Mama cooking!

This is the picture that Daddy kept on his desk at the post office of Mama Cooper.   She did not like it but she did not like any picture.

It caused me to think of it because I am spending my day getting ready to have this major party in Cape and I will be meeting with caterers and taking tours of the building where the party will be held.   I am a good cook because I learned what good cooking is from my Mother.  She was far more interested in cleanliness and what the food was like and nutrition than she was about what it looked like on the table.  I learned that for myself.

But here are some lessons I learned from her:

l.  If you eat right, you will be healthy and your skin will be good for a lifetime.  This means vegetables out of the garden well-seasoned.  She could cook any vegetable better than anyone else could.   She could fry apples, fry okra, do a pot of green beans, turnips and greens, carrots, corn on the cob, and fried corn better than anyone I ever knew.

2.  She was clean as a pin.   Wrapped her head in a scarf before she cooked anything so that not one hair would fall into the cooking.

3.  Best pie baker in the world.  No one can touch her.  She used what the land produced. (6we had 3/4 acre of garden which Sam Henderson grew on the halves with us.)   

4.  When we were sick, we had milk toast or float.   I would almost fake it today to get some from her.

5.  Her utensils (with no dishwasher) were spotless.  And yes, as a dishwasher, I had many pots returned under her watchful eye.

6.  She canned jelly from our grape vines and pickles when people gave her cucumbers.   Whatever she got from farmers, she used.   Tomatoes, when they were plentiful, she canned and we had tomato juice for cooking the entire year.

7.   She taught me to respect food and the people who grow food.   She also taught me to respect the people who sat down at her table.

Last day in the Papacy of Benedict

Last day that Pope Benedict will be Pope.  Tomorrow, he will be looking on like anyone else wondering what is going on inside the Vatican.   I admire him for his willingness to step down.  He says that he never had one moment of privacy and this apparently has been a problem as he ages and faces death on his own.

He says he is tired.  I take him at his word.    Today he gives his last blessing to the throngs of people.   I have a feeling that the greatest blessing he will be giving to himself as he takes that ten minute flight to another monastery and a sense of privacy which has eluded him for all these years.

A high price for a dance performance!

Some of the women in the Bible cannot be held in high esteem as "role models".  One of these is Salome, noted dancer and niece of King Herod.   Sure, she did a great job and turned the old man on and he offered to give her anything, even half of his kingdom, and she asked for the head of John the Baptist, who was in prison.  Her mother put her up to it but the scheme worked and John the Baptist had his head cut off for a reward to the dancing niece.   What a horrible sacrifice she demanded for this stalwart friend of Christ!

What does this story tell us?  There are all kinds of lessons  --mostly bad.   One is don't always listen to your mother unless she is worth listening too!   But the point to me is that people make choices --every minute of every day that have little to do with the facts at hand.   And, often, those choices affect someone else in a grievous, deathly way.

I am going through a time in my life when I need to make a choice that will affect other people far more than it will me.   Help me to look through all my choices and make the one that will help all of us the most.  Help me to know when "Tough Love" is needed to help somone else --not to just get me out of a bad, personal situation of worry.   Don't let me cut off someone's head just to have less personal worry about the situation!
Remind me of this picture of John the Baptist's head on a plate!  There has to be an easier, less demanding way to cope with people who won't abide by the rules that are mine to set!

Pope changes the rules of the game!

The Pope came out for his last last Sunday blessing and thousands came out to see him.  That is a tribute to him and to Catholicism.   He also announced that he was changing the rules for his succession and allowing an earlier start.  When the rest of the Cardinals get there, it is time to get a Pope so that one will be there for Holy Week.   No need mourning for a dead Pope, this one is alive and giving it up voluntarily.  Makes sense to me.

So we will wait to see the white smoke and read all about the possibilities of who will be Pope.   Whoever emerges, there is much to do and much to be reviewed.  Blessings on the one who comes forth now and during the rest of his pilgrimage.

The Doubting Thomas in me!

I can understand the Apostle Thomas.  I am the Doubting Thomas.   I did not used to be.  I took everything with joy and happiness.  Ask anyone who grew up with me.  Raise my parents from the dead and ask them. They would tell you I had a joyful belief.   But I lost them and I went through a devastating divorce and a mind-boggling church fight when I knew I was on the right side of the issue and I found out that I had no idea  what I had gotten myself into.   Most people in the church have no idea why I have removed myself from regular attendance and I write every Sunday morning instead of being Sunday school director and workhorse for First Baptist Church.  But I know why!  I learned, to my eternal dismay, that I made some terrible decisions about the character of everyone who seemed to loom around me and I have continued to doubt my own ability to discern the truth of character of others.   Added to that was the complete mistreatment of me by my own sisters and many of their children and my kindness to them.  Take my sister, Rose Marie.  I have done  nothing to her but somehow she feels justified to remove me from her email and block me on her phone.  I tried to call her this week on her birthday and nothing.   My children and their spouses are the one truth in my life and a few of my trusted friends.   No wonder I doubt;   I have no reason to reach out in faith anymore.  And  I know I have strayed so far from what my parents taught me.   My only consolation is that my Mother told me during the months I was with her that had the same thing happened to her with her relationship with Daddy, she would not have been able to go on. Maybe she knew how hard I had been knocked down spiritually.  But she never dreamed that her own children would behave so badly toward each other!  If she can look down and see this horrible mess, she would turn her back on all of us for not working this out.  And that includes me.

So Thomas, I understand you.   So did the Lord.   He came to you, when you ran from him, and he found you and he told you to put your hands into the wounds.   He gave you something substantial to deal with so that you would find the strength to believe again.   I wish I could be a part of that wonderful moment that you found.  You have no idea how much I wish I could find that moment again!   If I am allowing it to elude me, show me the path to find the moment of joyful belief again!

Annie goes to "Annie"!

Annie Finnegan and I had a great time at the President's Dinner last night and the performance of "Annie"! What a solid performance! Excellent casting! The "Easy Street" number was a show stopper!! Food was excellent also and seeing so many friends!

Hit the bed when I got home at eleven but could not sleep. The music kept going over in my brain. Charles Strouse, you nailed it with "tomorrow" and all the rest! What a delightful evening!

Am I my brother's keeper?

Sitting at home, with ice and sleet coming down, one is forced to deal with two things:  the weather reports telling people where they can go to find shelter and the news reports barraging the air with changes in our country and the focus on the need to help the paychecks of the middle class so that all of us have equality of opportunity.   I rejoice that this is a subject that we think is worth dealing with.   It's what I believe about the words of Jesus most strongly:  "Am I my brothers keeper? asked in the Bible and the words in Matthew 25:40 when the King answered, " Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me."

So as we listen to new words and phrases being thrown out such as Sequestering, country of brown and blacks, and kicking the can down the road  (I wish I had a dollar for every time one of those phrases is used on the air), I must remember that the way we answer those questions says much for us as a country.  Do we have equal access?   Do we have a different face in America?   Can America survive economically sound without changes?    

Change is hard to accept.   But the words of Christ abide.  I believe that I have a responsibility to those who need help and to the downtrodden.  Lord, help me to reach out to those who cannot help themselves.

O Sleet... and freezing rain!

Nothing left to say.  Sleet is already here and ice is on its way.   That means two things:  everything is cancelled and we can stay home and take a day off.  Annie came early this morning and then Debbie came to do my hair so I have seen people --real live human beings!

I cancelled my lunch with Mary Ann Deline and then my 2:30 meeting cancelled with Kellerman Committee. So I plan to watch the world go by with my fireplace going full blast.  I couldn't eat all the food that is in the freezer and I have television.   Life is sleety good!

A Safe House for everyone

I spent the morning gathering up a load to go to the Safe House thrift store! Meleia works there on weekends and I wanted to send good interview clothes today! The women there get vouchers for attending classes to deal with the effects of their abuse! I also gave a monetary contribution!

I could not believe my selfishness! My closets are packed and I would take something out and think no, I might wear that! Every time I said it, I put it on the stack! As I watched people go in to the shop today, I rejoiced that I had not allowed my selfishness to rule this day! Tomorrow yes! Today, no!

Is it possible to "forgive and forget"?

Theology enters the voting booths
all of the time.   This time is no exception.   The former Congressman and Governor of South Carolina is running for Congressional election again, Mark Sanford.   He got into a mess when he was Governor because he said he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail while it later came out he was cavorting with a South American woman..   Now he is appearing on ads asking the public to "forgive him" for his dalliance and untruthfulness.  We will see what the public thinks.  (I might add that he voted to impeach President Clinton when he was a Congressman for his affair.)

I also might add that there are two levels of "forgiveness" to consider --and there is a true difference between human forgiveness and divine forgiveness.  I will leave the latter level to Mark and to his Creator for that has nothing to do with the humanity of his act.  There are all kinds of studies that show that the person who forgives is much happier in the end.   That is hardly debatable.   But what about the person who needs to be forgiven--is that person genuinely changed by his/her experience or is this some kind of duping so that people will elect the person or that the guilty person can go on unscathed by his/her conduct!  To me, that is the question facing the South Carolina voter!

Most of them will not consider that they will be making a judgement, in the end, about whether a person should be forgiven regardless of whether he is running for office or running for the city limits or running for restoration.

Goodbye, Mr. Sikeston!

Kenneth Dement died this weekend after
years in the Veteran's Home.   He was president of the Board of Regents while Bill Stacy was President and he was something.   I went to Nunnelee Funeral Home in Sikeston with Bill Holland and Jay Wolz and we spoke with the kids,  Kenny Jr. and Jerry and Mary, among the others.!

One of the daughters-in-law, Toni, came up and said, "Oh how he loved you!" and Jerry said, "You were the only person in the world who would take him on".   I guess I was because he was as tough as nails and he put the fear of God in everyone around him.

But he did not scare me.   If anything, I scared him   I could not help but laugh as I walked in and Steve McPheeters was standing there -- I taught him in the 3rd grade in Malden.  How fast time goes by and how fast ties are broken when you do not see people.

I love you, Kenny.   I even told you so a bunch of times!

Going Solo

 

I consider myself to be a singer  --but alto or low tenor but never solo.    I can harmonize with a squash but I can't go it alone/  Nor did I ever want to carry the lone road by myself musically.

But I have to admit that I never wondered where the word "solo" came from.  I just read it the other day.  It means "alone".  I was reading an article on theology and I kept reading about "Sola Scripture" and I had no idea what they were talking aboug.   This article clearly said:  "Sola Scripture --it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness."

Interesting reading.  Protestants think there  are 5 theological pillars which come from the Reformation.
By Scripture alone
By faith alone
By grace alone
Through Christ alone
Glory of God alone

This bears out much more thought and reading.   I need to study alone and do some "sola" thinking.  Are all of these free-standing?  Can I come to God on any of these solo terms?   Or would I rather harmonize and come to God with harmony and sync of all.  This is a holy quest for those of us who seek to walk alone in the search for the holy grail!

Ste Genevieve Sunday Lunch

Joan Gohn, Judy Brown, Sara Barks and I motored to Ste Genevieve today to have lunch at the Anvil! How good the liver and grilled onions were and are!

We walked around the little town and checked out the historical sites! And we laughed at each other! Joan and I have been around the world together but we were grateful that we never had an experience like Carnival!

Joan Gohn

Sara Barks

Judy Pind Brown

Catholic Church

Two stories in one - Intercalation

This morning, on Sunday morning, I find a Scripture to study.  It is Sunday and I need to dwell on thinking theologically.  I will do just that this early Sunday morning with my coffee and texts in hand.  I love the stories  of Jesus healing in faith.  These two stories disect (or intercalation, as scholars call it.  It is sort of like my telling a story and something changes my focus in the middle and I digress.  Jesus had a high digression point since he was called on for many things.   Parts of these two digressing stories are found in Mark 5:21-43, Matthew 9:18-26 and Luke 8: 40-56.  Most Bible students know these stories as The Raising of Jairus' Daughter and The woman who touched the hem of his garment.

The stories are linked by the number 12: (Jairus' daughter was 12 years of age and the woman had had a menstrual flow for 12 years.)  They were also linked because Jairus had faith that Christ could heal his daughter and the woman with the flow had faith that if she could just get close enough to touch Christ, she would be healed.

Let's start with the Matthew scripture and see what this shortest Scripture of the three tells us.  Jairus was a leader in the synogogue and knew the rules of that body but he was willing to step out and implore Christ to restore his daughter to life.  He wanted Christ to touch her and bring her back to life and he asked Christ to go with him and do exactly that.  And Jesus got up from his teaching to go with Jairus.

Just at that moment, an "unclean" woman came up from behind him who had had a flow of blood for many years and she touched the hem of his garment (the tassels which reminded the Jew to pray) and he sensed the touch and called her out telling her that her faith had made her well.

Continuing on his way, he came to the home of Jairus, where the professional mourners were doing their thing (Jewish law required two flutes and a mourning woman) and Christ told them all to leave the room.  He touched the child and she got up.  This story went like wildfire.

It should still. Christ dealt with the Jewish traditions of uncleanliness (issue of blood and dead body) and restored life to both of them.  These were females he restored because of the faith involved.  These dissecting stories have much to tell to the person who seeks to find restoration.

Why I should care who the Pope is?

I usually watch Melissa Harris-Perry and her eponymously named show on Saturday morning and today was no exception.   One segment was about "Why should I care who the Pope is if I am not Catholic?   I have to admit I wanted to hear her answer.   She had written a letter to the Conclave giving her own answers to her question!  I found it fascinating.

She said (the positive always hits first) that the Pontiff was the global reach of Catholicism with l.2 billion believers and it carried on the enduring work of the Church.  She pointed out that the Catholic Church was a strong advocate of human rights and was the largest non-governmental provider in the US;  that the church provided a conduit for justice.

Then she went to the negative:  the Church needs to address contraception,  does not need to be complicit in crimes involving the priests and children;  needs to allow women in the priesthood and allow gays and lesbians full acceptance within its walls.

And she reiterated the need to choose a Pope who can move the church in new ways while holding fast to the things that it has done so well in seeking justice and meaning and honoring the best of what the faith offers

I enjoyed the program and I enjoyed thinking about the initial question.

Where have our heroes gone?

I have watched the story of Oscar Pistorius being charged with the murder of his girl friend in court this week.  I never heard of him before this week but, apparently, I am one of the few.  Noted "blade-runner" of South Africa who has overcome obstacles that few could overcome as a runner but he overcame.  What is it that he could not overcome?  What would put him in this courtroom when he had everything any one could ever want?

It is so sad.  When is enough enough?  How could he do such a thing if he is guilty of this heinous crime?  Do people sabotage their own success and, if so, why?  News shows have been quick to cite example after example --Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods?   Have the heroes shown themselves to be non-heroes?   Do all    the heroes have "feet of clay"?

Who are my heroes who are always heroes?  I'll have to give this some real thought.   Maybe we should each consider who we brand as "heroes".  I think of Joe Dimaggio from my childhood --sure, he married Marilyn Monroe and then he got rich from being "Mr. Coffee".  It took him down a few notches in my opinion of him but it didn't knock him off the pedestal!  What I need to do is to be selective in who I pick as heroes;  after all, I get to make that choice.

Jane Bodenschatz, former secretary of SEMO

When I picked up the newspaper and realized that Jane's husband, Leonard, had died, I began to make plans to go to Jackson for the visitation.   I wanted to personally tell Jane (who was Bill Stacy's secretary when he was President of SEMO ) how sorry I was and I wanted her to know that this meant enough to me to come over to Jackson.  And I wanted to see her children, Donna and David.

Jordan took me over ==he is my chief funeral goer and taker--and I was so pleased that I went.  Jane was so thrilled to see me and wanted to know all about my children and family.   She said four times how glad she was to see me.   And her face lit up in a fun joy!

Jordan and I went to our favorite -- Dexter Barbecue and we feasted and laughed.   He is now into Hockey.

So Leonard Bodenschatz, rest in peace!

Dr Tulio Estrada

Tulio Estrada will be buried on Sunday. He was Tina's father and a wonderful psychiatrist! He was from Colombia and kept his ties there! RIP Tulio!  He was a man of many interests and did them all well!

My Valentine Ed Gargas

I had a great Valentines lunch at Port Cape today with my old Homecoming Steering Committee chair, Ed Gargas, of Dexter! So much to talk about and so little time! Can't believe so many years have gone by!

Now he is Lt Colonel in National Guard and just got back from overseas assignment! It was a joy to see him and spend Valentines with him! He is one of my "kids" and he can't escape that role!

St. Valentine lost his head for love.

There is much that we don't know about St. Valentine but it doesn't make much of a difference.   Did he actually live?  Probably. He was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholics in l969 by Pope Paul VI because all of the history could not be documented.  

But there was a priest, Valentine, beheaded by the Emperor Claudius, who made the mistake of secretly marrying soldiers who were banned from marrying by the Emperor.  (Unmarried soldiers fought better in his opinion.)   And that adds a romantic touch to us   --not too romantic for the blessed Saint if he did exist.

But it doesn't matter in the end about his history to us.   We like to think that love is worth celebrating whenever it comes to anyone  and we will hang St. Valentines name on it.   Maybe he would be proud!

Russian Honey Cake

Barb Kinsey and I went to a luncheon at Rays that Cheryl Mothes of Edward Jones hosted! I had no idea what was going to take place but then saw that 160 women were enjoying music and a served salad luncheon!

Diane Sides and Debbie Fulton came over to our table to say hello! Long time university friends (pictured) and sitting at our table were Mary Gerlach (pictured) and Marion Lafoe! Mary trained Sara at Toni's Flower Shop and loves her!

Speech was woman from Russia! Other people won the cakes the speaker had baked!! Cheryl just gave me one! She actually pulled up a chair to my table and sat by me!

I am so happy to have her as a financial advisor!

Hello to Dr. John Kinder

Today I had my first occasion to meet Dr. John R. Kinder, opthomologist, and son of Jerry and Polly Kinder, long time friends.   I was apprehensive since it meant getting ready to trust someone to operate on you twice to remove cataracts.  Annie, my niece, went with me and since she is manager at Lenscrafter, she knows something about eyes.   Good visit --yest I have good sized cataracts in both eyes --left is worse, but right has a crease in it.   Pictures and drops flowed.   Surgeries scheduled and I am ready --can't wait to see if I can see better.

And did I like him.  I did.   43 years old but knows his stuff.  He has taken care of Evelyn Boardman, Ann Hickam, and  Vickie Boren and they loved him.   Annie gets good reports and she recommends him at Lenscrafter.   And he kept talking to me and reassuring me  --Even came after the last examination and said that the crease was not as bad as he thought.  So it's full steam ahead!

The Pope Resigns

The big news this morning is that Pope Benedict is resigning at the end of the month.  The conclave for a new  Pope is already in progress so that a new Pope can be elected in time for Holy Week.   I can't believe that he resigned.  No Pope has done that in 600 years.  Some say he is 87 and is not able to carry the load anymore and that stands to reason.

I can remember Pope Pius and then Pope John who was a breath of Spring.   Our inclination is to wait until the other shoe drops and see what the real reason for an act is.  But I'm taking this as it is  --I think I can buy the fact that he is tired of the pressure and wants to turn the messes over to someone younger and who has not been overpowered with decisions about the church and the sex scandals.  He is due a rest.  In fact, I sincerely hope that nothing comes out to dissuade me from this feeling.

The role of the pastor is in such disarray these days that he is a bright spot.   But God has to use those who are willing to ascend.

Jazz Sunday at centenary Methodist

Went to Centenary with Joan today for Jerry Ford concert and it rocked! Jerry had his whole band there to play the greats: saints go marching in , battle Hymn, etc! Place was packed! Saw many friends including Jerry and Frances Gould! Both are pictured!

Then we went to Bob Evans for a rainy brunch and the band sat next to us (and picked up our check). Narvol Randol heckled me like horrible!

What a fun afternoon!

Went to Show me Center to sign books during the games yesterday and had a blast seeing old friends and old athletes! Several reminded me of when we entertained Alex Haley who wrote Roots.at the house and only invited African Americans! Brian. Bunche and Bev Sargent remembered after all these years!  Brian was on the famous basketb.all team of 1999-2000  Call up this year's inductees for Hall of Fame and read about them!

Pictured are Brian, Ron Hines and Gayle Mcspadden a great pitcher for us and major leagues. Ron and I worked together for 20 years when he was Sports Information Director.   I laughed and laughed all afternoon and remembered those days!   Memories are made of the laughter!   I rejoice in them!

Galen McSpadden

Brian Bunche
Barb Kinsey, Ron Hines and me.  He actually mentioned us in his speech;

Searching for LAPD officer on killing spree

I am sitting here watching the experts talking about this officer who is on a manifesto-killing exercise.  He has already killed three people and cops are searching everywhere.  Psychiatrists say he is narcissitic and paranoid .   One expert said today he was a "wound collector" and it caused me to think.   Who isn't when you come down to nitty-gritty.  Most of us carry scars of being hurt, being forgotten, looked over, passed over, screwed over, go on and on.

I just keep thinking about what makes all of us "wound -collectors" give them up with age and wisdom.  What keeps the most wounded of the collectors go on a killing manifesto?   It would be interesting to know more about this man--who used to be a policeman and then was fired when he says that other police officers wrote untrue things in his file!   Where did he get his support as he moved to success?  What happened to that support as he started a downhill slide?   Did he realize that he was a fake all the time or did he ever decide he was for real and the wounders were fake?

Christopher Dorner-LAPD Police Dept.

I'd like to know more about this man.   First, I can't even remember his name.   Commentators are commenting as to how the end comes for him.   I am more concerned to all the "wound collectors" in my life and how they find ways to deal!  And can I be a detriment or an asset to them?  First, I need to quit dwelling on the collection of my own wounds!

Hall of Fame Dinner

What a great dinner! Sold books, visited with old friends. Had wonderful visits with Carl Ritter, pat Washington, Dutch Meyr, on and on! Dobbins introduced me and talked about the book!

Pictured are Barb Kinsey. The group of me , Rodney Miller, Dutch, and John Muench. Then a pic with Kip Hamby. His dad went in last night! The Hamby group came out to remember Hamby!

Barbecue and calla lillies

What a great day already! Had lunch at Port Cape with one of my great friends, Dr Loretta Prater and we talked about writing! Visited with Charles Wiles there who tried to get me to pay his ticket! Some things never change!

Then came home and got flowers from Edward Jones and Cheryl Mothes and Kathleen was here to do errands! Mailing out books!  It is a rewarding thing to see the three-year effort come down in the form of a book.  But am I going to do another one!  Hell will have to freeze over!

Tonight it is the big banquet!  Now I have to convince the powers that be to promote and sell the book or they will have no profits!   Promotion is everything!  I hope I can recognize people who buy books tonight with this cataracted eyes!

Book is here!

Can't believe it! My book on Athletic hall of Fame is in and I love the way it looks and reads! I hope everyone else does also and that it is a sellout!

We are not good on promotion at the university! Wish we did it better but I am going to set up some promotion with this book!

Elizabeth McClary

Elizabeth McClary of Jackson, a longtime civic leader and humanitarian-award winner, died Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, after a brief illness, surrounded by her family. She was 97.


Named Jackson's first "Leading Lady" in 1959 for her community leadership, she received the Cape County humanitarian award from the Heritage Foundation in 2010. In between she taught Sunday school at New McKendree United Methodist Church until the age of 94, and served as a room mother and band-mother leader for more than 20 years.

She was past president of P.E.O., a philanthropic and educational organization, and served as an officer and board member of many community service and political organizations. The mayor of Jackson named a day in her honor.

Born Elizabeth Gamel on Jan. 11, 1916, in Festus, Mo., to Mary and William Bertram Gamel, she was married 58 years to Edward E. McClary, who preceded her in death.

She managed district office for State Farm Insurance many years. She also was preceded in death by a sister, Evelyn Reddick, and a son, Robert Starr McClary II.

Four children survive: Dr. Lynn Hawkins of DeLand, Fla., Laura Avakian of Boston, Edward McClary of San Francisco and Jane Oakley of Bethesda, Md.; 19 grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

A 1938 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, she attended the University of Wisconsin graduate program in speech pathology before teaching English, speech, journalism and Latin at Festus and De Soto, Mo., high schools. She starred in numerous college and community theater presentations and was a frequent public speaker.

Her passions included traveling, including flying to Washington, D.C., this Christmas for a family reunion, her grandchildren, knitting, bridge and activities with her many, many friends.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at New McKendree Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Gamel Family Cemetery in Festus.

The family requests that any memorial gifts in honor of Elizabeth McClary be directed to Missouri Sister Power Scholarship/Cottey College, with checks made out to P.E.O. Chapter DJ, Evelyn Coleman, treasurer, 631 Bainbridge Road, Jackson, MO 63755.
Online condolences may be made at www.cracraftmiller.com.

Rip " Gabby". My longtime friend since the days I started as Alumni Director!

Frank Nickell

I love Frank Nickell! He would sell his soul to preserve history! He is going thru changing times and that is hard! I know that act.

I started the day yesterday with Frank and the Lorbergs and kept after it long after they were gone! But it is not an easy trek to make changes in your life and no one can really help you!

So Frank, I hope your life falls into a settling pattern and soon. You are a valuable member of society!

Hospital visit reward

Yesterday I went to Southeast Hospital for my annual bloodwork.. It's not like I dread it ...I know I have to do it or my doctor is on my case! But I don't look forward to it! My veins are terrible and they always have to take it out of the back of my hand and that sometimes smarts!

But yesterday as I walked in the lobby, I saw the usual hospital sites and then I saw a big bronze sign announcing that this was Charles Hutson Lobby. ...my old birthday pal and devoted friend! And I felt loved and blessed! Stick away Nurse! I am protected by his memory!

Super Bowl game

Yes I watched it and yes I was pulling for Ravens....who won! I even got into the intricacies of counting the yards and downs like when I was a players wife and a coaches wife.

Funniest thing was when the lights went out and the game came to a grinding halt for 35 minutes! Maybe Beyonce had too many hot dance routines!

Coffee at Paneras

Went out to Paneras with Evelyn Boardman and we had our usual good time! She had visited Jennie yesterday afternoon and taken her five books! Allen had texted Annie that Jennie was sick but Evelyn saw no sigh of that!

Carolyn and Jerry Pickens came up to table to talk several times! We went to Malaysia together!

I whipped the word on Evelyn that the gossip was out there about Sen Lindsay Graham being gay! She was going home to get on computer!

Sara and Scripture

I'm proof reading a Bible study for women written by my daughter, Sara, on Spiritual Warfare! It is very good and provocative! She is a seminary student and following in my footsteps and my Dads in writing a book and going to Seminary.

Both are mind boggling pilgrimages! Sometimes you need a friend who understands the process! I had Billie Fair who was there for me and vice versa!

Good luck Sara and keep writing! I love your promo pic!

Missouri State Flag, made in Cape Girardeau

Things are all a twitter about the dedication of the Flag House (or the Oliver-Watkins House where Marie Oliver, daughter of Senator R. B. Oliver, made the Missouri State Flag.   I am on several committees for this event and hosting a reception so it is important to me.   I have always loved the Oliver house which became known as the Leming House.   Bud Leming was my first alumni president and his mother lived there.

Mary Ann and Bert Kellerman have done a wonderful job of putting this house on the right track again and they will donate the house to the State when they die.   I am pleased to do what I can to help them in this effort.