A Winning Day

Keith and his beautiful family.  There's a story that's told quite often whenever Keith's name comes up in conversation.

That's about the time when he and Willie were playing basketball in our hay loft on Great Northern Road.  I don't know what precipitated it, but I do know that Keith fell through one of openings leading to the lower level and got banged up a bit. Keith and Willie were buddies growing up.

They've gone their separate ways since graduating from Sandpoint High School a year apart, but I'm happy to report that both of them are dedicated educators.  Keith majored in music at the University of Idaho, and he's been spreading the songs in the Bend, Ore., school district ever since.  Both Keith and Willie took journalism from Mrs. Love.  Now Mr. aka Dr. Love teaches that same journalism class.

Unfortunately, Keith and Willie weren't able to get together yesterday because Willie was practicing his journalism up in the Vandal press box.  This morning's North Idaho Sunday and Idaho Press Tribune have his stories about yesterday's Vandal victory over Temple University.  I think he filed the last piece around 9 p.m. as Bill and I snoozed outside the Kibbie Dome waiting for him.

 Keith also practiced his professional passion yesterday, playing in the Vandal Alumni Band during halftime. Both young men have taken a nice pathway in their lives, and Bill and I are very proud of them.

Another of the many Sandpoint High success stories.  Dave Parker is a Vandal through and through, as are most of his family.  One brother did graduate from the Naval Academy, No. 1 in his class I might add.

Dave went on from Sandpoint High School and played a vital role on the University of Idaho football team. He and his wife Kirsten (a Curtis from Sandpoint) and son Jack sat next to us yesterday as we sat in Dave's parents' seats on the 50-yard line.

Dave warned me that he gets noisy at the games, to which I warned him that, as his former English teacher, I'd "sh-sh" him when needed.  He was pretty tame because, after all, the Vandals did win their first game under new coach Paul Petrino.

Dave's friend (up and behind) and former teammate had a son on yesterday's Vandal squad, and Bill informed me that the son got a nice tackle yesterday.  Sometimes I have to be informed about specific football action cuz sometimes the details go right past me.  Still, I loved watching the game and the fans.

I told Bill and Willie on the drive down that the last Vandal Homecoming I attended was the fall of 1965 during my freshman year at Idaho.  It was a sunny afternoon.  I believe the great Ray McDonald was playing for the Vandals, and I'm thinking I was not feeling all that comfortable because we females were still required to wear dresses/skirts to class and to games.

I don't remember if the Vandals won that day because I was probably too concerned with my uncomfortable clothes.

Yesterday was much better, and we thank Jack and Shirley for offering us the opportunity to enjoy yesterday's game from a wonderful vantage point.

Happy Sunday.  Now, it's off to a horse show and a morning of wishing good thoughts for my niece Laura, who's running in a marathon over on the West/Wet Coast. 

Good luck, Laura!