Throwback Thursday Assorteds

Not even close---geographically or numerically, so I guess I have to go to work today 1.5 billion dollars poorer than intended.  Add to that the stock market slippage of late, and it's a bleak day, not yet mid-January at that.

The work I'm doing doesn't even pay, in dollars and cents, that is.  Still, I'm figuring on a priceless reward or two coming in the form of hopeful young faces and some old teaching friends. 

Today is Spelling Bee day at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary.  My cold is pretty much gone.  I have a voice, and, so far, I'm guessing my horses are doing fine.  So, as promised to my sister Laurie, I'll be there to pronounce words.

I practiced most of them yesterday and did mark off a few, which will not be on my list to say.  

I figure that if I have any reservations whatsoever about pronunciation, I'm not going to hope for the best when the word comes out my mouth and an aspiring spelling bee winner hears it wrong and spells it wrong. 

So, the words they hear today will be well honed in my mind and from my tongue. 

Speaking of words, I listened with interest on NPR this week about "gig" and "they" being words of the year.  

As a retiree, I use "gig" frequently because no job is meant to be permanent, so it's a gig like today's spelling bee gig.  

I also hope some student doesn't feel that they got a bum deal from the pronouncer during today's gig.  

Yes, now we can use the plural "they" in reference to a singular noun whose gender is not clear. The usage after my lifetime of using "he," "he or she," or just plain writing so as NOT to worry about a pronoun and its antecedent has been a part of my complete life.

Now, it's okay for "they."  Big lingual progress, I'd say, or maybe just another move toward total informality in English usage.

Well, as advertised, this post was billed to be Thursday Throwback, so I'd better behave like an English teacher and focus on the designated topic. 

I grabbed today's photos and my mother's painting above for today's post because I knew I'd be leaving the house early this morning. 

In reference the painting above, I wish someone would revive the downtown trolley. During those years it was a staple throughout the tourist season in Sandpoint, I always vowed that I'd ride on it.  

Never did. 

If someone were to bring it back, I'd probably be first in line to take advantage because we learn when something is gone how important it is to not take things for granted in one's surroundings, especially when it's a lovely reminder of the past like the trolley rides provided for so many visitors to Sandpoint back in the day. 

Meanwhile, below, I've posted a series of photos taken at the Chick-o-Stick eating contest, held on Jan. 31 a few years back as a way of celebrating the end to the long, often dreary, blah month here in North Idaho.  

I was feeling pretty much like I am now, not yet halfway through January, when one day I came up with a crazy idea.  Chick-o-Sticks occupy a special place in my heart and often my stomach.  

That all started when my friend Chris and I, hungering for Chick-o-Sticks one day during our Forest Service gig a few decades ago,  discovered that the only Chick-o-Sticks available in Bonner County at the time were at Harold's IGA and at Emma Rathbun's Clark Fork Merc.

Upon discovering that rarity, we bought up a supply every time we stopped at Harold's or the Merc on our travels as engineering aides to the forest road network. 

Since those days, someone got smart and saw to it that the crunchy cylindrical candy stick could be found most anywhere.  

Still, the memories of how special we felt every time we bit into a Chico Stick, while taking a spin around the lake or driving the Flowery Trail near Usk, Wash., ignited a quirky but fun idea for me in the midst of the January blahs. 

So, a Chick-o-Stick eating contest was conceived and advertised via The River Journal and other media throughout the community.  

As the concept caught on, somebody came up with the idea that we use the contest to collect care packages for soldiers in Iraq.  The Veterans of Foreign Wars helped out. People of all ages and sweet teeth came with goodies for soldiers.  Some spectated, while others participated enthusiastically.  

Serious Chick-o-Stick eating and competing occurred.  When all the crunch crunch had ended, Buddy Chambers did defeat Jeralyn Mire and reigned as the Chick-o-Stick champ.  

A fun time was had by all, and that January ended on a very sweet note.  

I don't know if I'd want to put the energy into such a contest again, but I still love Chick-o-Sticks and always smile when thinking of the happiness the candies brought when a bunch of fun-loving people gathered at Bonner Mall on that January day.  

Thanks, Trish, VFW and all who gobbled their Chick-o-Sticks down to the last bite. 

And, below the contest photos, there's one I always liked of Bill and my sister Laurie.  I hadn't seen it for some time.  

If memory serves me correctly, it was taken back in the spring back in the 1970s at Riley Creek-----definitely during 'stache days for Bill.  Laurie never had a mustache, and she looks pretty much the same these days. 

Just sharing some fun memories this morning and hurrying myself along to be ready and at the school by 8 a.m. for my spelling bee gig.

Happy Thursday.  How do we spell "ZAGS defeat Cougars tonight at the Kennel"?  Even if we can't spell, we can certainly cheer on the Bulldogs.  GO, ZAGS!!!