Saturday Slight

Four years ago, my son told me I should have heard this man speak at the Democratic National Convention. Willie was blown away and knew that it was treading on uneven ground to suggest such a thing to his moderately conservative mother. I did hear the speech later and agreed with my son that this man had something extraordinary to offer America.

My thoughts have not changed since then and especially after reading his first book, following the Presidential campaign and listening to the debates. So, at this moment while typing, I'm waiting for my cell phone to ring because Willie is listening to that same man, Barack Obama, live at Boise's Taco Bell Arena. He called me about an hour ago after he and Debbie had finally gotten inside the venue.

"Mom, I think there will be a lot of people turned away," he said. "The place is packed." I learned earlier this week from Bryant Jones who spent last weekend in South Carolina volunteering for the Obama campaign that there would be busloads of people from Montana enroute to Boise to listen to the speech. So, I'm sure that Taco Bell Arena is rocking with electricity and excitement at this moment.

Can't wait to hear Willie's observations and will post them later this morning on slightdetour, once he calls. What a wonderful opportunity this day is for Willie and Debbie to be a part of our ongoing political process! I'm a bit envious, to say the least.

In other news, which I'm sure folks on on the edge of their seats to hear, it's snowing in Sandpoint. Tom Sherry, the KREM weatherman, promised only a couple of inches this weekend. Well, I think that couple of inches has dropped, so it can stop any time.

I hear the National Guard has come into Sandpoint to shovel off school buildings. The Wallace-Kellogg area had several major cave-ins yesterday. In one case two buses were totaled when the school district bus barn collapsed.

Our family spent all day yesterday doing what we could to transfer snow from one place to another. Barbara and Laurie shoveled the roof of their house. I shoveled the back side of a big snowpile by our barn so I could get at the stubborn ice which has rendered my barn door almost immovable. Once I chipped away for about half an hour, the door finally started moving, and this morning there was progress, as it took only 30 seconds to urge the door open.

Bill came home early and opened up some more of the driveway with the tractor and loader. Our next challenge is to clear the snow from in front of the 4-wheeler and the hay bay so we can transport some bales to the barn.

Yesterday afternoon, I also shoveled some of one of the piles that block Mother's view out her windows. She appreciated being able to see a little something of the outside world. Later, we all treated ourselves to dinner at Slate's Restaurant and compared notes on all the new body aches and pains we've acquired this week.

Shovel talk was big at Slate's, where the word had gotten out about the local shovel shortage. Bill heard one story where 23 people were in line to purchase the last of Co-Op's shovels yesterday and that no more were expected until Tuesday. He says the rumor on the streets is that Home Depot may have some available today.

The winter is beginning to wear on everyone, including my husband who seldom complains. This morning he sat at his desk as I walked through and noted an observation he'd just made---that February has 29 days this year so it's that much longer until March. I'll still take February over January because at least the calendar suggests that this is supposed to end sometime.

Well, Willie just called and left his cell phone on so I could hear part of the speech. Electric. Inspiring. Wish I were there.

More later. Happy Saturday.

W.E. LOVE III Report on Obama speech: Dateline-Boise, ID, Feb. 2, 2008----It was your typical political rally---bands, cheering, signs, etc. We sat clear on top, but we had a good view. Probably 13,000 people in there. Cecil [Andrus --Idaho's former governor and Dept. of Interior Secretary] did a good job introducing him. He [Obama] spoke for about 50 minutes; it had a little of everything, including humor. He stumbled once and said "Iowa," but caught himself. I told Debbie we were seeing history and democracy in action.