Big Moments: TBT

 

Maybe soon this will not be the scene outside, and we'll all see the mountains again. 

I was participating in a ZOOM session yesterday afternoon celebrating a cousin's 70th birthday when the subject of smoke came up a couple of times. 

In Oakland yesterday, one cousin reported that she could wear a regular mask outside yesterday for the first time in several days. 

She was elated. 

When my cousin Joan---who lives in Mexico---asked if we had smoke here in North Idaho, I tried to think of an answer with some sense of tangibility. 

After all, smoke just kinda hangs there all over the West.  

So, I told the group I hadn't seen Schweitzer out my kitchen window since Friday. 

This morning, I can see a faint outline of our ski mountain so our air must be improving.

My zoom session was one of three "big" moments for the day, especially because I saw several second and third cousins who are scattered across the United States and Mexico. 

The other two "big" events of the day involved going to South Fork Hardware Store for a new recoiling hose.

One of my fleet went bad in the morning, and the recoiling variety is essential for deck watering since the hose goes into a hole under the deck.

Happily, my neighbors Ray and Terri Yaw found me a hose and took care of the transaction over the phone.  

Once more curbside pickup made for an easy purchase and pickup. 

I do love this mode of shopping, especially when I'm dealing with nice people at the stores. 

Speaking of nice Swiss folks, I saw a few yesterday when I went for fresh Swiss bread pickup.

Michele's home was active with customers picking up their fresh-baked bread, with kids playing with baby chicks and with Doris and her daughter. 

Doris is from Switzerland, and I first met her when her daughter was a horse member of the Gold n' Grouse 4-H Club. 

Big items on yesterday's agenda may not seem like much to some, but each, in its own way, was special to me. 

Every time I see or deal with any of these people, I'm reminded of the abundance of goodness that still exists in our world, and that truly is a good aspect of any day. 

TBT:  Happy Times with Good Peeps

Since the future still looms with uncertainty, it seems like more and more we need to travel to the past to be reminded of good times.

As one who loves history and people, that's a pretty easy and fun task for me. 

I do love the past and the wide range of people with whom I've created my past. 

So, maybe that's a good theme for today's TBT's. 

This was in New Orleans a few years back when some teaching friends and the Love's traveled there for Spring Break.  

Anyone who's visited New Orleans should recognize where Rick and Ann Gehring, our "new best friends from Germany" and I were sitting. 

In the meantime, the musicians among us, including Bill, Sharon and Tom Walton stood outside Preservation Hall waiting in line, and saving spots for us, for the evening concert.

A family picnic at Dover Bay a while back where the "colonel" helped with the cooking. 

Laura, Mary, Maureen and Mike, my older brother. I think I may have taken this photo on their Lewsiton doorstep.  They can correct me if I'm wrong. 

What a great workout we had on this day when teaching colleagues and friends Judy Hunt, Shirley Parker, Myra Lewis and I got together at Myra's home in Clark Fork. 

Seems like we also rode in some snow machines that day.
 

Willie has done a lot of fishing this summer and has caught a lot of lunkers. 

All is relative, though, and I'm thinking he was pretty happy the day he caught this one. 

Twas a spontaneous stop in Houston on one of our road trips to Louisiana when we watched the Astros play at their dome.  

I think our seats were in the nosebleed section on this trip, and I think my fear of heights kept me walking the hallways while the rest of the family watched baseball. 

That guy on the right used to spend a lot of time at our home after school when he and Willie were playing basketball at Sandpoint High School.  

He's now Dr. Brian Luce, a veterinarian near Post Falls.  And, that's Braean McNulty, his classmate.  

Can't remember the royalty situation---could have been Senior Prom or Homecoming for the SHS Class of 1995. 

One year the Monticola yearbook staff at Sandpoint High (Barbara was adviser at the time) sponsored a money making project where they took pet pictures of Christmas. 

We three sisters each had a dog, so we showed up for the photo op.

That's Foster with me, Meggie with Barbara and Jessie with Laurie.

Taking pictures of three doggies is easier said than done, but we managed. 

I miss these two as I'm sure many others do too. 

Pearl Powell and Father "Several Names" were having a nice moment just before he was officially dubbed a monsignor. 

Fr. John, Fr. Tim, Fr. Malachy, Fr. O'Donovan.  If there are more names for this "gentle" man, let me know. 

He was a keeper, and Pearl was one of the ladies at the Saturday morning coffee klatches when she wasn't dealing with the U.S. mail----back before it got controversial. 

LONG-time friend Patti McGovern and J.P. Huguenin helped with the festivities when Fr. O'Donovan became Monsignor O'Donovan at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. 

I enjoyed reading about the parish's newest priest this past week.  He hails originially from India.  Am looking forward to meeting him. 

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2020/sep/13/father-sleeva-finds-new-home-st-josephs/

One time my friend and former student and feature writer extraordinaire Erica and I put on a writing workshop in Coeur d'Alene. 

So, part of the session involved writing---on our heads.  

We had great fun. 

Mother and her great-grand triplets.  

They are all now attending the University of Idaho, and so far, so good.

Keep it up, Justine, Grace and Jacob-----------and Jade!

These little darlings are almost grown up now---Boston and Terra. 

Both have spent a bit of time at the Lovestead, painting fence, feeding animals and playing with horses. 

And, that's their folks below, Tricia and Trent.

Welcome back, Dr. Dickens, from your most recent stint at Covid medical care in Laredo, Texas, where I'm sure your dedication under not the best of conditions was much appreciated. 

A fun trip to Chicago a few years back for a birthday party.  That's my brother Jim with us. 

My mother's cousin Bud had turned 90. 

We met oodles of cousins there, including Cousin Brendan and his wife Stephany.

Mother really enjoyed herself on that trip, meeting some cousins and catching up with others, including Joan (below) who yesterday celebrated her 70-year milestone. 

Happy Birthday, Joan.