Bicycles and Newpapers

Have you ever been in the newspaper? Think about it.

I was a little surprised when I took a trip down memory lane and remembered some of my appearances.

Granted I live with a man who, when he is in the newspaper, is there because he's been out saving the world or winning awards. It's cold here in his shadow! Nonetheless, I have found myself there a couple of times. Most recently I made the famous Leisure Center brochure. Okay, I'm in it because I happened to be behind the incredible 60+ woman who looks like she's in her forties that they wanted to capture. I thought for sure I'd make it into the yoga section because the photographer took several pictures of me in the famous Tree pose. I'm sure they are saving that one for a front page spread in Yoga Journal.

I love to cycle. Right now I don't have a comfortable bike but I'll work on that and hope to find myself out in the fresh air very soon. I take spin classes occasionally. I feel guilty not to since I have fancy bike shoes with clips that I bought when I belonged to the gym. Now I just do drop ins at the Leisure Center.

Bob bought me the cute little helmet last time he was in Vietnam. They are finally taking some measures toward safety but I don't think this counts as a motorcyle helmet that they use it for.

I do wish that I could just put on a pretty flowing skirt and some sunglasses and hit the country roads or the bakery to buy a baguette for the bike basket. So dreamy. I've always had that image of cycling in Europe. But no matter what image I may end up actually creating, I am so excited that I will be cycling in Europe this August amidst all the wedding festivities and visits with friends. Dreams do come true.

So.....
back to the newspaper.
The Daily Democrat!

I was used to help advertise a new beauty salon in Woodland. I was the model in the hairdresser's chair. I was probably in the seventh grade. (Betty Denio or something like that?)

Then, it must have been the same year because the hairstyle was still the short permed 'do' - I made it on to the front page because our 4-H Club won first place in the Talent Show. I was the 'card girl' with fancy make up and beads. I walked across the stage to announce the next act holding a large billboard card for a melodrama like the Perils of Pauline. Such talent the world has never seen. It was a group photo.

The next one was in the social section and the headlines read, "Linda Matthews becomes Mrs. Robert Peragallo". There we both were, cutting our wedding cake for all the world to see. A side story is that a friend from High School saw the picture and had heard that I had become a Christian so she looked me up to see why I looked so different. I think the difference was that I stopped bleaching my hair and quit wearing makeup! Debbie came to know the Lord after that conversation. Cool, huh?

Then there was a picture that was taken at such an odd angle that it was very distorted but it was of me holding Sara and Bob was holding Gina and it announced that we would be moving to North Idaho as missionaries.

Then came the Bonners Ferry Herald.

I was cast in the Sound of Music as Elsa, the Baroness. The press caught a picture of Elsa in a Dancing With the Stars pose in the arms of Max. The funny thing was that in real life I was the pastor's wife from Praise Church and Max was really the Mormon Bishop. What a hoot, eh?

So I think that is about it for me - until now when I made it into the Leisure Center pamphlet. I'm not looking forward to making it into the Vancouver papers because chances are it would be for an obit. Not ready to go there yet, folks.

Mr. Bob will have to write his own newspaper memories. But since he probably never will I'll just say that one day I was in the house and he was in the garden in Woodland (some things never change) and I was reading New Wine Magazine when lo and behold I realized my husband was on the cover.

Another time he landed on the front page because he rescued 3 boys who had overturned in their canoe. He was out duck hunting in a kayak on his lunch break when he saw the bobbing heads. There were helicopters and all kinds of excitement. The funny part was that his boss read the paper and of course Bob was busted for skipping out on work. The headlines read, "Local Minister Rescues Boys".

There have been many other times but the most recent was in the Vancouver Sun with his award winning garden where he came in second place in B.C.

Our grandson Sam has already been in the newspaper. Way to go, buddy boy. It runs in the family.

Think about it? What are your experiences? It's funny that we randomly end up there throughout our lives. Nowadays we just publish ourselves through Facebook and Blogspots. We do love headlines..... Write back and share your memory.