Oh, my goodness! It's supposed to reach 100 today and I am in into whining overdrive! It is hot! Hot! Hot! But then it is July and we are in Arkansas so what else can we expect? I do know the cotton farmers are smiling through these hot summer nights, and I so love to see the farmers smiling, don't you?

I must tell you that as I was having my first cup of coffee this morning, I finally realized that there were certainly a lot of people honking at something outside. Now if you know me, you know that I am not really all that alert before that first cup of coffee is totally in my system. Eventually the honking did cut through the early morning mind fog and I began to worry that there was an animal or something in the road so I glanced out the window.

Couldn't see anything in danger, but there were a couple of signs in front of my house.

A closer look solved the mystery. If you drove by my house on Monday you know that there was a sign that said "Happy Birthday, Christa. Honk to her." I haven't gotten anyone to admit to setting them up yet but I am still looking. Anyway, thanks for all the honks.

Did you know that Douglas Shultz was in town a while back? He spent a couple of weeks here, just hanging out with his mother Demetra and his sister Terry.

There were other visitors to town as well. Mrs. Dorothy

Paige Paulie of Bellville, IL visited with her sisters, Jean Huggins, Virdie Whitehorn and Georgia Paige. All the sisters made a trip together to Corning to spend some time with their other sister, Edith Maynard who is in the nursing home there. Dorothy also visited with other relatives and old friends while she was here.

Carol (Gaultney) Stone was also in town for a few days. She visited with her daughters, Mary Small and Hope Ermert and her grandkids. She also saw her mother Rita Frankle in Marmaduke. She spent some time with old friends too and just enjoyed being back in Rector for a while.

Well, in case you haven't heard, Teresa Roof is retiring at the end of the month. Yes, leaving the work force at last. We retirees are certainly getting younger all the time, aren't we? There was a party for Teresa Saturday at the Community Center and a ton of people were there. Congratulations, Teresa!

Let's keep Jane Fennell in our thoughts. I understand she is doing well.

Thanks to all of you who sent Terry Burdin birthday cards. He was so happy! I am sure we will be glad to send cards to others who have special days while they are overseas. Let us know whose birthday is coming up.

Sarah Burdin and the support group is beginning to gear up for the return of our troops. Although it won't be until December or January, they are wanting to get posters made and stored so they can concentrate on other preparations as the return date gets closer. This group of waiting family is another of our many blessings and we need to remember them in our prayers as well as those who are in harm's way.

By the end of the week Candy Hill will be a Rector resident again. Welcome home, Candy! You do want to make her feel welcome, now.

If you haven't got your tickets to the Gaither Artist Performance, you had better hurry! It is Friday.

Well, I guess that will wrap it up for this week. Please share your goings on with me so I can share with everyone else. My phone number is 595-3173 or you can drop me a note at 514 West 3rd St. My email address is: porchswing@newwavecomm.net.