Saturday Slight

It's hard not to smile this morning while thinking about last night's book signing at Vanderford's in Sandpoint.

I laughed so hard for almost four hours I thought my throat was gonna fall off.

It was definitely "a good time was had by all," and a few books even sold.

Yesterday was Boots and Becky's 35th anniversary, so, of course, I had to see that they had proper recognition at the signing. A few weeks ago, I gave them a half-pint jar of my apple jelly.

I saw them a week or so later, and they commented on how much they liked it. I said I could give them some more because of my abundant apple supply.

Then, Boots complained that the jar was too small.

I told him to quit looking gift jelly jars in the mouth, and then my brain got to working the way it does when the "imp" takes over.

I found a gallon jar down there at Co-Op Country Store----$8, mind you.

One of the several batches of jelly cooked up so far this fall went into the jar. Only problem with a gallon jar of jelly is that it settles. So, Boots didn't get quite a full gallon, but I suspect he won't be belly-aching about small jelly jars in the future.

We had a great time at Vanderford's, and we thank all the folks who came in to add to the fun. Plus, a special thank you to Marcia, Michelle and the gang for hosting us.

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Also, on the positive front, I'm happy to report that Miss Brooke Love of Boise is doing better. She's one of the grandpuppies, and she's had a tough couple of weeks dealing with her auto-immune system being all out of whack. That has involved a swollen, sore neck and lymph nodes. Willie told me yesterday that her appetite has come back, and that she growls at her brother if he dares look at her food.

She's still mending and not quite up to speed, but we are so thankful that she's better. Amazing the bond one has with grandpuppies.

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Another good news item concerns our Maytag washer and the Appliance Doctor. That would be Dr. Mike McKitrick and his "nurse" Coy. Coy is his son who's come home to Sandpoint after 12 years of long-haul truck driving.

The duo came to the house Thursday with a new transmission for the washer. They spent nearly two hours taking the sick one out and installing the new one. When the job was almost done, I looked at the floor inside the machine (the front panel was off) and asked what those yellow drops were.

"Oil," they told me. Coy spent the next several minutes dabbing it up. Then, they re-installed the panel and went on their way. A couple of minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. It was Coy.

They didn't feel right about the new transmission and he said to call if we saw any more oil. Their instinct was correct.

I dabbed up oil several times in the next few hours and called.

Less than 24 hours after their first visit, Mike was back at the door yesterday with a new transmission, fast forwarded to Sandpoint from Seattle, and the machine was as good as new.

I like to tell these stories because I feel that true professionals like Mike and Coy deserve recognition for their consistent service to their customers. We don't always experience that these days, so they are true heroes among the working folks. If you're in Sandpoint and have appliance problems, call the Appliance Doctor. He knows his stuff, and he serves well.

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Got another book signing today. I have mixed feelings cuz I've gotta go to the Bonner County Fairgrounds at 11, which is smack dab in the middle of a Gonzaga-Indiana game today. I think the Bulldogs will do just fine without me, but I sure hate to miss the game.

Nonetheless, books need to be sold and autographed, and somebody's gotta do it. So, I'll honor my commitment.

Happy Saturday to all. Enjoy the photos below.