Time for a Lovely Story -- or Story of Showing Love

With problems here at home and throughout the world, it is time for a story that makes one feel good.

A couple we see at church every Sunday came up the aisle, paused to say hello, and informed us they had marked their 62nd wedding anniversary.  The lady added, "I must tell you what happened.  While waiting to get a table at Olive Garden, we mentioned that we were celebrating our anniversary.  We had our meal and went to pay the bill but the waitress said we owed nothing; someone had paid it.  We said we must know who paid it so we can thank them.  The waitress pointed  to a l5-year-old girl and said she was the one who treated us.  Her mother, seated with her, said the girl did it with her own money.  We can keep our faith in the goodness of our young people," she concluded.

One of My "Interesting" Plane Rides As An Economic Developer

"The pilot of the plane I chartered is ill and cannot fly, but I'm working on getting another plane." the manager of the newly established Broyhill plant in Arcadia phoned me.  We were to go to Baton Rouge to  appear before the board of Commerce and Industry  in support of Broyhill's spplication for a ten-year tax exemption. We could have flown commercial, but the plant manager did not want "to waste a day in Baton Rouge waiting for a plane."   

I was waiting at Shreveport's Downtown airport when an ancient Piper Cub landed.  I found out this was to be our transportation.  Navigation to Baton Rouge wasn't a problem; the pilot followed Red river until it joined the Mississippi and then followed that river on to Harding Field.  We landed and took a taxi to the meeting.  We were late but it did not matter because our application had not come up.  Approval was just a formality as I knew it would be, but I did not want to leave anything to chance.  Persuading Broyhill to locate a plant outside of the home state of North Carolina was one of my proudest accomplishments.

Flying home was adventurous because darkness caught us, but eventually I was deposited at the Downtown airport and the Piper and passengers headed for Athens.  I was familiar with the home pasture, because that's what it was, and I was thankful I wouldn't be landing there.  The landing area was short and had to be made to end up under some power lines.  They made it okay, and I had another ride in a small plane to add to my many experiences.

For National Security, We MUST Drill NOW

This nation has been in a precarious energy situation, unnecessarily, because we have refused to produce the energy this country needs, choosing instead to import oil and ship billions of dollars overseas.  Much of the oil we purchase comes from regimes unfriendly to us and our supply could be cut off at any time.  Now, with the upheavals and unrest in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen, the situation is critical. Obama and his energy czar have made it clear they want gas to rise to seven or eight dollars a gallon and utilities to double or triple.  This could come about, devastating our already weak economy, but more important the situation poses a huge threat to our national security.  Obama took advantage of the oil spill to order a moratorium on drilling in the gulf, and after the moratorium was lifted only two drilling permits have been issued.  Why cannot our congressmen act to stop Obama from hurting our economy?  Why cannot we demand that this country become self-sufficient in energy?    We have reserves of oil, gas and coal and we can utilize nuclear energy.  It is great to search for new forms of energy whether it t be fission, fusion, hydrogen or something else.  In the meantime, let us utilize what we have plenrty of, oil, gas and coal.

Happy Anniversary, Jen. Thanks for 38 Good Years

Yes, today marks 38 years that Jen and I have been married.  I understand how everyone may wonder how any woman could stand me for  one year, much less 38, but she did and we are looking forward to 38 more.
All my love, Jen.

LSU Baseball Players Who Made Major Leagues

Almost anything and everything is on the internet today. Baseball America lists 62 former LSU baseball players who got at least a cup of coffee in the majors.  As I looked over the list I saw that the third name was Orie Kerlin of Homer, who played fromo 1910 to 1915 for the Pittsburgh Rebels.  When I went to Homer in 1950 I was told that Mr. Kerlin had been a major leaguer but I never interviewed him.  He would have been a good subject for my sports column in the Guardian-Journal. 

Baseball was important in Homer for a number of years, as the Homer Oilers competed in the Big Eight semi-pro league with teams from Minden, Ruston, Farmerville, Bernice, Farmerville and Bastrop. Teams were composed of local men and college players.  Homer relied heavily on LSU but at times had players from Texas A&M, TCU, Baylor, La. Tech, Southern State, and Centenary.  Homer's largest crowd was one night when we pitched the nephew of  Dizzy Dean.  We defeated Farmerville 2-0 and Dean pitched a two-hit shutout.

Games were played Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday during the summer.  I was official scorekeeper and in addition coached and managed an American Legion team, which played Monday and Wednesday nights.  It was  not unusual to see major league scouts at the games.

Have Not Posted Lately Because of IIlness

Being physically ill has made me interlectually lazy so I have not posted for several days even though I have wanted to express myself on several topics.  I can report that my routine visit with my cardiologist last Wednesday was encouraging.  I reported on two angina attacks I had away from home.  I almost blacked out after one when I took nitro. The doctor says always sit down before using it, but that is not always possible. 

I missed church Sunday because of a broken vessel in an eye and a general feeling of illness.  Despite feeling bad, I attended the Pinewood Derby races at Sci-Port Saturday.  I went because Jason had to work and could not be there although he had spent hours turning a block of wood into a batmobile.  I went in case we had to make adjustments to the car.  I have made many cars and seen them run in races, but I had never seen a race run the way it was done a Sci-Port.  There were 36 cars entered with each car racing eight times on the four-lane track.  That meant it took 72 races to complete the competition, with the winners being decided by a computer which timed each car every time it ran.  Kyle's car came in fourth in his den and 13th overall.  He had fever and did not feel well enough to really enjoy the races.  We leaned Monday he had strep throat.

Many Believed in Ronald Reagan Long Before He Entered Politics

The 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birthday February 6 will be the occasion for many people to tell special memories of him.  Possibly the first person to propose Reagan for office was a rancher who had a lot pf acreage along Highway 71 between Alexandria and Baton Rouge, if my memory is correct.  He posted signs  declaring "This is Reagan Country " on fence posts all along the highway.  I always wondered who he was and now I wonder if he was alive to see Reagan elected as president.  Whoever he was, he was definitely one of the first to see Reagan as right for this nation.