Enjoy the Spring Beauty

Good day, everyone. Right now at this minute I am looking out at beautiful spring weather. The sun is shining. A cool, gentle breeze is blowing through the window and something is blooming everywhere I look. Oh! And what is that group of young children walking past my house? They are small, maybe kindergarteners and they are enjoying the beautiful day too. There is much for them to see today. It is just beautiful and I can't wait to get outside and enjoy it some more. Yeah, yeah, I know. It can change in a minute. So had better hurry.

I have also been enjoying my friends this past week. I spent a few days in Rison with Jim and Carol Stone. Billy Stone was there for a day as well. I even got to say hello to Doug in Japan, thanks to SKYPE. That is so neat. If you aren't familiar with this program log on to skype.com and download it. It's free and allows you to chat, talk, and even see the people you are talking to. All for free, if you have a computer.

Anyway, Jim and Carol are doing fine and said to tell everyone here, "Hello." Jim will be starting chemo in another week so keep those prayers going and send a word of encouragement from time to time. Don't forget Perry Arrant while you are praying. We're going to get him well too.

Jessie Malin had a pleasant surprise this weekend. During the freeze one of her cats disappeared and we just knew he had perished. Not so. He showed up Friday morning, rubbing around her ankles and looking healthy, well fed and as loving as he always has been. So if you found a one eyed black cat during the freeze and he is missing now, Jessie wants to say "Thank you!" Let me know who you are and how you found him. We know him as Jack (One Eyed Jack) and all of us are so grateful that someone took such good care of him.

Lane Wozniak's son Josh is back in Nevada this week, but pictures of his White River fishing trip are circulating on Lane's facebook page. He did very well, I hear. Take a look.

Guess you have noticed strange cars creeping around while someone inside notes the addresses of houses everywhere. No it is not necessarily a stalker. Phase I of the 2010 census is underway. Census takers are currently verifying all house numbers and addresses. Around the first of next year you will be receiving a census form to fill out and return. The census is taken every 10 years and is important to document our constantly changing population and demographics. Every gets counted without bias.

Jessica and Richard Earls have an important date on their calendar now. Tillie Rose is scheduled for arrival on the last day of April. So, Grandmother Martha, when are you due to arrive in Rector? I know you aren't going to miss this welcome party.

The Helping Hands Foundation members gathered for a board meeting this past weekend. Local board members include Sherland Hamilton, Brian Blackshare, Leland Blackshare, Kay Huggins, Kim Ingrahm, Nancy Kemp, Lisa Manchester, Mark Manchester, Cathy Manning, Jim Marler, Joey Pruett, Gregg Sain, Teresa Sain, Jim Taylor, Julia Wyss, Danny Holifield. Traveling from out of town were: George Barker, Bill Carter, Jerry Fretts and Gloria Reed.

They all enjoyed dinner at the Hamiltons on Friday evening and then gathered for the business meeting on Saturday morning. The Helping Hands Foundation also sponsored an art show on Saturday for Rector High School students. I hope you made it to that event. It is awesome to see our talented students so well represented. Thanks to the teachers we have who give them the foundation and encouragement they need, and the forum to display their art.

The Helping Hands Foundation has become an integral part of our community. We are so fortunate to have this group of people dedicated to reaching out to our children. There offerings are sometimes public, such as the scholarships, and sometimes invisible as they quietly help out someone who needs a little something extra. Thank you all for your help. You are another one of those reasons I love this community so much.

Gloria Reed was accompanied by her son Don. They stopped to visit with me for a while on Friday. It took me a few minutes to realize who Don was. Sorry. Although I saw him almost every summer when he was a kid, I don't see him often these days. Anyway I was glad to get to spend some time with Gloria and Don. After visiting with me they were off to Paragould to have lunch with Barbara Wheatley. I know she enjoyed the visit as much as I did.

A small group of wild Rector women banded together on Sunday to go to Pocahontas to the Imperial Dinner Theater to see "Jesus Christ Superstar". What a performance! It was wonderful. It is still playing so you still have time to see it. Georgia Sallee, Jessie Malin, Nancy Kemp, Candy Hill, Lane Wozniak, Paula Benton and moi made the trip to Pocahontas after church. Need I say that we had a good time? We are already planning our next visit.

I want to say "Hi" to Jo Ann Kirkland. Just because.

And I want to say how sorry I am to hear about Joe Lynn Sanders. He died when his house burned last Friday. My thoughts are with you, Romanelle.

And now I will say good-by. Please let me know what goes on with you. I really enjoy hearing from you. My address is 514 West 3rd St. Phone: (870) 595-3173 and email: porchswing@newwavecomm.net.