Slight Detour: Saturday This and That

A beautiful sunshine scene, taken yesterday near Oden Bay.

Our days are getting noticeably longer. While walking out to get the paper this morning, I took a few extra steps up the middle of the road.

Twasn't quite daylight, but still pretty light compared to the usual paper-retrieving time.

Plus, it's Saturday morning, so the road was quiet. No early morning traffic. Just me, and a new covering of snow, hiding the mud. Perfect conditions for walking up and down the middle of the road.

Speaking of which, I saw Steve Klatt, the Bonner County Road supervisor, yesterday. He wanted me to know that if the weather holds, the crews are going to try to cover up the muck with a new layer of gravel.

We, in the neighborhood, will enthusiastically welcome that effort. Heck, maybe I'll have to bake some cookies and reward them as they work.

Many of us have had an added level of winter blues this year with thoughts of how long our road would be such a mucky mess, so Steve's information yesterday was great news.

I saw Steve because I went to the Federal Building aka county office place. Having completed my second petition for getting the Initiative to expand Medicaid in Idaho on the ballot, I wanted to go through the actual process of submitting it at the election office.

Going out and asking people to sign petitions is NOT easy for me. I'd almost rather eat rice or watch nurses give vaccinations on TV. Anyone who knows me knows that those two rank below the bottom of my bucket list.

So, I'm pretty pleased to have completed two petitions, and, according to those in the know, with 100 percent correct procedure with both.

Asking people to sign petitions seems like an easy job, and most people would be stunned to learn that I, the outgoing, friendly soul, avoid such jobs. It's uncomfortable for me because I'm also fiercely independent and do not like being pushed into any situation. I'll make my own choices, thank you!

Having that nature, I totally understand others who would rather take their own initiative, so I'm not the best at carrying around a clipboard and asking people to sign.

I took on the petition project because I believe in the cause and in the people who have sacrificed so much to see this initiative put before the voters of Idaho on this fall's ballot.

And, not to be pushy, but signing the petition ONLY helps get the Initiative on the ballot.

How voters decide inside the polling booth in November is up to the voters.

That said, I'll give one more plug for local registered voters to consider signing a petition. They are available at Women’s Health at 1215 Michigan St Suite C or Panhandle Art Glass on 514 Pine Street.

The second reason I don't get excited about asking people to sign petitions is that they are FORMS.

Throughout her lifetime, klutzy Marianne has consistently flunked filling out forms. In fact, I even started out with a big blooper on my very first petition when I signed it myself.

Those carrying petitions must sign someone else's petition, not their own.

Fortunately, someone caught me early on, so I threw that one away and copied off a fresh form. It is vitally important on these petitions to fill in the blanks with exactly what is supposed to go in the blanks/boxes.

For example, P.O. boxes are not accepted; street addresses are. Information must be restricted to the area inside each box.

And, I heard this one yesterday from the Elections Office receptionist: do NOT sign a second petition. She told me this has happened quite often.

Those circulating petitions here in Bonner County must also double check to see that their signers are residents of Bonner County only.

Finally, signatures MUST match signatures on file at the Elections Office, so NO forgeries!

After my initial mistake, I took the unusual step (for me) of trying to make doubly sure that my forms were done correctly. And, thank goodness----they were.

Long story short, I'm feeling pretty proud to have completed two whole petitions, and I sincerely thank everyone who made my job a lot easier than I had orginally anticipated.

Today is baking day. Swiss Miss is here and the ZAGS play, so we're having hamburgers here at the Lovestead for Game Night, and, if all goes right, they'll be clothed in fresh homemade buns and all the trimmings.

I'm also thinking about keeping up the domestic trend by baking a blueberry cobbler.

Since it's GAME DAY (ZAGS vs. San Francisco Dons at 5 p.m. PST on KHQ/Root), one more day of January ought to pass by quickly. Then, only four to go!

GO, JANUARY! GO, ZAGS! Happy Saturday.

Liam is gonna be kinda sad when the winter winds down because he's been enjoying the superior feeling of playing in high places.

He loves the hay stack in the barn and spends much of his day playing on the snow banks outside.

Miss Deck Piggy is still wrapped with Christmas lights cuz some of this string is still buried in the snow. It looks like it will be some time before that last string goes into the bag for storage.

And, maybe when all the snow is gone, I can find Miss Piggy's other eye. Poor thing.

I harbor ambivalent feelings about this guy. He keeps Liam entertained, but like Liam, he likes to dig in the dirt. I've cleaned up his messes from deck flower pots several times this winter.

Nonetheless, like the deer, he sure is cute.