Slight Detour: Good Peeps and Creative Goodies

Not So Plain GLASS by Ronald Seider of Moyie Springs.

Slowly but surely, I'm putzing along on writing and sending out my Christmas cards.

With another little stack completed yesterday afternoon, I decided to put them in the mail. Knowing the little post offices where I usually go were closed, I drove to the Bonner Mall where there's a blue box near Staples.

The mall parking lot was packed.

"What could this be?" I thought to myself.

Then, I remembered days gone by on a December weekend when my mother and I would set up tables with displays of her artwork and my books and then sit for three days at the annual mall craft sale.

Good memories.

Mother and enjoyed lots of laughs, occasionally brisk sales and good times with potential customers strolling through, hoping to find stocking stuffers or just the perfect present for a friend or family member.

Mother's cards were always popular, and I still hear story after story from folks who took them home, did not give them away. Instead, many framed them and kept a collection in their homes.

So, the moment I realized it was mall craft-sale time, a tinge of nostalgia took over as did a need to park, walk inside and see what happens these days at the sale.

I ended up spending about 45 minutes strolling through the area, surveying the tables to see what looked interesting.

My route took me among soaps, glass fusion, dolls, an array of knitted and crocheted items, stained glass, various levels of decorated wreaths, even a set of lovely barn paintings closely resembling my mother's.

This experience was almost immediately enhanced by the rich and soothing voice of a cowboy singing and playing the guitar inside the spot where my daughter Annie once worked for Nancy Meyer at Sport Tees.

This crooner reminded me a bit of Marty Robbins, one of our family's favorites, especially my dad's.

So, memory lane was truly intensifying quickly, and when I spotted (without my glasses) Terri and Phil Oppermann seated at a table with their personal creations, 'twas old home week, for sure.

Terri and Phil attended my mother's 85th birthday party a while back.

Terri and I have experienced some interesting horse-related adventures over the past 50 years or so, including my nervous moment when a Canadian mountie stopped me south of Calgary and told me "we frown on speeders here in the province."

After scaring the beejeebers out of me while Terri sat in the passenger side enjoying a good chuckle, we moved on to Calgary and the Canadian National Arabian Show where we were to help out the Balch family who were showing a horse at the Nationals.

We slept in a stall, and the vivid memories of that trip did not end with Marianne's brush with the Mounties.

Early in the morning, I felt the need to leave my sleeping bag and head to the lavatory. As I stepped out of the box stall, I could not believe my eyes.

There stood entertainer Wayne Newton, talking to his trainer outside a barn door where Mr. Newton's horses were staying.

I saw the sight, refocused to make sure I was really seeing what I was seeing and then stepped back inside the barn door.

"Terri, Wayne Newton's out there," I whispered, nudging her to wake up.

For some reason Terri didn't seem nearly as impressed that moment as she had earlier when the Mountie was lecturing me alongside the roadway.

I think Terri went back to sleep, and, uncharacteristically for me, I simply went to the bathroom without walking up to Mr. Newton, whose trainer later showed the national champion stallion at the show.

So, yes, Terri and I have many a good memory through our years as family friends. Her hubby Phil, a forester and quite the wooden toy crafter, also knows Bill. Today I'll probably head back to the craft sale for one of Terri's wreaths.

By the way, if you ever want a gorgeous arrangement of flowers for a very reasonable price, look up A Floral Rainbow. Terri's talent with flowers is astounding.

After visiting with Terri and Phil and the crooner whose name is Chuck Wasileski and who sings occasionally at the Farmhouse Silo Kitchen Restaurant AND who does paint cards that look a lot like my mother's, I moved on with a bit more speed.

Just as I was leaving, though, I stopped at Barbara Gustafson's table where her hubby's crafts with horse shoes and her beautiful jewelry and scarves are all exquisite.

Turns out, as we talked, I did know Barbara a long time ago when I was still teaching at Sandpoint High. She worked there for a time, and she also spent a few years at Farmin-Stidwell.

When she mentioned the name Bob Posey, I suddenly felt a hint of recognition. Bob, at the time, was her son-in-law and our school parking lot supervisor, among other duties.

It was fun to catch up on Bob and to learn that his son/Barbara's grandson graduated from Boise State and now works at a kindergarten teacher.

As I walked out the door, I heard someone call my name.

Apologetically, I announced, "I don't have my glasses on," which is becoming a new and common phenomenon for me whenever I go into stores and people whom I used to recognize with clarity are now blurry figures until I'm almost looking into their face.

This person happened to be a former student, Kelli Whitman, who, often with her sister Carrie, sells soaps and accessories at the craft sale.

I think I like that soap dish in the photo and could maybe use several for all the trinkets that lay strewn around our house.

Anyway, I enjoyed Memory Lane at the craft sale. Once again, the event gave me a nice feeling about some wonderful times spent with my mother.

The sale continues today and tomorrow, with today's opening at 10 a.m.

I do believe other entertainers will join Chuck throughout each day. Definitely a festive happening with some fun gift ideas and good peeps.

Happy Saturday.

UPDATE: In the "this just in," I just saw the following on Facebook: Checkout the Adam crew on CBS today for the Army Navy game!! #GoArmy! #T2T.

That would be our Sgt. Brandon Adam, a 2003 Sandpoint High School graduate and his adorable family.

That's all I know, but whatever it is, it will be fun to see this remarkable American hero.