This Just In: Groundhog Day in January

Fortunately, on early winter mornings when the morning papers are not in the box, even the birds haven't yet arisen to hear my cussing.

I cussed this morning.

After several days of having both papers arrive ON TIME with all their respective sections, I thought about writing a letter of praise to the Spokesman-Review to balance out the two complaints sent during the last month.

During that time, I've learned that I've not been alone on our country road in wondering about our morning paper deliveries.  

One neighbor, a lawyer, wondered if someone was stealing the papers. 

Another called me a couple of days ago looking for a telephone number because she had not received her local paper for four days.  I bragged to her that ours had been coming on time and complete for several days. 

During the recent period of newspaper-delivery woes, at my house we have played multiple choice with the papers.

___A. Today you don't get your paper at all.
___B. Today you get yesterday's paper
___C. Today your paper will be two-three hours late.
___D. Today your paper will consist of two food sections, no news, no sports. 
___E. All of the above.
___F. None of the above.

For the past several days, I've been able to answer "F" and happily so.  That's why I thought a letter of praise would be in keeping with my career-long teaching mantra of "tell 'em when they could improve and, by all means, praise them when they're getting it right."

I've also been the kind who doesn't care for mistakes but will exhibit patience until the same mistakes continue to happen over and over. 

So, this morning when the paper was late, I walked to the house, held up my empty hands and told Bill, "Well, we're at it again!"

Then, as I was walking up the stairs, I saw a car pull up to the paper boxes.

"Okay, I can quit bitching," I announced while turning around to head back out the door.

The ground surface was hard enough that I could wear my slippers and escape the mud which has replaced a solid sheet of ice, so it was a nice walk.

The local paper was not in a plastic bag, so I figured maybe it might the reason for the late delivery, as the Spokesman was neatly rolled up in a plastic bag.

While walking to the house, I read that Carrie Logan has been sworn in as Sandpoint's new mayor and, in the kudos column,  that someone was praising Jeff and Wendy Sater (local folks who own the Hoot Owl and do so much for so many). 

I sat down, read through the rest of the news in the Bee and then picked up the Spokesman.

The top article about the Washington Legislature passing the DREAM Act looked mighty familiar, but I shrugged it off, figuring maybe I'd seen that story on line.  

Next, when I looked at the photo of the two men working with the flag after the memorial service for the fallen Marine from Spokane, I knew I'd seen that one before.

Groundhog day, maybe. Today's news, no.

Our paper this morning, complete with all sections, was dated Jan. 14.   So, this morning for a second time in the past month, I'm answering "B" on the multiple choice test for "How would you like your paper today?"

Oh, I could have sat there and reread the stories from Tuesday, but the journalist in me is always hungry for "news" in the morning, and the storyteller in me says this saga may go on long enough and weird enough to merit a book.

I'd really would like to grab on to that "groundhog" idea cuz with this lovely January weather, it would be nice if a ground hog did not see his shadow today and that we could plan on just six more weeks of a mild winter.

I don't know what the answers will be for tomorrow's newspaper delivery test, but I can tell you that on this Thursday even yesterday's news would have been more satisfying than Tuesday's. 

Happy Thursday-----or iz it really Tuesday---and am I living in a futuristic dream? Watch for the headlines! 

By the way, the spelling bee was a lot of fun, and, yes, I did have a typo in yesterday posting. Sharp eyes out there!