This past Saturday I had the good fortune to participate in a one day workshop at the Coeur d'Alene Inn, " Writing Stories from Real Life". Sponsered by the Idaho Writers League, Coeur d'Alene Chapter, it was presented by famed Idaho author, Marianne Love. Marianne is both a gifted writer and talented speaker - the hours sped by and at the end of the day I found myself saying, " but Marianne says", when discussing memoir with my fellow writers. A throwback to my parochial school days when I'd come home each afternoon only to rebut my mother, "But Sister says."

One interesting tidbit Marianne shared gave me pause - she was born in Sandpoint and never left , Marianne said she grew along with the town. I couldn't help but think of the small bedroom community where I grew up. There was no industry to speak of and only a handful of retail stores, a few restaurants, gas stations, barber shops and one movie theater. Oh, and a city park. Public schools were named after the streets where they were located; Woodlawn Ave, Fishburn, Corona Ave. For most of us Bell was a safe and secure place; we were a cozy group who liked each other and liked living there. But slowly one by one we all moved away - to other places: Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Georgia. I wonder now how our lives would have been different if we had chosen to stay; and the city itself. Today there is little left of the Bell I remember; the culture and language are not familiar to me. The environment completely changed. There is no going back to the Bell of my youth, it can only be found in looking at old photos and sweet memory.