By Christa Hedrick

We have officially begun the "summer of 2008". I wonder how this will go down in the history books. I believe we have already had a record number of tornadoes and floods in "the spring of 2008" and I shudder to think what other records we can break as the year progresses. Perhaps we can have the most comfortable summer or the best crop season or the most entertaining presidential campaign. Yeah I do love fiction.

Rev. Jim Stone was in town from Rison for a few days. He worked hard pulling up the carpet in his and Carol Anne's house here and moving a rosebush to a better spot, but then he took a few breaks too. He spent some time with his daughters, Mary Small and Hope Ermert and their families. He got to watch Elizabeth and Miranda Ermert play an astonishing game of softball. Way to go girls!

He and Lane Wozniak played golf one day at Piggott and due to a pact they made prior to the game, neither of them will tell me who won. I think that's pretty tacky, don't you? Lane loved the course in Piggott and is looking forward to spending more time there.

And then he woke up one morning to find the dreaded flamingoes in his yard. They do get around.

Oh, and Jim told me that his son Doug Stone who currently lives in Japan with his three lovely daughters and one son, reads the News from the Porch Swing on line. I want to say Hi to Doug and his family. Now I know many of you know who Doug is and remember an amusing story or two about his high school years. Why don't you share some of these with me and we can give him something to read about.

And Doug, why don't you send me a note now and then with a little news about you now that I can share with your old friends here.

I have had a report that someone spotted a license plate from Hawaii here in Rector. That is not usually an easy car trip from there to here. Anyone know whose car that is? Let me know.

Mary Bell Meredith had a big family reunion recently. Over 30 people showed up over three days. The Fray Reunion is an annual affair and Mary Bell really looks forward to it. This year she had visitors from Florida and from California as well as Little Rock and places in between.

Guess that's about it for now. Stay cool and tell me what is going on with you and yours. Everyone wants to know. Email me at porchswing@newwavecomm.net or give me a call at 870 595-3173. Or you can just drop me a line at 514 West 3rd St., Rector, AR 72461.

Bye for now.