Slight Detour

Bill, the Eagle Scout, was once again ready for a power outage in the middle of the night.

Happily, the power came back on at 5 a.m., so we didn't suffer much.

It was a wild and windy night in the region, and it looks like we may have had a couple of smaller trees go down in the woods. The yard doesn't look too bad.

Our weather has offered a smorgasboard this week. I wasn't too thrilled with the wet, white slop late yesterday afternoon.

I was happy to see this morning that most of the snow has blown away or melted. The wind is still whooping it up as I type.

We're due for more unsettled conditions, but I'm loving that 61-degree prediction for later next week.

Some new horses are living at the neighbors' farm next door. I've been getting acquainted with them on my walks with the dogs through our woods.

Speaking of horses, CB received a three-way vaccination Tuesday in preparation for his month's stay at a training stable near Stateline.

Better to be safe than sorry when putting them in a setting with other horses from other germ centers.

It's always fun to see Dr. Celeste Grace (left) and her vet tech Suzy (right), and it's good to know that CB should be protected from nasty diseases.

My brother Mike saw this article of reflection yesterday and shared it with some of us.

I had thought our Cindy Wooden, the Vatican Bureau chief for Catholic News Service, had completely retired, but she had one more story to share as she wrapped up life in Rome.

She'll be home soon for a while as she ponders the rest of her life.

Neat to see in this piece what stood out in Cindy's long career reporting on the Popes and other Catholic Church matters.

https://www.americamagazine.org/last-take/2026/03/11/vatican-journalist-cindy-wooden/

I told these three lovelies that I just love seeing them on my visits to Roxane's.

That will end soon when two come home and one goes to another stable for further training.

BULLDOGS, COWBOYS AND VANDALS, Oh My!!🏀🏀🏀

Some of our family members are pretty ecstatic about the upcoming March Madness because we have teams to watch.

First, we ALL love Gonzaga, which will have both its men's and women's teams playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Secondly, four of the six siblings, Marianne, Barbara, Laurie and Jim, along with in-laws, outlaws and nieces, and even a great niece are graduates of the University of Idaho.

We were all thrilled yesterday when both the Vandals men and women's teams punched their tickets to the Dance in Boise at what was cleverly termed as "Starch Madness."

Shortly after the Vandals women won the Big Sky Championship, Bill and his sister Margaret's alma mater McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, won their opportunity to participate in March Madness.

So, besides watching our brackets, we'll have five favorites to follow in the tournament.

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

from Mike Bales on X

Can anyone identify with this guy's plan?

I’m going to create a website called “Older Fans” where I just tell you which part of my body hurts today and what tiny task caused it!

Seems like a good idea.

💚💙💜💛

Thursday Throwbacks: An assortment of memories from the photo library. Enjoy.

First, from Bonner County History Notebook, 75 years ago.

H.M.S. PINAFORE POSTPONED BY STORM

Due to the blizzard wrapping Bonner county in a March snow blanket, the high school’s operetta “H.M.S. Pinafore” is postponed to a tentative date of March 15, said Mrs. Marian Ruyle, director.

“It has been impossible to schedule practices,” she said. “Many of the cast of 30 are from rural districts and have not been able to get in.”

Assistant director of the light opera is Adair Hilligoss, band leader. Miss Polly Spangle, student, is the accompanist for the production. The dramatics class, under direction of Mrs. Freda Thomas, will be in charge of make-up.

Miss Mary Oliver’s sewing class will make most of the costumes, with costumes for the lead characters rented from Spokane.

Cast in the production as the hapless Sir Joseph Porter, admiral of her majesty’s navy, is Gary Pietsch. The captain will be played by Marvin Dazey while Phyllis Boling will play the captain’s daughter, Josephine.

Sir Porter’s Cousin Hebe will be played by Evelyn Boling, and Bob Pratt will portray Dick Dead Eye. Little Buttercup will be played by Margaret Morris.

Ralph Chicks and Jimmie Van Sant will take the parts of the boatswain and the boatswain’s mate, while Ralph Rackstraw will be portrayed by Dee Fowls.

Two famous photos of our parents.

Life changed dramatically for those of us in Batch One (Mike, Kevin and Marianne) when our mother married Harold Tibbs on March 12, 1954.

They shared a common love for horses; both were members of the Sandpoint Saddle Club.

Mother was well-known around the county for her many years of dedication to the 4-H horse program and horse activities in general.

Harold lived just down North Boyer from us at the home of Fats and Ardis Racicot.

He also owned a stallion which would become world famous after Harold and Toby 1 (ApHC No. 203) cleaned up on awards at the first-ever National Appaloosa Show in 1948.

Toby stayed behind and eventually was turned over to Ardis because we didn't have very good fences on our 40-acre farm.

But we had a farm, and Harold had a tractor, so it was good partnership. In the deal, he also got three kids. Later, three more came along (Barbara, Laurie and Jim), who we refer to as Batch Two.

Quite a story of romance and family, to say the least.

On this day, exactly 72 years after that marriage, we remember them fondly and wish they were here.