Our mini-reunion continued once my sister and her husband arrived. Three sisters together! Our brother wasn’t able to join us due to work and school schedules, but he thoughtfully sent an enormous basket of goodies for our enjoyment. What a nice brother! It was delicious.

We were able to get just inside the Glacier National Park west entrance, but not much farther due to road closures. I got my National Park Passport stamp at the Apgar visitor center, but the smoky conditions soon drove us out to cleaner air and other pursuits.

The boys did some fishing on the lake, catching delicious whitefish and lake trout. The girls browsed local shops and chatted. We caught a movie (Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again) and chowed on brick oven pizza. We went to the Bigfork Summer Playhouse and giggled through their production of “All Shook Up”. My sister baked a triple batch of her famous dinner rolls, some of which are in my freezer for future enjoyment!

Another day we visited the Conrad Mansion Museum, a 1895 stately historic home built by Kalispell founder Charles Conrad. The home passed to Charles’ youngest daughter which was, according to the tour guide, “something of a hoarder”. She kept EVERYTHING, all of her parent’s stuff, all of her stuff, and more stuff besides. The hoarder-house got so bad, she ended up living on the overgrown grounds in a trailer. In the 1970’s she tried to sell the home with no success, and ultimately donated it to the City to use as a museum. A beneficial side effect of her hoarding meant that most of the original furnishings and décor (even the receipts of their purchase) remained for museum display. It was a fascinating tour and a really beautiful home.

Mostly, though, we enjoyed great cooking, great wine, and great conversation at my sister’s beautiful lake home. We simply enjoyed our time together. I am so grateful to be part of a family of siblings who actually like each other and who plan vacations to see one another. We are blessed.

Now we move on to Yellowstone National Park and more fun with friends!