Emily

Last night as we sat in the rocking chairs on the deck of the retreat center, Nancy, Emily's mother, mentioned that Emily was giving a tour of "the cabin" today.

The Maltese Cross cabin was Theodore Roosevelt's ranch house when he stayed in North Dakota. It has been moved several times but now resides permanently in Theodore Roosevelt National Park at Medora.

"I want to go on the tour," Nancy said, "but Emily thinks it would make her nervous."

After breakfast at the Cowboy Cafe in Medora, BJ and I went over to the park. I wanted to say "hi" to Emily before we left town. The ranger at the reception desk said that Emily had just started the tour.

"You can join it," she said and pointed us in the right direction.

Larry and Nancy were already with the tour, of course. And if that wasn't enough to unnerve Emily, her gooball uncle-in-law and his biking buddy showed up in the middle of it all wearing cycling clothes.

Emily is, among many other good things, a trouper. She carried on beautifully in spite of any pressure applied by her family, immediate and extended. In fact, she gave a highly informative and whimsically entertaining talk about Teddy Roosevelt, his cabin, and the influence of his time in North Dakota on his life and career.

It was a good tour. More than that, it was good to see Emily whom I care for so very much
.

Emily