Huckleberries: They’re standing in line for Hagadone home

You may have heard that Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson is negotiating with gazillionaire Duane Hagadone and several contractors to buy and move Hagadone’s Casco Bay “cabin.” But did you know that Sheriff Rocky was the second one in line for Hagadone’s viewtiful lakeside home? Originally, Hagadone planned to disassemble the cabin to make room for his new digs that could come complete with docks for his tour boats and a helipad. (Yeah, there goes the neighborhood.) Then, a potential buyer from Highland Drive stepped forward. When that deal fell through, Watson expressed an interest in the structure, which can be barged in two pieces to Watson’s future home site. Watson bought five acres of the late John Pointner’s property on Cougar Bay three years ago. He has been cleaning it up since. Much of Pointner’s former land has been reserved as a wildlife preserve.

Public servant

Veteran North Idaho newsman David Bond praised well-heeled Sheriff Rocky as an old-fashioned public servant in the tradition of Coroner Bob West, an individual with no personal or hidden agenda. “Why he keeps the sheriff’s job is beyond me,” commented Bond at Huckleberries Online. “Talk about headaches” … Rocky’ll bring his cannons, machine guns and other historic weaponry when he moves from Rockford Bay to Cougar Bay. But they’ll be muzzled. Too much fragile wildlife and habitat in the surrounding wetlands. The cannons were cast by the late John Hern, according to Bond. “They can shoot anything from a small frozen orange juice can to a bowling ball,” Bond said. “The bowling ball cannon, as I recall, takes a whole can of Pyrodex, quite an exciting event” … Bond laments the loss of the old Hagadone “cabin” on Casco Bay but rejoices that another old “cabin” nearby will survive, the summer home of the late mining magnate Henry Day. It’s now owned by Harry Magnuson’s son, John. Sez Bond, it’ll be “lovingly cared for by people from Wallace, who … have a respect for local heritage and history.”

Feminazis anonymous

Former Hauser Councilwoman D.J. Nall (aka Frum Helen Back) prides herself in being a “feminazi,” conservative flamethrower Rush Limbaugh’s term for a hard-core feminist. In fact, she often refers to her beloved Dave, a manly man mate of decades as a “chauvinist.” But labels don’t play well when winter sets in and the roads are slushy. “Today was not the day to be a feminazi,” D.J. commented recently on her Hauser Thoughts blog. “Not knowing if the roads still had snow on them, I was afraid to venture out to pick up (my granddaughter) for fear that the rain had caused slush or ice. So there I was, waking up the chauvinist and asking him to venture out. He was so sweet and acted like he was glad to do it for me.” D.J. continued that she should forget “this feminazi crap – at least until springtime.” Hey, it’s a step in the right direction.

Huckleberries

“A Harley’s roar/and loud upheaval – /oh my goodness/here comes Evel!” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“St. Peter at the Pearly Gates”) … Sue Turner/Tumblewords blog offers her sympathy for those with writer’s block: “cannot persuade words/notebook went from black to blank/muse turned up absent” … And Bob Salsbury/The Unbearable Bobness of Being blog provides this random thought: “You’ve got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them, especially if you’re learning origami” … Add this Huckleberry Hound to the list of grateful Christmas light viewers who consider the synchronized music/light display at 415 Glenwood Drive/Post Falls as the best one out there in North Idaho this yuletide season …

Parting shot

Blogger Inland Empire Girl (originally from the Silver Valley) lists her 10 favorite things about Christmas in descending order: 10. Candles burning 9. First Christmas with digital camera 8. A fire in the evening 7. Bowls with colored balls 6. Charlie Brown Christmas 5. Voices of children 4. Snowmen 3. Candy canes 2. Snow and 1. Holiday music. What? No Christmas lights? That’d be my No. 1. What would yours be?