Tuesday Drippedydoo

Yup, it's still wet out there. All those who claim we're going to burn up this summer because of no snow in the mountains need to look out my windows. A brand-new substantial coating of snow comes clear down to the flat land.

Ironically, Schweitzer got a big drop the night before last but had to close yesterday because of high winds. I knew it was windy at a point on my drive to town where it felt like a gust almost picked up my car and moved it sideways. Thankfully it didn't, but the sensation was frightening enough.

Today we're supposed to have more rain and maybe some snow. I feel sorry for my horses. The ground is too soft to allow them into the pasture areas.

The barn stalls have boarded floors with rubber mats on top, but leaving them to walk around those stalls round the clock doesn't do the floors any good nor the horses. So, they have to slog around in the mud until it dries up, and that doesn't look like any time soon.

~~~~

Big news in this area is the medi-vac helicopter that landed in Jim and Virginia Wood's yard night before last. According to Janice Schoonover's Facebook account, the weather on Sunday night was a factor in the decision for the unscheduled landing. I don't know much more except that it was still there on Monday.

~~~~~
This morning I read in the historical notes for the local paper that we had some mud problems 50 years ago and that the schools remained closed. I can't remember that particular mud vacation---must have been in the eighth grade at the time. I do remember the thrill of listening to KSPT radio early in the morning and finding out we didn't need to go to school.

We loved our mud vacations. I'm not so sure about the parents or anyone else, but for us they meant bonus time off, and in those days, we usually set off each day on great adventures, like going up the mountain north of our place and checking out the caves, which we were sure had never been discovered before our arrival.

~~~~~
Spring Break is coming, as of this Friday afternoon. And, that reminds me of my teaching days when the vacation officially started with the dismissal bell on Friday, but it usually started for many students several days beforehand.

By the time, those of us who followed the rules (either by contractual obligation or deep-seeded ethical beliefs) headed out the door, the silence in the usually cacophonous setting was more than notable. Folks had left town, long before the rest of us. I guess someone had to hold down the fort those last couple of days.

I noticed the later it got in my career, the earlier the gradual exodus to spring somewhere other than Sandpoint began. In some cases, the break extended to two weeks or more.

~~~~~
I've always liked being in Sandpoint during Spring Break. It's guaranteed to be the quietest time of the year in our community because droves of families numbering in the hundreds have left town.

Spring Break means: always parking spots, no waits in restaurant lines, no traffic jams or waiting at stop signs. It's a pleasant place, a bit reminiscent of the old days when the peaceful silence and simplicity of daily life downtown was the norm rather than the exception.

~~~~~
Not a whole lot else on my mind this morning. This is a somewhat peaceful week for me with most work and obligations attended to, nothing major coming up in the next few days except for the continuing string of birthdays.

So, I'm just going to enjoy the day and see what it brings. Have a great Tuesday.