Saturday Slight

Every which way but loose.  That's what it seems to be among family members today.  I guess I'm the only one loose, for a while anyway.

Bill is headed first to the library and then to the Pack River Fish and Game areas.  The folks from the local chapter of the Idaho Conservation League asked him to teach geocaching for the second year in a row. 

So, he's been studying up and getting his information and tech stuff ready.  The library session will include power point illustrations on all the basics.  

Then, the group will head to the outdoors to practice with their GPS units.  

Last year's group fought off starving mosquitoes, but they forged on through a couple of hours of finding caches.  

Willie just dropped the dogs off.  He's headed down to the high school to proctor a college board exam.  He's been helping with those for the past three years.  

The dogs came here for a few hours cuz Debbie's headed out for most the early part of the day too.

She's coordinating some activities out at Round Lake with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  It's Free Fishing day in Idaho, so Debbie and her helpers will be seeing that hooks, lines and sinkers go well for the kids. 

Maybe they'll even catch a fish or two. 

Anyway, a busy bunch this morning.  I'll hold down the fort and hope to get something done around here after the cold, wet weather has pretty much brought all outside projects to a halt. 

If it will just not rain, I'd like to at least mow some lawn.   The garden remains as the garden has looked for the past several days, somewhat paralyzed from the cold. 

Today is also graduation at Sandpoint High School, weather permitting outside.  I think some family members will be attending.  

Some of us were hoping to be plopped in front of the TV for the afternoon watching the Belmont and pulling for I'll Have Another to win the Triple Crown.

As Willie said last night, the good thing is that we won't have to watch a horse being hauled off the track from a hideous injury, like Barbaro.

Glad they caught his leg problem early but so sad to see that his place in horse racing history fell short. 

My sisters and I will probably bring Mother out to the house to enjoy some sandwiches and treats.  She's had a rough go of it lately, and maybe the change of scenery from will give her a boost. 

Speaking of food, last night we discovered that the folks at Cafe 95, formerly known as the Long Bridge Restaurant, are not boasting too much when their sign on the blackboard says the "Best Burger in Town."  

We've eaten there twice since Bella, Junior and their parents took over the place a few weeks ago.  These folks know how to put out a meal.  Efficiency, good taste and plenty of it might be the way to describe the service and the food. 

Bill and I had burgers.  Mine was much too big for me to eat, so I offered part of it to Bill.  He said his burger was too big to want any extra.  

And, the sweet-potato fries, lightly coated with cinnamon and sugar, and hot and crisp.  Can't beat them.  

Bella, our server,  told me she likes to dip her fries in orange marmalade.  She brought me a packet of the jelly, and she is right.  Nice combo. 

Anyway, the prices are reasonable and the servings generous. 

I also stopped by Pine Street Bakery yesterday and picked up a few items.  The bakery reopened under new ownership, but the former owners, Liz and Diedre, are staying with them for three months to help with the transition.

I've tried a slice of the rye bread and wanted to eat the whole apricot cookie bar but knew that the calories would stay around much longer than the heavenly taste. 

Nice to see them back and nice to know we have two wonderful bakeries in town---Pine Street and Miller's Country Store.  

I'll end with a bittersweet revelation that arrived in my inbox overnight.  

Several years ago I wrote the cover story for Sandpoint Magazine, called "Sailors Ahoy."  http://www.mariannelove.com/Farragut.html

It featured an overview of Farragut Naval Training Station, built almost overnight on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and used as a facility for training more than 300,000 Navy recruits during WWII.

The site also served as a place to house German Prisoners of War.  

Among them was Karl Tewes who had been captured in North Africa and shipped to several POW facilities during the war.

While at Farragut, the POW's were comparatively free to move about the facility.  They were called upon as groundskeepers and even forest fire fighters. 

Well, Karl spotted a young lady named Betty working at the base and fell in love.  He sent her messages and even crafted a couple of rings for her.  He also carved her name in a tree somewhere on the base.

Eventually, Karl was sent on to another POW camp.  The two never saw each other again.

Last night I received a note from Betty's daughter who had just heard the story of Karl from her 83-year-old mom for the first time yesterday.  

Naturally, the daughter googled and found my story about Farragut, which mentions Karl.   That discovery,  of course, was followed by an email.

I was able to tell her that Karl and I had struck up a cyber-friendship after the article was published.  He'd send cards, even flowers and called.   I told her what I could remember about Karl. 

It was a delightful friendship with the man who had experienced so much in his life, including the POW camps, building a successful business, turning into a competitive amateur golfer (with trophies to show for it) and settling eventually in New Jersey with his wife and family.

I sadly told her, though, that I believe Karl has since passed on because I have not heard from him for years.

Still, in a second note, Betty's daughter told me how excited she is this morning to relay some updated facts about Karl to her mother. 

Story assignments like "Sailors Ahoy"  often turn into the gift that keeps on giving.  And, for me that's the ultimate joy of writing. 

Happy Saturday.