I remember this monumental moment in life 61 years ago as a proud graduate of the Sandpoint High School Class of 1965.
Our ceremony was held in what's now the middle school gym.
We had some important businessman as a commencement speaker. The Elks Club, then on Second Avenue, always hosted a party after graduation.
Some of us, however, thought we needed to go above and beyond that activity. So, our foursome of Ray Holt, Leland Gray and Laura Delamarter drove to Spokane and arrived there in time to learn that no restaurants were open except for Denny's.
So, that's where we "dined" for our after-graduation dinner. The table wobbled back and forth through the whole meal.
Then, we drove back to Sandpoint and I arrived home around 2 a.m.
In the meantime, the kids at the Elks had a great time.
Nowadays, however, I don't think there's any desire for kids to leave town and go to the big city when they can participate in an amazing all-night after graduation party with lots of perks.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026.
I had the privilege of meeting a few of you over the past year or two, and you're all neat people.
Good luck in your next chapters.
THIS IS TOMORROW, so plan to make your way out to Sunnyside.
Cherry Fitzpatrick tells me that folks have been calling her left and right, announcing what kind of pie they're bringing for the dessert feature---including huckleberry cheesecake.
Auctioneer Jeff Sater (my birthday twin) is going to look over items today and decide which will go silent auction and which will go live.
I'm hoping to put in a bid on Cari and Doug Stockdale's neat horse shoe flowers. They would go perfectly with my funky yard art.
Plan for more photos of sale offerings on tomorrow's blog AND plan to attend so that building can continue to house many more years of local and neighborhood historical events.
I was mowing the front lawn yesterday afternoon when Annie sent me this photo with the text:
"They have dandelions," she wrote. "You could come mow in Iceland."
"Get a flight for me and my mower," I responded.
Then, I sent her a photo of me on my mower.
Dang, she hasn't offered up on the flight.
I guess I have a reputation for loving to mow. And, since Annie had seen me mowing almost more dandelions than grass on her last visit home, she knew I'd be in my element in Iceland.
Actually, we visited Iceland a few years ago in early July. At that time, the lupine were gorgeous and ubiquitous.
Happily, around here, the dandelions have slowed down and we're on the back end of this year's lupine show.
For the rest of my mowing segment yesterday, Iceland was on my mind. We enjoyed ourselves about as well as anyone could with Covid.
We didn't know we had Covid at the time. We were just off a bit when we spent two days in Iceland with Willie and Debbie.
Twas the day we arrived home that Bill's inability to smell some wild ginger while fishing at Grouse Creek gave him a clue to try out the Covid test.
His was positive so I used another test and learned that I also had it.
We actually had a pretty easy go of it, and it wasn't too hard for us to isolate here on the farm.
If I recall correctly, we even went kayaking, by ourselves, of course.
We were very fortunate, to say the least.
Anyway, Annie is in Iceland, and I don't think she has Covid, but she's enjoying all the sights most folks will recognize if they've been to Iceland.
Below are a few neat photos of her day after flying there yesterday from Rome.
I think she has felt a major weather difference.
Now, back to yesterday's front-yard mowing project.
It was looking pretty nice yesterday after its grooming job.
Lots more mowing to do today.
Happy Friday.
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