January 2023

As a child, how many of us have wondered what it would be like to swap places with our teacher - to be the one in charge? That day came for Pocahontas graduate Shawn Carter last week upon his return to Alma Spikes Elementary School as principal where many of his former instructors are still in the classroom. “I’m now able to see it from two extremes,” Carter said.

We left town heading out to the old once-busy highway patrol station. Old Glory was flying high there back in the days of my youth. Gone now because that office has been closed. Years ago, there were patrol cars parked close by, they were all black and white with a big red light on top of them. The front of the building faced Cairo. Once a very busy place, where drivers sat up straight and drove very carefully past. minding their driving here just a bit more. Now it all sits as an empty lonely sentinel between the two old bridges. While the 55 bridge at Memphis is daunting, these two bridges are fearsome, and scary, even when someone else is driving! The bridge across the Ohio River between Wickliffe, Kentucky, and Cairo, Illinois is the farthest bridge downstream on the Ohio River. A very narrow cantilever bridge, finished in 1938 as you near the end of it you can see the Mississippi River. Now, these two bridges are where my fear of bridges began! They are only about 1,000 feet apart, not far enough to get much courage up before driving onto the next one. The Cario Mississippi River Bridge was opened in 1929. Here it crosses the newly enlarged Mississippi River, when I first saw the Mighty Mississippi River, I laughed. For it is very plain to see the Ohio River is much the larger of the two rivers. It is quite the object lesson. Mightened it better have been called the mighty Ohio River instead?

Susan’s nephew Tom Chester and wife Jordan visited over the holidays. They proudly displayed their firstborn son whose middle name is Roland. He is called Ro in honor of his great-grandfather Roland “Ro” Hufstedler. It is heartening to me to see parents give names that bespeak the heritage of their families rather than trendy names in the current culture.

I said to Mike, “I want to snuggle, just what every man wants to hear. Huh?” He said “Well, it’s a heck of a lot better than, I want to talk...” ****** We flipped on the air last night because the house had warmed up from cooking. We went to bed and Mike dozed off. I switched the air to heat at 64 degrees. Got up around 3am, freezing. Went to check the heat and it was off and it was 61 degrees. Mike woke up and said “I turned off the air. It wasn’t running.” Nope! You turned off the heat. We then “argued” for a good 3 minutes as to what exactly happened and who turned off what. I think we need a sign out sheet or something. ****** Went to town in my nightgown to write up an offer. I am woman, hear me roar… ****** I get an unexpected little thrill every New Year’s morning when I pick up my phone and see all the “Happy New Year” texts I received throughout the night. Some are usually drunk texts, some wishing me a prosperous year and some thanking me for helping them get their new home they are celebrating in....but this year was a little different... I received several New Years texts, but everyone of them was sent at least 2 hours before midnight, which leads me to one conclusion... My friends are old and boring like me! Welcome to the “In bed by 9 club”... Meetings at 4pm every third Thursday. Bring snacks. ****** I was showing a home to an adult family of four. Husband, wife, daughter and uncle. We were looking around in the living room and kitchen combo. The tv was on CNN or some news show. All of a sudden the tv announcer says, “COMING UP NEXT, 2023 HOME BUYING GUIDE. IS IT REALLY A GOOD TIME TO BE BUYING?” The look on the family’s face was priceless. I had 3 remotes I couldn’t work and was hugging around on the tv trying to find the OFF button. I don’t need an arm chair quarterback coaching from the background here. ****** I saw where someone had posted a sofa for sale. The ad said “Smoke free home with no stains or t

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. “Auld Lang Syne” is the song most people sing, or attempt to sing, every year on New Years Eve at the stroke of midnight.