sweet 16

July 3rd.  16 years ago around this day Jackie, Andrew and I drove into Big Sky for the very first time. We were looking for a place to live, wanting to move out of L.A. and that's about all we had planned out.  On July 3rd, 1993 it snowed 3 inches  and was darn cold.  It was Andrew's very first snowstorm.    And somehow, though not intentionally we ended up here to live.  On this particular 3rd of July, 16 years later, Jackie and Andrew are in a rural area of Kenya, the Khwisero District helping build wells and connecting with the children of the area. I worked from 9 -5 helping run our grocery store and took care of Micah and Howie.

Yesterday I had someone flip me off.  I was running which is what I usually do when I am working, somehow ended up at the register.  A tall broad man, looking down, asked if we had any snuff. I replied, "Unfortunately for you, we do." and pointed to the rack of tins of chew.  "Sweet," he said I will have a can of Grizzly."  I asked, "red or green?"  He said red, I sold it to him, making change from a twenty, said, "Thank you. Have a nice day."  Then, looking at Crystal, I spouted out instructions as I had to run home and get my kids.  As I walked out the store I heard the guy say to his friend, "That guy was rude."  Then seeing me he looked up  and giving me the elbow to elbow flip off  yelled, " Dude, you're an asshole!"  

I guess my reputation is still in tact.

That was yesterday, so today I made a more concerted effort when I was up front at the cash register or in the deli at the cash register dealing mostly with customers I didn't know, and some that I did, to be as nice and sweet and smile as much as possible.  It was busy today, between customers and the trucks of deliveries, July 4th week is finally here, though not as busy as years past, but busy just the same.

Margy took Micah and Howie to the fishing clinic at the Crail Creek Cabin and then brought them to the store for me at 1:15.  Denise called cause Jackson was looking for Howie, and Micah and I had to drive back home so he could pack a bag to go to Canyon Ferry with his buddy Cooper for the weekend.  In the meantime Howie worked another 2 hours - he's raking in the money - before Denise came to pick him up.  And then I just worked .  I helped take out cardboard, put away produce, I helped with the produce order, the bread order, I helped put the groceries away, I helped carry everything in from the truck, I did a gift basket delivery, I socialized with the customers, I flirted with the certain customers, classic back and forth with an unnamed favorite, like a tennis match.

"You better never say something like that if my husband were around."

"No way, I know he would beat the shit out of me, he rides a motorcycle."

 "your son is texting with my daughter" 

"Well, I told him to only go for the ones with money. "

"you are terrible!" and she walked out disgusted with me.

The day went well, the weather was ugly but miracuously cleared to beautiful skies and views of Ramshorn Peak with white and gray clouds and a pink evening sky.  My next door neighbors had a bocce ball party which I was invited to and had an absolute blast.  Katie and I won both our games, but the tournament was cut short by darkness.  and cold, but thankfully it only rained for a brief few minutes,

Neighbor Mike was playing this ring toss game which I'm not sure I can describe - a hook on the wall and a pendulum you swing back and forth and try to hook onto the hook.  I didn't get a chance to try but was very impressed when I saw Mike hook one.  All of a sudden mostly everybody left and then a few of us went to the Half Moon for dancing and poker.  I was there with my neighbor Chris dancing up a storm, while a couple of the guys played poker.  The band was pretty good and very fun to dance to and Chris was very fun to dance with.

Now it is past 2 am and I'm writing this to help wind down.  There were so many different Big Sky friends at the party, I had many different conversations all night long.  The dogs went in and out of our house and their house and when the fireworks started I came and checked on the dogs,  Murray was sitting on the porch wanting in and Buddy I had to go look for, he was sitting under a chair in Chris' living room.  Chris insisted I leave him there so I did for awhile and then more fireworks went off and I found him in their pantry so I picked him up and took him home so he could relax a little bit.  All in all another successful "outing" for Buddy.

So somehow I ended up at the Half Moon without any money or id or anything,  waiting for Christian to win at poker so we could go home.  I saw people from all walks of my life, but for the most part I would have to say I knew only maybe 20% of the people.  ACL therapy, customers, people I just know, their kids, it's good to get out and check out a scene that happens all the time, but is not on my radar.  Coyotes howl.