Unlucky number wins for Morrow family
When 85-year-old Bonnie Morrow of Rathdrum saw the advertisement for a $5,000 Cabela's gift card being raffled by the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce in last Tuesday's Coeur d'Alene Press, she told her son, Larry Sanders, they should go in together on a $50 ticket.
So Larry went out to Cabela's and bought a ticket for his mom, dad, John, son, Gabe, and nephew, Jeff; each chipping in $10. At Cabela's they gave him a choice of several tickets and he chose No. 13.
Larry joked that on the way out the door he had second thoughts about choosing an unlucky number. But when the winning ticket was drawn on Thursday night at the Commerce and Community Fair, turns out it wasn't so unlucky after all. Now comes the hard part for the family: each has to decide how to spend their $1,000 share of the gift card they won.
Fun note from John and Bonnie's grandson, Brian Jordan ... he said his grandparents are known as the "twomorrows."
I'm always amazed by the different hobbies that people enjoy, especially if it's also a good excuse to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Turns out that 'shrooming season has begun for those who hunt for morel mushrooms. Their season starts in mid-April and lasts about a month or so.
Doug Peoples tells me that he's been on the hunt for about 10 years with his wife, Sue, and sisters, Vicki Peoples and Sandy Saffeels and all of their children. It's an activity they can do together.
While 'shroomers guard their favorite places as passionately as hunters and fishermen, Doug says Hayden Lake and Farragut Park are both good bets. He recommends when you're picking a Morel to pinch the stem off at ground level to insure they'll come back year after year.
Kim Haddock of Hayden Lake is also a long time 'shroomer. She says the morels are often found on a north-facing slope with plenty of moisture and dappled sunlight. Part of the allure is the elusiveness of the species; the other is how great they are to use in cooking.
Paul Burke is an Ironman, two times over. He's also a pretty lucky guy as one of 200 athletes selected worldwide in the Ironman Kona lottery last week. Paul gets a pass to compete in Kona in October as long as he completes an Ironman in 2010. He's signed up for the Boise Ironman. When not swimming, cycling and running a grueling Ironman course, Paul's the advertising director of the Coeur d'Alene Press.
On Saturday, just eating breakfast and dinner can support our troops and our veterans. The Blue Star Mothers are holding a breakfast at Applebee's from 8 to 10 a.m. for just $7 per person, with the proceeds to help send packages to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you prefer to sleep in, from 5 to 7 p.m. American Legion Post 14, 754 N. 4th St. in Coeur d'Alene, is hosting a spaghetti supper for the public. $5 per person or $10 per family.
Happy 57th Birthday today to Sandy Goedde. Tomorrow George Greenfield, Janna Robnett and Corey Beaver celebrate birthdays. On Friday it's a big day for Shelly Enderud and Tracy Williams. April 24 birthdays are shared by Mary Watson and Lori Erickson, as well as two-year-old Jordan Katzenberg, his dad, Tim Katzenberg and grandpa, Mike Regusa. On Monday, wish Sandra Landberg a happy birthday!
THERE'S MORE: New stories and photos almost every day at More Main Street. See a photo of a morel mushroom taken by Lindsey Saffeels with a link to the art of mushrooming and Larry Sanders with his gift cards and more. There's a link on the righthand rail for adding your birthday to the Main Street Birthday Club for 2010!
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. More Main Street blog is at http://moremainstreet.blogspot.com. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com