Shortly after breakfast, Jason and Griffin discover a buffalo pie in the side yard. Huh. BW finds, by the fence, a hunk of shedded buffalo fur. Apparently somebody got out of a pasture and came visiting during the night.
I’m kind of disappointed I didn’t happen to glance out the window and spot him—or her.
We head out to Missoula on as perfect a day as we can ask for. And such a lovely drive—hills and mountains, the fields—a whole field of white daisies! The river, the ranches.
And when we arrive, we hit the ground running. Kat and Jason walk Griffin—in his stroller—to the park. Kat will catch up with us. BW lasts through the first store—where I bag five Christmas presents, and part way through the second.
He heads to the park, Kat joins Kayla and me. Souvenirs! Bandannas are on our list, but we don’t see what we like, and move on with loaded bags. Kat’s spotted a rock shop so we aim there. But pause to browse as we’re girls with no men to sigh or check watches.
Hit a most excellent shop and just what I’m hoping for to find Christmas gifts for the rest of my circle of women. Mother lode! This is very lucky and exactly right. And I have two girls to consult on my selections. Does this look like you know who? How about this for so-and-so?
As I’m fortunate to have a pretty wide circle, I believe I made the shopkeeper’s day. But she and her store made mine. I love everything I bought, and think we chose very well.
It’s lovely to walk in the sun in a city with such good vibes. But nothing compares to the vibes in the rock shop. Oh boy, oh boy. I see an amethyst tower that calls to me, then a fluorite. It’s magic, and obviously waited just for me.
Everything feels good in here. Kayla picks out a couple rocks to take with her to college, and I can’t resist a couple more.
Left very satisfied.
A little more hunting for bandannas with no luck. A stop in another store. Wooden spoons. I’m weak for wooden spoons, so I’ll take one home from Montana—as well as a birthday gift for a pal.
We start backtracking, and Kat texts Jason that we’re on our way to Biga’s for pizza.
The pizza’s so good here, and the staff is so friendly. Don’t miss Biga’s if you’re ever in Missoula! Just as we’re settling into our booth, stowing our bags, Jason and Griffin arrive—and so does a bee that stings Kat on the hand. Ouch!
While she pulls out tweezers—because of course she has tweezers—to pull out the stinger, I go to the counter and ask for a little baking soda. Make a poultice for the wounded.
BW arrives—he’d wandered to another section of the park for live music—and SURFING in the river. He has a video, and we’re all amazed and impressed.
Surfing on a river!
Kayla has her first Italian soda—bet it won’t be her last. One of the counter guys brings out a little dish of berries and mandarin orange slices in case Griffin wants some. So sweet! And he goes right for an orange slice.
Pizza time!
We’re all hungry after our various pursuits, and eat well. Still some leftovers to take home, so good for us!
In short order the big van from Paw’s Up comes to get us.
Climb in, load up.
I haven’t had any trouble with motion or car sickness in the vans or the car so far. But for whatever reason, this ride back is really bumpy. Even on the highway, the van vibrates—feels like a train in constant motion and never smooths out.
Jason ends up queasy. I end up VERY queasy. No bueno!
Finally back home, and I’m pretty damn car sick. The ground under me and the air don’t help, so give it up, lie down.
I—thank you, Jesus—go out for a solid hour.
Better, not all the way, but better. Have a stroll out to where Jason, Kat and Griffin are enjoying the back yard. Hang a bit, then walk around the house. And I report back that besides the pile of buffalo poop Jason spotted that morning, there are seven more.
I decide to track the journey of our bovine visitor. I see where BW found the large hunk of fur—we figured it itched, and he rubbed against the fence. Then I spot a smaller clump of fur. And follow the trail of pies around the yard to the last—the first one Jason saw.
I don’t know how much buffalos poop, but feel he spent some time grazing in the front yard. Hopefully, he’s back with his pals in the pasture.
We’re all wiped from the day and opt for room service. I’m not up to actual food though much, much better. I try a trick from childhood and eat half a lemon (Kayla is amazed). It still works!
But the lemon and a few salty chips are all I want to risk.
Kayla wants a Hearts rematch, so after an abbreviated Daddy Dance—it’s way after bedtime—we get down to it.
The match goes twelve hands—a short one. This may be because I took the Queen eight times in twelve rounds. Eight. Except the final hand where I had a stunning running hand, but just couldn’t finesse her.
And Kayla regains her crown.
This morning BW, Jason and Kayla are off early for a 3 1/2 hour ATV ride. A good day for it, and they have left-over pizza with them for a snack when they stop back at Garnet.
Workout done, some writing coming up. Then this afternoon, the ladies are doing a jewelry making class. Fun!
Oh, and just to add to Kat’s skills? I’m doing my core segment on my mat and spot a wasp on the ceiling. Mention this.
After I’m done, she pulls over a chair—as wasp is now on the ceiling fan. Armed with a big water bottle and a piece of paper, she climbs up, captures the wasp—in like a second—climbs down and takes the bottled wasp outside to release.
When the Walking Dead come, we’re in good hands with Kat.
Nora
What a fun day again. Wonder if you would rent the same house or opt for one with a stove? You are al managing well with winging the cooking with a hotplate. With all your shopping sure wish I was a part of your circle. Hahahah Sure everyone will love everything, I also have a wooden spoon thing. Happy for you all on a great vacation.
I bet Kat also has a fold-up machete and a fire extinguisher in her endless bag of tricks! Is there any disaster, natural or otherwise, that she isn’t equipped to fight? Color me impressed. Call her a mountain woman because Catskills. Kat’s skills! Pun intended. Seeing a bison up close would probably delight Griffin. That age knows no fear, just curiosity.
Good job on knocking out some gift shopping. Come the holidays, you will be well-prepared.
In case you can’t tell, your readers are vacationing vicariously through your travelogues. Where are “we” off to next?
Suffered motion sickness my whole life (turns out I have Meniere’s Disease) so I sympathize. I have to take Dramamine whenever I travel.
My Christmas shopping will be completed in mid-July. The family gets Hallmark Christmas ornaments which is a family tradition. A few friends will get lap robes, either quilted or crocheted.
The spot on the river for surfing is called Brennan’s Wave ☺
Great trip and memories. Such fun times. Thank you Nora and Laura.
So sorry you were hit with that car sickness. But the shopping trip sounds like so much fun. Definitely need Kat for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Biga Pizza in Missoula is featured in Come Sundown”, correct? So far its my all time favorite book and I’ve read it three times. Really enjoy learning about Montana.
i love shopping only when on vacation, otherwise it’s all online. it’s all the memories of the trip they bring back. But i don’t get how Kat got the wasp in the bottle w/just a piece of paper!! what a handy girl to have around.
So sorry for the motion sickness. I had to take some today on our travels as well. No fun.
This is my first time posting on the blog and I must say, I love how you write the blog. I can ‘hear’ the sarcasm, the snark, the love.
What a wonderful day! Don’t believe I could have left the crystal shop as I am a fanatic collector of stones, towers, clusters and jewelry…
Continued good weather for the rest of your vacation❤️❤️
What fun!
Your Kat is a pure genius!
I have a Kat, as well…. Kat(hleen). She’s more of the caring, empathetic type than I am.
Glad you all are having a great time.
Keep posting!
I’m so happy you all are having a great time. Motion sickness is awful!!! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.
I need a Kat in my life! Share?
Silly thing… but try the wrist bands (found at CVS) works wonders!!!
Been there, done that. No good for me. Sadly.
How about ginger? There are ginger chews or ginger tea???
You have my sympathy with the motion sickness, I have suffered with it all my life too. Soda water is my go to for the queasy feeling. I must try the lemon!
I would love to visit that “rick” shop, I would probably spend a fortune!
Is it Clark fork river will be W spotted the surfers?
Try the “bug bite thing” seen on Shark Tank for stings and bites of any kind…a vacuum of sorts with no chemicals, etc.
Nora, I love reading your daily stories and seeing you all together, it’s so sweet. ❤ I also love Kat’s multi-purpose kitchen tool…it’s my kind of tool. Thank you for sharing, it means a lot!
Loving your travel blog and photos, Nora. Feel like I am on the trip with y’all. I would love to go to Montana after reading about everything snd seeing the beautiful scenic photos.
Kat is pretty awesome! Love your family. You are very blessed with such a wonderful family.
Thank you for sharing your vacation with us!
I’d be tempted to take that multi-tool home with me! Well done. Sounds like a very productive day and now I want pizza – yum. I had to shiver, seeing the surfing. Those mountain streams are COLD. You really have to want to surf, there. My brother suffered from motion sickness and mom found the miracle of Dramamine for him, which also knocked him out for hours. Since he took his job as annoying brother very seriously, my sister and I wanted him dosed constantly, whether in the car or not 😉 . I waiting for Kat to make some kind of hanging out of the shedding from the bison. I’d have to be dragged out of the rock shop – just love them. Glad you had a (mostly) good day!
Thanks again for you and Laura sharing your vactions with us. You said that you have been working some while on vacation can you tell us a little of what you are working on? I have had motion sickness most of my life . The only thing that helps me is either driving or riding “Shotgun”.
If I ever read a character with Kat’s traits & accomplishments-will know isn’t embellished or made up.
Sounds like another great vacation day. It’s been several years since I’ve been in Missoula, but I remember finding dome wonderful gifts. The pictures are great as always. Kat is definitely the one to be with during any apocalypse!
Sorry about the motion sickness! But you are a trooper. As is Kat..gets stung and then captures a wasp and releases it…my heroine! Great family vibes and love the pics by BW. Don’t want this trip to end!❤️
After she got sting too?
I would’ve nope-d right out of there.
We had a wasp building a small nest on our porch last week and I bundled up in my winter coat, hat, gloves, thick sweatpants, and my mask just to get rid of it. It was 1 wasp and I was 10 feet away with a hose. Lol
The shop where you hit the mother lode sounds like the one in Hurry Sundown. What fun!.