The Firstborn Son

 FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

TO THIS:

TO THIS:

   Granny Lou would be proud of you and your family, and Carolyn and I are, too.

   HAPPY 60TH

Thoughts on Ukraine War

   

   We have watched quite a bit of the news from Ukraine over the past 2 weeks. Some images stand out in my mind.

      The image of baby strollers lined up in a Polish rail station, ready to be given to Ukrainian mothers carrying small ones across the border. A welcoming gift from the Polish people, a people ready to help mothers in a foreign land. A message that "you are not alone".

       A picture, taken from behind two Ukrainian men as they stand alone waving to their families across the tracks, leaving on a refugee train bound for safety in Poland. Men took their wives, children, and others to safety, then turned around and returned home to pick up arms and join the fight against the invaders.

      The looks of tearful anxiety line the faces of Ukrainian mothers, fathers and children, as they participate in one last group hug. The unknown staring each one in the face as they hold each other in a last goodbye. What will each life be like when they meet again, if they do?

   Sure, there are scenes of war's destruction that stay in my mind, and I bow my head in prayer, asking God for peace and safety for those caught up in both sides of that conflict, but it is the reflection of those mental images, the trauma those displaced people have seen and will see in the days ahead.

    Lord Jesus hold their hands tightly.

   The emotion builds up behind my eyes as I look at the TV screen and see that war as it takes place far away, but it also builds as I write this, because it is the people involved who will bear the scars, physical ones and mental ones, of this time.

   Let me end with a little story: A natural reaction to the above emotions is simple: "What Can I Do?"

   I read a short article about a lady in America who worked with airbnb to get funds to hosts in Ukraine to help them through this perilous time. She just realized that with all that was going on, a little cash might make a lot of difference. It was simple, as a traveler here would book a room, or apt. for a couple of nights, not with the intention of going there, but Not Going. The payment for the stays would be sent to the hosts in county by airbnb within 24 hours of the check in date of the traveler. No fees would be taken out by the organization, and the whole amount passed on. The only thing that traveled was the money.

   Now when we look at the news from Kiev, we search for a man with a special spring in his step and listen for the jingle of coins in his pocket.

   Here is a return message from this man:

      "Hello Don! Thank you very much for your kind support, it means a lot to us now :) Sorry, but unfortunately I don't have much free time to answer.

This money will be spent to pay little salaries to my employees who are now staying in Kyiv without a possibility to return home and to make donations to the needs of our army.
Hope to host you in the future! God bless you! Slava Ukraini 💛💙"

   A small contribution to a man who may be giving much more, his all.

   

   

One More Time

 Picture is worth 1,000 words

"Nuff Said

Do You "Wordle"?

    Someone asked me that question several days back. I had to admit I had never heard the word, but soon found out it was a word game that you could play for free (so far) on the internet.

   I searched for Wordle on the Internet and the search gave me a possible hit, "Daily Word Game" which I duly searched for and came up with the powerlanguage.co.uk, which I clicked on and there was the game ready to be played.

   Picture a grid with 5 boxes in each of 6 lines:

   1. Put a 5 letter word in the top line and hit enter

   2. You will see the result of the word you chose...Any letter that you put in that was correct in the box you put it in will be shown in Green, any letter that you put in that was correct, but in an incorrect box, will be shown in Yellow. Letters that were not correct will be shown in Black.

   3. Taking the information you gathered from the first word, you choose another word and hit enter. Again you get the colors as before, seeking to determine what 5 letter word is the answer. Keeping any green letter in its box and moving any yellow letter to a new box, while not using any letter that has turned up black, guess a new word.

   4. You have correctly guessed the answer word when all boxes are green.

   5. You have 6 guesses to determine the answer.

A new puzzle is available each day.

Try it, you might like it.

   An Example: This morning I put in a 5 letter word. The result showed 1 green letter in box 1 of line 1, the rest were black.

   I chose another word, using the correct green letter in block 1 of line 2 and using 4 new letters that had not been used. 

   The result of this second guess was 3 green letters, 1 in block 1 of line 2, 1 in box 3 and 1 in box 5.

   Another guess in line 3 with the 3 green letters in their same boxes, and two new letters used in boxes 2 and 4.

   Luckily for me, my two new letters in boxes 2 and 4 both turned up green and so I had 5 green boxes in line 3 and bingo, I had correctly identified the right word.

   All the above is clear to me, but I know that directions without playing may seem hard. That is why I say "Try it and see".

   This morning in Chattanooga it is 24 with a wind chill of 18.

   A great day to work a new puzzle.

The Closing of an Era

    Last week Carolyn and I closed on my condo in St. Simons Island. The buyers, a couple from New York, are preparing to move in as we speak.

   Mayre Lou and I had moved to the Island back in 1995, after a couple of nasty winters in Apison. We did things there. We met new people there who became good friends. In short, there are a lot of memories for me there, and, as we, Carolyn and I, spent a day there last week, we talked a lot about what it was like to live there. 

   We talked about the weather. That day was a 70 degree day with sunshine aplenty. We smiled as we looked at the weather on our phones and saw that the high in Harrison was a chilly 37. Mayre Lou loved being warm in the winter.

   The Island sunrises at the beach and the sunsets looking back over the marsh toward the mainland never failed to put a smile on our faces and joy in our hearts.

   Perhaps a very brief history of our lives, Mayre Lou's and mine, on this spit of land in the Atlantic is in order. 

   We moved here in 1995 as I stated above. In 2005 we moved to Virginia to help Doug and Dawn with their newest family addition, Lucy. After 3 years there we moved back to SSI, bought a condo at Grandview and settled in to live out our lives there. Mayre passed away in 2018.

   The memories for me, are still there. The being a part of a new church was a series of events that brought much happiness and commitment to our lives, and just the experience of day to day living, with all of its normality, was special to us all those years.

   We lived on a golf course, Sea Palms, and I took advantage of that opportunity to play a lot of golf, alone, and with friends. At one point I figured that I was averaging 5 nine hole rounds a week. Just walk out the door and hit the ball. I had never heard of Pickleball then, but got plenty of walking in with 2 or 3 miles every day. Riding my bike was great exercise over many bike trails with no hills to cope with.

   Our foursome played golf every Friday morning early. The friendships were easy and the competition fierce. Thanks Jim, Fritz and Patrick.

   People called it Paradise, and we agreed. It was. But it was paradise with a small p. At certain times the flying insects were a real pain. However, the good outweighed the bugs, and the good times totally outlasted the inconvenience of swatting.

   Mayre and I were happy there and I was glad to relive some of those times as we toured around the Island. Our family loved the Island, too.

   The day after our closing last week, Carolyn and I took the time to look up friends and just be Islanders enjoying the great weather that is so much a part of life there.

   We started out Thursday, having breakfast at our first house we owned there, with our hosts. Herb was our realtor on the condo deal, and Ann is a long time friend. They opened their home to us on this occasion as they had many times before. I even got to talk with Tom Mitchell, who lived next door and was our neighbor when we lived there. A fine chance encounter to begin this visitation day.

   We stopped first at the church that has been a part of God's blessing in our lives. Meeting with Jim Kay was special as our lives were intertwined over the time of our residence. 

   Then on to Char's Salon. Many was the time that Mayre got her hair done there, then I had my hair trimmed there also, Even Carolyn had been treated to  Char's expertise. Char is one fine lady.

   Fritz had invited us to lunch with him at Mullet Bay, and those conversations, and the laughter involved in tales and situations of the past, was special, too.

   While dining, we ran into two couples that lived at Grandview when we did. A chance meeting with these folks and a good time sharing Grandview experiences. 

    One last visit before the day ended. To Marshes Edge we went to see Anne Johnson. Reliving many times at Grandview and beyond, and hearing her share about her situation and her family that we knew was a highlight of the day.

   We even got to stop in at the airport, one of Mayre's favorite places on the Island. She was privileged to work there for many years. Aviation and hanging around with aviation people was her thing.

   But one day was not enough time to see all we wanted. We made some contacts, and. we also visited with others that were not on our agenda. All in all, it was a good day.

   And we were not leaving St. Simons never to return. Hopefully the days ahead will give us other opportunities to see these folks again, and to catch up with others that we missed. 

   The Island was pretty as usual. The weather was pure "Chamber of Commerce". But it has always been the people that make this place special. 

   And it made this time for us special as well.

   Heads up, Barby and Westy, Uncle Don, Jeff and Leigh Ann, Suzy, Will and Joan, Jackie and Don, Brad and Tami and any others that might have been in our orbit over the past 27 years. 

   Your time will come...

   

The Intrepid Travelers Are On The Move, Again

   Way back in 2019, on a trip to Wyoming, we decided to try out the Airbnb system, and had great places to stay. When we traveled to the Delmarva area this past summer, we ventured out again and stayed in 3 more. Each unit was different, all presented a sort of adventure, and so when planning our Holiday trip to Arkansas to be with Donna's family, we decided to give this form of lodging another chance to enhance our journey. 

   Why not combine a king sized bed with a sense of the historical? Sounds good to us.

   Our hosts in Conway, had taken an old corner grocery and remodeled it into a comfortable home right close to the downtown area. Living room, master bedroom, spare bedroom, study and kitchen, all for us.

   We spent 3 nights here, slept well and fed our selves from some furnished goodies when we were not dining on Redbud Drive, 5 minutes away, with dinners by Noel, and lunches from the Murray larder.

   But life in Conway is not all food and rest, we also played.

   Board games like Sorry and card games like Skipbo and Tip Top.

   On one beautiful day (when the rain stayed away), we were outdoors bringing the excitement of Pickleball to our Arkansas family, especially Donna and Archer.

   Then there was a Wednesday, where the forecast was filled with rain possibilities, so an early start on our Morning Walk took us downtown. As we made a turn toward home, halfway on our exercise plan, we got a few sprinkles, and then came the rest. We were only a few blocks from our house, so Carolyn took a convenient bench, while her brave husband volunteered to go for the Envision. It really rained. It was a toad strangler, or a trash mover, if you like that better, but, with no umbrella in sight, a man ran (a loose term in this case) from awning to awning, trying desperately to stay reasonably dry. 

   I called Donna for help, and fortunately Noel was out running some errands. Every time the rain let up just a bit, the wet man sought the path home. and alas, by the time Noel found the man he was just getting into his car at the rental house. Wet but not deterred, Carolyn was retrieved from the park bench under the awning.where she had patiently waited for a ride home. Back to the house, clothes thrown into the dryer, dry clothes substituted, and on to Lunch with the family.

   Not to be foiled in a historical search for the oldest Courthouse in Arkansas, we took off the next morning for Searcy, site of the White County Courthouse. Still in use, the 1871 building was residing in glory in the middle of town. 

   We had to take off the next morning early for Nashville for a visit with Carolyn's son, Rush, wife Joan, grandchildren and great grandsons. Rush and Joan had just moved into their new home and it was stunning to say the least.

   As good as it was, a corner grocery did not prepare us for the splendor of this residence. We got to stay in a great bedroom, were treated with a gourmet dinner, watched Tennessee lose to Purdue in the Music City Bowl, and had fun with grandkids and 2 "greats". It was a good day.

   Oops, almost forgot our sideline trip to another courthouse. Dickson County's old courthouse was situated in Charlotte, not far off our route to Nashville. A small town with a definite small town feel, gave us pleasure as we walked the square and speculated on how life was "back in the day". This courthouse was built in 1835 after the original was destroyed by a tornado in 1833.

   Friday morning brought us a good breakfast, a proper sendoff for a quick trip home to Harrison. 

   A quick Monday to Friday trip had brought us family, courthouses, playtime, good conversation and was well worth the car trips to get it done. 

   I bet we'll do it again, one day. 

   Just not tomorrow.

Christmas Season 2021

    The Christmas Season has been here for a few days, and we have enjoyed all the festivities. Doug and his family, minus Caroline who went straight from school to Pensacola where Dawn's whole family will gather for this Holiday, came for a couple of nights before going farther south. 

   The back yard got some good use with a family frisbee game on some hilly terrain. In this shot, Lucy shows her throwing form while Doug waits to receive the toss and David and Laken watch.

   We plan to go to Donna's on Monday, stopping for brunch with our friends The Stophels in Franklin, on the way west. After three nights in Conway, we will go back eastward, stopping in Nashville to see Carolyn's son Rush and his family. 

   I know plans are all tentative, with Covid on the loose again, but we will make the effort and pray that everybody stays well and safe.

   Dwayne and Karen have their kiddos home for Christmas, and we will try to get together with that family after New Years, unless we are quarantined or something.

   Speaking of the North Carolina gang, My Christmas present from them was a book about Old Missouri Courthouses, built in the 19th century and still standing heading into the 23rd. 

   Made me want to get back on the trail again with these grand old buildings. It is fun to go into these towns, some are pretty small, and think about how the people lived and worked there and what their lives looked like. Eating in a local spot on a courthouse square is an adventure to look forward to, For sure!

   I believe my new project might be to photograph and find out about the oldest courthouses in each state still standing and some even still functioning as government buildings. I got a jump on this when we visited the Delmarva peninsula this past summer.

   The oldest Maryland county courthouse was in Centerville, and served Queen Anne County.

   The oldest in Delaware was in Georgetown, Sussex County.

   We could get Arkansas at Searcy and Tennessee in Dickson County as we come home from this trip.

   Two down, two planned, and only 46 more to go. 

   One of the advantages of doing this kind of tour are the people and stories that reside in these towns with old courthouses.

   One story, from the Missouri book, intrigued me.

      From Miller County, Tuscumbia, MO

      "At first glance the building's attractive domed clock tower appears typical for a first rate courthouse of the era. Although the tower was designed to house a clock, no funds were available for the mechanism. The visible clock is actually only an illusion, which appears complements of the original painter for the building. This local Tuscumbia painter spent several days to complete his mirage, which is set at 8 o'clock on all four sides. Over the years the county has never seen fit to install an actual clock, but has repainted the fake "clock" multiple times.The original painter would no doubt be pleased with the longevity of his temporary timepiece".

   We have noted in our travels the inconsistency of timepieces in these courthouse clock towers, with sometimes four different times shown to onlookers, and some with only one of four sides in operation, but this is a first for a make believe real clock. At least the time is correct twice a day, regardless of the compass direction.

   More adventures await.