Main Street - Living the Dream

This week's column features a 20-something playwright pioneering art via social media and a 70-something daughter of the Depression realizing a lifetime dream to sing and perform. Laveda Fay Jordan was born on Dec. 7, 1931 in Kellogg, Idaho. As a little girl her bedroom walls were covered with posters of Big Band singers of the era; the dream of becoming a singer formed back then. During the Depression voice lessons took a back seat to survival. Veda married Don Ziegler in 1948 at the Hitching Post in Coeur d'Alene and by the time she was 21, there were four children to raise ... Doneda, Craig, Kristy and Gail, their childhood filled with the sound of their mother's voice. After nearly 62 years of marriage, Don is Veda's biggest fan. He's watched his wife blossom as she takes the stage at small town taverns and at their summer place up the Coeur d'Alene River where she entertains their three generations of progeny. Last week Veda had a dream come true when family friend Phil Hodges arranged for a recording session in the Coeur d'Alene studio of Wayne Hays. With a professional CD, Veda Jordan Ziegler is now a genuine recording artist. Her youngest daughter Gail, who shared this story with me, said she's never been more proud of her mom. Said Veda: You're never too old to realize your dreams. *** Jeremy Gable graduated from Post Falls High School in 2000, and his travels have taken him to California and now Philadelphia. A playwright by trade and passion, Jeremy took his experiences riding the subway for his latest project, "The 15th Line." It's an ongoing narrative, taking place in real time. His play isn't off Broadway or on, it's happening on Twitter. See for yourself at twitter.com/twit_play. *** Today's trio of birthday girls spans a few decades and the full spectrum of hair color. Blonde Jackie Jameson, brunette Cindy Spence and my ravishing red-headed friend, Leslie Damiano. On Thursday Gene Reed and Ken Gimble chalk up another year. Friday's birthdays are celebrated by Ray Murphy, Susan Jacobson and Leslie Deubner. Sharing a February 6 birthday are Randy Oaks, Rich Morrow and Carole Fredekind. Next Monday wish Barb Bradley happy birthday. On Feb. 9 fellow city councilor Linda Wilhelm, dear friend Julia Free, Alta Steele and my niece Brandie Shofner will blow out the birthday candles. *** THERE'S MORE: New stories and photos almost every day at More Main Street. See Veda Ziegler sing, what Adam Durflinger's cheering about, who I spotted this week in Boise and more on More Main Street. There's a link also 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 Kerri Thoreson Main Street