THE VILLAGE LAMP POST

FEBRUARY 2017

My Surprise Valentine Day card

It was February 10 th 2003, the day of my

beloved husband, Ray's funeral.

If you had known him you would have loved

him just as everyone else did. He was some what quite, a little reserved but
full of fun and loved as well. He was greatly respected by many.

That evening the Pastor was giving anyone in the audience a chance to
say something that was known to them, about him.

Well it got to where about half of a very large group had stood up and
said all kinds of sweet things about him, which were true but it was getting
pretty heavy. Then for a reason I did not know at the moment, the Spirit got
me out of my seat. {OPPPS...!}

I stood there and thanked them all for attending that night and said it
was wonderful that they were there to support me and the family.

Then all of a sudden, as I stood there and out of my mouth came, All
the things you have talked about and said about Ray was and is true. Thank
you for that but I need to tell you all that he was also CHEEP!.

Oh, the roof nearly came down and everyone was laughing so hard it
took a bit to quite them! They all knew him well...

Anyway I continued to explain myself. Last year,

February 14 th, Valentines Day 2002. We were completely
broke and need milk and bread to hold us until pay day.

We went to Albertsons grocery store and we had to go somewhere else,

immediately right after we got out of the store. So I suggested that he go for
the bread and I would go for the milk and meet him at the check out stand.

Moments later, {Well OK! Where is he!?} I walked up and down the
main walk way looking down all the food aisles without any sign of him. I
was getting a bit unhappy as we need to get going.

I went back one more time and looked in the aisle that had a large
assortment of all occasion cards. Sure as the world, there he was and as I
started toward him, he waved me to join him. I thought, {Why? We need to
go}.

As I stood next to him he reached out and picked out the most beautiful
and $$ expensive $$ card on the self.

As he turned toward me I couldn't imagine what he meet by handing

this card to me. He said Here, read it. I did and it was so beautiful, I was
beginning to feel a little mishy.

As I looked up at him he blurted out, Now put it back.

So I pick a card out, gave it to him and said Here, read it. When he
was finished, I told him, Now put it back.

You can imagine, I broke out laughing and then he joined me, we were
so loud I was beginning to think the manager would come to see what we
were up to!

The next year after that, I went back to the store and read my,
Surprise Valentine Day's card
LOVE RAY

Coming soon is the day we call Valentine's Day. It has been

celebrated in the past and known more for the married couple and/or those in
love. Today we know it with a different twist of sharing with all those we
love and care about.
 It is a time to share an opportunity to include family,
friends and neighbors whom we love and care for and wish to
say, I love you, I care about you, and want to know how I
can share this time of love and caring with you..

Life gives us friendships for a life time, as well as the

friendships that can and will be short and passing. However, true friendships
and love between two people can be with great sharing that offers a purpose
in the rest of our lives.

Learn to love each moment, enjoy each moment and live each day to
the best you of your ability.

It is necessary to come into any relationship with care and

understanding for one another, treating others with compassion,
understanding, and knowing who we are in this world and learning what
makes us each so unique.

We need not try to change one another but simply build each other up to
be the best we can be.

We all have our place and value in this universe and should use what we
have been given to make this a better world.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Brighten The Corner Where you are

We cannot all be famous or be listed in Who's Who,

But every person great or small has important work to do,

For seldom do we realize the importance of small deeds

or to what degree of greatness unnoticed kindness leads--

For it is not the big celebrity in a world of fame and praise,

 but it's doing unpretentiously in undistinguished ways
the work that is assigned to us, unimportant as it seems,
that makes our task outstanding and brings reality to dreams--

So do not sit and idly wish for wider, new dimensions

where you can put in practice your many good intentions--

But at the spot you are placed, begin at once to do

little things to brighten up the spot on which you're standing
by, being more considerate and little less demanding,

This dark world would very soon eclipse the evening star
if everybody brightened up the corner where they are!
Helen Steiner Rice

DIY Project:
Between Wall-Stud NOOKS and PANTRIES
Are All the Rage!

Creating additional space in your home is

fairly easy, Just Knock out a Wall!

In every home that is built with wooden studs,

there is a large amount of empty space in between
the 2 sides of the interior walls. These cavities can
be utilized to create beautiful shallow nooks, pantries, storage and book
shelving with a variety of uses.

Bear in mind that you don't want to do this project

on a wall that is exposed to the outside. You need the
insulation to keep your home warm and cool
respectively. This project is only for interior, un-
insulated walls.

How to find your wall studs?

Local hardware stores sell
handheld stud finders that will
indicate that you found a wooden stud
with lights or sound, as indicators when it is moved over on top of a wooden
stud.

The spaces between studs are generally 16 to 24 inches wide, from

center to center. The depth can vary from 4 to as much as 8but typically
you'll find 4 deep cavities in your interior walls.

If you're handy at all with basic woodworking

and are careful of where wiring may be in your
home, you should be able to create a beautiful nook
by yourself. Otherwise it would be best to contact a
general contractor, handyman or home repair
person.

Of course the cost will vary depending on the

level of design involved, typically work will start out by cutting a 6 hole in
the wall, making sure that there arent any plumbing or electrical obstructions
hiding behind the drywall. This will also provide an opportunity to find out
how deep your cavity is so that more detailed plans for your project can be
made.

You may be very surprised at the visual effects and physical spaces that
can be created with this simple project.

Here's a few simple examples YouTube video on

the subject. The 1st one is from Lowe's hardware.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeammUPze6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76lPwciSK9o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cubjb_HZWN0

Just for Fun

Signs of the Times...

I was in the store the other day to buy a couple

small items.
 I rang up my 2 items using the self checkout machine, so I had to push
the START button, then scan my 2 items.

I guess I took the items out of the "bagging area too soon because I
was prompted to either put the item back or push the "I DON'T WANT TO
BACK THIS ITEM" button, then I then had to push the "FINISH AND PAY"
button.

Then I had to push another button to tell this machine that I wanted to
use my debit card, typed in my 4 digit debit card PIN number, then clicked
the button that said that I understood that I was being charged $6.28 for those
2 items.

Then I had to punch another button on the machine to tell it that I didn't
want any cash back (other than my change of course, which there wasn't
any Because I was using my debit card).

Then I was electronically prompted to answer whether or not I wanted

to make a donation to some charity but I didn't, because I'd already been
prompted earlier at a different store that day to electronically donate to
another charity. (This made me feel socially awkward. Was someone
watching?)

At the end of that, the infernal machine asked me to check my shopping

cart.

As if I was feebleminded and had forgotten, oh yeah, the 3rd item It

cost $3.99. Whatever! You know the drill

As the young attendant gave me her permission to buy a can of spray

paint, I calmly and absently commented to the cashier "Ah, the Good-Old-
Days when I could just give you some cash and you would give me my
change. It was so much more simple back then"

She smiled and nodded but I'm not sure that she actually understood
what I was talking about
 Technology has become thinner,
smaller and much harder to find when you
lose it.

Social media accounts allow everybody in the

world to know what your personal business is at
any given time, regardless of time zone.

Everything has creative and

politically correct names these days.

We uses to call them boiled eggs.

I watched a YouTube video of a family

vacationing. They're in their hotel room and
the father asked his young daughter to hand
him the telephone.
 The 12-year-old searched high and low as her father pointed right at the
"old-fashioned telephone handset" on the nightstand. She had no clue

The cell phone camera has

invoked the obsessive need
to photograph anything
somewhat unique, replacing
common sense.

Tidbits:
The Price of Love Valentine's Day

1. The average American will

spend $119.67 on Valentines
Day this year, up from $100.89
last year.
 2. Men spend almost $ twice as much $ on Valentines Day
as women do on their men. This year, the average man will
spend $156, while the average woman will only spend $85.
What happened to sexual quality?
3. More than 1/3 of men reportedly prefer not receiving a
gift (this makes them feel more masculine). Less than
20% of women feel the same way (smart girls).
4. Around this season, a dozen long-stemmed roses can
cost an average of $75, or about 30% more than the
normal price of $58.
5. More than nine million pet owners are expected to buy gifts
for their pets this Valentine's Day. (It is always good to dote
on the fuzzy ones)
6. 15% of U.S. women send themselves
flowers on Valentine's Day. (Everybody needs to feel
loved)

Upcoming Local Events

Zen Blossoms February 2 7:00 - 9:00PM

Find your zen by painting this colorful and

peaceful scene with a bright, blossoming cherry
blossom tree. After a glass of wine and a few brush
strokes, youll feel like youve been whisked away to a spa vacation! Must
be 21 or older. Please present ID at door.

Cost $35 per painter.

 Pirates of Penzance In-Concert Dinner Show
Sat Feb 4th
6:00pm - 9:00pm Candlelight Christian
Fellowship,5725 N Pioneer Dr, Coeur d'Alene, ID
83815
Tickets on sale now for Pirates of Penzance In-Concert; a fundraiser Dinner
Show benefiting CYT North Idaho. Don't miss this opportunity to see this fun
show performed by some of the best talent in the Northwest!
Just one performance on Saturday, February 4th at 7:00 PM at Candlelight
Christian Fellowship in Coeur d'Alene. Tickets are $30/person or $200/table
of 8 and includes dinner, beverages, and dessert. For more information and to
purchase tickets, please call the Box Office at (208) 277-5727.
Gilbert and Sullivans most popular show, The Pirates of Penzance, is a
rollicking, delightfully funny tale of a band of soft-tempered pirates.
Mistakenly apprenticed to a pirate (instead of a pilot) by his nursemaid Ruth
at the age of eight, the handsome Frederic is now twenty-one and, though
quite fond of the group of joyous and fun-loving pirates, chooses to abandon
his profession and lead a blameless life henceforth, dedicating himself
instead to their eradication. Beloved since its premiere in 1879, The Pirates of
Penzance is a delightful farce of a classic that is fun for all ages.

The Chocolate Affair February 10

Calling all chocolate lovers! Coeur d'Alene's
Premier Chocolate Tasting Event and Competition
will be held on Friday, February 10, from 5 pm - 8
pm. Kick off your weekend with your friends or
Valentine by sampling delicious treats throughout Downtown Coeur d'Alene.
Start at the Plaza Shops to pick up your wrist band and stamp card to receive
your samples for the night. Get a stamp at every location and you will be
eligible to enter the drawing for
The Chocolate Affair Grand Prize. Date and Time Fri, February 10, 2017
5:00 PM 8:00 PM PSTLocation: Resort Plaza Shops, 210 Sherman Avenue,
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814, USD $10-$15

Valentine's Day! February 14

Enough said... LOL

Mardi Gras Krewe d'Alene Sat Feb 18th

5:30pm - 10:00pm
Feel as if you are strolling the streets of the French
Quarter sampling New Orleans-style fare in a
competition between local restaurants. Enjoy a drink in the oldest pub in the
US, the famous pirate's den, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. Experience a
variety of street entertainment, live music, and artists in action in the tradition
Jackson Square. Bid on an artist-crafted mask in our live auction. And enjoy
traditional Beignets and Caf au Lait in our little street cafe.
Tickets are $50 each for a great evening of food, drink, fun, and dance. Or go
in with friends on a Revelry Sponsorship for $250 which includes 4 tickets,
name listed on signage at the event and in the event program, and a Mardi
Gras gift package including specialty beads, masks, and traditional trinkets.
For tickets visit http://www.artsandculturecda.org/mardi-gras/ or stop by
the CDA Visitors Center at 105 N 1st Street in Coeur d'Alene. CDA Resort
Plaza Shops in Downtown Coeur d'Alene, 210 Sherman Ave, Coeur d'Alene,
ID 83814, USA map directions. Royally sponsored by James, Vernon and
Weeks, P.A. Gras gift package including specialty beads, masks, and
traditional trinkets.

Please use the email address at the bottom of the news letter and Let us
know if you have something to share.

For current and archived issues of the Village Lamp Post please go to;
villagelamppost.weebly.com

THE VILLAGE LAMP POST.

Send all inquires, information, or suggestions to:
Linda Sabrowski
Email: villagelamppost@yahoo.com
(208) 667-0910