Saturday Slightly LOVEly

 

Happy Valentine's Day to all. 

May your day be filled with LOVE, whether it be people, pets, sweets or things you love. 

Enjoy the spirit of this day. 

Just keep a little LOVE in the air as you go about  your day. 

After all, LOVE is a many splendored thing. 

LOVE makes the world go round. 

And, all any of us need is LOVE. 

Today's photos illustrate how I loved spending my day yesterday.

Enjoy and Happy Saturday. 

Coach Will LOVE's  Bulldogs play again tonight at Les Rogers Gym.  Senior players will be honored at 6:40, and Sandpoint tips off against Moscow at 7 p.m. 

Meanwhile, the girls play a Southern Idaho team in Grangeville this afternoon.  You can probably find the time and team on Facebook. 

At 7:30 p.m. Santa Clara hosts Gonzaga.  The game will be telecast on ESPN. 

GO, BULLDOGS, all!  

Horse LOVERS, Elle and Helen. 

I LOVED seeing our neighbors from up the road at the game:  Amber, Greg, kids and Amber's mom on the left. 

Joey and Sally were feeling the spirit of LOVE at last night's game. PDA inserted into the group photo of our gang of friends and family. 

Friday Blend

 

Yesterday we drove to Clark Fork and a bit beyond to see our friend Myra. 

Myra taught business classes at Sandpoint High School, and over the years, we as a family enjoyed some wonderful times with other friends at the Lewis home---first the Diamond T Ranch and later, across the road from their original home. 

Myra turned 90 this past Saturday, and, because of a cold, I had to miss her party. 

So, I called her that day and told her we would extend her birthday and come to see her when the cold was gone.

It was great to spend some time with her and do a little catching up.  We were all amazed at how fast time has gone and how all those "kids" we once knew are well into their lives, some even retiring. 

Time does fly. 

After our visit, Bill and I stopped at Fish and Game public property across the road from Myra's home. The dogs were happy to get out to walk and sniff. 

Most of my photos today were taken during our walk.

  

When I read the post below a couple of days ago by our family friend Andrew, I asked if I could share his thoughts because they illustrate a neat bond between an engineer and his inanimate product.

  In Andrew's case, the product is a Boeing Dreamliner. 

Learn more about the plane and why it's being retired at the following link. 

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/last-boeing-787-8-test-airplane-makes-final-flight-completing-a-nearly-16-year-mission-to-define-the-787-dreamliner/

by Andrew Rerecich

I’m not one to share much on the Socials, but it’s been an emotional day. I had to say goodbye to an inanimate object that’s been a big part of my life for over 18 years.

I was a Lead Flight Test Operations engineer on the #4 787-8 test airplane since July 2008 and today she was flown to Arizona to be dismantled after nearly 16 years of flight tests. 

 I signed the first Flight Release on 2/24/10 and signed her last one this morning.

Testing took us all over, to places like Puerto Rico, La Paz, Toluca, Kona, Winnipeg, Colorado Springs, Yuma, and of course Victorville. 

 I’ve been on board for testing where our g-load swung between -0.8 and 2.8 within a few seconds while watching that wingtip bend up and down over 30ft from the stress. 

 I created a self portrait flight plan that took 18 hours and one minute to fly. I was the Test Director on board for her last test flight last week. I chose her registration number: N7874

I’ll miss the little ice pellets that would come out of the vent overhead and perfectly bounce off the sidewall blanket to hit you in the head at the Weights rack.

 I’ll miss the flights that would end with no flight squawks even with ancient systems onboard. 

 Most of all, I’ll miss hearing that signature Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine start rumble that were so deep and loud that everyone in the offices could hear, and would shake your clothes if you were standing in the stall… as I was this morning.

Goodbye ZA004, “Sheila”, “Princess Dye”, or as Alicia [Andrew's wife] calls her, “The Mistress.”

Andrew sent me the two photos above, which he has taken while on testing missions. 

Below: Andrew with his plane a few years ago after he flew from Seattle to Sandpoint.  

Andrew loves aviation and fishing.  

Every year over the Fourth of July week, he, his wife Alicia and their daughter Emma come to Sandpoint and stay with the Young Love's.  

During that time, Andrew and Willie go on several fly fishing excursions around the area. 

🐟✈✈✈✈✈✈✈✈✈🐠

. 

It's a busy week for Bulldogs. 

I see that the girls team won their game last night against Moscow. 

That means they'll go to Grangeville tomorrow and play a team from Southern Idaho.

The winner of that game will go to State. 

Meanwhile, coming off a tough loss to Lake City, the Bulldog boys will take on Lakeland tonight at Les Rogers Gym. 

Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Tomorrow evening, at Senior Night they'll host Moscow, also at 7 p.m.  

With both games being league matchups, a couple of Bulldog wins would be really nice.

So, we're sending good vibes to the boys' team and encouraging folks to come to the games and cheer them on. 

GO, BULLDOGS!!!

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

I saw this message from the Pope today and thought it was timely and definitely worth sharing. 

Pope Leo XIV in a very practical Lenten Message to all Christians says: “I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. 

Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. 

Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. 

In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.” 

Seems sensible enough.  Maybe a little Lenten behavior as suggested above could tone down the ugliness we see and hear pretty much every day.

It seems to me that six weeks of people trying extra hard to be nice could go along way---maybe even form a good habit. 

 

Thursday This, That; TBT

 

Another glorious morning.   

Ahhh!

I could get spoiled with this lovely weather.

And, I'm accomplishing a lot of outside projects because of it.  

I'm about to ask Bill to charge up the lawnmower. 

It would not be to mow the lawn; instead, my first-of-the-year rounds with the mower involve cleaning/chopping up debris that would take too long to rake. 

If we have more of this cold, crisp and dry weather, I may just set a personal record for early outings on the mower.   

Yesterday after lawn work, I met my sister Laurie over at Roxane's.  She saddled up CB, lunged him and rode him.  

Our friend Brad was also enjoying his horse Firefly in the arena. 

In between horse workouts, we enjoyed some visiting. 

As we left, Helen and Deb headed toward the arena with their horses. 

So, it was a good afternoon for enjoying some friendly faces. 

Someone at the high school is very good with AI. 

This illustration of Willie showed up on Facebook yesterday. 

It's good timing to have Coach Love and his team playing a game at Les Rogers Court on Valentine's Day. 

Tip-off is at 3 p.m. 

As noted it's also Senior Night for seven seniors as the Bulldogs host the Moscow Bears. 

💓🏀💓🏀

Sandpoint is also scheduled to host Lakeland on Friday (tomorrow) night with tip-off at 7 p.m.  

Both matchups are league games, so let's go cheer on the Bulldogs in both games.

Tonight, the Sandpoint girls host the Moscow Bears in a district playoff match-up.

Tip-off is at 6 p.m.  

If the Bulldogs win tonight, they'll travel to Grangeville Saturday to play a Southern Idaho team in a chance to earn a berth to State. 

Lots of Bulldog action for the rest of the week.  Best of luck to both teams. 

GO, BULLDOGS!! 

🏀🏀🏀🏀

Thursday Throwbacks:  images from the photo library.  Enjoy. 

Former student Shelley Andersen-Healy. 

SHS Class of 1974 reunion with Judy Moon and Sue Walson Kent

Annie Love of Sandpoint, Idaho

Several years ago, I ran into my former student Ali (right) at Bloom Lake northeast of Sandpoint,  She and her friend were enjoying some fishing, as was Bill .

 

Bill on one of our many hikes at Boulder Meadows. 

Some family members enjoying a short hike at Boulder City. Not much of the mining ghost town east of Bonners Ferry is left these days, but there is some signage explaining its history.

 

Three Love's, Annie, Debbie and Marianne

Former student Hilbur Blair at one of his class reunions. 

We clean up good, at least for a few minutes. 

 

By the time we left this wedding, Willie's (the ring bearer's) white pants had green knees, and Annie's (the flower girl) skirt had separated from the dress top. 

But they sure looked nice for a while.  

Harvey Martin, from Sandpoint High Class of 1982, at his reunion. 

Below: horse friends Helen and Eileen enjoying lunch at Trinity. 

I miss that place. 

Below:  Deb was part of the lunch group above where some fun bottle cap glasses were passed around.   

Brother Jim on the right with one of classmates Jeff aka Mercury. Both were members of the Monticola yearbook staff. 

Andrea and her husband Kennden established one of the great meeting and dining restaurants in Sandpoint:  Marchwood Brewing Co. 

Hard to believe, but we've had dogs other than Border Collies. Julie and Bogey were our English Setters who inspired a story in one of my books called "Gone Dog Blues."

They loved to sneak off and go to town and especially liked Serva Burger. 

We once had dogs other than Border Collies.  

These two are Julie and Bogey who inspired a story for one of my books called "Gone Dog Blues."  

They loved to sneak away and go to town.  One of their favorite stops was ServaBurger. 

Annie and her Minneapolis friend Miriam touting their MLS soccer loyalties.