A massage can chase away cowgirl blues

Even cowgirls get the blues – and bumps – when they’re smashed by a mini-avalanche, as former SR bud Erica Curless was Sunday. Erica was one of those in a picnic tent that was clobbered by a load of snow that slid off the Selkirk Lodge roof at Mount Spokane State Park. She, SR business reporter Becky Kramer and others were participating in the 12th annual Women’s Souper Bowl snowshoeing and cross-country skiing event when the snow hit the tent. Erica, of Cheney, Washington, told SReporters: “The snow just kept coming, and it was so heavy and on top of us.” Erica felt like she “got bucked off a horse.” And that’s not a cliche for her. Erica is the head riding instructor and herd manager of Free Rein Therapeutic Riding. The Spokane nonprofit helps disabled people ride horses for therapy. Sore afterward, Erica headed for a massage Monday, cowboy boots, spurs, Yaktrax and all. She was running late and forgot to change. An hour-long massage from Marcus Munro (Aletheia Massage, 922 S Crowley, Spokane) chased away the post-traumatic blues, soreness and stress. Says Erica afterward: “My body and mind feel so much calmer.” And that’s how a cowgirl gets back on her horse. Figuratively.

Stiff upper lip

Privately, Marianne Love confides to Huckleberries she wants to “cry like a baby” or say “a whole bunch of bad words.” Why? She, along with half the U.S. Senate, considers Betsy DeVos to be ill-equipped to be our next Education secretary. Publically, Marianne, a former Sandpoint High journalism instructor, stiffened her upper lip. Despite her disappointment in the new secretary and the U.S. Senate, Marianne advised Facebook Friends: “This too shall pass.” Marianne admonished former students and colleagues to use their minds and tools “in the days ahead in constructive, influential, even more passionate ways.” Also, she said, “principled, smart and sincere approaches to life produce positive results, even on bumpy roads.” Marianne concludes: “Teach well. Learn well. You can make a difference.” Now isn’t that better than cursing the darkness?

Huckleberries

Washington poet laureate Tod Marshall picked up 200 books of Tom Wobker’s poetry hot off the presses Wednesday. “The Bard of Sherman Avenue: Poems by Tom Wobker” will be available for sale ($10 each) for the first time at Blogfest 2017, the annual anniversary celebration of Huckleberries Online, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Coeur d’Alene’s Fort Ground Grill … Tod tells Huckleberries that Aunties in downtown Spokane and Well Read Moose at Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone are eager to offer The Bard’s poetry books for sale, too … For those keeping score at home, Thursday, Feb. 16, will mark the 13th anniversary of Huckleberries Online … This print column has been around since January 1985 (albeit in the North Idaho edition only for most of the subsequent years) … Kellogg native Christy Woolum reported a first on Facebook during the noon hour Saturday – the first time she’d seen someone cross-country skiing down Kellogg’s Main Street … Huckleberries hears you can pick up the grassy spot at 6th & Sherman, north of the Parkside condos in downtown Coeur d’Alene, for a cool $1.3 million. … The vanity plate on the red Mini Cooper spotted in Coeur d’Alene by a Huckleberry Friend – “SCARGOS” doesn’t make sense. Unless you know that the Mini Cooper has an S model. Which is faster and better handling than escargot.

Parting Shot

We can guess two things about that scofflaw who stole a debit card from a vehicle in Hayden recently. S/he was, indeed, petty, as in cheap. And s/he prefers Carl’s Junior, which has as a slogan, “Eat Like You Mean It,” to the other fast-food burger joints. The thief made two small purchases at Carl’s Jr. in Post Falls before the owner canceled the debit card. And so another crime spree peters out in Police Chief Scot Haug’s river town.