Grandparents Young, Happy
I had to laugh. Michele and Denny Heuer were so into this grandparent thing. How could my friends swallow their new status so easily? Didn’t they realize how old they’d suddenly become when their daughter Jill gave birth to - ta-da - Paige Maureen Thurman?
“She makes me feel younger,” said Denny, still aglow from the shower after his early morning run. “I have so much to look forward to.”
Hmm.
Michele admitted that at first news of her daughter’s pregnancy filled her head with harpies shrieking, “Grandma, Grandma.” That died quickly, though. Michele gave birth to Jill at 21 and now Jill was 21.
“I don’t regret having my babies young,” Michele said. “We’re still young. We golf and ski with our kids all the time. They’re our friends.”
Besides, Michele recently was carded trying to buy wine. Hmm.
Not only weren’t Michele and Denny embarrassed to admit they were grandparents, they bragged about it.
“It’s so neat,” Denny said, grinning. “I’m going to spoil the heck out of her and hand her back to her parents.”
“Babies are so darn cute, but it’s really different when you look at your grandchild,” Michele said, her eyes softening the way they do when all reason is gone.
They were all at Kootenai Medical Center one week ago for the birth - aunts, grandparents, great-grandparents, brothers and sisters, all from Coeur d’Alene.
And they all screamed when Jill’s husband, Dustin, emerged from the labor room carrying a plump pink blanket.
“We just made fools of ourselves,” Michele said, catching Denny’s eye and laughing. “We crowded the nursery window, oohing and ahhing.”
Hmm. Maybe grandparenthood isn’t so bad - when the time is right.
Staged dinner
If you haven’t gone to the Memories Cafe in Coeur d’Alene, tonight is a good time to stop by. For a mere $25, you can have dinner, drinks, dessert and watch two one-act plays. Wear your Victorian best so you fit among Memories’ antiques.
Tracey Benson and D.J. Edmiston will perform “The Diaries of Adam and Eve” and “Next.” Tracey made a name for herself as Anne Frank on the North Idaho College stage last year. Plan on dining at 7:30. If you miss tonight’s show, it runs again Saturday and next weekend. Call 667-2145.
Humanities man
A few weeks ago, I praised the Idaho Humanities Council for appointing Rodney Frey to its board. Lake City High English teacher Bill Proser also was appointed.
Bill has a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga and a special interest in the Holocaust. Don’t you feel better knowing people like Bill are teaching our children?
Art-smart
Why does speaking knowledgeably about art make people seem intelligent? The Kootenai County Arts Council will help you become art-literate by introducing you to artists and teaching you about their work so you can help buyers at the Gallery by the Lake. The Gallery needs docents - artsmart volunteers. Call 667-0625.
Cool boss
Lori Bixby wins the award for hoisting her boss onto a pedestal on a moment’s notice. As soon as she read about my search for the best bosses, she nominated hers: Coeur d’Alene attorney Bob Brown. She says he’s fun, always kidding, patient and helpful. Good try, Lori, but I know Bob - and I like him, too.
Is Bob the only great boss in the Panhandle? You tell me. It’s not too late to send your nominations for the perfect job or the best boss to Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; FAX to 765-7149; or call 765-7128.