Slight Detour: Thursday, This, That; TBT

I shall go see my friends Jeralyn and Kari with a very clear conscience today.

After all, Bill and Marianne Love have officially helped launch the revitalization of Dub's Drive-In.

After an uncertain lull and some winter hibernation, the iconic Sandpoint fast-food restaurant, home of the DD bar, et. al., opened 100 percent for business this week.

While reading the last page of a novel and awaiting the last ZAGS game yesterday afternoon, I sent a text to Bill who was in town at a meeting.

"When your meeting is finished, why don't you stop by Dubs," I wrote. "I want a cheeseburger (no onion) and a chocolate shake. You get what you want, and I'll pay you when you get home."

Bill arrived home just before 5 p.m., totally DUBless.

"Did you get my text?" I asked. Bill pulled out his phone and eventually found the text he hadn't read.

"I'll go back to town," he said, "adding that he had driven by Dubs earlier with the same thought.

So, he did, and while watching the ZAGS we ate our Dubs goodies.

So, we've done our duty, and when I see Jeralyn, the owner of Dubs for several years, I'll be happy to tell her of our Dubs patronage.

I mentioned reading a novel. I heard about the novel "Horse" last fall on NPR and wasted no time picking up a copy at Vanderfords.

Best laid plans of mice and men don't always work on schedule, but after the Christmas craziness ended a couple of months later, I finally opened the book and started reading.

Yesterday, I finally finished. It was one of those books divided into segments, each time featuring a different integral character in the story.

For someone like me who seldom sits long enough to really dig into a book, that format was perfect.

And, so when my story assignments were finished this week, I could finally go full speed ahead with Geraldine Brooks' story.

I did not realize until I finished that about three quarters of this novel is based on true happenings. Should have read the "afterward" before I read the book.

Anyway, I was hooked from page one, especially because I love horses and soon learned that the horse featured most prominently in this story was a bay Thoroughbred stallion with four white stockings and a white strip.

Having one of those (only an Arabian and not a Thoroughbred), I connected even more with the story.

There's also a situation that comes later with this horse that I have also experienced personally with another horse I owned.

What is most fascinating to me, after reading about all the people in the novel who really existed, is the character Willa Viley, a prominent citizen from Kentucky.

A couple we considered close family friends while I was growing up were Howard and Mary Ellen Thomason. They established the Selkirk Ranch, which is not far from where we now live.

Like my dad, they raised registered horned Herefords, lots of them and very successfully.

Mary Ellen, a passionate animal lover, gave every cow a name. She also loved cats, and sometimes at meal time, up to 30-40 cats would come from nowhere to the patio to enjoy their dinner.

Mary Ellen, who grew up in Bonners Ferry, the daughter of a judge, maintained her Southern roots in many ways, including the decor in her house.

My brothers helped Howard Thomason with his haying, and I spent two weeks one summer as a housekeeper and cook for the Thomasons while Mary Ellen recuperated from gall bladder surgery.

Anyway, Mary Ellen's maiden name was Viley, and the family came to this area from Kentucky.

I could not help but wonder if Willa Viley in the novel could possibly be one of Mary Ellen's ancestors.

As one who loves connections and as the wife of one who always LOVES to note Sandpoint connections, this would be fun to research.

Who knows? There could be another fun Sandpoint connection.

As for the book Horse, I found it very satisfying and timely.

In other news, it's snowing again. Don't worry, I won't go into detail. Just noting for the record.

And, since I've got stuff to do before meeting my friends for lunch, I'll sign off.

Enjoy the photos.