Huckleberries: Bayview woman overwhelmed by kindness from vet, readers

A grateful Yvonne Wallis tells Huckleberries that she’s overwhelmed by the love and caring notes from individuals who read this column.

As you may recall, Ginger, Yvonne’s 8-year-old schnauzer, needed an operation for bladder stones. And Yvonne, who has never completely recovered from a brutal hammer attack in December 2010, didn’t have the $700 to pay for it.

Huckleberries mentioned Yvonne’s predicament last week. And a guardian angel in the form of a local veterinarian stepped forward to handle the operation Monday morning. The good vet declined to be identified. But he did tell Huckleberries about the treatment:

“Surgery went very well. Sent Ginger home Tuesday afternoon. We also cleaned her teeth and had to do a few extractions. I called the rep for Royal Canin food and got him to donate a couple bags of prescription dog food and treats. If she stays on the food, less chance of stones coming back.”

Also, the vet told Huckleberries that a Coeur d’Alene area clinic donated tech time, X-rays and blood tests via a special fund it has set up.

Yvonne received well wishes and some donations from individuals who told her that they have followed her case for years. “All this was totally unexpected,” Yvonne told Huckleberries. “I want to thank the people that stepped up for their kindness and support.”

Ditto, for Huckleberries.

No Le Pen fan

Huckleberries doesn’t know which cliché to use. Chip off the old block. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. (Editor’s note: Don’t use clichés at all.)

But here’s a short tale about Holli Woodings, the former Idaho state legislator who was the 2014 Democratic nominee for Idaho secretary of state. Actually, this Huckleberry is about Holli’s kindergarten daughter, Mary.

Seems Mary was talking with her friends on the playground Monday about (drum roll, please) – government. Specifically, Mary was telling her friends why she was glad Far Right leader Marine Le Pen had lost the French election. (Holli tells Huckleberries that Mary has been listening to a lot of NPR lately.)

When Mama Holli asked Mary what the other kids were discussing, the 6-year-old said, “Movies, mostly.” #wonkett #proudmama.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: The nutrients/ are rich and rare,/ and yet it’s much/ like chewing air – Tom Wobker, The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Reflections on a Tofu Entrée”) … Fellow S-R inmate Nina Culver embraces Tuesday’s “inbox gem,” an email complaining about our “agregious grammar.” Umms Nina: “Don’t you mean ‘egregious’?” … The only thing that escaped the fire that engulfed a small vehicle near I-90 and Spokane Street in Post Falls on Wednesday morning? A six-pack of Coors Light. They’ve made TV commercials from far less … Andrew Evenson of Evenson’s Chiropractic saw 100 deer or so in his 1,000 miles of driving in Montana in recent weeks – only to narrowly miss one of the varmints less than a quarter-mile from his home Tuesday night. The deer picked a good spot to play chicken – in front of the Prairie Animal Hospital in Coeur d’Alene … Tweetable: “You know your generation has gotten old when you hear an ad for hearing aids on the classic rock radio station” – Brian Beesley. … For those keeping score at home, Cannon Hill has removed the last of the dozen or so run-down houses north of Coeur d’Alene Skate Park. The urban renewal property will be divided into 10 high-end lots and sold to private buyers to raise money for other public projects.

Parting shot

Huckleberries is still trying to shake an image conjured by a tweet from KXLY’s Derek Deis before lunch Wednesday: “Old dude was just clipping his toe nails in the gym locker room. I’m not grossed out by many things, but that has to be off limits, right?”

The guy, reports Derek, was otherwise clothed and did collect his clippings. Word to the wise? Clip at home. Anything less, as the old Right Guard commercial used to say, would be uncivilized.

D.F. “Dave” Oliveria can be reached at (509) 319-0354 or daveo@spokesman.com.