Good evening and welcome back to Don’t Blink. Let’s get right to business with this week’s five topics…

Fair Tradition – For the fifth straight year, my family went to the Spokane Interstate Fair. We attended last Friday night and stayed until they shut the doors. The kids went crazy on the rides and I went crazy on the heart attack–inducing food. For the fourth straight year I ordered a slice of deep fried pizza. Now I know it doesn’t look like much but every bite was so incredibly good. Combined with Sid’s “nest of fries” it was a major greasy treat.

We had another awesome time at the Spokane Interstate Fair. My slice of deep fried pizza was delicious.

Soccer Season – The 2025 fall soccer season is here and it just isn’t Sloan playing this year. Beau is playing too and loving it. Saturdays are a little busy for us now since we have both kids playing games at different sites but the packed schedule is worth the fun, exercise, and competition that Sloan and Beau get to experience.

My dad helps Beau get ready for his first soccer game that was played this past Saturday.

Pop-Tart Mornings – In order to arrive at work on time, I drop my kids off at educare, which is St. Mary Catholic School’s daycare service for students who arrive before school starts. We have many early mornings in our house and sometimes breakfast is grab-and-go. I took this photo of Sloan and Beau on Tuesday morning as I dropped them off at educare. Like father like son/daughter, they are eating s’mores Pop-Tarts.

Beau and Sloan eat their s’mores Pop-Tarts during educare at St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley).

National Cheeseburger Day – Shame on me! I have neglected to properly recognize National Cheeseburger Day (Sept. 18) while showering love on its sibling, National Hamburger Day (May 28). Case in point? On National Hamburger Day in 2024 I wrote an ode to the sandwich, praising it for the universality it enjoys on restaurant menus across the country. Then, just a few months ago, I used National Hamburger Day to recognize the best burger I had over the past 12 months. The real irony in my snub of National Cheeseburger Day? I will always choose a cheeseburger over a hamburger.

Happy National Cheeseburger Day!

Rogan Murrell – On Saturday, Beau and I went to Divine’s Convenience Store on Pines in Spokane Valley. We had to wait about three minutes before an employee let us in because they were taking the garbage out. While looking at the doors, I noticed the plaque commemorating the life of Rogan Murrell. As we stood there, I googled Rogan’s name. I learned that he was killed when a drunk driver crashed into the car he was driving in with two of his friends. He had graduated high school two months before his death and was going to attend college at Western Washington University. Part of his obituary states: “Rogan was an exceptional, bright, sunny, young man. He had an infectious smile, a wonderful laugh, and great hair.” If you are reading this, please pray for the repose of Rogan’s soul and for his family.

This plaque was installed on the door at Divine’s Convenience Store in Spokane Valley.

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I know I ended this rundown on a sad note. If you have someone in mind who recently lost someone close to them, perhaps it would be nice to reach out to that individual and let them know you are thinking of them. Don’t Blink.