2010

We said, "Welcome" to a new great grandchild! We now have five (5) "greats" !!!

Went to see grandson Ben's graduation from Indiana University in May. Most of the summer, we spent in Baton Rouge. Enjoyed our annual garden with a great crop of tomatoes again.

In September we spent two weeks in Alaska. The first week we took a land tour from Fairbanks through Denali Park, then boats, busses, and trains. The countryside was beautiful, revealing much snow on mountain tops, grizzly bears, moose, glaciers, and many white sheep on the hillsides. The transportation was somewhat strenuous. The second week was a cruise from Seward on a Holland America ship which was much more restful.

The last week in September, our friends from Italy (Betty and Antonio) came for a weeklong visit. We enjoyed showing them various sights in South Louisiana and just visiting with all our family.

Early in November, we took a driving trip with stops at Jackson, Mississippi for lunch with our good friend, Susan Wiggins. Then on to Memphis for two days visiting with our ballet dancing grandson, Ben. Following this we continued driving across north Arkansas to Branson, Missouri where we spent three days and nights enjoying the country music shows in some of the 100 theaters there.

Little Rock, Arkansas was our next stop for a short visit with a niece, (Brenda) and then to Hot Springs to visit another niece (Martha Sue), and after that another niece (Kay) in El Dorado.

We were then glad to return home, but we enjoyed visiting friends and relatives.

THE OLD FRAUD GAME

The old fraud game is alive and well. There are many of these schemes I am sure. The latest one goes like this:"You are invited to become a member of my company by writing me a check for several hundred dollars. Then when you want to buy anything (furniture, property, groceries,etc) allow "our company to make the purchase at a highly discounted amount. Your savings will be enormous!

"Go ahead, buy anything you want, just buy it through "our"company and you will save thousands".

They don't tell you how long they have been in business, how much money they have saved the previous "investors".

I believe if anything is too good to be true, it is!

DAVID AND PATRICIA

Since we were married we both wanted children. In 1952 Virginia's doctor discovered this was impossible, so we decided we would try for adoption. We applied at the Volunteers of America in New Orleans. After several lengthy interviews which took about a year we recdeived a call that a beautiful little 4 month old boy with brown eyes and brown hair was available in Shreveport. We were very excited and hurried to see this wonderful little child who had come our way. We fell in love with him at first sight and named him David Lynn. What a joy he has been for us! The Lord had answered our prayers.

We moved to Nashville, and after several years we decided that David needed a little sister, so we applied for another child. After about a year Patricia came along and she fulfilled all our dreams for children.

David and Patricia have been the most wonderful things to ever happen to us. We have always been very proud of both of them.

HOPE I CAN LEAVE A LEGACY LIKE THIS

Our legacy is really the lives we touch. the inspiration we give, altering someone's plan - even for a moment - and getting them to laugh, think, or cry, or argue.

More than anything we are remembered for our smiles; the ones we share with our closest and dearest, the ones we bestow on a total stranger, right then - and GOD put you there to deliver.

(Written by Carrie Hamilton, daughter of Carol Burnett)

HOT FUDGE SUNDAE PARTY

We have enjoyed the Sanctuary Choir at First Methodist Church since 1946. I joined that choir that year and also discovered Virginia Durrett at that time. (You know the rest of that story).

I attempted to sing for thirty years, and Virginia stayed for forty years, singing many solos and ensembles. She still has a beautiful voice! The Church has had several very capable directors through all these years. Our present director, Lamar Drummonds, has done a splendid job for a long time now. We try to support this group whenever possible.

A few weeks ago, we provided World's Finest Chocolate hot fudge sundaes for the entire group after their Thursday night practice (42 persons showed up). We have had some experience in this line with former school teachers when I represented World's Finest Chocolate for fund-raising at their schools.

We enjoy doing this, and renew old acquaintances at the same time. Some of the present members were formerly some of Virginia's pupils when she was an elementary teacher. They recognized her immediately, even after many years of her retirement.

SUNDAY SCHOOL VISITORS

Our "Wedding Ring" Sunday School class consists of ten older members, and is one of the oldest classes in our First Methodist Church.

This Sunday as our teacher was just getting started with the lesson, there was a knock at the door. Without hesitation he opened the door, and in walked about ten fourth grade students from their own class, along with their two teachers. Each of the students had a short questionnaire for each of us to fill out for them. The questions were: What is your favorite color? What year were you born? How long have you been a member of this Church? Which Bible verse are you studying? Then we asked each of the younger group the same questions, and then read their replies.

The children were all well-dressed and smiled for us, and were very friendly, and the interruption was a real delight. The highlight of the entire episode was that one of our Great Grandchildren was one of the students! Ten year old Caleb was very excited to visit "Paw Paw" and "Me Maw" in their Sunday School Class!

WHAT'LL YOU TAKE FOR THAT KID?

Who hasn't been in a grocery store and not seen a young mother with her beautiful little one in a stroller while shopping? The little ones are either sucking on a "baaboo", or pointing to the cereal boxes.

Sometime the little ones will see me and point, and I can't help but point right back at them, and say something like, "You are soooo cute! What is your name?" Or, "How old are you?". Then, invariably the mother will smile when someone brags on their child, and then tells me the child's age.

Sometime, if the mother is friendly, I might ask her "What'll you take for that little one?" Of course she always says, "He/she is priceless!" I have been known to say, "I'll give you a quarter for that child!" (always laughing).

Once, this exhausted mother said to me, " I'll give you a quarter to take him! Then I quickly answer, "I was just kidding."