Flexibility pays off.

I have not always been a flexible person, when it comes to plans.  It used to be that once I had an idea, or thought about how things should go, I got down-right pouty bitchy if those plans didn't work out.  Blame it on being a stuborn Taurus, or Oldest Child syndrome if you want.  The truth is, I am someone who takes great enjoyment out of planning something...I have almost as much fun planning and researching alternatives as I do executing those plan, that when one of them falls apart, I used to take it very personal.

It's something I've been working on though, and today, I saw some payoff. 

We started our Montana road trip today, with the first planned stop being in Spokane.  I figured we would roll in early afternoon and visit Spokane's River Front Park, with the worlds Largest Radio Flyer Wagon.  We would have some fun, maybe walk around some shops, and then have dinner at one of three places I had narrowed things down to.  We would then roll up to Couer D'Alene to sleep for the night. 

Ready, set, go.

It was all going fine, until I got to Spokane, and my directions led us right into a series of streets closed for Hoopsfest, 'The World's Largest 3 on 3 Tournament', which might explain the lack of available hotels in Spokane that caused us to sleep in Couer D'Alene for the night. 

You see though...unlike other times, I had an Alternate Plan, and using my wife's cell phone, I guided us into Manito Park and a fine afternoon. 

Not that I want to have to turn in my 'Man Card'...but what a pretty, pretty place.  There are 5 seperate Gardens, with many smaller attractions mixed in.  The only thing not blooming was the lilac garden, which had already done it's job.  This kind of bummed my wife out, as she loves the smell of lilac's, and I'm sure 128 lilac trees in bloom smells wonderfull, but after 4 acres of roses, I personally was smelled out. 

My kids preferred the Japanese Garden, with it's pond of Koi and ducks.  I thought it had the potential to be very peaceful, you know, without the kids...but the green shade of the water was a little...intriquing. 

My wife's favorite was the formal Duncan Garden, and then the indoor Conservatory, with lots of neat, special plants. 

It was a great rescue of a day that I would have let fall apart with pouting once upon a time.