Saturday Slight

 

It may have been a dreary, WET day yesterday--even with a few serious downpours---but Todd and Adrian Mitchell brightened our lives like they do so many others. 

They're a father-son electrician team, and they came by to fix the overhead lights in our kitchen.  

When they left, the area was so bright we almost had to wear our sunglasses.

Just kidding, but with one light not working for the past year or so and the other one going bad a few weeks ago, it's been pretty dark in the kitchen. 

Besides fixing the kitchen lights, they just plain brightened a dreary day with their visiting. 

Twas a good catch-up time for all of us as well as a nice change of atmosphere in the kitchen. 

And, by golly, when they left, the rain had stopped pretty much for the rest of the day. 

Once again, we'll be waiting for a dry out.  Speaking of weather, for the first time I can remember, I have no flowers or lilacs to take to the cemeteries. 

Memorial Day is as late as it could possibly be and we're still waiting for the columbine and the lilacs to come into full bloom.  A few iris have opened up but hardly enough to put together bouquets of fresh flowers. 

I can remember some years when it's been so warm we were using the tail end of the lilacs. 

A strange year weather-wise, that's for sure.  

UPDATE:  I was waiting for permission from the source on this next item and received the go ahead after I published the post.  

SO, here goes.  

What a thrill is was to learn at dinner last night from my son Willie (an SHS teacher) that another former student will take the helm at Sandpoint High School this fall. 

Jacki Hanson Crossingham has been named the new principal of SHS.  

A great choice, I do believe, based on what I observed of her as an honors English student and from following her pathway as an educator. 

Down to earth, sensible, respected, well-established local roots and smart.

What makes this even more special is that Jacki is the daughter of one of my SHS 1965 classmates, Rick Hanson.

Congratulations, Jacki.  

I am proud of you.  Plus, she's from Sandpoint and we ALL  couldn't be any prouder. 

Best of luck too!  

Orlene, Parker and Luis, from--you guessed it---Ephrata, Wash.

It's not uncommon for me to ask perfect strangers where they're from, but when three of four family members come walking into a restaurant bearing the name Ephrata across their shirt fronts, I engaged with them.  

No need to ask them where they were "from," but definitely a desire to see if they knew my cousins or our friends, Shiraz and Sigrid who live in Ephrata.

They did not know either, but by the time the group left the restaurant, we knew a lot about them. 

Turns out Luis, on the right, is really from Germany, but he has spent the past year as an exchange student with Orlene's family in Ephrata.  

Both Parker and Luis are high school seniors, and they play baseball for their high school. 

Turns out exchange students have been common with Orlene's family.  That news led to conversations with the Young Love's who have had two exchange students, one from Germany. 

Twas fun meeting this group.  Very nice and interesting people AND for Sandpointers, Orlene knows Marcella Nelson really well.

So, hats off to Ephrata for inspiring a fun new friendship.  

 

Meanwhile in Norway with Annie . . . .Annie's official Viking geocaching event has started today in Norway, so, yes, she has signed in Viking style. 

Yesterday, she and her fellow geocaching lackey Ari did some touring around the Harstad area. 

Pictures below. 

Today at the Lovestead, I'm hoping to get some projects done that were on the agenda yesterday.  Rain stopped all that, but for the time being, the rain has stopped.  Maybe I'll get something done. 

Happy Saturday.