Ps...The Yankees Do Not Suck!

Thursday afternoon consisted of beating the hell out of the chairs that I bought so that I could distress them with paint. Thursday night I wanted to watch the Yankees/Baltimore game, so I finally showered for the first time in 4 days and went into town with Teake. He did laundry and I went to a restaurant that had the game on. The evening was going well as I enjoyed a delicious meal. On the top of the 8th inning, when the game was tied 7-7, a local couple in their 60's bellied up to the bar. Three minutes later, all the TVs changed as the A's were to begin their game. I asked the bartender if there were seriously going to change the station, and he apologized profusely as he said, "Yes."

The older couple was totally amused by question and muttered, "Yankees Suck." I ignored them politely and kindly reminded the bartender that I had asked if I could watch the game when I initially arrived.  I ordered food and a couple of beers. I was told that the couple were die hard A fans as is everyone in Guerneville, and that they had priority. Did I mention it was 7-7 in the 8th? I quickly paid my bill and hustled to another spot that he recommended. As I left, the couple yelled, "Go A's. Yankees Suck!" An hour later when I called Teake to pick me up and was walking to the corner of Main and River Road, the couple saw me and stepped out onto the sidewalk to harass me with continued chorus of "go back to the East Coast" and of course, "Yankees suck." So much for the laid back welcoming attitude of Guerneville.

You Can Take the Mom Out of Sioux Falls, but She is Always a Mom

The week slipped by too quickly.  It was four days of creating a nest for Teake that will comfort him yet encourage him to fly. Since we got in late, we got going on Tuesday a bit late too.  It was a day of shopping in Santa Rose which is about 15 minutes from Guerneville. As lovely as the apartment is, it needed a few things. Hitting the thrift stores proved productive as we found a new rug for the living room along with some funky barrel chairs from the 50's. I also purchased some fabrics for curtains, kitschy items for ambience, and necessities for the kitchen and bathroom.

The final stop was Trader Joe's. Oh, why does Sioux Falls not have a Trader Joes's? Someday I shall write a sonnet or love letter in ode to TJ. The first time we met, in NYC's Union Square, it was love at first sight...and smell...and taste. Amidst the free range chicken breasts, pesticide-free produce, a cheese selection of dreams and an aisle dedicated to Two Buck Chuck, I knew that I was ruined. I have feasted on mozzarella and basil (which I pluck off the actual basil plant I purchased for $2.50) grilled cheese and fired red pepper soup every lunch since.

Wednesday, I got up and walked the tree canopied road into town.  Teake lives on the banks of the Russian River, which has been described as the Apple River of Northern California. As it is now approaching the rainy season, the town is a bit sleepy, but from all accounts it is THE place to be on hot summer days to drift, swim and play in the water. It is probably not the best time to move here as the off-season means jobs are thin, but when the time is right for you the world will just have to adjust.  It is the right time for Teake,

I immediately found the town's thrift store.  It is ran by the lovely Andrea. I was there a full ten minutes when I realized that she is the hub of the homeless community. From underwear and clothes to special trinkets, she takes care of the less fortunate. The shop was busy with tourists, yet she was helping a man find new pants as he had soiled his. I watched for a while and then asked if she needed any help. She looked at me a bit oddly, and then I explained that I was on no real schedule, and it seemed as if she could use an extra pair of hands. I spent the next couple of hours cleaning and arranging the garage that housed the larger furniture items. I was assisted by Howard, a man who has  obviously lived a challenging life. He was excited by name as he had Kimberly tattooed across his chest - yes, he showed me. He told me that he was lucky because after his wife divorced him, he found another Kimberly as his second wife. Howard's thin face is outlined with years of substance abuse, but he works diligently as a disciple if Andrea. As I left for the day, she was helping Howard find pants that would fit as he had a lead on a job. I worked there for two days, and she graciously gave me an electric tea kettle, a toaster oven and some fabric for my reupholstered projects. It was a win win.

I wanted to teach Teake how to make the belt chairs that I have been selling in Sioux Falls. It is a great way to make a couple of bucks and keep busy in the evenings. As I was enjoying a taco from the food truck, I struck up a conversations with another local. I asked about where I could find a used bike.  He directed me to Tom who has a little bit of everything located behind the Safeway.

To describe Tom's "business" as an eclectic junkyard would be romantically generous. I was in heaven. He has a sign that says, "Don't you dare call this junk. it is a museum." My total ended up being 5 chairs, 1 lamp, 1 table, &over 70 belts for $55. All the items are in need of desperate repair, but the prospect of upcycling and resale is totally there. I plan on finishing all the items by Monday, placing them on Craigslist and leaving Teake with a bit of probable income and a skill that has artistic and monetary return.

Thursday morning I walked into town and went to the Chamber of Commerce asking if there was a seamstress in town. I had found a woman online who I had called, but I could not figure out her address.  It turned out that she was 4 miles up the road. What I loved about her ad was the description of location, "located in the Quonset hut and labeled Door B." When I called, she said that if I could come immediately, she could help me as the cafe was not yet busy, and she did not have a dog grooming appointment until the afternoon. I am not making this up. Suzy's Sewing in the quansett hut was just part of her business Mecca. The rest of the hut was dedicated to her restaurant

The women at the Chamber directed me to Bonnie a local upholster who specializes in road vehicles and boats.  I walked the mile to her storefront and had a ball! She and her assistant Cindy, put me in front of an industrial machine and let me work. They told me stories about the local flair - when they were not taking smoke breaks every 7.5 minutes - and laughed generously.  When I completed end curtains, Bonnie asked me if I would consider working with them in drapery.  I told her as much as I appreciated the compliment, my standard of "it's good enough for a town this size" would certainly not measure up to her reputation and skills. Teake's curtains do look mighty good if I do say so myself, and at the price of $3.50 for the material, it was a bargain.  The bonus was the friendship and laughter of Bonnie and Cindy

Teake' New Address - 14977 Melody Avenue, Guerneville, CA

Boise and My Best Friend

I write this as we are on the last leg of our journey.

We arrived in Boise, ID to the open arms and home of Julia and Tom Bennett. Julia and I picked up immediately where we left off by snuggling, sharing a bottle of wine and watching Law and Order. This was our Sunday night ritual for all the years we were neighbors and besties in Sioux Falls. She is my true Soul Sistah.

The morning included a breakfast that a well intentioned Tom attempted, but after a mishap with the hash browns, Teake took over.  Tom makes a much better barista. Their  kitchen window has a beautiful view of the mountains. A slow morning around a table with people I love full of rich conversation and delicious scrambled hash is the perfect way to begin a day.

Teake and Tom headed to a sports bar to catch football. As Julia is now officially back into the business of higher education after a 2 year reprieve, she needed to do a little clothes shopping. When she said we were going to the mall, I immediately got dry mouth and started to sweat. I do not do malls. I haven't been in the Sioux Falls Empire Mall in years. It is all too much of the same thing. The clothes all look alike; the women all seem to have that haircut that is longer in the front but pointy and short in the back; the lighting makes everyone look jaundiced; it is a blur of banality. So, I suggested we stop at a thrift store on our way.

I love thrift. In a thrift store you get to create your style not have The
Gap or Macy's tell you what it is. For $65 Julia got 1 dress, 2 dresses, 2 pairs of boots, 2 sweaters, pjs and some housing decorative items. Some of it high end designs and all of it super cute. As I am on the road and need to travel light, I bought Teake a couple shirts. The real deal was that by the time we were done, Jules was too tired to go to the mall.

We met up with Teake, Tom and Marie, a former student of mine and a dear friend to both the Bartling and Bennett Families. It was a fun afternoon of food and football. We ended day helping Julia unpack their art.  They have been in their new home since June and have been busy making it theirs with flooring and paint. It is a great mid-century home with many cool quirks, and since quirky would also describe Julia, it is perfect for them.

It was hard to leave her. Her absence has been some of the reason that I have felt lost these last few years. She is my greatest confidant, my cheerleader, my teacher, my witch doctor, my business partner and my best friend.  

Leaving South Dakota

Casper, Wyoming 

Clint Thomas' Front Yard

Guerneville, Ca

The Russian River - Teake's Front Yard

Sophistication in Wyoming

After weathering a couple storms on our first night of travel -one including actual snow - we arrived to the warmth of Clint Thomas' hospitality and home.

I have been blessed by Clint for many years.  Not only did he star as the lead in the USF musicals Bye Bye Birdie,  Damn Yankees, Crazy for You & Seussical the Musical, his presence on and off the stage was one of extraordinary sophistication. In the dictionary, the first definition of "sophistication" is "uplifting enlightenment." That phrase epitomizes Clint. From the first time I met him at an audition, to last night sitting in his cozy living room, Clint has this amazing way of lifting you closer to God and enlightening you as to how you can better serve as Christ did.

As Teake and I travel away Casper on Wyoming Highway 220, we feel humbled. The geography is not lost on us. We agree we are so small against the mystery of the God's world. Also, we agree that we grow when in the light of people like Clint Thomas. He shines as a beacon of truth and the exudes the warmth of faith. Like my friends, Bob Young, Roger Fredrikson, Kirby Wilcoxson, Rachel Olsen, Rebekah Merriman, Brenda Paulson, Dennis Thum, and Karen Sumner, Clint Thomas makes you a better everything in his presence.

Go West Young Man

Well, in perfect Bartling fashion, we got off to a bit of a late start. Teake's plan included us leaving sometime between 12 and 1. So, for us, 3:30 isn't so bad.

We had not even gotten off Minnesota Avenue before I was told what's what and how this was all going to go down.  Evidently, three unsolicited pieces of advice was two too many for less than one mile of road time. I used the, "But, I am your mom, and if I don't remind you who will?" He was having none of it. The great thing about Teake and me is that we have it out, and then we are done.  I reminded myself to put a cap on the "mom tongue" and he immediately started another conversation by making fun of me.

Here we go, packed up like the Clampetts, we have "loaded up the truck" and are heading to California. I tried to create new lyrics to the Beverly Hillbilly song inserting our own names and story, but when I asked Teake to join in, he said he had never seen the BH nor did he know their theme song.  I have failed as a mother.

I thought it would be a swell idea to stop and give a moment to all the South Dakota landmarks along the way. You know, remind us of our roots, appreciate the state's nuances and bid adieu. Unfortunately, when he refused to take a swing through Mitchell to view the Palace of Corn, I knew all grand illusions of soaking up prairie nostalgia were to be broken dreams.

Al's Oasis did call us in a like a siren of the plains. "Come, sit, eat a buffet, buy bad Native American kitsch!" United, we defied the temptation of cheap coffee, delicious pie and an absolutely perfect hat for my next trip for Belize. However, since I have been limited to two small carry-on bags and a purse for 3 weeks and coast to coast travel, I resisted the urge to purchase in lieu of traveling light.  Another tank of gas and a Kimball popcorn ball will tie us of til Rapid.

Why is it that I always am reminded of the majesty of South Dakota's geography each time I cross the Missouri? Spoiled must be the word.  I take the beauty of the flat fields and the breathtaking sunsets for granted. Yet, there is the paradox of tradition and ephemera each time the vehicle comes over the Chamberlain cliff. I reediscover the river is sill there yet the view is even more beautiful this time.

Teake and I pass the time sharing ear buds listening to his favorite tunes from The Band, Ray Charles, Cat Stevens and Al Greene. Between learning to walk and talk, I remember him making verbals for me to play Zepplin's Black Dog over and over.  He would bounce, hum and clap; he so badly wanted to let go of the chair and move independently to the beat. The only other option he would tolerate was War's Low Rider. I knew he was my old soul at 16 months. Here we are, 21 years later. Now we are holding on to each other as he takes his next nervous - yet excited - steps toward his new life in California.