Fun Times at Pack River Store, Etc.

 

Linda and Patty from the Sandpoint High Class of 1978. 


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As often happens at the Pack River Store, a lunch date with one friend soon mushrooms into a fun and lively experience with several friends. 

My friend Becky and I met at a table on the deck of the restaurant yesterday.  

We did plenty of our own catching up, but also learned news and views from others who had gathered at the folksy and friendly restaurant for lunch. 

"Please remove bullets from clothing."  

That's a reminder which had been posted in the general store laundromat years ago, according to Linda Fitchett.  

She has seen a few decades' worth of activity at the store/restaurant during her many years of living in the Gold Creek/Rapid Lightning Creek area.

Linda had come to the store yesterday to visit with her classmate Patty Cozart who's in town for a few days. 

Well, their visit, along with Becky's and mine turned into an ongoing blend of lively conversation and reminiscing.  

As our lunch dates rolled on, many others, both acquaintances and new faces, chimed in on whatever the subject happened to be as they walked by.

The conversations were rich with revelations of personal connections, of local family relationships, of who was married to whom and who lives where up the back roads leading to the store.  

We also enjoyed getting to know our server Jenn, who grew up a Coeur d'Alene Viking but wanted us to know that she owns a Bulldog.

"Will that count?" she asked, after I'd asked if she had graduated from Sandpoint High. 

Jenn, who has worked in the food/restaurant industry most of her adult life,  took great care of us.   

As we wrapped up our visits and our lunch, Linda went inside the store and later came out with a revelation.

That laundry announcement about removing the bullets is now tacked to the wall inside the restaurant. 

It's always fun having lunch at Pack River Store, which serves fantastic food and welcome helpings of familiarity for those of us locals. 

Nice to still have those spots around our community, where it seems that hardly anyone knows your name these days. 

Let's hope that a few decades from now that bullet from the clothing sign is still tacked the wall and the homespun atmosphere stays the same. 

Jenn, a great server at Pack River Store. 

~~~~~

While I was out galavanting, Bill and Willie were enjoying their own brand of fun:  fishing on the Coeur d'Alene River. 

Bill reported this morning that it was a good day and that Willie had caught lots of fish, including a 17-incher.  

Today and from now on for a while, we'll be joining a few others in doing our best to beat the heat. 

Looks like several days of 90s, eventually moving toward triple digits. 

Should be good growing weather for the garden but not so good for the forests. 

Let's hope everyone is careful in the woods and that Mother Nature doesn't dish out any lightning storms over the next several days.  

Twould be really nice to finally have a summer without smoke. 

Fingers crossed. 

Happy Thursday.