Tromping Around and TBT

As promised in yesterday's post, I made the most of another pretty day.  

I never drove the car, just let my boots take me on my occasional journeys. 

Twas another gorgeous day, and that sunshine sure does add a nice touch to pretty much any scene. 

The deer pictures are holdovers from the day before, and just as I began my post this morning, Bill yelled up my way, "There's a d-e-e-r in the south lawn near the bird feeder.  It has tiny antlers."

That when I told him I have that very deer on my blog today.  It made a quick pass through our front yard, on Tuesday. 

Today is looking just as gorgeous as yesterday, and tonight Willie's Bulldogs are playing at Les Rogers gym, taking on a tough team from Timberlake. 

If you're on Facebook, you can watch the game by searching for Sandpoint girls basketball. 

GO, BULLDOGS!

Thursday Throwbacks . . . . 

Theres' always lots to choose from in my photo library, featuring various stages of the triplets Jacob, Grace and Justine, below. 

They're about to finish their first semester of college at the University of Idaho.

Twas a gathering of librarians from throughout the state of Idaho, so, of course, when I was asked to speak about my second book, I brought along a proper prop. 

He's considered a family member, and our friend Monty has trained two of my three horses.  This was taken during Lefty's first training period when Monty was working out of Spokane Equestrian Center. 

I've heard him talk about getting back into training.  CB wouldn't mind making it a trifecta for the Lovestead, Monty. 

Just sayin'. 

Two ways of looking at this photo.  The farm a couple of miles down Selle Road once belonged to my classmate Janet's parents.  

Now, it's the Parnell Ranch and home to beautiful Clydesdales.  My former student DeeDee and her hubby Todd have just taken over as ranch managers. 

On this day, my view between Lily's ears changed instantly a little ways into this trail ride at our friend Nancy's when she got nervous going down a hill and dumped me. 

It's the only time that has ever happened with her, and I know she wasn't trying to unload me.  She was just scared. 

Eventually, Lily got better about walking down inclines, but that day was memorable as was the bruise on my arm which hit the stump when I landed. 

My favorite picture of Willie, taken by either Nancy Holm or her sidekick Ann Johnson. 

The two were members of the Ponderettes drill team, which was like family to me. 

One night when Bill and I were invited to three Christmas parties, we asked them to babysit.

Well, it wasn't Willie's best night.  After we left, he became ill and vomited several times. 

The girls would call me and give me updates, saying to stay at whatever party we happened to be attending. 

They would clean him up and change his clothes.  Turns out, though, they couldn't find a proper tee shirt with the last upchuck, so they pulled out the adult shirt and when he was dressed, took his picture. 

A classic, indeed.  What's not to love about that cherubic face?

The Love's meet a Hemingway. 

Dale Inman, it was one of your twins who arranged for this memorable experience.  

I received a call on a Friday evening during the Winter Carnival.

The voice at the other end, one of the Inman twins, asked, "Mrs. Love, how would you like to ride on a float in tonight's parade  with Margaux Hemingway?"

For those who don't know, in the 1970s, Margaux, the granddaughter of legendary authro Ernest Hemingway, graced the covers of fashion magazines as a supermodel. 

Who would turn down an opportunity like that.  Of course, I'd love to, I told him. 

Bill had yet to come home, and the kids were home, but around the same time as the call, Mike Bowman, our Schwan's man, came in the driveway.  He said he'd stay and watch Willie and Annie until Bill came home. 

Bill was told to then come to town and meet me at City Beach. 

Did we have the time of our lives riding on that hay wagon?  Yes, we did.  Margaux was the nicest lady and a downright kick in the pants. 

Though she did have personal problems that led to her eventual demise by overdose, we saw none of that.  We just figured that when she came to Sandpoint, all the problems took a break. 

A fun experience which we'll never forget. 

 

Yesterday, I moved the couch to clean up the area and get ready for a new lamp.  

It was obvious I had not moved the couch for some time because the wooden autographed rifle had a layer of dust and a good collection of cobwebs. 

That rifle is more than 55 years old.  It was part of collection used as props for a Ponderette performance when we were in high school. 

At the time of its construction (I believe in Wayne Ebbett's shop), Marilynn McKenney led as drill team captain.  I vaguely remember the story of her working furiously in that shop to finish the project in time for the performance.

Afterward, they were stored in the drill team storeroom and probably used for a few other drills when the Ponderettes were still performing for halftimes at football and basketball games. 

Later, when the Ponderettes were no longer functioning and the storeroom was abandoned, I must have grabbed one as a memento.  

Once it appeared in my classroom, the inhabitants got busy with their pens.  I have no idea how long it took for all these autographs to show up on the rifle, but it's obvious, the artwork occurred in the early 1990s.  

Some fun memories of great students on that prop. 

Maybe there's a book:  follow the journeys of each of these SHS grads.  Heck, one of them already has written a book of his own about world travels. 

And, all this because I moved the couch. 

Stories unfold from the strangest places and for the oddest reasons, sometimes.