Slight Detour: Monday Miscellany

After several days of rain and dark clouds, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

I'm now well equipped with hoses and nozzles to keep all my posies watered so bring on the warmth and the sunshine.

We had a great weekend with Annie home, and now she has gone back to Seattle.

Later this week she goes to Kansas for a geocaching event and soon after that, it's off to Italy for another event. She'll also go to Switzerland for a brief time and visit with Swiss Miss aka Laura who was Willie and Debbie's exchange student.

It's a tough life, but someone's gotta do it.

I like to post this National Geographic cover occasionally when May 18 rolls around.

The photo was taken May 18, 1980, by my cousin Madeline's husband, the late Doug Miller.

Doug was a photographer in Ephrata, Wash., well known for taking the senior portraits and as an adventurer of sorts.

He took the photo of the crepe myrtle in full bloom in his back yard as the cloud of ash filled the sky overhead.

That cloud had traveled 300-plus miles to reach Ephrata and to move on to the east.

The contrast between the blossoms and the ash was dramatic, enough so that National Geographic editors chose it as their cover photo when reporting about the Mt. St. Helens volcano eruption.

Well, these two became fully acquainted yesterday.

I think Annie's lesson with Monty went very well.

Annie has ridden off and on throughout her life and has competed in horse shows, so her basics helped her tune in quickly.

CB had quite a workout with Laurie riding him first and then a second ride with Annie.

I found the item in italics below truly amazing.

One member of the Sandpoint High State Champion relay team is my longtime friend Julie's grandson Trey.

Can't imagine the sense of pride for the family and for all the other families associated with these young men.

As I commented to his mom this morning, their achievement is epic!

So thrilled for all the SHS athletes who excelled in state competition this weekend.

They're from Sandpoint, and we couldn't be any prouder.

Many athletes know what it means to pursue a state championship - the work, the dedication, the grit, the no-quit attitude, the pain, year after grinding year. These boys achieved the team State Championship, Individual Gold 100m (Maverick), and 4x100 Relay Team Gold.

This relay is not just a State Championship; it is a STATE RECORD. That means if you take ANY past state champion or future (up until if/when it ever gets broken), line them all up and race them, these boys right here would beat them.

They are the State Champions of all State Champions - let that sink in.

It is the Sandpoint Boys' only state record. In school history, there are only five guys to run a sub-11, and three of them are on this team, and the fourth is damn close.

They beat the 6A team as well. Worth mentioning is that they also beat the state record in the 4x200, but so did Moscow by a smidge more.

Composure, mental strength under pressure, flawless connections, pure speed and strength coordinated.

It is a thing to behold, and they couldn't have gone out on a better note. (Except Trey, the only Junior.)

I love you guys!

Cynthia Schmit

When you're blind and you can't hear very well but your nose still works, you beg.

And, Foster is a master as a gentlemanly and persistent beggar.

Only problem in this case: Bill had finished his dinner. Foster continued to beg for several minutes afterward.

Don't forget to vote tomorrow.

I went through the stack of umpteen mailers that have appeared in my mailbox over the past couple of weeks and decided the one above was my favorite.

So, I'll go mark my choices on the ballot and hope for the best.

Someone told me recently that when you do walk inside the polling booth, you don't have to vote in every category if you don't like the choices.

The object of not voting in some categories sends a message to candidates and it explains why some people on the ballot receive a higher vote total than anyone.

I figure any messages that can be sent these days are important. Plus, they make us feel a little better when we are disappointed with the choices offered.

Most importantly: VOTE!!!