Thursday This and That

Larisa and her mom Leslie.  Leslie says she earned the sweatshirt after surviving Larisa having a fat steer at the recent Spokane Junior Livestock Show.

I'm sure there's much more to the story. 

I'm figuring that I've done a fairly decent job documenting Larisa's Halloween adventures cuz I have several years' worth of photos in her various costumes. 

Larisa, now a sixth grader, gets top billing today because she was our only official trick or treater last night.  

That Shawn, her cousin, who's hardly missed a year in his life, has decided he's too old to do such things.  

After a nice visit with Larisa and her mom Leslie, I walked with them out to their car and asked Larisa if she was ever going to get too old to come to our house on Halloween. 

She said she probably would, to which I said she'd better drum up a replacement OR Bill's gonna get ALL the candy. 

Anyway, let's welcome in November.  I'm making some major progress in the leaf project, but they keep on falling as I keep on raking.  

By sometime next week, I'll call it a done deal even though the oak leaves will continue to fall through the winter. 

As always, it's been a tedious process, but, as always, I won't regret the time spent gathering up every last leaf come spring. 

In the TBT/Remember When This Was Just an Idea Category


On this Throwback Thursday AND just a few days before Tuesday's general election, I'm thinking back to a wonderful afternoon in our front yard on June 19, 2017, when Luke Mayville came to introduce a group of our neighbors and friends to a concept called "Reclaim Idaho."

He and his friend Garrett Strizich had come up with the vision after devoting several days in the Sandpoint area pushing for passage of a school levy. 

The two classmates from the Sandpoint High School Class of 2003 cared deeply about funding for local public education, so they joined other local residents in an all-out information blitz before the levy election.

It passed resoundingly. 

Inspired by the levy results, they moved on to develop some ideas about spearheading a similar kind of grass roots support around the state regarding three issues they feel are very important in this state:  public lands, public education and health care. 

Remember when these ideas were just taking hold as the two and Garrett's wife Emily began meeting with groups from neighborhoods here in the area and all around the state. 

Seems like just yesterday and it is truly amazing how this vision on the part of two Sandpoint grads has caught on around Idaho in their efforts to pass Prop 2, which will expand Medicaid coverage to more than 60,000 Idahoans. 

Hats off to these young people for going about the work of democracy in the purest sense of the word.  

Their approach has been refreshing, creative and contagious--definitely a shining light in today's politics.  

This trio of dynamic young leaders have reached across party lines and they've been fully transparent in their efforts.

Twas just yesterday that "Reclaim Idaho" was a concept.  Could be that on Tuesday voters in Idaho will bring a portion of that concept into reality.  

Let's hope so.   Thanks to Luke, Garrett and Emily for leading the charge.   

Luke Mayville, co-founder of Reclaim Idaho.

Reclaim Idaho co-founder Garrett and his wife Emily Strizich

In other news, it's a nice November day in Sweden. . . . 

Exactly a month ago, Bill and I met up with October in Dublin after flying overnight on Sept. 30 from Seattle. 

Today, Annie has met up with November in Sweden after flying overnight on Oct. 31 from Seattle.  

Unlike our nonstop flight, Annie did have a brief stopover in Iceland.

Once she touched down, she and her Swedish friend and fellow geocacher Bjarne wasted no time hitting the road in search of geocaches. 

They've already enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the countryside with blue sky AND have met one of the resident horses. 

I'm sure there will be plenty more to come with Annie's first trip to Sweden which lasts through the weekend. 

I asked her Tuesday night what the country count is these days.  She couldn't decide if American Samoa would count since it's part of the United States.  

I said it's far enough away that it should count. 

Anyway, Annie thinks she's now been to as many as 33 countries in the world.  

That's a lot of countries for anyone to visit, but it seems that Annie's just begun.  Considering the fact that there are 195 countries in the world, she has another 162 to put on her bucket list. 

No doubt, she'll find a way.  

And, finally, turning over the calendar meant the joy of knowing another season of ZAGS basketball starts tonight.

It's just an exhibition game, but ZAGS fans love every minute regardless.  

Gonzaga's Bulldogs will take on Central Washington University's Wildcats at 6 p.m. PDT on KHQ/Root.  

Should be a fun introduction to this year's team, which is ranked No. 3 nationally in the pre-season poll.  Heck, I even saw another poll which had them No. 2, right behind Kansas. 

GO, ZAGS!  We are ready to cheer you on!