Columns

If you have been reading my column for many years you will know exactly where this story is going. Yes, I have begun the New Year by setting things on fire. This time it was the microwave and they are hard to get a blaze going in, but apparently not for me.

*****The 4-H cooking Team competed in San Marcos Wednesday, January 04, 2012. The girls in the competition were Abbey Sharp, Sawyer Lynn, Paige Rutherford, Millie Pletcher, Chesney Hubbard. Go Girls!!*****Lloyd and Mary Francis Madison enjoyed a visit from their daughter, Tina, who lives in Orlando, Florida, between Christmas and New Years.*****Pat Dildine, Emily Zbytovsky, and Janie Moreland were seen at El Charro by Pat & Cynthia Smith this week eating some really good Mexican Food and ...

Well here we are in 2012 and it is a cold today on January 2nd. I am hoping for some rain and I know you folks are also. Let it rain! So hard to believe that I have survived another year and that you folks have survived another year reading my column.

As a high school principal it was my responsibility to evaluate the teaching and learning taking place on the campus. I was disappointed one day while visiting the classroom of a history teacher when he simply told the students to open their textbooks, read a designated chapter and to answer the questions at the end.

*****Harry and Patty Carpenter spent 5 days in Montgomery, Texas with Scott and Laurie Stevens as well as Chris and Debby Stevens and 5 grandchildren, Cody, Evan, Luke, Claire, and April. It was a glorious Christmas with much love and joy in the air! Prior to that, there was a dinner in Austin at their oldest son, Harry Jr.

We have had a few more suggestions for some New Year Resolutions and I might add that some are very interesting. These are some very good ones from our JCHA Tenants: •I want to develop a personal code of ethics for myself. •I want to do no harm. This can be as simple as to not gossip.•I want the courage to do what is right.•I want to always respect others and not assume.•I want a year free of illness and I am willing to do my part.•I want to stay connected with ...

Yes, I am back for a trial run at this paper. If you are glad I am back tell Emily to keep me on, if you could care less, don’t say anything and she’ll get the message. I can’t say I didn’t miss writing at all but for the first few months I really breathed a sigh of relief.

Here it is, a New Year. We got to make some resolutions, as well as interest and tax payments in this joyful season. It’s the start of a New Year of trials and tribulations, and if everybody that does anything gets caught, it will be mostly trials.—Will Rogers First, let me say thanks to Caitlan for entrusting this space to me in 2011 and wish her all the best in new adventures.

*****Get well wishes to a lovely lady. Louise Gravenor had minor surgery on Monday. But she is back home recuperating with the help of her daughter Peggy Ginn.*****Hill Country Spurs 4-H had lots of fun skating in Fredericksburg on Monday, December 20, 2011.*****Kelly & Gretchen Sanders received their Christmas gift early on December 21, 2011.

Do you give your husband a list of things you might like to have for Christmas? What are the chances that he will get it right? Our kids and even our grandkids are too old for us to choose gifts for them so we give them a check and let them do the shopping themselves (preferably after Christmas when they can get more bang for their buck.) Pat and I are a different story.