ELM CREEK DAM - II

Here's another view of the Elm Creek Dam at the Ballinger City Park. Now you can visualize the "drop" Neil and friends made as their boat went over and they were dumped into the water below. I hope the water wasn't as rough then as it is in this photo. (The Colorado River crested at 7.5 feet this day!) That dead tree would have been a painful barrier to get past, too.

Now I want to take a photograph of the "hill" going down into the park. That hill holds memories, too. I had to learn to park a standard shift car on that hill. I'm sure Coach Gosney suffered through a few scary moments during those lessons. Also, when we had snow and ice -- which wasn't that often, I remember Bob Burton, Kirk Brunson, and others connecting an old car hood to the back of their car and pulling guys down the hill on the ice! It really is a wonder no one ever got injured.

Do you remember, too?

Marilyn

More Elm Creek Escapades

June (Hash) Curry sent the following comment. It is so funny, I had to post it up front. Jimmie S., if you read this, we'd like to know if you were one of those who were streaking down the creek!

"When Grady was alive he could tell some hairy stories about his group of friends and their escapades on Elm Creek. I think some of those were achieved without the benefit of clothes in any form at breakneck speed down that flooding creek. He, Dwayne and Bobby Patton, and I think sometimes Jimmie Stubblefield and Freddie Tyree had adventures on this creek on Sunday afternoons (I could be mistaken about Jimmie, though, as he was a really good child)."

Grady used to put me and our children in stitches with these stories.

June

More Elm Creek Escapades

The flooding at Elm Creek must have jogged some memories. This is from Neil Broussard:


"Do you remember how when it rained the water would create a wave as it flowed across the low water crossing? Well, someone found an old boat and we all got in it and floated across the low water bridge. Then we would pull it upstream and do it again. We got bored with that and decided to float to the Park, as it was flooded. The water was going over the Dam and had about a three to four foot drop. We decided to go over the dam. That ended the fun as we lost the boat and we were all dumped into the water. Sometimes I wonder how we survived some of the stunts."

ELM CREEK DAM

Recognize this? I don't know how many of you know, but we had a record rainfall in Runnels County this past spring and summer. This photo of the dam at Ballinger City Park will give you an idea of the flooding we experienced. At one point the park was closed due to the water spilling over into the park.

This reminds me of a talk I was listening to this morning regarding the Tao Te Ching. I was reminded that within each flood therein lies a drought. Within each storm, there is a calm. Nothing lasts forever. Something to remember when we are going through difficult times. Or even when times are very good. Another reason to be grateful.

I hate to be the bearer of sad news, but I heard last night that our former classmate Barbara Ferguson Rollwitz finally lost her battle with cancer. I was hopeful when I saw her a few days after our class reunion. I stopped by to deliver her handbook and remarked on how good she looked. She seemed in good spirits and even answered the door herself. There will be a graveside funeral service for her this Sunday at the Old Runnels Cemetery.

Better news... Nancy Thompson Baker's husband Jake came through his "shocking" experience really well yesterday and was back at work at the County Jail this morning. He literally had the paddles put to him to shock his heart back into a normal rhythm.

Irene Piel Batts' husband David came home from the hospital this morning after being confined there for 10 days with a fractured pelvic bone. He will be recovering at home for several weeks. He really wanted to take that little red button home with him that he used to call the nurses. However, Irene assured them that they had a cow bell at home awaiting his use!

Peggy Virden Sharp has really enjoyed her daughter Tammy visiting her this week from Houston. After a trip to her cardiologist, she was given the go-ahead to drive her car next week. She is amazing in her recovery! You cannot keep some of these Texas women down for long!

I heard from Merry Lou and Buddy Wilkins that they are still guest hosts at the San Angelo State Park. At least they will be until this next Wednesday when they will go to spend Thanksgiving with their children. Then they will join the other "snowbirds" to spend three winter months in Mission, Texas. Due to the threatened rising price of diesel fuel, they say they will probably spend most of 2008 in Texas.

I'd like to hear from some of our other RVers out there. I've wondered how the rising fuel costs are affecting your lifestyle. If you end up having to stay put somewhere, doesn't that mean you will no longer be considered footloose and fancy-free? Does that mean you will have to do mundane things again ~~ like mow the plot around your semi-permanent RV? Does that put you at the mercy of the park owners who might wish to raise the lot rents? Let us hear about it... the good, the bad, the ugly!

I'm still waiting on all that talent I recognized when I was working on our handbook!

'Til next time,
Marilyn

IN MY BACK YARD

I’m no biologist, no specialist in animal behavior, nor am I an expert in any realm. However, through the years I have become a quite good observer -- an observer of both human and animal behaviors. As I get older, the similarities and differences of these behaviors become more obvious. Perhaps because I have more experience at observation or because I have puzzled so long about humanity’s difficulties and our inability to overcome them, I have begun to turn to nature for possible solutions. I know I’m not the first to do that.

Recently, two situations in my modest backyard have captured my attention with what I think is “unnatural” behavior in the animal kingdom.

Very early one morning, just about daybreak, I was looking out my kitchen window waiting on the coffee to brew. To my surprise, I spotted a small skunk headed for the fig tree between my and my neighbor’s yard. As it made its way, I saw a movement under the tree. It was a half-grown tiger stripe kitten. Uh oh, I thought. There’s going to be a fight and probably a pretty stinky one at that. The leaves are large on this fig tree and they grow almost to the ground, so it was difficult to see what actually happened. I saw a lot of rustling leaves and an occasional glimpse of a little black and white head. Before long, the kitten jumped out, shook itself, and started towards the alley. I assumed the skunk must have unleashed its ultimate weapon. I quietly eased open the back door to sniff the air and nope, no odor. Shortly, the little skunk came out and made a beeline for my neighbor’s house. It scooted into a hole that gives access to the crawlspace beneath the house.

When I related this story to a friend, she immediately pointed out the negative aspects of the event. She was fearful that the skunk might be rabid – after all, it was out and about at daylight (which is a myth, I discovered while researching the behavior of skunks), and if we didn’t have it caught and killed, we would soon have a bunch of rabid kittens all over the neighborhood.

This shocked me, as I had only been seeing the meeting of these two dissimilar creatures as a positive happening. I figured that these little animals were drawn to the water dishes I keep in my back yard for the birds – a valuable resource during this hot, dry summer. As the kitten and the skunk were both in need of a cool drink, they decided to put aside their differences and share the water. Then they went their separate ways.

I thought, “Why can’t man do the same?” We are all in need of the earth’s resources, and there are enough of them to go around if we could only put aside our differences and share. Too often people jump on the negative bandwagon. Fearful that there will not be enough, they would rather fight than share; kill the ones who threaten them or their supply. Look what it’s doing to our world.

Naive? Maybe. Simplistic? Certainly. But it worked in my back yard.

Marilyn
Summer 2006

TEXAS GRILL

We all remember the Texas Grill. Of course, it wasn't on this particular corner when I used to frequent it. Can anyone tell me its exact location when we were in high school? I thought it was next to the old Texas theater, but I was told that wasn't so.

There are so many landmarks, buildings, signs, and even businesses left over from our era. I believe they add to the flavor and nostalgia of the little town of Ballinger. And there are also some new ones that make Ballinger memorable. For instance, the Cross. Let me know of any you remember that you would enjoy seeing on our blog.

Does anyone have a story to tell about the Texas Grill? I remember one time a girlfriend (who will remain nameless) and I were sitting at a booth, feeling very "grown up", smoking cigarettes and drinking Cokes. It was late and we had probably slipped out of the house. Imagine our surprise when suddenly, in walks my mother! I hardly ever got away with anything when I was growing up! Of course, I wasn't very good at hiding things. Like the time I threw a wet swimsuit in the dirty clothes hamper after a midnight swim in Ballinger Lake!

I think it was antics like these that made me such a good watchdog over my own children in their teens. My boys nicknamed me "The Detective".

Later...
Marilyn

TEXAS RESOURCES

Clear blue sky, cotton fields stretching as far as the eyes can see, and a pump still pumping that precious fuel. Gotta love this wonderful state! (Photo taken by Marilyn just outside Rowena, TX)

A few updates...

Peggy Sharp is amazing her doctor with her recovery time. She is about two weeks ahead of what they expect with heart surgery like she had. The doctor told her she can drive her car again in two weeks. Good news for one who hates to be immobilized!

Remember the goodlooking white-haired gentleman (oh, I KNOW there were a lot of those at the class reunion!) that accompanied Irene Piel Batts? That was David, her husband. He fell day before yesterday and now has two hairline fractures in his pelvic bone. He says he feels fine until he tries to stand. I think it will be a few weeks before he's recovered enough to go back to work. Right now he is in the Ballinger Memorial Hospital. We wish him well.

Miss Kelly (who ate the bluebonnet seeds) recovered enough to wear her favorite "ELMO" costume and go trick or treating with her big brother "Darth Vader" Travis on Halloween. I'll bet the candy went down a lot easier than the seeds, and she didn't have to have her stomach pumped again!

Nancy and Jake Baker returned from a week in Las Vegas about the same as when they left. Jake said they won "a lot of money"... but then they lost it back to the casinos.

I have enquired about Gene Routh's foot, but have no response yet. (From him, not his foot!) If anyone is in touch with him, let us know how he is doing. We missed him as well as Rosalyn Hoelscher at the reunion. I know they were both disappointed they didn't get to come.

Any of you who are reading this and didn't get a current picture of yourself in the 50th Class Reunion handbook, send me a photo via email and I will post it here. That way we will know you when you come to the next reunion. Remember, we will meet again in 2010.

Has anyone won the lottery lately? Had a new grandbaby? Retired? Gone on a posh vacation? Share with us!

'Til next time,
Marilyn

Whassup?

I hoped by now more of you would be sending me more news and/or comments. I really don't want this to be a "Marilyn Page". It's been pointed out to me that the instructions might be a little confusing. At the bottom of each new message, there are two ways you can respond if you'd like to. One is to click on comments and add a comment about the piece (or anything you'd like to comment on). You may have to sign up for a Google account. Nothing to that... I've had a gmail account with them for two years (all free, of course) and have really enjoyed it as well as the photo manager they have called Picasa, which is also free.

When you "post" a comment, it can be read by everyone. However, if you click on the little envelope, you can send me a private email. You can let me know if you wish to have your emails placed on the page, and I will do that for you.

I know we have lots of talented writers out there. Remember, I put together all of your autobiographies and stories! Now's the time to tell us more! Old stuff or new stuff. We want to hear.

One brief bit of news. Peggy Sharp is doing so well she even went to lunch at Alejandra's with her sons yesterday. She is to see the doctors this morning for a post op checkup. I plan to go out to her place tomorrow, so if any of you have any messages, let me know. (Of course, she can always be reached by telephone.) Peggy is not online -- yet! I'm going to work on that.

Nancy and Jake Baker have returned from Las Vegas. The only thing she said was they didn't win! This was the trip they had planned last August, when Jake was waylaid by a massive heart attack. The fact that they were able to make this trip now makes them "winners" in my book.

We are having such beautiful fall weather, I must get outdoors today. My flower beds beckon, and I need to pick up more pecans before the squirrels squirrel them away!

'Til next time..
Marilyn

Miss Kelly and the Bluebonnets

A couple of nights ago I got a call from my son Matthew in Austin. My daughter-in-law Amy had taken their daughter Kelly to the emergency room while daddy stayed home with big brother Travis, who had gone to bed for the night.

Amy is chairman of a wildflower committee in their neighborhood at Steiner Ranch, and apparently had several buckets of wildflower seeds mixed with sand in their garage ready to spread throughout the development. One was full of Texas bluebonnet seeds. Kelly, who will be two in a couple of weeks, decided to have a “snack”. I can only think she must have thought they would taste good like sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Anyway, she ate enough and told her daddy, “Yep, I swallowed them.” “Did they taste good?” he asked. “Yeah”, she said, nodding her little golden head. This prompted first a call to Poison Control, then the trip to the ER.

This is the follow up message I received from Amy this past weekend.

Miss Kelly (wearing big brother Travis’s shoes)

“….Kelly is doing much better after her Bluebonnet feeding frenzy. She was so brave in the hospital. Mommy on the other hand, was a complete basket case. When they had to put the tube through her nose and into her stomach to pump the charcoal into her, she was awake and not medicated through the entire process and believe it or not, when it was all over, she looked at the doctors and said, "Thank You". There was not a dry eye in the room, including her ER doctors and nurses. They were completely shocked when she said that and said what a little angel she is. She is our little angel in more ways than we know.”

I can assure you, these grandmother eyes weren’t dry either when I read the above.

Marilyn

October 29, 2007

ICE CAMPAIGN - IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

This was submitted by Neil Broussard. I think it is a great idea for all of you who carry cell phones.

ICE Campaign - "In Case of Emergency"

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.
If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency?

Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign. The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" ( In Case Of Emergency).

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE."

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!

Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today!

Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

ICE will speak for you when you are not able to.