Outlook

Hello, hello to all of you dear folks who are now scanning this week’s Richland Beacon News.  I hope this finds everyone well and able to enjoy each day and what it may bring into our life.  If something not so good comes along, then we will do our best to handle it with the good Lord’s help.  Oh, yes, I ask for that help quite often and it always comes through - in various ways.

As most of you know, we are now moving on into the month of June and the weather has still not reached its highest temperature.  But, I have been using a window air conditioner to cool my kitchen and den area in the late afternoon.  My bedroom has a heavy-duty air conditioner unit; but, I haven’t had to use it thus far.  But, there is a ceiling fan which has been sufficient and I usually turn it off before daylight comes.

I am still enjoying my late afternoon walks with my little pooch, “Cookie” who leads the way on her leash.  I don’t recall if I have ever written about the time several years ago when Cookie and I were taking our usual walk and we had reached the corner of the back side of our block of homes,  A car stopped and I saw a man and woman seated in the car and they asked if I lived in that area and I affirmed their question.

Now, I am not claiming to recall our exact conversation; but, they told me they lived in Florida and had been visiting relatives here.  And, I think they told me that they had read my column in the Richland Beacon News and had wondered if they were now seeing “Cookie” and her owner.  Of course, I affirmed their question and they seemed so pleased to actually meet me and Cookie.

Some new folks have recently moved into one of the nearby homes around our block and they have some really cute children who love seeing Cookie when we walk by in the late afternoon.  They always want to pet her and Cookoe tolerates this very well; but, she doesn’t really like it.  I have never heard her growl or make any protest against being petted.  Of course, I think she is an exceptionally smart dog, one of a kind.

CHUCKLE #1 - “Say, Pop,” inquired Junior, looking up from his history book, “who was it said, “We haven’t yet begun to fight?”

“I am not sure, son,” answered his father, “but, it must have been a couple on the first day of their honeymoon.”   ???

So, let’s move on a little more into this week’s material. I am still thinking back to our early days in Rayville when we had an apartment in the home of Mrs.Ethel Balfour.  As most of you older residents know, this old home still stands on the corner of that block just a bit furtther to the north of the Richland Beacon News office.

I think it has to be one of the oldest homes in Rayville.

After living in the Balfour home, we then moved into a garage apartment over on the northeast side of town and we lived there about eighteen months before we moved to the south side of town where we have lived for many years.  And, I do love our present location.  We were able several years ago to add a large bedroom to our home along with a second bathroom with a shower rather than a bath-tub.  And, I find a shower is very refreshing most anytime I choose to take one......Oh, yes indeed - especially in our summer heat........

I have been trying for some time to locate some longtime friends and I was so pleased recently to receive a long letter from “Irma Cason” who now lives in the state of Washington.  Irma and I were best friends during our school years in that area of SE Arkansas where we both grew up.  This was also during the time of our country being involved in World War II.  I had three brothers who served in the U.S. Army during the war; but, they all came home safe and sound and without any serious wounds.

Some of you readers may recall that I have written before about there being a relocation center for Japanese citizens then living in the United States during WWII.  And one of these centers was located in an area just about a mile north of the school where Irma and I were students.  There were soldiers stationed there to guard that relocation center and we girls loved to be out on the school grounds when the Army trucks would go by with a group of soldiers.  Oh, my - how we waved at the solkdiers and they waved back in appreciation.

CHUCKLE #2 - The teacher had been telling the pupils the story of Columbus discovering America.  She ended with, “And, just think, children, all of this happened more than 400 years ago.”

“Gosh, teacher, “cried a little boy who had been listening with open mouth, “what a memory you’ve got!”

So, we are getting on into this month of June and I look forward to celebrating my birthday later on.  Just being alive and in good health is such a blessing and I am most thankful to be able to report that.  I suppose that I am not the only person who reads a daily newspaper and the first section I turn to includes the obituary columns.  And, I don’t consider that as being morbid.  It’s just that I want to know if I should send a sympathy card or plan to attend the funeral - depending on where the funeral is held.

And folks are still having birthdays and I do have a few to report this week and they are as follows:  Jason Salsbury, Ryan Gibson and Lauren McVay on 6/11; Jane Salsbury on 6/12; Joe Seymour and Stacie Williamson on 6/13; Johny Mac Townsend, Joyce Williamson and Wanda Chapman on 6/14; Stephen Cordell and Sharon Sledge on 6/15; Ronald Middleton, Ken King and Francis Ross on 6/16 and for David McQueen and Jake Zarro on 6/17.  May all of these good folks enjoy a most happy celebration of their natal day and we wish them many, many more happy birthdays in the years to come.  Oh,  yes indeed........

And, that will bring another Outlook column to a close.  I do hope you readers found something of interest along the way.  So, I will plan to meet you again next week, same way and same time..... That’s my plan.........

PARTING THOUGHT:  The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them.  (George Bernard Shaw)