Betty’s Week
By Betty Shearer
Enjoyed a delightful visit with friend Bob Tyler last Wednesday morning. Presently Bob is very much involved in many exciting ventures. Our discussion last week was primarily about the new fish hatchery, and the other wonderful programs spawned by it.
Located on Enid Lake (just off I-55), it is nearing completion. Bob is looking for volunteers to help man the project. I’m hoping for a little involvement there—it sounds so interesting, and you know I love people, the State of Mississippi, our area, exhibits, gift shops, and food.
With the price of gasoline these days we can’t get to the Ag Museum in Jackson as much as we’d like, so maybe we can help out with this project, which is on our own doorsteps.
Sister Jimmie and her Woman’s Club visited the hatchery recently and she was most impressed with the manager and the facilities. She and many of the club’s members are also interested in volunteering at the hatchery. Training sessions will be coming up and we’ll let you know the dates—in case you, also, want to be a part of this,
Bob says he’s also busy getting out the word that this excellent tourist stop is in our area. If you have guests, take them for a visit—word of mouth is one of the best ways to get the news out of the many splendors in our state. Your visitors will tell their friends and family members, these will tell many more, and the snowball has begun.
In the Ag Museum, I’m often surprised to hear stories of how people from far off places learned about it. Shouldn’t be though, because when Ed and I traveled, I always reported the places and events that impressed me and I keep on telling about them for years. Have had lots of feed-back on these suggestions, so I know my advertising worked.
Bob has promised a personal tour of the facility in the near future—tell you more after I see it.
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Another welcome visitor to the Herald was Lt. Col. Robert Gurner (Ret..) Benji came in to change his address. He has retired from the Air Force after many years of service. Benji explained his new duties in the civilian sector, but I’m not smart enough to understand it and certainly not to tell you about it. Needless to say though, he’s got an important position and will still be doing great things to aid the U.S.
With him were his mother, Betty, and youngest brother, Joe.
When Benji and I get together, the topic usually gets around to school days—primarily band years. He and Jim were always close friends and still are today, even though they rarely see each other. It’s always great to visit with these kids that I consider part mine. Benji will make his home in Alabama and I know that Bet is glad to have him that close to her. It’s a lot better than Iraq, where Benji has spent time. Benji, though, can even make Iraq stories interesting, exciting and funny.
I’m looking forward to more frequent visits, now that he has retired.
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Becky and Stan Crow dropped by my home for a visit Friday night. Was so good to just sit down and talk for awhile. All our lives have gotten so busy that we rarely see each other, except for quick exchanges as we go on our hurried ways.
I do miss those meals together and sitting around the table until the wee hours as we laughed and talked.
It seems that Ludie and Ed were the glue that kept the gang together and, of course, they were a big part of our visit Friday night. We enjoyed reliving many of the fun events that involved them and also Michael Crow in his childhood years.
Friday, we missed having the Davises with us, who were also an integral part of this group.
We decided to have a gang reunion in the near future, complete with gravy, coleslaw, hot biscuits, lima beans, chocolate pie and iced tea. We’ll also cook some kind of meat—doesn’t matter what, we’ll just eat the gravy and throw the meat away. Why, we may even make a plum roll.
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Saturday it was off early to Mom’s. Brother Bo and Carolyn are in Oklahoma and Mom is holding down the hill all by herself. She’s doing a great job—Jimmie says that when she arrived Friday and Saturday mornings, Mom had already made her own breakfast. She insists that she can take care of herself and I do believe she can.
Jimmie and I cooked and cleaned Saturday morning, then Mom and I watched golf in the afternoon. One of our favorite players, Phil Mickelson, was leading at the end of Saturday’s 18 holes. He wound up the winner at the end of the tournament on Sunday.
Was back after church Sunday to get lunch on the table. Found Rance already on the lawn mower. He cut until we called him in to eat, rested a minute and then it was back to his chores. Bo had left him in charge of the yard and watering plants—took him all afternoon and he was one more tired puppy.
On Sunday the van temp read 97 degrees. Thought this can’t be right—it’s May 25. Well checked the thermometer at Mom’s and the van was correct. To make matters worse the humidity was 100 percent (at least).
I keep wondering, “If it’s this hot at the end of May, what does July and August have in store for us. My AC is already popping on all during the night, so it will probably have to run non-stop during our hot months.
Schools out and summer has begun!
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Allow me to get on my soap box for a few blurbs.
First is the commercials bombarding us about getting relief from owed income taxes. Well, I pay mine (as most of you do) when they’re due. We complain, but we pay our fair share. Now I’m persuaded that if anyone owes as much even as the minimum needed to get into these discounted programs, they’ve made some money.
The government does not just make up income that you have acquired. If you owe it, you’ve made enough to have paid your fair share. I’m sure there are a few cases who need help and if this is justified I’m happy to help share the burden.
