Every time I drive Highway 7 between Warsaw and Clinton (which is often) there is some new building going up. A home, store or an RV Park. Maybe Warsaw and Clinton will each annex half of it. On the other hand, perhaps Racket, Tightwad and Coal will become villages just as Brownington is today.
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Memories flooded back Monday when workers were repairing dry wall at the duplex overlooking Drake Harbor. Behind one of the walls were notes on construction penciled by Ed Stevens. He built it for my grandparents in the mid 1960’s. Grandma White’s sister Alice lived on one side and her sister Laura on the other. Both of my great aunts were so good to me. Aunt Alice kept a big box of Russell Stover’s on her side table. She’d let me pick out the “good ones” and leave the not so good ones for her. Laura and Alice walked to Saint Ann’s Parish for daily Mass, enjoyed spats with each other and would face roaring lions to defend family members. They once went to their door carrying butcher knives when a cousin’s ex-husband was making threats. It was never a good idea to mess with the Irish Kelly girls.
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The TV and internet are full of news about the death of Queen Elizabeth. Compassion, dignity and grace come to mind when thinking about her. So does the term forbearance when she dealt with family members who spoke unkindly and acted selfishly towards her. The Queen never reprimanded them in public but gave assurances they were still loved. It takes real grit to do that.
Watching events at Balmoral was fascinating, two were momentous. The death of the Queen and the immediate ascension of King Charles. His two brothers and sons were required to formally acknowledge him as King. This procedure dates back centuries when succession to the throne was often disputed by another claimant. If there was ever an opportunity for the Brits to end the monarchy on a high note, the death of Queen Elizabeth is it. Who knows what will happen to this dysfunctional family without her guiding hand.
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I’m winding around and around here. Lord save us from ghoulies, ghosts and things that go bump in the night…. and a few other things. Who’d have thought we’d witness what’s going on in our country and the world right now? Take care of yourself and hang in there old buddy!
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Til Next Week:
J.M.W.
