'Tis the season for fall flu bug
We've had some beautiful bonus sunny October days of late, and for that I'm grateful. I'm also grateful for modern over-the-counter medications for colds/flu/cough/congestion/sneezing and for tissues with a touch of aloe. It was obvious a week or so ago that there was a bug lurking but I foolishly thought I could outrun or at least ignore it. Nope. Knocked me upside the head late last week and it's not your garden variety 24-hour bug.
And it also appears I'm in good company with dozens of people regaling me with stories of their fall flu experiences and how long it can linger. The goal is to keep it from turning into bronchitis or pneumonia as is happening to some. A toast of NyQuil to our health! ***
Had to miss the fun on Saturday for the Athol American Legion Post 149 annual Chili Cook-Off, but reclaiming her championship trophy from 2008 this year was Taryn Thompson. Her secret ingredient? Chocolate.***
Not wanting to share the bug, I stayed home from Tuesday's Coeur d'Alene Chamber Awards Luncheon at the Hagadone Event Center. Really wanted to be there to cheer for the Volunteer of the Year, Dick Wandrocke. He's one of my favorite people in the whole world and just a great community booster. Dick's involvement in the community is often under the radar, doing good deeds quietly. His philanthropy and enthusiasm has changed lives and I'm blessed to call him a friend. ***
There's no time to be under the weather with a week filled with great events for even greater causes ... on Thursday the second annual Soup and Chili Cook-off takes place on the patio of the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce from 4 to 7 p.m. so bring the family. The Post Falls Lions Haunted House also opens on Thursday, just down the street from the Chamber. Friday morning starts off with the Pathways to Independence Breakfast for TESH at the Coeur d'Alene Resort, and that evening catch the wave at the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County's Beach Party, also at the Coeur d'Alene Resort ... call 457-9089 or 665-1919 for Beach Party tickets. Those wonderful 3Cs gals are holding their Fall Festival of Food and Wine at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn on Saturday, call 773-4909 for info.***
Going out on a limb here and predicting the best IEL football match-up of the year will take place Friday night at Viking Field when Coeur d'Alene hosts the Post Falls Trojans.***
Happy Birthday today to Bobbi Koep, Tom Hamilton, Dan Gookin, Holly Hall and Louise Bergeron-Jack. Tomorrow celebrants include Luke Malek marking his big 3-0, MaryLou Reed, Jerry Lee, Nick Peacock and Mary Willeford. On Friday Carly Goodlander, Paul Mikel and Monika Krapfl mark their birthdays and Saturday's birthdays belongs to Glen Christmann, Sara Humphrey and Chastin Jaeger. Sunday, Oct. 23 is our youngest grandson Connor's 8th birthday. He shares the date with Sholeh Patrick, Greg Helbling, Nathan Tull, Holly Hansen, Tim Snyder and Margaret VanLeuven. On Monday Melissa Donohoe, Jeff Turk, Rocky Banks and David Ingalls blow out the candles, and on Tuesday Susan Waltz and Kristy Johnson are the birthday girls.
***Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2010 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com