Outlook
Hello, hello, to all you dear folks who are now scanning the Richland Beacon News to see what may be interesting in the way of news for this week. I don’t know if my efforts should be classified as news; but, at least
they will be something different, perhaps. We’ll see what develops as I get further into this week’s column..
As most of you readers know by now, I do like to play little games with words and their particular meaning. I can just pick up a dictionary and flip through it and find something new and/or different every now and then. And, I am quick to notice the errors that show up once in a while. But, I do make a “boo-boo” sometimes so I am not claiming to be perfect - no way; but, I do try to do my best when I undertake a special job.
My son, Kirby and his wife, Linda, have recently returned from a week spent in Denver, Colorado, with their son, Kevin, who lives there. They were accompanied on this trip by their daughter, Kristi Wiggins and her daughter, Abby, from the rural area west of Mangham, La.
I did not get a full report of their activities during their visit with Kevin; but, I know they all just enjoyed being together as a family. Kevin is very dear to me and I always look forward to seeing him again. Of course, Kirby was born in Colorado several years ago and he may have some sentiment about that. We lived in Grand Junction, Colorado, which was a long way from Denver - not too far from the Utah state line. I worked as secretary to the office manager of a wholesale drug company and my husband worked in a bakery and he loved that job. Anyway, two years was enough for us in that climate.
Before moving to Colorado, we had no idea that the higher altitude there would prove to be detrimental to my husband’s heart condition. I don’t claim to fully understand that; but, I believe it because we returned to the flat country of SE Arkansas and a few months later to the flat country of good ole Rayville, La. Oh, yes, indeed!!
And God blessed us with forty-seven wonderful years of marriage prior to his death in November of 1993 and that is more than some couples have together.
CHUCKLE #1 - A man had barely paid off his home when he put another mortgage against it to buy a car. Having the car, he went to a loan broker to try to get a mortgage on the car in order to build a garage.
“But, if I make you the loan.” asked the broker, “how will you buy gas for the car?”
“Well, it seems to me,” replied the man with dignity, “that if I own a house, a car and garage, I should be able to get credit to buy gas.” ???
As I said above about my son and his wife making the trip to Colorado, I might add that Kirby’s birthday came along while they were gone (July l5th) so we had a delayed celebration this past Saturday at his home a few miles kind of northeast of Rayville. They came into town and picked up me and my friend, Laura Pierce and brought us to join the crowd already gathered for the delayed birthday affair. Others present included Kirby’s daughter, Kristi Wiggins and her husband, Roy, Jr. and their daughter, Abby and her special friend, Hunter Penick. I am not sure just where Hunter actually lives - maybe south of Delhi...(I didn’t want to be too nosey......)
The food was so good and some of my most favorite, too. Fried chicken, potato salad, pecan pie and other items to tempt the appetite along with lots of sweet tea. Yummy.......Yes. yes, indeed........
So, we journey on a little more in this week’s efforts. I am still enjoying my daily late afternoon walk with my little pooch, “Cookie” as we make the big circle around our large square block of homes up on the hill area behind our local schoolboard office. There are some new children who have just moved into one of the homes on the west corner of our block and they really want to pet Cookie; but, she doesn’t go for that and I explained that to the kiddies and they seemed to understand.
CHUCKLE #2 - The doctor finished his examination of the man and said regretfully, “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you have bad case of smallpox.”
The patient turned weakly on his pillow and said to his wife, “If any of our creditors come around pestering us now, Mary, you can tell them that I am finally in a position to give them something.” ???
And, that brings us still further along in today’s writing effort. This is still Monday, the second day of the week and that leaves five more days to follow in this week. Also, we are having some of the hottest weather so far this summer and I do so appreciate the air-conditioners now. As many of you older readers may recall, I grew up on a rural farm in SE Arkansas where we had no electricity nor running water. No, indeed. We had to pump our water with hand-operated effort. i recall watching my dad drive metal pipe down into the ground several feet deep. The pipe had holes in it to allow water to seep in and my dad knew how to test the ground to determine where a source of water could be tapped into from above. That water pumping was hard work and it was one of my chores to help with on a regular basis. And, keep in mind that water had to be pumped up daily for the two cows and two mules and my horse. And the chickens had a water basin to drink from. And, it took a lot of water for our drinking and cooking purposes also. It sure makes me appreciate what I now have. Oh, yes.
Folks are still having birthdays and I had a few to list for this week coming up; but, I just realized that I failed to include that list in the material that I brought with me today. So, I will include those next week in the “belated birthday” group. Oh, yes, I will never claim to be “perfect” and I will try to make amends where I can. Oh, yes....
PARTING THOUGHT: Train up a child in the way he (or she) should go and try walking there yourself once in a while. (Josh Billings)