Sunday, August 21, 2005

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.


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

YAY! Baby steps. I'm so glad she answered. ~Sie
Comment from sieblonde - 8/21/05 8:29 PM

Anonymous said...

I love her eyes..she is beautiful..I am glad you called. She will come around. Don't give up on her..
Comment from redpoppy007 - 8/21/05 8:55 PM

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your father! The President? Wow, awesome! Also, I too am glad your daughter picked up her phone. Baby steps are good.

Ari
Comment from mechants - 8/21/05 9:01 PM

Anonymous said...

you've got a very nice looking dad there, happy birthday to him! and my oh my, your daughter is so very beautiful, could be a movie star! i'm happy for you that you got to talk with her!
Comment from rollinghillsides - 8/21/05 9:12 PM

Anonymous said...

It looks like you live in an incredible place.
http://journals.aol.com/oceanmrc/MidlifeMatters/
Comment from oceanmrc - 8/21/05 10:20 PM

Anonymous said...

Well, Happy Birthday to your Dad, great photo BTW. I went and visited my Dad yesterday and we had hotdogs and mac salad and they had a surprise B-day cake for me! I hope you re-connect with your daughter. I think the older they get, the more they start to appreciate what their parents have done for them. I know it happened for me.... Linda
http://journals.aol.com/naturegirlfromny/Atthebaseofthemountains
Comment from naturegirlfromny - 8/22/05 3:55 AM

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to your Pop! And very interesting about the president. I didn't know about press placement and the secret service scouting missions before.
Comment from ryanagi - 8/22/05 9:09 AM

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your Dad and daughter! Idaho is beautiful! I am glad that you and your daughter had a decent conversation. Daughters are weird species but they love us...
Comment from dcmeyer420 - 8/22/05 12:57 PM

Anonymous said...

Great pictures! Happy Birthday to your dad.
When the president came to town the traffic was horrible! Streets blocked off with no way to turn around. Terrible.
I am so glad that you got to talk to your daughter. She is a very pretty girl.

Kathy
Comment from onestrangecat - 8/22/05 3:42 PM

Anonymous said...

Great pictures & tell your daughter next time you do talk to her that we all think she is beautiful! I love the pictures of the mountains...man I want to come there! The boys are just so adorable...you just want to have one! Ha! Your dad looks like quite a character. I hope you mom does better she is in my prayers. I love the fact that they tell everyone they have a decoy car! Ha! How are they going to secure all that mountainous region while he is there?

http://journals.aol.com/psychfun/MeThinksTooMuch/
Psychfun
Comment from psychfun - 8/22/05 10:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Wow~what a full day. Isn't that great how you got to talk to your daughter?! YAY!
She is just a doll in that photo. Happy BDay to your Dad & hope Mom is feeling a lil better. What excitement with Bush visiting and all. The mountians of Idaho are really beautiful as are your photos of them! Sassy :-)

http://journals.aol.com/SassyDee50/SassysEYE
Comment from debbted - 8/23/05 8:51 PM

Anonymous said...

wonderful shots, I especially love the one of your dad, I love those hats, My Papa used to wear them. The one of your daughter is beautiful as well. They are all wonderful.

Derek
http://journals.aol.com/deveil/PictureoftheDay
Comment from deveil - 8/26/05 1:42 PM

Anonymous said...

oh and that sunset was just dreamy!

Derek
Comment from deveil - 8/26/05 1:54 PM

Anonymous said...

Your Dad sure picked an interesting place to eat, lol!

Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
Comment from fisherkristina - 8/28/05 12:45 PM

Anonymous said...

What great photos! The one of your father is wonderful.Your daughter is beautiful and she looks like her grandfather too!I am glad she answered your call.You will have her back one day,shes just doing a bit of growing up and finding herself.She will understand it all one day when she becomes a Mum herself.Best Wishes!
Comment from thefaircolleen - 8/31/05 1:55 AM

Anonymous said...

Gotta love that sunset.

Take Care,

Gabreael

http://journals.aol.com/gabreaelinfo/GabreaelsBodyMindSpiritJournal/
Comment from gabreaelinfo - 9/5/05 6:00 PM

Anonymous said...

It was strange having all those helicopters cruizing overhead of our city wasn't it!! I'm so glad you got to talk to your daughter. Take care you!
Rebecca
http://journals.aol.com/justaname4me2/InTheShadowOfTheIris/
Comment from justaname4me2 - 9/8/05 11:01 AM

Anonymous said...

love all the photos, your daughter is so pretty...Happy belated birthday to her and congrats to you, you raised a wonderful girl :-)

~ www.jerseygirljournal.com
Comment from cneinhorn - 9/16/05 2:50 PM

Anonymous said...

Your daughter is a very beautiful girl. It is hard when they grow up. My oldest is 23 and doesn't always make the right choices. But I love her through & through. She's made some mistakes, like taking off at 18 to the beach with a stranger, I've never been so panicked in my entire life. I didn;t know what would happen. But we got her back home safe. She's never spoke about what happened there, and I don't pressure her. I just let her know that I love her. Sometimes our kids are just more independent then we'd like them to be and that is hard when your the mom. I read your previous entry too, and it sounds like we followed pretty much the same path. Hang in there. Let's just hope it gets better!
Comment from levi1023 - 9/19/05 10:52 PM