I'm Goin' to Jackson

Laughter, dinner, tea

Five hours south on the foggy, darkening I-95 and we were safe at Grandma Emi's house in Parma, Idaho. Our yellow-green room burst with a rainbow of Beanie Babies who cheered our arrival with promotional T-shirts and enthusiastic gestures.

Our visit to Parma began innocently enough. Dan went for his morning run. Kim slept in. Birds sang in the garden outside our window. Blackberries swelled on their vines. Uncle Duane invited us over for breakfast.

By 10:30 we were eating thick slabs of bacon, juicy breakfast sausages, fluffy fist-sized biscuits soaked in creamy white gravy, perfectly crispy hashbrowns, and slurping it all down with mugs of strong dark coffee. Evil, wonderful Uncle Duane and his delicious belt-expanding food.

The shape of our bodies began to change almost instantly.

As you might imagine, the rest of the day was spent laying on couches, moaning and rubbing our bellies relaxedly.


Japanese Words

By dinner, Grandma Emi was cooking yummy food fried in copious amounts of oil and in the following days Uncle Duane took us out to fancy steakhouses, Mexican food, and Italian.

We grew.

One clear afternoon, Duane took Dan to the hills outside of town for some target practice. Dan put on his army hat. Duane brought a shotgun, a Glock, a 44 Magnum Dirty Harry gun, a Baretta, a Colt 45, an F-15 (or something like that) semiautomatic, and an assortment of flavored cigars. Dan brought along his camera and machismo. Together they snapped apart the hills of the calm high-desert foothills, the smell of gunpowder clinging to their clothes like cheap cologne.



And then, more food.

Fried rice with fried eggs and bacon and fried potatoes for breakfast. Fried tempura with fried fish for dinner. Tacos. Coffeecake. Prime rib sandwiches. Fried Eggplant. Lemon Bars. Beef Stew. Ribs. Green Jello. Heaps and heaps of Japanese white rice.

And then we made candy. Obnoxious quantities of butter and sugar boiled together until they reached the perfect temperature to create Grandma Emi's famous peanut brittle. She poured the scalding mixture onto a buttered pan, and we pulled it until the candy was paper-thin. One bite and it shatters instantaneously into sweet, crunch sugary goodness in the mouth. This, my friends, is why Dan has outrageous dental bills.

On the day that Kim heard Dan say "I don't want to leave Grandma's house... it's just so comfortable here", she knew that it was time to leave. For as magical a place that Grandma Emi's house is, Kim knew that this place is in fact the Bermuda Triangle of comfort, and that if they did not leave now, they may never escape it's cozy, restful goodness.

They packed up their bags, waddled to their cars, and pointed their headlights east toward the wilds of Colorado. They had heard of a magical land resplendent with vegetarian restaurants, yoga classes, abounding outdoor recreation, friendly folk, and a Whole Foods Market on every corner. The promised land of Boulder, CO.

But first, a stop along the way to Kim's old stomping grounds in Jackson Hole, WY. Kim's dear friend, Becca put the Danberly duo up for 3 nights in her comfy living room hide-a-bed. Becca was indeed the hostess with the mostest. She spent her days driving us around and playing tour guide. We went for a beautiful hike in Grand Teton National Park. She took us on a wildlife safari to watch the buffalo and their baby cross the road, and to hear the horny elk bugling in sexual frustration. We played board games, made popcorn, watched Batman.

And then there were the bagels. Kim had been telling Dan for years about Pearl St. Bagels... bagels so good, so perfect with their dense chewy interior, and beautifully browned, crisp crust, that she declared them the Best Bagels in the World. Now Dan, a descendant of some self-respecting Brooklyn Jews, politely listened to her descriptions of bagel ecstasy, but knew deep in his heart that no west-coast, ski-bum mountain town could ever produce bagel that would stand up to it's New York brethren, let alone take the medal for the Best Bagel in the World. And yet, and yet. With the first bite, sinking his teeth through the shatteringly crisp crunch of crust, and the plenteous amounts of everything: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, and onion on both sides (yes, my friends, top AND bottom), into the moist bagel-y insides, and the slather of cream cheese, Dan realized that Kim had been right all this time. A single, small tear fell from the corner of his eye as he finished his last bite and wiped the cream cheese and seeds from his 'stache. Those were some damn fine bagels. Needless to say we stuffed as many bagels as possible into our already-stretched stomachs, for we knew not when we would have the opportunity to indulge in them again.

After one last bagel (and some bagel sandwiches for the road), they bid Becca farewell, mounted their mighty steeds, and rode on toward destiny.

Love
Dan&Kim

Josette posted on 2008-12-30 at 6:27 am

Hi, What a great site. Mum gave us your site and we talked to her yesterday over skype. Maybe we will talk again today and see Gavin and Kaleb. It's good to see you and Kim toghether sharing all the adventures. Hope to see you both one day. Love to you both.

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Monica posted on 2008-11-19 at 12:43 am

You are going to need the yoga and vegetarian restaurants after all of that comfort food indulging! My candida is multiplying just by the thought of it! Hope you guys are well. I start nursing school in March, finally! I don't have to wait 2 years to start at the community college. I took a chance and applied to Banner's accelerated program, and after a panel interview and some essay questions, I was accepted. I am excited, but nervous. I will either be very part time at Whole Foods, or outta there! It's time for me to leave that place, everyone thought I would die there, but so wrong. I am finally moving on and it feels great! Banner is also in Loveland, Sterling, Brush, and Greely Colorado. Maybe someday......

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Mark posted on 2008-11-13 at 4:39 pm

Nice shootin Dan! I'm gonna be in Jackson in a month. You guys should take a road trip!

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brett posted on 2008-11-13 at 12:06 pm

Danberly it is so awesome to hear from you! I heard that you guys just up and left---and I thought how exciting. This whole video-blog you have has got to be so much fun. I am really enjoying each frame. The Burning Man was sweet. And that corn on the cob! Are you guys headed to Boulder?

Things have been wet and real wet here in Moscow-10 straight days of rain and clouds. Winter is knocking. I'll be in town until 12/17 and then going back to jersey for 3 weeks into the new year. I'm going to defend my research in late January.

Otherwise life is pretty routine. I'm just trying to get this school stuff done! I'm burnt.

My love.



brett

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Lisa (and Terry, Brett, Zach and Kory posted on 2008-11-11 at 10:15 pm

Hey Daniel
I know there isn't anything back here to rival the Grand Tetons, but we would sure love to see you and meet Kim. NYC is calling!!! Or Philly, Boston, etc. I can't wait to get my copy of the book that is sure to come of your travels. Love and miss you

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Simone posted on 2008-11-11 at 6:53 pm

I love how this website is written. I always smile. I was still chuckling to myself as I walked into the kitchen. You guys are the best. Have fun doing acrobatic yoga!

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Caswell & Roland posted on 2008-11-11 at 2:20 pm

Dan & Kim,

I enjoyed the slide show-Thanks!

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