Slight Detour: Saturday Slight

When something really touches your heart, you've got to share it.

My longest and beloved friend-for-life, Laura, put together this card and sent it to me via Messenger yesterday.

I guess 74 years of being a friend allows a person a pretty good perspective along with some nostalgic memories.

Just for you, Laura Delamarter Gray, I found a picture of Fancy Pants (below). For the longtime locals, that was Bill Cross showing our Appaloosa stallion during an Appaloosa show at the old fairgrounds in Sandpoint.

Fancy aka Ponderay's Fancy Pants came on to the scene one lovely summer morning in August of 1955.

My mother's Saddlebred mare Largo was his mother while our dad Harold's world famous stallion Toby I was his sire.

Fancy grew to be a tall stallion (16 hands), mostly black with that white blanket and those big black spots.

After showing him at a few regional Appaloosa shows, my dad eventually sold him to Bob Sphar who traded the stallion for nine horses from my dad's friend Kenneth Parent who lived in Montana's Madison Valley.

Kenneth used him as a stallion for a number of years until he was struck by lightning.

Harold parted with Fancy because he always worried about our fences and the possibility of someone getting hurt.

Yes, Fancy definitely was a part of the idyllic and busy childhood Laura and I enjoyed together in so many ways while living on North Boyer.

Our families had both moved to the country from the "city." As infants and toddlers, we lived around the block from each other.

Our family moved to rural North Boyer first, while the Delamarters spent some years at a house on "in-town" North Boyer.

I can still recall how excited I was to learn one day at Lincoln School that the Delamarters would soon be our neighbors to the north on the Pennington place which ran along Sand Creek.

I spent many, many youthful days at their farm, ripping out faulty seams for 4-H sewing projects, eating more than my share of Eleanor's amazing baked goods and riding bareback on their mare Blackie in the woods.

Every single memory mentioned on Laura's card involved meaningful and cherished times during that storied childhood.

And, to have the highlights revived in such a reflective and spot-on birthday card upon turning 74 truly touched my heart.

Thank you, Laura.

Also, during yesterday's birthday celebration, I listened to a telephone message with the birthday song sung by my former teaching colleague and longtime friend Rick Gehring.

No adequate words can express the joy I felt.

Rick suffered a stroke a few years back. The stroke took a toll on his ability to speak but certainly not his valued friendship.

What a gift!

We love the gifts on birthdays that we can open, and, of course, they are always appreciated.

I have learned, though, through the stages of my life that the very best gifts of all are family, friends AND the memories associated with each individual who takes the time to say "Happy Birthday."

Every single "Happy Birthday" comes with flashes back to moments spent with the individual who sent the wish. And, as we get older, the those moments become ever so dear.

So, thank you to all who sent meaningful "Happy Birthday's" through cards, text messages, calls and social media. Each and every wish is much appreciated.

And, thanks to my immediate family members for a wonderful day, filled with birthday wishes, a nice visit with Laurie while going to the airport, text messages and a wonderful Irish fix with Bill at O'Doherty's in Spokane.

It was really neat when that our server, one of the O'Doherty clan, brought up the name "Buncrana" after I had noted that their clan is a strong force in County Donegal.

Buncrana in County Donegal is also home to my mother's Irish roots.

"She might be related to you," Bill said.

Today, I'll send a special wish to my sister-in-law Mary who is celebrating her birthday.

Over the years, since the Thompson-Brown/Tibbs family united thanks to Mike and Mary's marriage, we have accumulated a massive amount of memories from college roommate days to ongoing family gatherings.

So, Mary, I hope with your "Happy Birthday's" that you enjoy a day like I did yesterday, reflecting upon all the wonderful people in your life and how they've impacted you.

Happy Saturday to all. Hoping all in the Northwest stay cool and safe.