Diary of a shut-in, Week 2
Everyone is looking for diversions within the four walls of their house. I’d like to thank Amber Fiedler for providing some fun escapism via American Idol. This talented young woman made it to the Top 40 out of literally thousands of talented hopefuls who auditioned. I saw her last year in the Lake City Playhouse production of Bonnie and Clyde in the title role of Bonnie and was quite impressed.
For reasons I’ll write about in the future, Amber has earned my respect far beyond her exceptional vocal performance abilities. Cheer on the hometown girl this coming Sunday and Monday on American Idol!
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On Sept. 11, 2001, our daughter Sarah was 11 months on the job as a flight attendant. Harrowing times for so many. On Sept. 13, when flights resumed in the U.S., I boarded a flight to LAX where she was scheduled to work. We had about an hour after I arrived to hug and have a quick lunch, then she was off to join her crew on her first flight since the horrific attacks. I caught a flight back to Spokane and was home by 5 p.m. I recall being determined that the terrorists would not win. They would not destroy our way of life or sense of safety.
Two months later in December 2001, Bert and I flew to Denver to spend Christmas Day with my sister, Janna, and her family. Seeing the armed military throughout the airport and at security was a jolt. I realized at that moment that life as we knew it in America had changed fundamentally. Now we accept removing our shoes, going through metal detectors and randomly having our body patted down.
Two months ago Sarah relocated from Los Angeles to Phoenix, where she’s now based. I can assure you that as soon as it’s prudent I will do what I did in 2001 ... board a plane and go hug my daughter. It’s difficult to foresee just how much life as we know it will be changed when this current crisis is over.
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I called several assisted living and retirement homes this week asking if their residents can accept mail. Those I spoke with all said yes, So how about those of you looking to keep school-age kids engaged have them practice their penmanship by writing letters and notes to residents c/o one of these facilities.
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I’ve found myself unfocused the past week, a bit of anxiety combined with sadness for those who are struggling, and cabin fever has left me rather unproductive. I’m a handshaker and a hugger without friends to hug on or hands to shake. Although I’ve worked primarily from home for several years, just knowing I can’t get out and about among people is an all-new level of solitude. Here’s to those of you who have focused and organized cupboards and junk drawers and caught up on everything you didn’t have time for before self-quarantine and social distancing became the new thing.
I’m reading and doing a bit of writing and socializing via social media. I’m hoping to snap out of it soon. If I can come out of exile without having cut my own bangs, I’ll count it as a win.
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A note of thanks to the Coeur d’Alene Press for covering so many stories of the positive in our communities. Removing the subscriber pay wall from the cdapress.com website ensures that everyone can access not only the feel-good stories but important and critical real-time information that’s coming in and changing literally by the hour. Kudos.
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Happy Birthday today to Jamé Davis, Ray Oliver, Colleen Brown, Jerry Ausburn, Brenda Buckingham, Alyssa Romero, Mike Carle and Alexander Carle. Tomorrow Dave Fair, Julie Harris, Julie Readel, Nancy Noordam, J.B. Romero, Lorna Griffin, Mike Bennett, Cyndy Griffin, John Hart, Mistie Cooper and WJ Lazerus put on their party hats.
On Friday Chet Lindquist, Lila Kimm, Theresa Hart, Jamie Green, Katherin Pope, Dan Dunham, Sharon Erickson, Chris Magera, Susan Reynolds, Lynne Wiedemann, Alie Hotchkiss, Ralph Nelson, Irene Bowman and Julie Harris take another trip around the sun. Saturday birthday celebrants are Cindy Sweeney, Brandon Clearwaters, James Heilman, Barb Forgacs, Robert Durflinger, Richard Wegner, Chris Camarata and Page Hibbs.
March 29 birthdays will be celebrated by Bob Koep, Mary Hawkins and Bo Gerzina. On Monday Gloria Weidner, Tabetha Brisbin, Linda Schmidt, Bren Grace and Kathleen Perez put on their party hats. Priscilla Baker, Rick Vernon, Annika Baltzell, Chris Jones, Joey Nowoj, Patrick Reagan, Shirley Christie, Crystal LaFountain, David Holloway and Chris Clayton will have their cake and eat it, too on the last day of March.
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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 and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.