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BIRMINGHAM DOLL CLUB BLOG - CHECK IT OUT!

I have created a blog for the Birmingham Doll Club, of which I am President. We are interested in education concerning collecting and preserving dolls, and their history and appropriate costuming for the period in which they were made. The doll pictured is a reproduction of a French Bru doll;Brus were made in the late 1800's. Our members have many types of interesting dolls - antique and modern, and new posts will appear all along. Check out the site if you're interested.

http://www.bhamdollclub.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and blessings to MHS Class of 1958.

God's Minute

ISAIAH 9:1-2

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing . . . .

Jeannette Ferguson Noe

"God has her now. Completely whole." A Classmate.

Our dear friend and classmate Jeanette Ferguson Noe died early this morning, December 14, 2008. As many know, Jeanette had Alzheimer’s for a number of years and has been in a nursing home in Meridian. I pray for God's comfort and blessings for Harold who been a good and kind husband, providing Jeanette with excellent care during this long goodbye.

There will be a memorial service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Meridian at 11 a.m. on Wednesday December 17, with visitation before the service beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Remember Jeanette and her family, Harold, her husband and David, her son, in your prayers.

We commend our friend Jeanette to almighty God,

and entrust her to her creator.

May she rest in the arms of the Lord

who formed her from the dust of the earth.

May she enjoy the vision of God forever. Amen.

Abide With Me

Abide with me fast falls the eventide,
The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!

Memories of Jeanette & Judy

Edwina sent this clipping and picture of Jeanette Ferguson and Judy McKellar. Edwina writes:

"The article underneath is acknowledging that Judy and Jeanette have both been named to Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. Jeanette was editor of the college newspaper at MSCW and Judy was student body president. The article indicates that both have been friends since elementary school. Indeed Judy, Jeanette and I all met and knew each other from 1st or 2nd grade at Stevenson. At that time she was incredibly bright and also a highly accomplished dancer. She could out hop-scotch anyone in school I know. "

OBITUARY FOR JEANETTE FERGUSON NOE

Jeanette Ferguson Noe
Former Congressional Staff Member Services for Jeanette Ferguson Noe will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Noe, 68, died Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, at Guardian Angel Hospice. She served as the Meridian district representative for Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery from 1967 to 1995. Prior to that, Mrs. Noe was a teacher at Meridian and Oxford high schools and was a reporter for the Associated Press, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Jackson Daily News and The Meridian Star. Mrs. Noe was a graduate of the Mississippi University for Women, where she was a member of the Hall of Fame, was editor of The Spectator and a member of the Mortar Board. She later received her master’s degree in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University, where she was selected as the outstanding in-service graduate student. Mrs. Noe was a past president of the Meridian Community College board of trustees, served on the executive board of Mississippians for Educational Broadcasting, was a member of the advisory group of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and was a past administrator of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Chamber Music Series. She was the recipient of numerous honors, including the 1982 Mississippi Press Women’s “Woman of Achievement” award, the 1968 “Silver Inky” award from the Mississippi University of Women’s department of journalism and various writing honors from the Mississippi Press Women. Survivors include her husband, Harold; her son, David, of Tampa, Fla.; sisters Nancy F. Malcolm of Greensboro, Ga., Emily F. Newell of Hattiesburg and Mae F. Johnson of Ft. Worth, Texas; and her excellent companions Hattie Terrell, Christine Russell, Evelyn Edwards, Pearl Gordon and the caregivers of Guardian Angel. She was preceded in death by her father, Eddy Thompson Ferguson, and her mother, Jeanette East Ferguson. The family requests memorials be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1116 23rd Ave., Meridian 39301, or a favorite charity.

God's Minute

Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.
I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.

2003 HAPPY REUNION PHOTO AT MARY ANN'S

Here is a photo I took at Mary Ann's during our 2003 Reunion.

Row 1: Carole, Mary Ann, Mary Alice, Jewel, Eula Faye, Myra, and Rita Monette
Row 2: Joyce, Charlotte alexander, Gail Cunningham, ?, Sue, Charlotte Belk, Patsy, ?, Rita Ward

Of course four are no longer with us - Mary Ann, Gail, Mary Alice, and Rita Monette.

I remember it as a very happy day, and this is one of my favorite pictures.

CRESCENT CITY REUNION PHOTO

Here is Jere Skelton (Faye Stoudenmire's husband and ex husband of Mary Alice Keyes Skelton)

CRESCENT CITY GRILL REUNION PHOTOS

Beth Clark sent these for posting. (1) Eula Fay Neal Latham and Charlotte Belk Giles, (2) Carolyn Tanner Kozman and Linda Thompson Butler, (3) Jewel Partridge Williams, Patsy Ward Rogers, and Margie Godwin Robinson's husband. Thanks, Beth!

MORE CRESCENT CITY GRILL REUNION PHOTOS

Beth Clark sent me these pictures to post. Below are pictured (1)Joyce Thompson Rogers and friend, (2)Ronnie and Patricia Vaughn Norris and Joyce Bragg Weir and Otis Weir, and (3) Margie Godwin Robinson and Fay Stoudenmire Skelton. Click on photos to enlarge.

A Christmas letter from Jesus

As we celebrate Christmas with all the celebrations, parties and gifts, we should never forget what the season is really about. I received this post as an email from a friend that really brings this out. I posted it over on the alumni message board. Click the link to go to it.

Meridian News: Brown Printing To Be Demolished

(Submitted to blog by Peggy Edwards)

Brown Printing to be demolished today

By Jennifer Jacob Brownjjacob@themeridianstar.com

The abandoned Brown Printing and Continental Trailways Bus Station buildings in downtown Meridian will be demolished today to increase the visibility of historic City Hall, which is currently undergoing massive renovations, the mayor's office reported Friday.

The neighboring buildings are located on 23rd Avenue between Sixth and Seventh streets. A contractor will begin demolition at 6 a.m. today, and anticipates that the front walls will crumble around 8 a.m.

The Brown Printing building was built in 1920, according the Lauderdale County Tax Assessors office. The building was in operation as a restaurant called the Triangle during the 1950s and '60s, then became the location of Johnson Printing. It was purchased by the Brown family in 1973, who used it to house their printing company until they moved at the city's request in 2006, according to Brown Printing co-owner Benji Brown.

People with the Lauderdale County Tax Assessor's office and the Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History said they did not have records of what the building was used for before it became the Triangle Restaurant.

The Brown's exchanged the building for one on Front Street next to the Union Hotel building, turning over ownership of their old building to the city.

Brown said Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith began talks with Brown Printing about moving to a new location as far back as 10 years ago.

City Hall was built in 1915, and is currently being renovated to replicate its original look and style as much as possible while accommodating current building codes and technology. Past renovations have removed or destroyed historical aspects of the building that are now being restored.

Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith hopes to create a landscaped park that stretches from City Hall on 26th Avenue to the Threefoot Building and the MSU-Riley Center on 22nd Avenue. A portion of the park would be in the space once occupied by the Brown Printing and Trailways buildings. Brown said he hopes some part of the park will be named after his parents, Joe and Choxie Brown, who founded Brown Printing Company.

As they currently stand, plans for the park, or "City Green" are contingent on the city council passing a deal with developer HRI Properties to restore the Threefoot building into a Courtyard by Marriott hotel. A portion of the financing for the restoration would be in the form of a $14 million city-backed loan.

The Threefoot building was recently declared a public safety hazard by consulting group BioPure, who were hired by HRI to assess damage to the building's facade. They reported that parts of the facade were in danger of falling from the building onto nearby pedestrians or vehicles.

HRI has been considering hiring BioPure to further analyze the facade if the council accepts HRI's proposal. A letter released by the mayor's office Friday stated that the city is now requesting a proposal from BioPure to do a similar study. "This study will cover the elements of the facade that present a public safety concern and what recommendations they have to perform immediate repairs to stabilize those elements," the letter read. The letter was addressed to Smith from HRI V.P. Josh Collen.

The mayor's office also released a letter from White Construction Company to Collen. White provided an estimate of more than $7.3 million for the restoration of the Threefoot building's facade.

The Meridian City Council is expected to vote on HRI's proposal to restore the Threefoot building at their Tues., Dec. 16 meeting. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the courthouse in the police station.

God's Minute

Saint Ambrose, in the funeral discourse for his deceased brother Satyrus:

“Death was not part of nature; it became part of nature. God did not decree death from the beginning; he prescribed it as a remedy. Human life, because of sin ... began to experience the burden of wretchedness in unremitting labour and unbearable sorrow. There had to be a limit to its evils; death had to restore what life had forfeited. Without the assistance of grace, immortality is more of a burden than a blessing."

“Death is, then, no cause for mourning,
for it is the cause of mankind's salvation."

.

(Saint Ambrose, born probably 340; died April 4, 397.)

Funeral Arrangements for Rita

Visitation from 5-8 on Thursday, December 4th.

Funeral at 10:00 on Friday, December 5th.

Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery next to the Funeral Home.

Barham Funeral Home
7774-A Hwy 39 North
Meridian MS 39305
601-485-5071

Donations/memorials for Rita may be sent to:

Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi
800 Avery Blvd., Suite 100
Ridgeland, MS 39157

or

Central United Methodist Church
1004 23rd Ave.
Meridian MS 39301

Our Dear Friend Rita

(Posted 12/3/08)

Beth has written us this morning that Rita passed away last night about 10:15 p.m. James said they are going to Barham Funeral Home to make arrangements this morning. The address of the funeral home is 7774-A Hwy 39 North, Meridian MS 39305. The phone number is 601-485-5071.

Remember James and the family in your prayers.

We commend our friend Rita to almighty God,
and entrust her to her creator.
May she rest in the arms of the Lord
who formed her from the dust of the earth.
May she enjoy the vision of God forever. Amen.

"To Her Bravery"

For James and Rita:

To Her Bravery

In tears I saw you sinking,
I watched you fade away.
You suffered much in silence,
You fought so hard to stay.
You faced your task with courage.
Your spirit did not bend,
And still you kept on fighting
Until the very end.
So when I saw you sleeping
So peaceful, free from pain.
I could not wish you back
To suffer that again.

Anonymous

Kathleen Bustin Willis & Family on Thanksgiving

Here are Ronnie, Kathleen, daughter Heather Williams and grandson Manley.

Cover of the Rolling Stone - Sung by George Cummings at the Reunion

When You're In Love With a Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook

https://youtu.be/bCJpzpd-8us

"Parade"

"Parade"

Trees are marching along the fence,
Red flags flying.
Where's the band?

I TOLD YOU I SAVED EVERYTHING! GO, CATS, GO!

This is one of many items and clippings in my scrap book from high school days. Come on, now. I'll bet there are others who have some stuff like this to post, right? Go, Cats, Go!

ARE YOU OLDER THAN DIRT?

Tell us your score (questions at the end) by clicking on "comment" below.

Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?' 'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food was slow.' 'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?' 'It was a place called 'at home,'' I explained. ! 'Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.' By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it : Some parents NEVER! owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears & Roebuck. Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died. My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow). We didn't have a television in our house until I was 5. It was, of course, black and white, I was 13 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called 'pizza pie.' When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had. We didn't have a car until I was 4. It was an old black Dodge. I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line. Pizzas were not delivered to our home. But milk was. All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which he got to keep 2 cents. He had to get up at 6AM every morning. On Saturday, he had to collect the 42 cents from his customers. His favorite customers were the ones who gave him 50 cents and told him to keep the change. His least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day. Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. Touching someone else's tongue with yours was called French kissing and they didn't do that in movies. I don't know what they did in French movies. French movies were dirty and we weren't allowed to see them If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing. Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it? MEMORIES from a friend : My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother's house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I am old.How many do you remember? Head lights dimmer switches on the floor. Ignition switches on the dashboard.Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall. Real ice boxes.Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards. Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.Using hand signals for cars without turn signals. Older Than Dirt Quiz : Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about Ratings at the bottom. 1 Blackjack chewing gum2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water 3. Candy cigarettes4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles 5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes 6 . Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers 7. Party lines8. Newsreels before the movie 9. P.F. Flyers10. Butch wax 11. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels) 12. Peashooters 13. Howdy Doody 14. 45 RPM records 15. S& H greenstamps 16 Hi-fi's17. Metal ice trays with lever 18. Mimeograph paper19 Blue flashbulb20. Packards21. Roller skate keys22. Cork popguns 23. Drive-ins24. Studebakers25. Wash tub wringers If you remembered 0-5 = You're still youngIf you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age,If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt! I might be older than dirt but those memories are the best part of my life.

Merry Christmas from Ole Miss Girl

Meridian Postcards

There are some great old postcards of Meridian at this site. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

http://usgwarchives.org/ms/lauderdale/postcards/ppcs-laud.html

God's Minute

SIRACH (ECCLESIASTICUS) 7:32-36

Stretch forth your hand to the poor, so that your blessing may be complete. Give graciously to all the living, and withhold not kindness from the dead. Do not fail those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn. Do not shrink from visiting a sick man, because for such deeds you will be loved. In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It’s a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don’t have. It’s so simple – yet so difficult for the human mind to comprehend.

Bill and Lisa Hazelden


Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Do the following each day:

Think of three things you are grateful for.

Express your gratitude to at least three people in your life.

Find three ways to give of yourself.

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more that is poor.

Seneca

Rita Is At Home

Rita has discontinued dialysis and is at home now. Her home address is 6128 15th Ave., Meridian MS 39305. Please pray for Rita, James and their sons and family. They need our prayers and to know how very much we care about them.

"Imprint"

"Imprint"

I remember you.
You fluttered through my life
And left your imprint on my soul.

"I Remember You"

Poem Posted by Ole Miss Girl

P.S. 11-29-08 Told you so.

God's Minute

GENESIS 1:1-5

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

JOHN 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

MORE FALL PHOTOS

Here are some more fall leaves (what's left of them) that I couldn't help photographing for the blog. This land belongs to Jack Warner, and used to be his horse farm when he was into that. This is a block from our house in Tuscaloosa. Warner owns a museum of American art that he has collected, and it is considered one of the major collections of its type in the world. He makes loans to major museums throughout the world.

CRESCENT CITY GRILL REUNION PHOTO

You know who the girls are (named in the photo below), so here are the guys' names. In front is Jere Skelton. Behind Patsy on far left is her husband Delmer Carlisle. Next to Joyce Thompson Rogers is her friend Milo Beasly. Next to Joyce Giles is her friend Otis Weir. Next to Margie is her husband Earl Robinson.

Ronnie Norris, Patricia's husband, made the photos, so is not included. Thanks, Ronnie.

CRESCENT CITY GRILL REUNION 10/24

Patricia Vaughn Norris kindly sent me these photos to post. Many didn't make it to the Philadelphia reunion, but still wanted to meet.

Front: Patsy Craven Talbert Carlisle

Row 1: Linda Thompson Butler, Eula Fay Neal Latham, Carolyn Tanner Kozman, Beth Hobgood Clark, Rita Ward Alexander, Patricia Vaughn Norris

Row 2: Joyce Bragg Giles, Joyce Thompson Rogers, Jewel Partridge Williams, Charlotte Belk Giles, Patsy Ward Rogers, Margie Godwin Robinson, Fay Stoudermire Skelton,

PHOTO OF MILLIE MAJORS JONES & HUSBAND GEORGE

HERE'S A GREAT PICTURE OF MILLIE MAJORS JONES & HUSBAND GEORGE. MILLIE AND I EMAIL A LOT, AND I ASKED HER FOR A PICTURE TO POST. MILLIE, YOU'RE STILL LOOKING GREAT! IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT, CLICK ON THE WORD "COMMENT" BELOW.

Reunion DVD

Hi Classmates,

We had one person (so far) who had trouble viewing their DVD. If anyone else has had a problem, please e-mail us and let us know. We don't want anyone having a blank DVD. Guess 1 out of 70 isn't too bad, but it's not acceptable.

Ron & Mary Jane (heisty@bellsouth.net)

Name Your Classmates

Who are these dateless dolls from 1953?

THANKSGIVING TRIVIA QUIZ

Click on the URL below to see how much you know about Thanksgiving:

http://home.aristotle.net/Thanksgiving/trivia.asp

Peggy Edwards sent this to me.

Click on "comment" below to tell us your score.

MORE FALL PHOTOS

Here is a Bradford Pear tree and some kind of vine, whose berries I found extremely colorful. Anyone know what it is?

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

SUNG BY LOUIS AT THE REUNION

Last Memories of My Mom and Dad

"Forever Young"

My Mom and Dad
Picture made in 1939,
about the time they married.

Beth's recent e-mail to us about nursing home residents brought back memories of my father. He was living at home but not well, mentally or physically. Then his wife discovered that she had terminal cancer and went to live with her sister so that she would have someone to care for her. My father went to a nursing home in Oxford. He was in his early 80's.

The nursing home was the sadest place I have ever been in. Daddy said that all of them were put there to wait to die. He said it was a warehouse. He had stopped smoking, but started again. He opened himself a charge account at a drug store across the street and had cigarettes delivered.

I would visit and find him buzzing around in his wheelchair, teasing the other residents. He would make me lie down on his bed to rest as it had not been long since my heart surgery. He was still trying to take care of his little girl who could not help him in this sadest and last period of his life. My last visit to the nursing home was to accompany him to the hospital where he spent his last days.

Fast forward several more years, my mom was in the hospital in Meridian after a stroke. She was unable to talk, walk or move her right side. My mom had always been very reserve and distant with her affection. No hugs except when saying goodbye. During her last days, I gave her what I had needed to get all my life – lots of hugs, kisses and touching. I told her over and over that I loved her. I will never forget the long periods she spent looking into my eyes. They say that a mother bonds with her baby while looking deeply into their eyes. That’s what we did during her last days.

One afternoon, the nurses propped her up in a chair. She dozed. Again, I went to sleep in a parent’s hospital bed, holding her hand. We were so hopeful for her to get better, but it was not to be. Within about a week, God kissed her with his mercy and took her to himself.

Life on the Farm by Maxine

Here is another funny story about my life on a farm. I laugh out loud every time I think about this, so I hope I can write the details of it plain enough for you to see it through my letter.

I have two brothers. My oldest brother, Ozell, has always been known to be sane and smart. My younger brother, Jerry, is, ---well, ---not, but he is a lot of fun to be around.

My son, Shane bought 147 acres just north of us, with an old farm house on it, exactly the same floor plan as the house we grew up in on Old Marion Road in Meridian. His wife wanted him to bulldoze it down, but Shane decided to restore it.

Jerry came to spend a week with us and wanted to go see this property. Once we got there, Jerry and Bill, my husband, got into one of Shane's golf carts to take a tour of the whole property.

It doesn't sound funny yet, but just wait.

Bill and Jerry are both over 300 pounds, and they completely filled up the front seat of that golf cart. Jerry was driving and Bill was in the passenger seat. Don't get ahead of me now on this story, because you cannot guess what is about to happen.

As they go across the front pasture down toward the lake, there were furrows where it had once been plowed. Every time Jerry would hit a bump, Bill's right foot would fall off the running board, hit the ground, and he would holler. After several times of this happening, Jerry found a rope about 12 feet long in the back of the golf cart. He told Bill, "I have an idea, tie this end around your foot, and I'll throw it across the golf cart and hold the other end, so your foot won't fall off the cart." They both agreed it was a good idea.

After this great idea failed, Bill said, "Jerry, let me hold the other end." So they switched holding the rope.

Jerry took off again, with Shane now looking back from his golf cart wondering what on earth they are doing, and why is it taking them so long to follow him. This time, they were both just beaming for being so smart. But they forgot one major detail. Bill had one end of the rope tied around his right foot, and was holding on to the other end, but the slack of the rope fell onto the ground, got tangled in the back tire of the golf cart, and in a split second, it jerked Bill out of the cart and face down on the ground.

Jerry looked over to where Bill had been sitting and he was GONE!!! Jerry said the only thing he could think of was the scripture in the Bible that speaks of "Two or more will be in the field, and one will be taken", and he thought Jesus was nearby.

STOP LAUGHING, I can hear you.

My son, Shane, had seen the whole thing and thought his Dad was dead. When he got back to where they were, Bill was laughing so hard he was shaking.

Shane came back up to the house where I was and said to me, "Mom, I don't mean to be disrespectful to my Dad and my Uncle, but how in the hell did I inherit those two, they are like Frick and Frack."

My life is never dull. Just hang around us and you will be laughing.

Hope you enjoyed this.

God's Minute

PSALM 51

For the leader. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.

For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.

Still, you insist on sincerity of heart; in my inmost being teach me wisdom. Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, make me whiter than snow. Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my guilt.

A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit.

I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you. Rescue me from death, God, my saving God, that my tongue may praise your healing power.

Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise. For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart.

Make Zion prosper in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifice, burnt offerings and holocausts; then bullocks will be offered on your altar.

FALL LEAVES

Have you been for a walk with your camera the last few days? Everywhere you look is a photo opportunity! Hope you enjoy these. Sometimes these fall trees take my breath away.

This Magic Moment

SUNG BY LOUIS AT THE REUNION

Another Maxine Story: Christmas Present to Hot Springs

I hope those of you who are waiting to hear about my latest extension of my 2007 Christmas present will enjoy this story. If you are not interested, delete now.

To bring you up to date, back in September 2007, while being laid up following foot surgery reconstruction, I thought about what was important to me. All I wanted was to be able to spend three days alone with each of my children without responsibility and chores.

My oldest daughter, Debbie, presented me with three days in Wimberly, Texas, in a cabin in the wilderness of The Devil's Backbone, which happens to be the most haunted place in Texas. And, YES, we were entertained, complete with a hot tub and a precious little ghost boy named Ted. This was in my first letter.

Dennis, my oldest son, had originally wanted to take me to Hot Springs, Arkansas, on his Honda GoldWing motorcycle, but my surgeon threatened to dismiss his services IF I got on a motorcycle.

So, my son and his wife Rita, picked my up at 4:00 AM on May 1st, 2008 and we drove in his big Ford pickup truck. I got the back seat, so that I could elevate my foot most of the way. We went the most scenic routes so it took us about 8 hours to get there.

We arrived in time to drive around town to plan our trip around the springs and decide what we wanted to do.

Upon our arrival, we noticed several women running. We asked "WHY"? They were running to catch a "DUCK" which I will explain later. But these women had hugh boobs and were capable of giving themselves a black eye as they ran. And they told us about the "JUG FOUNTAINS" that were stationed around in several places. Now I have heard "boobs" called "jugs" before, and I definitely didn't want to be drinking the water if it did that. We saw the "Jug Fountains" and people were lined up getting water. I passed. Most of the women we saw weren't wearing a bra either.

I told my son that I didn't want any of that free spring water because boobs that big would be uncomfortable, and it might give me an uncontrollabe desire to get a tatoo.

We decided to check out the "Duck." The duck is a vehicle that travel on land and water. Captain Carl was the driver and he had a ball with me. Of course I played right along with the entertainment, as he drove off the pavement into the lake.

My son had rented a KOA Kottage (cabin) that was up in the Ouachita Mountains. I think the elevation was 1200 feet where we were, and this overlooked a beautiful pond down below with lots of ducks.

Without TV or radio, we had to entertain ourselves playing word games, like we did when he was little. This proved to be an eye-opener when I came up with an "E" word that he didn't know I knew. We finally went to sleep with words floating around in our brains. It started raining and the wind howled and we wondered if we were safe, but we were on the northeast side of the mountain and most of the bad weather comes from the west. The next morning we went down to the KOA kitchen to eat breakfast and start our tours, and found out that TORNADOES had been all around us, and 8 people were killed.

We took a tour of the city of Hot Springs, went up a 200 foot needle on the mountain overlooking the surrounding area. You could see the mountain breathing hot misty air out of it's belly in several places.

There were several bath houses built over these hot springs, and there were guided tours that offered more than a bath. There was also a place where scalding hot water was running down the side of the mountain where you could sit by the side of it and if you wanted to do so, you could soak your feet or whatever in it. I saw a young man jump in and immediately came out looking like a lobster. So, I hobbled over for a closer look. There was a gentleman there with a thermometer and he said it was 164 degrees that day. I told him that I thought that was the same temperature we would heat the water to dip our hogs in to scald them on hog-killing day in Mississippi. I put my hand in and said "I'm not about to try and soak a tender foot."

There are 47 hot springs which for thousands of years, have poured forth from the southwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain, at a rate of nearly a million gallions a day. The waters, having traveled through many layers of filtering rock on the way to the Earth's surface, have been found to be nearly 100% pure. It is hard water though.

We walked through the wax museum, and ate at BUBBALU'S BODACIOUS BURGERS. Later we went to Garvan Woodland Gardens, which is 210 acres of trail surrounded by waterfalls and flowers of every description. The hailstones from the night before had knocked all of the flowers off, but it was still beautiful. This property surrounds 4-1/2 miles of shoreline on Lake Hamilton. This was previously owned by a lady named Verna Garvan and when she died, she donated it to The University of Arkansas Architecture in 1985. The grounds were well manicured and they plant 83,000 bulbs every year. We were able to get a golf cart to ride around in.

We met some interesting characters while we were there, and ate some good food, and saw another beautiful part of our country, but most of all, I got to spend this time alone with my son, and he squeezed my heart when I asked him "What was the most memorable time for him?", and he said, "Spending time with my Mom." They were so good to me, and I appreciate the memories we made.

As much as I enjoyed myself, it was still good to get back to my own bed.

Until my next adventure, the love overflows,

Maxine

Message to McCrancy, Burnett, Davis & Russell - Charter.Net

To: Charles McCraney, Joe Burnett, Joy Jean Shotts Davis, and Ray Russell - Charter.Net

I'm writing you folks with charter.net on the blog because e-mails I'm sending are always returned undeliverable as spam. I have tried sending only to the four of you (without everyone else) and also sending to you individually. The outcome is the same. I'm sorry. I don't know what else to try.

I've also had a similar problem with Cable One folks when sending e-mail to whole class, but I am able to send them individual e-mails successfully. E-mails sent to My Way are returned as well.

Hot Mail and GMail accounts are possible alternatives and are free

God bless,
Ouida

ATTENTION!!!!

Over 250 class photographs are on Photobucket.
http://photobucket.com/meridian1958

I have uploaded about 250 photos into Photobucket for your viewing. Most are from the class reunion; some were on the blog before the reunion. I have labeled most of them and hope to go back later to work on this some more. (I'm labeling all pictures with names 2 times and some 3 times, on my computer, on the blog and then on Photobucket so takes some time to finish.)

• This is the web address: http://photobucket.com/meridian1958
  
• To e-mail a picture to someone, right click with the mouse and select e-mail.
  
• To save a picture to your computer, right click again and select save picture as . . .
  
• To create a shortcut on your desktop so you can return to this page quick, right click in the white space on the page and select create shortcut.
  
• You can create a shortcut to this blog page the same way.
  
• You may preview all of the pictures from the page that comes up, moving from page to page with navigation at the bottom of the page.
  
• The method I prefer to preview the pictures is to click on the first picture in the group of four. It will enlarge. On the right, there is a window with three small photos and an arrow pointing left and arrow pointing right. Click on the picture you want to see. It will enlarge, and you may continue moving through to see all 250 plus pictures.
  
  Contributors: Coty Huggins Tootle, Bill Chatham, Martha Hopkins, Beth Hobgood Clark and Ouida Tomlinson. If I have left anyone off or made any errors in identifying classmates, please let me know. I would appreciate your help. My brain is fried.
  
  I hope you enjoy. Also, my video arrived yesterday from MJ and RJ. It is excellent and wonderful to watch. I'm seeing all the things I missed and enjoying the great music.
  
  God's Blessings to Each of You,
  
  Ouida

Reunion Photographs

Carol Winslett Dennis

Mary Jane Kelley Heisterkamp and Nic Nichols

Ivan Burnett, John Loomis, William Betts





Edwina, Lyle and Peggy

Reunion Photographs

Jimmy & Natasha Satterfield

Jimmy Lewis

Peggy, Nona and Arlene

Tee & Lyle

Natasha & Jimmy Satterfield