Thursday This and That; TBT

 

I met this young lady two days ago at the Pooch Parlor. 

Her name is Sapphire.  

I feel kinda bad because I didn't even notice her standing behind the counter waiting to help me.

Four ladies were grooming dogs, so I had directed my eyes toward them, with plans to set up an appointment for Foster. 

I yakked on and on, and suddenly looked downward and saw Saphire looking back at me.  She had been waiting all that time to help me all along and probably thought I was shunning her. 

By the time I had noticed Sapphire, one of the groomers was walking over to set up the appointment. 

The expression, the patience of this beautiful show standard poodle blew me away. 

Twas instant love. I learned later that Sapphire is with pup(pies). I also learned that she sets a shining example at The Pooch Parlor. 

You can bet when I take Foster in this morning for a bath and the works, I'll be on the look out for Sapphire. 

She is truly a special dog.  

SHS girls basketball team on their way south yesterday. 

The 4A regional champion Bulldogs will play later today. 

As you can see, tip-off for Sandpoint's game is at 5 p.m. MST or 4 p.m. PST.  

One method of seeing the game is to go to the NFHS network. There’s a fee … but could be watched there, says Debbie Love.

She also says to check at Idahosports.com

I'm guessing and hoping that locally, we can listen to the game on KSPT-1400.  

GOOD LUCK, BULLDOGS!

A TBT

Coach Love and a special lady who helped his mom. 

The photo above was taken nearly 45 years ago on a yellow school bus, bound for Wenatchee, Wash.  

Sandpoint High's Ponderettes Drill Team and the SHS  band were participating in the annual Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival parade. 

The photo shows a much younger me, a very young (5 weeks) Willie and one of the drill team moms, Jan Meneely. 

On the same day last week that I had learned of Jan's passing, the snapshot above showed up in my Facebook feed.

Could have been Jan reminding me of the good times. 

This morning I want to say a few words about Jan.

 She came along as a true angel in my life when I was advising the SHS drill team.  

Even at that time, I wondered why I had this job because I had no marching or music talent and, least of all, NO talent for putting uniform accessories together.

In those days, high school administrators found a warm body aka sucker, too naive and too scared to say no to take such positions.   

The Ponderettes wore a basic white dress with a short skirt.  With each drill came a need to craft new, colorful accessories to go with the dress.  

That meant an imagination for design and a lot of sewing. 

Talk about feeling inept.  

I lucked out during the early years because the captains somehow came up with the ideas and found a way to get them completed on somebody's sewing machines. 

When Jan Meneely, whose daughter Jacque was in drill team, came along, I gained a talented savior. 

She took charge of the uniform needs and did so happily. 

This intervention sparked a lasting friendship with Jan. It was also very good for me, the white ribbon sewing gal, cuz Jan had three daughters.  Her help with drill team continued for several years. 

She also volunteered to be a chaperone for our trips.

 One year, my other friends and moms of Ponderettes, Marilyn Chambers and Joan Hawkins joined Jan on the chaperone squad. 

Talk about a friendship, sparked on a trip with a bunch of high school students----it lasted, and I say sadly now, to each woman's dying day. 

That trio, sometimes with Marianne included, got together as often as possible for lunch or dinner or just good ol' visiting. 

Jan and Jim Meneely owned a charter service on the lake, and they parented three lovely daughters, Jacque, Jeri and Julie.  All are good friends, and it's always a treat to see any of them in my wanderings. 

Jan's help with drill team meant more to me than she ever realized, and her friendship was even better. 

She will be missed.

Interesting to add this morning, that the little infant up above is almost 45, and he took a bus trip of his own with a group of high school girls yesterday. He got off to a good start on those student buses, at all of five weeks old. 

Willie and his basketball squad are eating breakfast somewhere in the Boise area as I type. They have a big game this afternoon at the Idaho State Girls Basketball Tournament.

Good luck to him, the other coaches and the team. 

I know, like my experience, those girls and whoever went along to chaperone will be remembered and appreciated by Coach Love. 

They have a way of finding a spot in one's heart and stay there forever.