And then my friend died

It is with a sad heart here at Classy 97 that we tell you our friend and long-time colleauge Wayne Richards has passed away. Wayne was snorkeling with family in Hawaii over the weekend when he went under and did not resurface. His family was able to get him to shore and administer CPR until emergency personnel arrived. Wayne was taken to St. Francis Hospital on Oahu where Doctors placed him on life support. Sunday evening at 10:30 pm, surrounded by his wife, three children, and their families, life support was removed. Wayne passed away September 21st, 2008. Wayne was 54 years old.

He will be greatly missed, not only by all of us here at Riverbend Communications, but by the many friends he has made over the years. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Let's wrap this week up shall we?

Sunday - Delaney turns 10 with all the appropriate birthday hoopla. That night she tells us she would like to audition for the Missoula Children's Theater production of The Princess & The Pea.
Monday - Auditions 4 - 6:30 She gets a part (of course!) Home for homework and off to bed.
Tuesday - MCT rehearsal 4 - 6:00 Cameron has football practice 6:30 - 7:30 Homework, showers, bed!
Wednesday - MCT rehearsal 4 - 8:30! Yep - you read that right! While she is at Eagle Rock Jr. High School, Chris and Cameron and I managed to make and can 2 very nice pints of Homemade Hucklberry jelly. Delicious! And it's double good because we made it from Hucklberries we picked ourselves. (Very Ma Ingalls of me) We also realized that Thursday is the PACE rocket launch. Dad is now sitting at the kitchen table making the rocket out of two 2 liter pop bottles because poor Delaney is just NOT going to have time this week.
Thursday - Delaney is back at play practice 4 - 8:30. That means Cameron needs to launch her rocket for her at Community Park at 5:00.Then Chris and I volunteered to help at the Rocket Launch...he is launching, I'm cooking hot dogs for the fundraiser. We finish at 6:15 which is good, because we have to run across the park. Cameron's flag football game starts at 6:30. GO KILLER BEES. Cameron scores a touchdown, but the Bees still lose.
Friday - Chris and Cameron are going to meet the rest of the team and go to the Skyline High School Homecoming game so the little boys, can see how the BIG boys play. Delaney is back at the Jr. High for practice until 8:30 again tonight. (she gets to take a dinner with her)
I am staying home, in my pj's, drinking gin and making peach jam! LOL
Saturday - Cameron's game is at noon at Community Park. Delaney's Matinee is at 3:00 and the night show is at 7:00. I will take lots of videos - I promise!

Whew! We are not leaving the house on Sunday. We aren't answering the phone. We are huddling up and no one has to do anything they don't want to for 24 hours. Because guess what...Monday it starts all over again. LOL

All our love,

Shin Deep: A Fly Fisher's Love for Living Water

Hi all... the new book is now available online at https://www.createspace.com/3348327, and it looks like it'll eventually be availabe on bookshelves nationwide. You can also get it at Amazon.com, but if you go the above link, you can get a 20 percent discount by entering YBXAJ7LD in the discount code box.

The book, "Shin Deep: A Fly Fisher's Love for Living Water," is a compilation of fly fishing essays from all over over North America. I've been fortunate enough to travel to some great places over the last few years, and I've managed to tote a fly rod along for most of those trips. I hope you enjoy the book, should you decide to buy it... I'd love to hear from you if and when you do!

Go on and be who you are

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday Delaney!

We had a great weekend with Nana and Grandpa Jim in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ken and Amy and Mamie and Amelia came and we all played at Lagoon all day Saturday. Big fun on the big rides! Got home Sunday afternoon and, for the 8th time in 10 years, made Delaney "Thanksgiving Dinner" for her birthday. We just substitute a chicken for the turkey and it's a great "warm up" to the holidays! This year Delaney asked for a pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese frosting. Perfect! We ate way too much.

Double Digits!

I'm sort of struggling with Delaney turning 10. It surprises me - I've always celebrated her milestones! This time, I seem to be kind of weepy and nostalgic.

She thinks Sunday can't get here fast enough, and I would stop time today if I could.

I think it's one of those universal parenting questions. "How did those 10 years go SO quickly?"

Picking huckleberries

We spent Sunday "in the woods" near beautiful Ashton, Idaho, picking two freezer bags full of delicious huckleberries... the four of us wandered through the aspens and lodgepoles and picked berries for a good hour before we gave up and held the kids' first target practice session with a BB-gun. We had a ball... and we now have a TON of ripe huckleberries!