Celebration: TBT

 

Twas a celebration, of sorts:  a pizza and a beer on the upper deck at Old Ice House Pizzeria last night. 

Months of minor and mild concerns ended for me yesterday with a five-minute scraping/cauterization at North Idaho Dermatology.  

A basal-cell carcinoma on my left leg was removed.

 Ironically, my original trip to the dermatologist in March involved what was later ruled a benign cyst. During that visit, I also asked Dr. Riter to look a scaly spot on my left leg.  

She biopsied both.  

The spot on the left leg indicated some skin cancer while the biopsy itself did the trick for the other. 

My "surgery" yesterday lasted about five minutes.  Once again, Dr. Riter and her assistant Bri provided a positive, understanding and TLC experience for this fraidy cat. 

So, later in the day, I suggested to Bill that we celebrate with pizza at Hope.  It was our first visit there since last summer when we ordered pizza as take-out and sat alongside the highway enjoying our dinner and admiring the ever-stunning view of Lake Pend Oreille. 

We not only celebrated the surgery but also another return to normalcy by ordering our pizza and beer and sitting on the deck. 

I must say that a lot of folks our age had the same idea last night.  It was sorta like going to Yellowstone after my retirement, looking around a big breakfast cafeteria and noticing that everyone there had gray hair or maybe none at all. 

Our vaccinated demographic is certainly getting out and enjoying life again, and what better place to do so than gorgeous Hope, Idaho, on a lovely spring day.

While eating our pizza, we enjoyed a nice visit with longtime area resident Mary Stevens and her son and daughter-in-law.  Mary's a pretty amazing lady who, at 84, never gives up an opportunity to hit the golf courses. 

She also had the opportunity to attend the NCAA Final Four, thanks to a grandson with connections.  Mary totally enjoyed the experience but said a similar arranged trip to Pebble Beach was even more thrilling for her. 

Dr. Grace, our veterinarian, was supposed to come today to vaccinate my horses, but she texted last night, asking if she could come Friday instead because she has been slammed with emergency calls. 

"We could use a fourth vet," she noted.

It's spring, and things happen to animals on farms. 

So, today looks like an open-ended day for enjoyment, and that's precisely what I plan to do. 

Enjoy the TBT's below, and Happy Thursday. 

  

Throwback Thursday . . . 

Not quite syringa time but getting close. 

Idaho State flower.

Every so often I have to think about my longtime buddy Cliff Irish, the "Wild Irishman."  

He popped up in the pictures today from a collection taken at the funeral of a classmate a few years ago.  Cliff and Gene Clark (below) grew up in the same general rural area southwest of Sandpoint.

Gene's a classmate from the Sandpoint High Class of 1965.  We were practicing "stoic" that day.  It wasn't easy for either of us. 

Sandpoint Magazine's summer edition will be out soon, so this photo from the Natives and Newcomers feature showed up this morning. 

A lot of water under the bridge for this bunch since they were featured in 2018---for Ben, literally, cuz he works for Bonner County Roads, Andrea and Kennden have established a popular pub/restaurant in town called Matchwood AND they have become parents.  Meanwhile, Judy Jury has done some amazing development of her Shingle Mill Stables property.

Below:  the lady who puts it all together at Sandpoint Magazine, editor Trish Gannon.  She's pretty amazing too, fighting cancer while coordinating magazine production.

You are an inspiration, dear friend Trish. 
   

Grandpup Brooke working the crowd a few years ago at a horse event put on by my sisters. 

The little ones like the horses, but the friendly dogs were pretty popular too. 

A truly phenomenal citizen of and for Idaho citizens, my former student Luke Mayville and his wife Elena.  Both are graduates of Yale University. 

Luke, his buddy and classmate Garrett and their team of thousands across Idaho spearheaded the Initiative that led to Medicaid for Idaho.  

Luke continues to fight relentlessly  for the power of Initiatives from the people and for funding for Idaho public education.

Our state is lucky to have his powerful voice and dedication.  

My longtime friend Chris, a retired PLU professor, researcher, Sandpoint native and one of the many, many champions who helped bring Medicaid for Idaho to reality.

 

Getting close to hat time for the Kentucky Derby. 

My neighbor Terra modeled one of my collection a few years ago. 

She will be playing in a big lacrosse tournament here in Sandpoint this weekend. 

Oh, yes, I understand the Farmer's Market will be opening also.  

Big weekend in town, for sure, and nice weather for enjoying it. 

Below is a "just cuz I love it" photo.  

Always fun to remember this adorable bunch back in the good ol' days when life's dreams were just formulating.  

Believe me, these kids have all followed those dreams and have done very well for themselves.