Teen Power Outage Creates Shoveling Woes

And I thought I didn’t need a snow blower because I have a teenage son. Ahahaha. … I spent the holidays on vacation shoveling the driveway, the sidewalks, the roof - and playing tag with snowplows. Some vacation. … As I rounded a corner near home one evening, a plow chased me into a berm, where my Honda stuck fast. I’d just bragged that my timing had been perfect in moving Junior’s failing ‘77 Malibu off the street hours earlier. Pride cometh before the plow. … A few days earlier, a policeman had warned my wife to get “The Green Bomb” off the street within 12 hours - or else. I didn’t view his warning as much of a threat, because my street is one of the last plowed. I knew it’d be impassable before he returned with his ticketbook. … I applaud the weary plow drivers who finally came by at 1:30 New Year’s Eve morning. But I wonder why the city doesn’t plow streets, say, on odd number days and avenues on even ones. Then, I’d know when to move the Huckleberry Pup’s car. And Mr. Snow Cop could be put to better use - like shoveling driveways.

Snowbound

I owe a jelly doughnut to the CPD Blue who stopped the Huckleberry Pup for defective headlights. The gendarme didn’t ticket the frightened lad - and he called in backup to help push The Green Bomb out of a little berm. Now, that’s the kind of service I want for my tax dollar. … S-R colleague Steve Massey wasn’t as lucky. The Snow Cop ticketed him for leaving his old Scout on the street too long - at 5 o’clock Christmas Eve. Doesn’t that guy have a family? … In Sandpoint, police towed cars parked on the street Christmas Eve for highway district plowers. On New Year’s Eve, however, my bloodhounds tell me that SPD Blue dug a cruiser parked on the street out of a plow berm. Where’s the Snow Cop when you need him? … By the way, did you hear the one about a local trucking company that invited every employee to its Christmas party except the three shop guys who change tires? I’d be kicking the tires on my office rig if I were a company muckety-muck.

Gotcha

Tim and Aurora Anzlovar weren’t lucky either. Before Christmas, they were fined $48 each for making illegal lefthand turns from Haycraft onto U.S. 95. If you look hard, you’ll see an itty-bitty sign behind Granny’s Wild Geranium that states, “No left turn.” If you look harder (under the snow on that particular day), you’ll see lines and arrows directing you to turn right. Aurora didn’t see the sign set back from the intersection or the arrow under the snow. Nor did her husband, who followed five minutes later. Nor did a stream of others who were, dare I say, entrapped that day. Several are taking this one to court. Be careful out there.

Huckleberries

Pity RSVP. The only paid employee in its chore program cut his hand badly while shoveling snow for senior citizens Dec. 26 and has been on the injured reserve list since. Meanwhile, volunteer shovelers have been scarce. … Peter Rey, from Switzerland, wasn’t the only one shoveling snow off Hayden Bible Church Dec. 29 who wondered why “crazy Americans” in snow country construct buildings with flat roofs. … Apparently, the Christmas tree dropoff site this year is the narrow median on Northwest Boulevard just north of our building. A tree laid there all afternoon Thursday without attracting appropriate attention from CPD Blue, city workers or passersby.

Parting shot

When she left the S-R three years ago, columnist Cathy Free couldn’t get into The Coeur d’Alene with an armed escort. She’d incurred the management’s wrath by writing an unflattering review of resort’s annual Valentine lingerie show. On New Year’s Eve, however, Cathy, who now lives in Salt Lake City, checked into the resort while doing a piece on war hero Vernon Baker of St. Maries - and was shown to the prestigious Jaeger suite. Was the resort letting bygones be bygones? Nah. Cathy now works for a company more to its liking: People magazine.

, DataTimes MEMO: Gotta Huckleberry? Call the Huckleberry Hound Hotline: (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125; daveo@spokesman.com

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria The Spokesman-Review