Finding feathered friends and catching up with Mrs. S.

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Elizabeth Spickelmier.

Happy birthday to Mary Ann Kiefer, Angie Ruiz, Bob Tankserley, Harley Davidson, Delores Fehr, Pat Whistler, Sandra Hibdon, Paula Hudson, Bobby Eichhorn, Mark Glastetter, Janet Loucks, Mary Chapman, Rob Abernathy, Michelle Dalton, Matt Trost, Jennifer Vandeven, Olivia Gramlisch, Jeremy Pobst, Carl Odell, Amanda Hooker, Ron Eifert, Ashlee Bowman, Bill Pfefferkorn, Duncan McKinley, Francis Wagoner, Sarah Dooley, Phyllis Chasteen, James Odell and Katie Chasteen.

Happy anniversary to Dewayne and Lana McAlister, Esten and Pam Cooper, Earl and Katie Chasteen, Raymond and Nancy Spies and Joe and Kerrie Swain.

Where are all the birds? Fellow columnist Joe Sullivan mentioned the lack of birds at his feeders in an October column. They must be relying on food sources in the woods. We saw many at Lake Tywappity and General Watkins, but few visited our feeders here. Even in Dallas, our nut tube and suet feeders, which have always been emptied during our absence, are still full!

Favorite fall foods

This cool weather has the chili and stew pots going. We all have our fall and winter favorites, whether it is main courses or sweet treats. According to The Wall Street Journal, oats regain their rightful place in your cereal bowl and on the cookie plate. Who doesn't like a good oatmeal cookie? Oats are said to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.

There will be lots of edible and nonedible offerings at the 20th annual three-day Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show. The fundraiser will be Nov. 20 through 22 at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau, and admission is only $1. This year 200 vendors have signed up, and there will be an ATM for your convenience. For information, call Dixie J. Burnett at (573) 266-3688 or go to semocraftshow@hotmail.com with subject line: vendor info.

The Chamber of Commerce held ribbon cuttings welcoming new businesses Depot Deli (Linda Yarbro) and Shelter Insurance (Leslie Horman).

Taxing time

The taxman cometh! Scott County Collector Mark Hensley will be at city hall on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. starting Nov. 18 through Dec. 30.

With all the Chaffee High School alumni banquet talk, many of us were wondering about the whereabouts of our typing and shorthand teacher, Mrs. Spickelmier. Just when I chose her to "wonder about," I heard from her after she received Oct. 18 Chaffee Chatters from Sheila Eby.

For our purposes here, we will refer to her as Mrs. S. She said the communications from former students have warmed her heart. Mrs. S was invited this year but had other commitments. She left Chaffee High after 12 years, moved to Fayette and taught at Central Methodist College for 25 years. Mrs. S is married to Bill McIntosh, who was math professor at Central and is also an accomplished pianist and organist. Now retired, she adds that music takes up a big portion of their time. They have two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The favorite teacher of many, we easily recall her laugh. Her expectations were that students do well and behave. She always managed to discipline students tactfully, even those rowdy boys in the back row. Typing tests were very competitive, with some speedsters trying to be the first to sound the bell and return their typewriter carriage, even if it meant omitting a few words. Some of us who took shorthand still use it to this day. My sister, Carolyn, was constantly perfecting her shorthand in her steno tablet. Mrs. S attended their 50th class reunion and said Carolyn's husband, Bill, told her he has held a grudge all these years because she taught his wife shorthand, making it impossible to read her lists and notes. It was wonderful catching up with Betty Spickelmier McIntosh, and we wish her and Bill the very best.

Spotting a bumper crop

Our trip back to Texas was uneventful, and we encountered minimal construction on Interstate 40 between West Memphis and Little Rock. We frequently get a kick out of bumper stickers we see on our travels -- one of which is today's "then there was."

Special words

Remember to tell those special people in your life that you love them -- those three words mean so very much.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are missing loved ones, our homebound, those in hospitals and nursing homes and those undergoing cancer treatments. Email your news and comments to darbuck2@airmail.net or leave a message at (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was the bumper sticker "lead, follow or get out of the way."