Friday, March 29, 2024
39.0°F

Parking lot roundup draws crowd

by KERRI THORESON/Main Street
| September 8, 2021 1:00 AM

Nothing says “small town” like the Saturday morning adventure in the Post Falls Walmart parking lot. Marilyn Desjarlais was taking her husband, Booy, to his dialysis appointment when they saw a cow loose on Cecil Road. She called the Post Falls Police Department to report the wandering bovine and dropped Booy off at the medical center.

Marilyn headed to get gas at Walmart and there was the cow cruising down Mullan Avenue. Bystanders shooed “Bessie” off the street and into the parking lot. Marilyn joined Walmart employees, random shoppers and a patrol officer and after a couple of tries, cleverly corralled the cow with shopping carts until her owners could be located.

At some point Marilyn realized she was wearing pajamas for the impromptu roundup. But she was outdone when social media photos surfaced of the cow’s owner arriving ... the woman was on a horse, riding bareback wearing sandals and with a baby strapped to a carrier in front of her.

In comparison I’m thinking my life lacks adventure.


We spent a beautiful long weekend off the grid with friends. By off the grid I mean no cell service or Door Dash options. We slept in a tent on the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and took the side-by-side ATVs up mountain trails to the top with postcard views. I’m always amazed that it’s all about 45 minutes from our front door.

On this trip I discovered something new ... Lions Mane mushrooms. I didn’t actually find these delicacies, a fellow camper did and explained that they grow on hardwood trees. They’re really interesting to look at but I’ve yet to sample any.

When we returned to civilization I looked up the species and found that they “may” protect against dementia, reduce mild symptoms of anxiety and depression and help repair nerve damage. All I know is that I do enjoy mushrooms and these have piqued my interest enough that I’m on the hunt for any store that sells them.


On this somber 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America none of us have to make much of an effort to remember exactly where we were or what emotions we experienced in those first minutes and hours as the horrifying images crossed our television screens. So many acts of extraordinary selfless heroism by everyday people, so much loss.

We experienced that fateful day as the worried parents of a rookie flight attendant, hours passing before we knew she was safe on the ground. Today she’s nearing her 21st anniversary with the airlines, an industry that was forever changed two decades ago.

We honor all of the lives lost on September 11 and the lives lost in the war on terrorism that followed.

The crews of American Airlines Flights 11 and 77, and United Airlines Flights 175 and 93, spent their final moments comforting and protecting their passengers during the hijackings. Thirty-three pilots and flight attendants died that day.

We cannot afford to ever forget any of the sacrifices and selflessness of September 11, 2001 or in the aftermath.


Happy birthday today to Anne Mitchell, Juli Stratton, Lea Williams,Vicki Currie, Lisa Gould, Sheena Dunn, Angie Demmig, Lorna Price, Gayle Simpson, Imogene Sverdsten, Irina Ponomarenko, Brad Marshall, Sonya Fernandes and Rosemary Dickson. Woo hoo! 9/9 birthdays for Dani Zibell-Wolfe, Mary Larson, Kibbee Walton, Seth Anderson, Dominick Pokosa, Daniel Connelly, Krysta Azzollini, Marty Meyer, Donna Boise and Chase Price.

Friday Gregg Gain, Mary Ellen Denton, Tami Martinez, Mark Browning, Helen Terway and Annette Kennedy celebrate. Jim Pierce, Hannah Epstein, Cameron Epstein, Cyndie Brubaker, Jeremy Siegler, Kelly Hanson, Mark Compton, Patty Roberson, Lily Hollibaugh and Darrell Dlouhy blow out the candles on Saturday. Sunny Sunday birthdays for Rose Backs, Nelson Gourley, Tiegan Horton, Nancy Adam, Walter Cole, Norman Oss and Polly Gava.

On Sept. 13 Mike Pearce, Larry Riley, Joy Seward, Janell Mollett, Kelly Sheffield, Chris Mann, Ryan Bartlett, Thomas Vigil, Mary Langenberg, Stormy Purcell, Ray Harwood, Lori Turchik, Laura Fierro, JulieAnn Sparrowgrove, Cher Rhoads, Nicole Hamilton, Gina Davis and Debbie Margraff take another trip around the sun. Leslie Orth, Connie Glass, Tammy Rubino, Diane Lemas, Wayne Dust and Anna DeTar put on their party hats on Tuesday.


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.