Saturday Slight

 

Brandon and Emma

Twas a fun social night for Bill and me last evening. 

We first met with a couple of my former students, Val and Chris, at MickDuff's and then moved to another table for dinner with Willie, Debbie, Emma and Brandon and later entertainment from Chris. 

A few years ago, Emma was Willie and Debbie's exchange student from Berlin.

She now attends the University of Montana, where she has earned a 4.0 GPA for her first semester of studying International Business. 

Brandon also attended the University of Montana where he's majoring in management and playing on the Grizzly football team. Brandon helped us with our hay one summer, and we've enjoyed getting to know him. 

With Chris and Val, the stories and the laughing flowed.

For any who don't know, Chris, who is an award-winning photographer based in Eugene,  took Bill and my wedding pictures 48-plus years ago. 

We agreed that if we have any kind of celebration for our 50th, we'd love for him to take the pictures.  

Chris's father Gary unwittingly set up Bill and my opportunity to meet when he gave me an assignment to write feature stories and take pictures for the Sandpoint News Bulletin at the 1973 Boy Scout Jamboree at Farragut. 

Bill had come from Southern Louisiana to participate. 

Chris has an amazing memory and especially an undisputable colorful way of expressing it.  

I loved his reminiscing about our dad Harold and our mother whom he knew because of 4-H, cattle and just living in the neighborhood. 

Both Chris and Val graduated from SHS in 1975, ten years after me.  So, it's an interesting feeling to know my students are old enough for Medicare.

It was kinda fun during Chris's later visit to point out some connections among those folks at the table. 

Both Brandon and Chris come from families with long-established businesses in Sandpoint.  

Brandon's great-grandfather O.B. Parker and grandfather Jack Parker owned and operated Sandpoint Motors on Cedar Street.  It later became Taylor-Parker and, even later, Taylor and Sons. 

Meanwhile, the Pietsches, Chris's grandfather Lauren and, later, his dad Gary owned and ran the Sandpoint News Bulletin, Sandpoint's weekly newspaper,  about a block away on North Second Avenue.  

We also talked about the West Point connection.  Chris's uncle Kent graduated from West Point as did my brother Mike.  Brandon's cousin now attends the U.S. Military Academy.

Last weekend two Parker uncles, an aunt and some cousins attended the Army-Navy game.  One of the uncles and the aunt graduated from the Naval Academy. 

Finally, reaching into my bank of factoids, I told the group that in 1975 Chris served as ASB president at Sandpoint High; in 1985, Brandon's Uncle Greg served as ASB president and in 1995, William Love III held the same position. 

That's kinda how it is when members of a crowd share deep roots in a small community---lots of fun connections. 

Anyway, it was a delightful evening and so great to see Emma who flies out  to Germany in a couple of days for Christmas with her family. 

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This morning, we have to get scootin' with morning chores cuz the ZAGS are playing at 10 a.m. PST on CBS. 

It's sure to be a tough match-up with Alabama who knocked off No. 1 Houston last weekend. 

Later, Bill will head to Spokane to watch the Gonzaga women's team play in the Kennel. 

Willie and his girls basketball team will be on the road to Lewiston where they'll play the Bengals in early afternoon. The team won its last game handily, and if they could pull off a victory today, I believe they'll be 7-3, which is pretty neat.

Hoping for wins for all Bulldog teams. 

Happy Saturday.