Best-kept rumor in town

A little over a year ago, my friend Jeff and I teamed up to help out with an application for a couple we know to be considered for the popular ABC Series "Extreme Makeover -- Home Edition." Jeff even put together a cool video showing why it would be helpful for the show to surprise this couple and their daughter. The details involved cancer and a newly-purchased home in need of a lot of primping.

Since then, this couple has gone ahead on their own and made considerable improvements on their home. I was there last week and was amazed at the transformation. I also learned this week that the television series is coming to Sandpoint, this morning, to be exact. And, our friends are not the recipients.

I do know, however, that the family, soon-to-be-surprised, lives not far from us. So, the next few hours and the week ahead promise to be very interesting for this community. Though I would have preferred very much to have our friends so honored, I'm happy for whoever will be the recipient of this once-in-a-lifetime, very public gift of a new home.

The word got out about this planned visit by the Extreme Make-Over crew a few weeks ago, but the rumor began to grow this week. I first heard it at the Hair Hut when one of the beauticians said she knew some contractors who've been lined up for the project. Slowly but surely, more and more information has surfaced; well, let's just say I've gleaned it by asking a few pointed questions of a few key people.

The police chief wouldn't talk, except to say our road would be open and would be "used" today. Someone else simply said, "Oh, is the word out?" when I learned about some folding chairs needed for a week's time. I did learn more details, and Bill and I pinpointed the exact location of said activity last night, but we're not revealing until things start happening.

I told Bill if I'd had some time to throw out a few more well-placed questions, I could've found out a lot more, but like everyone else, I'll wait and see what and who the surprise is all about. And, of course, as that happens, I'll report it on this blog. One hint is that if the weather allows, I can probably ride my bicycle by the area to track progress over the next few days.

Is this exciting? Yeah, but it's getting to be more common for Sandpoint than ever imagined. After all, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" landed their most "Desperate Fan," Donna Deshon, from right here in Sandpoint, Idaho. And now, the equally popular show just preceding it on the Sunday night line-up will spend the next week here.

Update: The family, which lives off Baldy Mountain Road, has been notified, as of about half an hour (10 a.m.) ago. They will be going to the Bahamas while a new house is built this week. For all the details, check my friend Susan Drumheller's complete story with Jesse Tinsley's photos in tomorrow morning's Spokesman-Review newspaper. You can read both at www.spokesmanonline.com also.

As a p.s., I understand Jesse withstood an arrest threat this morning when the producers thought he was getting too close with his camera. He and Susan were told to come back at 2 p.m. after the family has left.