Still Snowing

Well, once again I am watching the snow fall as I write this column. I don't think I remember a winter that has been so persistent since I moved here. Don't we normally have a few days of cold weather and then a temporary warm up before it gets bone chilling cold again? This year it seems any day above freezing is a warm spell. No, no, I am not complaining, not really. It is still better than the deep freeze we had last year. And we are not buried like some people are. I am pretty sure spring is just around the corner.

You may have noticed that the 500 block of W.3rd St. is impassable. Candy Hill is getting a plumbing makeover. Not nearly so glamorous as the makeover shows on television. Just one of those dubious joys of having a house with old pipes, a joy I experienced a while back.

Carol Stone has been hanging around Rector a bit lately. She isn't entirely moved back yet, but she was here for a few days getting re-acclimated. She enjoyed visiting with friends and having several visits from her daughters, Mary Small and Hope Ermert and their families. She does love the idea of having the grandchildren around more often.

I do believe Steve Malin was seen around town too. Seems he was on a consulting job in Stuttgart and stopped to visit with Mom (Jessie) on his way back to St. Louis.

Lady Francis Nichols is home following a brief stint in Arkansas Methodist Medical Center after breaking her ankle. She is hobbling around with the help of a wheel chair and a walker. Glad to see you home.

I just want to take a moment to send a prayer up for Linda Waldron and her daughters. I remember well her great sense of humor and her talents with the gifted and talented children at school. I found her to be absolutely awesome. Most of our conversations were in the middle of the road as she would stop when she saw me outside and we would get into a terrific discussion about something. We always ended with a laugh and I always carried a good feeling with me through the rest of the day.

Allean Price sent me a nice note. It is nice to know she enjoys the column and that she keeps up with Rector through the newspaper as well as through friends here. I really miss you, Allean. It is not the same here without you. Be safe and stay in touch.

The other day Paula and I went to Liberty Bank on Highway 49. As we were approaching the bank from Sikes Road, I noticed a dark horse pulling a black buggy turning into the Harp's parking lot ahead of us. "Oh look!" I said. "That must be one of the Amish family." Paula looked up from something she was reading and asked what I was talking about.

"There," I gestured with my head. "The horse and buggy."

"Where?" she asked as I watched the buggy pull alongside a couple of cars parked at the perimeter of the lot. The gentleman got out of the buggy and tied the horse to a utility pole. "I don't see it," Paula said.

"See those cars there?" I asked pointing forward. "Straight ahead. The white one and then the red one? Just past them you can see the horse's head near that pole." Paula still looked puzzled.

Suddenly incredulous, I said, "You don't see a horse tied to the pole on the other side of that red car?" She shook her head and I began to have some serious doubts about what I was seeing. After all I was looking at something that could well have been from another era and I had watched a gentleman dressed in a timeless fashion walk into Harp's. I was apparently the only one who could see this. Could I possibly witnessing something from another plane?

Finally Paula spoke. "Oh, now I see it." It seems that her perspective was just different enough from mine that "straight ahead" put her focus on the loading dock on the other side of the two cars. A pretty good lesson on the importance of position on perception. I have to admit I was a little disappointed to find that I was not witnessing something supernatural.

I guess that is a good note on which to end this column. I love hearing from you so let me know what's happening with you. Give me a call or email me to let me know what is happening. My address is 514 West 3rd St. Phone: (870) 595-3173 and email: porchswing@newwavecomm.net. I want to know and share your news.

Keep our soldiers in your prayers. Now is a dangerous time for them.