River City teacher puts humorous life in writing

River City Middle School history and video production teacher Ryan Wood has just penned his first book titled, “Growing Up Pinecreek,” based on his own childhood experiences.

Wood grew up along Pine Creek south of Pinehurst in the Silver Valley, and he thinks the book will appeal to anyone who grew up in any rural part of the country.

The book is a satirical look at country living and has been well-received so far among local readers. All 300 copies from the first three printings have flown off the shelves at Hastings. Wood is self-published.

The book is full of funny anecdotes, such as the story of hauling their pony, Pepper, in the back of a pickup truck.

“When she came out, she put her hooves up on the top of the cab, and literally went all fours on top of the truck. We were going about 15 miles per hour, and when she came off, she hit her hoof on the hood of the truck, and put a big crease down it,” Wood said. Fortunately the horse was fine, but the truck was not.

Wood said he wrote the book to make people laugh. He pretty much spares no one, including his parents, Ron and Sheila Wood, sister Shelly, and two brothers, Ronnie and Rusty. Ron has been the self-proclaimed mayor of Pine Creek since 1968.

“I’ve always been better at relaying comedy verbally so this is a risky challenge for me to write it,” Wood said. “I’ve always made people laugh. I enjoy it.”

Another humorous story is about his brother Rusty’s rooster, who also was named Rusty.

“It began to attack us every time we went to get the eggs,” Wood said. “Rusty was the dominant one; he’d come after you. He was evil.”

The rooster attacked his dad, and, well, that was the end of Rusty the rooster.

The first chapter is called “It’s All Relative” and is an introduction to the family. It opens with the quote from Ron Wood: “Most people have a family tree; we just have a root wad.”

Pine Creek also has its own language, which takes up the third chapter. Some examples are crick, which means any body of water that moves such as a creek, river, or wind blown sewer pond. Truk is any vehicle that holds trash or garbage; new truk is any vehicle that holds trash or garbage and runs. Kin are most of the people living up Pine Creek; hoggins are any type of food, and bad hoggins include squirrel, bark beetles, possum, baked beets, beet kabobs and beet marmalade.

Wood said the book is primarily fiction based on real people. It was written in seven months, and then it took another six months for editing. The first printing was out in October. Wood is in the process of having more books printed, and they will be carried at Hastings once again, and also at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane. He hopes to find a publisher so the book can receive wider distribution.

Fund-raisers on tap for CHS choir

The Coeur d’Alene High School Choir has been invited to the Heritage Festival in San Francisco this coming May. The 56 students need to raise $620 each to go on the trip.

They will be participating in various fund-raisers, and the next one is the Christmas tree recycling Jan. 8 and 15. For $5 they will pick up your tree, or you can drop it off at the school for $2. More fund-raisers will follow.

To hear their voices raised in song, attend their Christmas concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium. To help them out, call 667-4507 and ask for Vanessa Gerads.

Family Movie Morning

Today is Ponderosa Family Movie Morning. The Ponderosa Elementary PTO is sponsoring an opportunity for families to go to “The Polar Express” at the Post Falls Theater for $2.50 at 10 a.m. This is a great chance for families to get together and watch a holiday movie at an affordable price.

Tuesday the Ponderosa Spanish Club will have a fiesta at 3:30 p.m. at the school. This is the only Spanish Club for elementary students in Post Falls. Join them for great entertainment, food and crafts.

Rotary student of the month

The Post Falls Rotary has named Post Falls High School senior Lauren Jacobson as the Rotary Student of the Month for November.

She is a member of the National Honor Society, Tidyman’s Healthy Food and Choices, Too!, IDFY, PEAK and DARE and co-president of Key Club. Jacobson also is a member of the varsity swim and golf teams and has been nominated for Academic All-American Athlete. She is a Scholar Athlete, National Merit semifinalist and currently holds a 4.25 g.p.a. Jacobson won the Knights of Columbus Essay Contest and is an Idaho Top Scholar. She would like to keep the family tradition alive and attend the University of Idaho, where she plans to major in pre-med with a possible minor in psychology.