps in the right direction. Life is good.
Secret Service and Tamarack photos were copied from their perspective websites.