I went to a birthday party in Priest River yesterday.
The two individuals pictured below, Lois Parenteau Blasko and her twin brother Leonard were celebrating their 90th year.
Both were educators in our school district and both now live near Priest River.
I first met Lois in the seventh grade when Mr. Chronic, our science teacher, had the mumps and had to take three weeks off from school. Lois was our substitute in his absence.
The years went by, and when I became a teacher, Leonard was a school district administrator and Lois continued her career as an elementary teacher.
She and I became friends through the decades. I also felt great joy when I'd see her friend that she grew up with, Jean Martin (seated in the photo above) and Lois out and about together.
Ornery and fun ol' gals is how I view them.
Jean turned 90 this year also, as did Bob Gooby who's standing behind the walker.
I love this photo above because some of those folks knew me since I was a toddler, and I knew some of those others when they were born. That would be James Martin (seated), Bobbi Lynn Gooby (standing) and Lorna Martin Low (seated on the right.
What a blend there is in the ages and the personal experiences spent with each individual over the years.
I taught James and Lorna (and Lorna's son Mike). I knew Bobbi as our neighbor when we lived over on Great Northern Road.
Jean and Bob have been family friends forever.
To say this photo is a treasure in my personal life is an understatement.
All of the 90 year-olds have touched lives in so many wonderful days, and all of us "young'uns" have some amazing inspirations as human beings to follow as we make our way toward 90.
We are so fortunate to have had you in our lives.
Happy Birthday to all and thanks.
Good folks, to say the least.
Lois, above; twin brother Leonard below.
I found it ironic to go to a birthday party in Priest River and, within minutes, meet a bunch of Sandpoint High grads, some former students.
That would be Carrie, Paul, Joe, Paul's wife from Vietnam and Mary.
Great fun seeing them all.
Siblings James and Lorna, longtime and beloved family friends.
Below: Mary Thacker graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1980, and it's been 46 years since I last saw her.
I so enjoyed catching up with her and learning that she is part of the Driggs family (many of you locals knew Lasean and Gene).
Mary told me she has six wonderful kids, and I think, from visiting with her, I know why.
Breta is Lois' daughter, and I'm thinking she may have been instrumental in helping organize the gathering. Again, it has been decades since I've seen her.
So, it was fun to meet her husband Steve. The two worked for the Montana Dept. of Transportation.
And, of course, since Breta's mom is Jean's sidekick, we had to have this group picture.
I loved the halftime show at the World Cup Final, especially the scene above.
A beautiful halftime for a beautiful sport.
A supreme example of what life on this earth should be about.
You win.
You lose.
You hug.
And, the poignant observation by Lamine Yamal below says it all.
Lamine Yamal: “Winning the World Cup should have been the happiest moment of my life, but when I saw Leo standing there after the final whistle, my heart broke.
For a few seconds, I forgot we were rivals. I just saw the man who made me fall in love with football.”
“I went up to him because no legend should leave a stage like that feeling alone. This is the same Lionel Messi who inspired an entire generation to dream, the same man whose name every kid shouted while playing in the street. Seeing him heartbroken wasn’t easy at all.”
“I told him: ‘Thank you.’ Not for tonight, but because without you, I don’t know if I’d be here today. Before I was old enough to understand football, you had already changed my life. You gave kids like me the chance to believe that magic was real.”
“At 39, he was still carrying Argentina, still calling for the ball, still deciding matches, and still terrifying the world’s best defenders.
Most players are remembered for what they did years ago. Messi was still making history in the present. That deserves more than applause; it deserves eternal respect.”
“The world will celebrate Spain, and it should, because we earned this title. But don’t let a single result make you forget everything Messi gave to this World Cup. Every time he touched the ball, you felt like something impossible was about to happen. That’s a gift very few footballers have given to this sport.”
“When I hugged him, I wasn’t consoling someone who had failed. I was embracing the greatest player my generation has ever seen.
Finals are won or lost, trophies change hands, but a greatness like Lionel Messi’s belongs to football forever.”
“Someday, people will ask me what it was like to face Lionel Messi in a World Cup final. I won’t start by talking about the trophy. I’ll tell them I shared the pitch with my idol, that I looked him in the eyes after the final whistle, and that I thanked him for changing football forever. That moment will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
This little deformed raccoon has been dubbed Jimothy and has become a viral sensation.
Jimothy resides with his family in the same general area of Seattle where Annie lives.
Talk about a "poster child."
A very busy week lies ahead: company, preparing for company, more social events.
It's summer!
Happy Monday.
