News for the Week of September 17, 2014

Can you believe that September is already half-way gone? The calendar and the weather says it is, although it is hard for me to believe sometimes. It seems like time moves faster and faster. I have failed to submit anything to the paper for several weeks but didn't realize how long it had actually been until a friend informed me. I will try to do better again. I need help though, so if you have any news or activities you would like included in the paper please contact me and let me know.

My morning glories have really lived up to their names. There are bright pink blooms all the way up the vines which have climbed all the way up to the roof, which is around eighteen to twenty feet high where I have them growing. All my flowers are looking really good, thanks to the good rains we have had and the cooler temperatures.

We had a full week to enjoy being with our son David and his wife Amy. They arrived the day after Labor Day and stayed until the following Tuesday. While they were here we had supper with all four of our kids and their families several nights. My sister Ginger Sloan visited with us on Wednesday and joined us for supper that evening. Friday night David and Amy went out to eat with friends. They got to watch niece Courtney play some volleyball at Sparta and at Forsyth and we ended up at the lake on Sunday afternoon where we played in the water and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

While we were at the lake we got to visit with Kevin and Sue Clayton who were camped in the spot next to us, and also Sue's brother, John Siler. They had been there several days and had just had their annual family gathering. Sue said they had been gathering there every year for eleven years now. She said they had sixty-five people who came this year. Kevin is a great baby-sitter, rocking and feeding our little Caiden and then burping him while everyone else was swimming and I was trying to get the food going. Three year old Garrett also loved playing with Sue and Kevin's grandson Luke who will turn four in October. They had a great time climbing on the playground equipment and “excavating” the pea gravel covering the play area.

New Mansion Church will be celebrating their centennial on October 25. There will be lots of special singing and food. If you have any old pictures of the church or the members or former pastors you would like to share, please get in touch with Belinda Wyman or Cindy Marsh or any of our New Mansion people and we will get it to the right place. I don't have much information yet but I will try to share more about the celebration in the future.

Last Sunday afternoon turned into a horrifying experience for our friends and neighbors, Eric and Cindy Frye and their young daughter Rose. Their house caught on fire and the whole back portion of the house was damaged. This is the house that belonged to Lloyd and Fern Hodges and Cindy was raised in this house. Cindy and Eric are looking for a place to rent while they decide whether to repair their house or what needs to be done. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Volleyball games and Jr. High basketball games are in full swing. There will be a volleyball game at Bradleyville with Chadwick on Thursday, September 18 and another one at Niangua on Tuesday, September 23. Jr High boys basketball will be at the Taneyville Tournament this week, September15-19 and next week will be a Jr. High girls tournament at Bradleyville, September 22-26.

Birthdays this coming week include: September 17: Beth Jussel; September 18: Avery Maggard, Angela Shockey; September 19: Derek Blair, Larry Ross; September 20: Brooke McHaffie, Lorrinda Coulter; September 22: Kevin Grzybowski, Eva Millard, September 23: Bryan Boyd, Elizabeth Burns, Loretta Stiles; September 24: Gavin Lux.

Anniversaries for the coming week include: September 17: John and Echo Combs, Noel and Cletis Shortt; September 18: Darrin and Myka Hurst; September 23: Ryan and Laura Melton.