Yesterday we left the lake at 7:15 AM in order to deliver Will to a Spokane testing center. He would be taking his last exam–Teaching English As A Second Language–and therefore completing his requirements for teaching in Texas. He has his basic certificate, but this is a required supplement.

It was going to be one of the hottest days of the summer, but we were armed with water bottles and a plan.

Banjo Man did not follow my plan, which was to drop off Will and then go to a nearby Starbucks for iced tea and scones before venturing to Kohl’s, etc. I had the directions and the gift cards (Amber shares her students’ gifts with me), but it was not to be. My husband wanted a cafe, which was nowhere to be found after four miles and thirty minutes of driving around and studying the GPS. We ended up parked behind a drive-thru coffee shack as we drank water and ate bad-for-us packaged “muffin tops”.

Never again, Banjo Man. From now on I’m sticking to my plans.

Then we were off to Kohl’s. I had a dress to return and Banjo Man was, as ever, in search of bargains and pants. As I asked him what size and what kind of pants he was wearing (he wanted to find the exact kind, only in a different color), he unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants down to his hips so I could see. Yes, it was a joke and meant to make me screech, but I did not think it was all that funny.

They did not have his size in gray.

Time for revenge.

The temperature was climbing steadily, so the cool quilt shop felt pretty darn wonderful. I browsed through the machines–Janome has some new fancy ones that are quite gorgeous–and fabric. I bought a buffalo panel for Will’s classroom and resisted everything else.

#proudofmyself

Banjo Man was not finished shopping, so off we went to the Spokane Valley Mall to look for shoes. Thankfully Will texted to say he was finished with his test just as his father entered the shoe department at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Lunch at Jimmy John’s! We picked up Will at Ace Hardware, across from the test center. My GPS said that Jimmy John’s was 60 feet and 3 seconds away, meaning we could walk around the building and…there it was!

The highlight of the excursion was to be the Van Gogh Experience in downtown Spokane. We had taken Nancy to the Providence convention center last May to see it and it had been absolutely fantastic. Alas, this version was not. So disappointing, like ordering a filet mignon at a restaurant and getting a Sloppy Joe instead.

Yes, I know that sounds harsh. But the tickets had been expensive and hopes were high. Will has read books on Van Gogh and collected prints of his work.

I suppose the venue was too small for the Deluxe Van Gogh package (just guessing here) and what we saw was very, very different. Worth a 200-mile trip? I think not.

It was now 103 degrees, I had a headache and Banjo Man decided to take the back road home. That was fine with us, but it did take a bit longer.

Seen along the way:

And we stopped here, hoping to see the dam.

We walked along a path and read the signs, but Will was the only one who walked the whole way down to the dam itself. He said there wasn’t much to see.

We guzzled the last of our water and headed to Sandpoint, where we would stop at Super 1 for takeout (chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, gravy and broccoli salad).

Eleven hours after we left, we were home. And so happy to be here!

So…fingers crossed that Will passed this exam. To celebrate a summer of studying being over, he slept late this morning (first time all summer) and is going camping tonight.

Life is good here at the lake.