10/26/18

Gathering Graces 10/25/2018


*After teaching three classes in the morning, I was picked up by Stephanie Bauman Broaddus, and we started our road trip across Montana with our fina destination as Glendive, Montana, where I lived the first six years after I graduated from college.
*The last time I was in Glendive was in 1998 or 1999. (I can’t quite remember!!)  We took a family trip there during the summer.
*I really enjoy the beauty of driving across Montana.  The Bitteroots of Western Montana, the Continental Divide near Butte, the craggy mountains around Bozeman and Central Montana, then the gradual change of landscape as the land gets flatter and the badlands start appearing as you drive through Billings and get into Eastern Montana. 
*We stopped in Bozeman for lunch at The Naked Noodle,  a favorite place Stephanie likes to stop in downtown Bozeman.  It is a favorite of her daughter Jamie’s, too.  So much so that she got an order to go to take it to Jamie.  I really enjoyed my Green Curry noodle dish.




*Jamie is why we are making this trip to Glendive.  For the past few years, Jamie has been an English teacher at Dawson County High School in Glendive.  A while back Stephanie mentioned she wanted to go visit Jamie there, I said I would love to drive over with her, and a plan was formulated. 
*As we got closer to Glendive, the memories started flooding back.  Billings pretty much looked the same from the highway.  Then we got to Terry, and there was Bad Route Road, Whoopup Creek Road, then we exited into Glendive.  Some things look a bit different, but other look very much the same.  It was just turning dark when we arrived, so I am look forward to driving around tomorrow, and really take a trip down memory lane.
*We found Jamie’s house and greeted her and her partner Liz Determan, as well as their wonderful dog and two cats.  We had a wonderful visit and it was great to see them both.
*Jamie wanted us to see DCHS, so we attended a choir concert in their beautiful auditorium.  It brought back memories of Paul and I performing in the Fractured Follies for two different years, a fund-raiser the local hospital used to do to raise money.  I also remember the DCHS Drama production of Oliver that Paul helped direct that was phenomenal!!




*After the concert we went up to Jamie’s classroom and it was interesting being in the halls of DCHS.  Paul taught English at DCHS one year we lived in Glendive, and I wish I could remember the room he had.  Maybe it was the same one Jamie teaches in today!  Wouldn’t that be funny! 




*After the concert we went to a local eating establishment, The Yellowstone River Inn and ate a late dinner.  There was a table of DCHS choir students there who Jamie couldn’t say enough wonderful things about.  It is so obvious she loves her job and loves her students.
*Then Stephanie and I made our was to the local LaQuita Inn and Suites to check in and get a good night’s sleep so we can have many more adventures tomorrow!!

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