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MAIN STREET: Bidding adieu to summer sun and fun

| September 21, 2022 1:00 AM

I’ve not yet surrendered to the end of summer by draining the pool and putting the floaties and patio furniture into the storage shed. While I truly enjoy fall, I love summer best. Everywhere in our neck of the woods — pools, cabins and river campsites are being closed, boats coming out of the water and into storage. Today, the last calendar day of summer, the collective sigh of lovers of sunshine and warm weather can be heard for miles.

On the upside, Kandi Johnson noted, “We hung up the kayaks three weeks ago, but still are playing golf.”

Heather Claussen says they took the family pontoon boat out of the slip at Templin’s on Sunday, describing it as always a sad day. Julie and John Billetz pulled the jet skis out last week. Patty Vogt’s boat came out last Wednesday and she observed that the empty docks and beach are melancholy inducing. Karen Welts will be taking her boat to storage about mid-October.

Marci Clark is still wake surfing on the lake. “This is the best time of year and wetsuits extend the season,” she said. “As long as it’s not raining.”

In a feature article I wrote for Coeur d’Alene Magazine several years ago, I mentioned there are nearly 500 in-ground swimming pools in Kootenai County, the majority of those are outdoor pools.

Paulette Fabian says hers is unheated but she’s still enjoying looking at it while on the patio, an opinion shared by Lisa Carlson Aitken. “We close our pool Oct. 7, but I’ve closed it as late Nov. 7, just to keep looking at the pretty water,” she said. Interesting story about Lisa’s in-ground pool ... her parents built the Coeur d'Alene house in 1985, when she was 13, and put the pool in right away. In 2015, Lisa and her husband bought the family home and are still enjoying the pool!

Thomas and Erin Elliott of Rathdrum are the parents of two teenagers and keep their pool heated to 88 degrees. “I just told my boys that I was shutting the heater off on Sunday after their homecoming weekend,” said Thomas.

Christina Hatfield, a longtime in-ground pool aficionado, says hers is always 87 degrees from May 1 to October.

Large, above-ground pools are far more plentiful here in North Idaho, and we’re among those who enjoy a backyard dip in the summer. I’m grateful my husband indulges me by maintaining my labor-intensive happy place. Some friends have deck surrounds on their pools, which is very cool. Karen Prosser and Diane Wahl are closing their pretty pools up this weekend.

Kim Brown laments, “I’m so sad that the last time I got in (a week ago) was a quick dip.” Had she known it would be the last time for the season she would have just stayed in!

Deborah Bolinger says this weekend their pool will come down, noting the hassle. “Drain is on the bottom side so I have to get in to unplug it. Brrrr. Then we hope for warm sunny weather for the liner to dry. Don't even get me started on folding it up.”

Cheer up pool lovers, in the frigid winter months of January and February, the Coeur d’Alene Resort will open their gorgeous infinity pool on the lake for Hot Winter Nights. The pool will be heated like a hot tub under the stars.

And in nine short months, summer will return!

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Happy last day of summer birthday today to Katherine Ekhoff, Stacy Hudson, Dina Hourland, Cliff Slaney and Haley Walker. Happy first day of autumn birthday tomorrow to Jerry Lyon, Vic Slater, Amy Reagan, Scott Livingston, Rosalyn Martin, George Beebe and my baby sister, Ronna Rankin Park. On Friday Autumn Hanson, Craig Owens, Wendy Young, Patty Kilcup, Stacie McGrath, David Thompson, Sue Enright, Brian Harris, Denise Bechel and Madeline Singleton blow out the candles. On Saturday father and son, Charles Alexander and Scott Alexander share a birthday with Tracey Vaughn, Debbie Michalak, Justin Capaul, Steve Evert, Dorothy Benoit, Carlena Shove and Cathy Schaede. Wish a happy birthday on Sunday to James Hagman, Linda Riley, Susan Evans, Beck Jacobsen, Brenda Watkins, Gladys Sullivan, Michael McGee, Ronald Schlepp, Rebecca Greer, Marcia Hughes, Cheryl Snyder, Cate Kuhlmann, Teri Oliver and Charlie Taranto. On Monday Darci Allert, Hannah Riorden, John Oaks, Lisa McElwain, Joseph Doutre, Teresa Hooker and Dan Tesutov do the birthday dance. On Sept. 27 beautiful golden girl Ruth McDermid (94!) is sharing a birthday with Cindy Lash, Delraya Anstine, Kaley Fowler, Julie DeGon, Robert Hoyt and Paul Landers.

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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.