Betty’s Week

    Had a note from Jim (Jimmy) Holloway of Memphis, son of the late Mary Katherine and “Duckie” Holloway.

  For many years the Holloway Family owned and operated Water Valley Laundry and Cleaners. When I first came to the Valley it was housed in the old Kraft Cheese Building on Central Street, across from First Baptist Church. This is the building that has just been demolished, making way for ample parking for FBC.

    Later Duckie’s WV Cleaners was next door to us and I enjoyed a visit with him each morning when I picked up my Coke. He was a delightful person and I still miss him. He and Mary Katherine lived on Prospect Drive, one house up and across the street from Mother.     She and Mary K. were great friends, – as were we. Miss her also.

  In a recent paper Jack Gurner, Jr. wrote an article about the Kraft Cheese Plant. This is the reason for the note from Jim. It reads:

  “Just a few commenting lines on a recent article in the Herald concerning the old Kraft Cheese Plant. I think J. Gurner’s son wrote the piece. As you know, for many years my family owned the building. Alvin Holloway, father’s father, purchased it in 1949 and Mom and Dad sold it to First Baptist Church—I think in ‘77 or ‘78. Many people mentioned this to me, as they never knew it was the Kraft Cheese Plant in their remembrances. All they remembered was Water Valley Laundry and Cleaners. I think the paper should make mention of this.”

  Hope this clears the matter up and thanks for writing Jimmy.

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  Played Bridge Thursday night. I was the hostess, but Jimmie got stuck with all the cooking and cleaning. She did a great job. I did make a couple of desserts and they are worth making again. The recipes came from the latest issue of Mississippi  Magazine. One was Lemon Freeze and the other Baked Fudge. The lemon can be made exactly by the recipe and its great. However, I had to modify it and my version also was delicious. I cook on a regular basis in four kitchens.     Now if you don’t think that cause havoc with knowing what’s in the pantry. I’d just taken corn starch to Jimmie’s and Mom’s kitchens and when I began assembling ingredients for that lemon sauce, not a dust of corn starch was to be found in my own kitchen.

    I know that I took my box to Mom’s and then also put in a spare, leaving the kitchen on my hill with none. Was not going to be out done though and I was not making a run to Oxford for a single box of corn starch.

    Of course, I was cooking at midnight and Larson’s closes at 10. Found a can of sweetened condensed milk, poured in my lemon juice and it made a pretty tasty sauce. The fudge recipe’s cooking time is much to long and I think also at to high a temperature.

    I went exactly by the instructions, though, knowing all the time that this is to much heat and time. Next time I’ll cut back to 300° and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes (instructions call for 350° and one hour baking time) and I think it will be perfect. We ate it with home-made ice cream and Betty Davis’ Chocolate Sauce—you could put a shoe sole under those two items and it would be tasty.

  I got one good hand all evening. One out of 15 isn’t bad for me. However, often I had five points or less—one was played with a single point. Needless to say I was not high point winner—wasn’t low either. As a matter of fact I was not even partnered with the night’s low scorer. Gifts for the evening were from The Velvet Glove and all the ladies loved them.

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  The funeral home had another busy week.

  On Wednesday morning Donald Hardy came by to see if his mother’s (Ruby Hardy’s) obit was in the paper. She had died on Monday, but somehow we failed to get our fax from the funeral home. These electronic devices are not fool proof. Was so sorry to hear of “Miss Ruby’s” death.

    We had been dear friends for most of my years in the Valley. We were all members of Camp Ground Baptist Church and I watched youngest son, Tony, grow up. I knew and loved the other children, Shirley Wilder, Harold and Donald and all the grands.

    We were very close to Donna and Tony’s children—Chris, Chad and Duranda. They were all students of Ed’s. Then we were always out at the greenhouses. Ed and I both enjoyed seeing all the flowers and plants and visiting with Ruby, Grade, Tony, Donna and all the children—and the others when they were home for visits.

    Ruby will be missed. Hardy’s Garden Plants will not be the same without her—she had so much knowledge and she shared it so generously. Tony, Donna and Linda are doing a great job, though, and I do appreciate them. Our sympathy is extended to the family.

  Also will miss Dewitt House. Dewitt did all the glass in our addition some 25 years ago. As I have been doing some renovations and completion in this area I often think of the excellent job he did and the great advice he gave on other aspects of this building project. He was a great friend and a valuable member of the construction force in the Valley for many years.

    His death came as a surprise to me, because I didn’t know he was so ill. He will be missed and I extend sympathy to Betty, the children, and the entire family.

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  It’s election day (Tuesday, August 28) and we in Yalobusha are electing a sheriff to serve for the next four years.

  As I came in this morning I saw tents with representatives from both incumbent Lance Humphreys’ and candidate Jamie Caldwell’s teams. Voting seemed to be pretty good. I’ll vote late this afternoon, as is my custom. Hope we have a good voter turn out county-wide. As of shortly before noon, the weather is still cooperating. We have a cloud cover and the temperature is much cooler. We do need rain badly, but I hope it holds off until the polls close.

  Since the first primary I’ve been constantly asked for my prediction in this race. No way would I even try to call this one. My predictions (the few I’ve ventured a guess on through the years) have mostly been way off base.

  My only prediction is that I, along with the Herald, (even though I no longer own it) will give our full support to the winner.

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  Can you believe that football season is here? The first game will be played Friday night on Bobby Clark Field in the Valley. The Blue Devils will meet long-time county rivals, the Coffeeville Pirates.

    This is the first time these two teams have squared off in several years. It should be a good game, so get out and support the Blue Devils. Game time is 7 p.m.