'Fury,' a black staillion, no Pitt movie

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Ned Walsh.

Happy birthday to Ginny Ruiz, Richard Walther, Christopher Trost, Jamie Holland, Amy Hooker, Shari Hargrove, Candice Lee, Erica Cobb, Jamie Duncan, Steve Shoemaker, Charlean Hawkins, Preston Hagan, Blaine Swinford, Forrest Lynn, Daniel Bridwell, Aiden Owens, Michael Spies, Jason Pobst, Randy Dumey, Anna Pobst, Sue Nunnally, Lance Acey, Darlene Chesher, Dale Keith, Grace McCann, Fred Welter, Ronnie Held, Diana Dees, Angie Eftink, Larry Grey, William McFerron, Jack Gladwell, Margaret Nation, Tanner Morgan, Kenny Ray Holder, Terry Cannon, David Gardner, Mary Ann Kiefer, Angie Ruiz, Bob Tankersley and Pat Whistler.

Happy anniversary to Doc and Mildred Moudy, Tim and Kathi Stone, Ray and Linda Dowd, Dan and Gail Ballard, Alvie and Joann Surface and Dewayne and Lana McAlister.

Today is Mother-In-Law Day and National Mincemeat Day!

Recipes sought

While you are looking through your recipes for the approaching holidays, set some aside for the Chaffee Library. They need 150 to 200 recipes for their "Library Feast" cookbook that will be out early next spring. The deadline is Dec. 1 and forms for submitting recipes are available at the library. Proceeds will help fund the cost of new carpet for the library.

Thanks to the American Legion, Post No. 389, the library has new shelving for the young adult books and video sections in the computer area. This new shelf arrangement allows the library to have a computer station dedicated to 6- to 12-year-olds under the supervision of a parent. The computer will not have Internet access but educational games will be available.

The "City With A Smile" welcoming sign is back on the north side of town and looking especially nice. Our thanks to the Chamber of Commerce and those who made it possible!

A ribbon cutting was held last week for the new restaurant El Mexicano. If you have not eaten there yet, check it out. Everyone who has is pleased with the food, service and the ambience, and if you are one who likes extra spicy food, ask for the green salsa.

Holidays upon us

The Chaffee Christmas Parade is scheduled for Dec. 6. The parade was canceled due to inclement weather last year, so the theme, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," remains the same. Call Howell Rice at 887-3555 if you are interested in participating.

Friday is Halloween, and trick or treating hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday evening. If you have treats for the kiddos, please turn on your porch light.

Daylight Saving Time ends next Sunday, and we will fall back one hour! Many of us will enjoy getting up in the light of day but the trade-off will be going home in the dark.

Wondering

Richard Kiehne, about whom we wondered last week, was one of our favorite CHS teachers back in the day. We have been told that he still lives in the area and is occasionally spotted at the Gordonville Grill.

Every now and then we will wonder about someone famous along with locals. If you didn't remember Bobby Diamond, there is a good reason. His character was Joey Newton in the popular 1950s series "Fury" who lived on the Broken Wheel Ranch with his adopted father played by Peter Graves. Unlike the current Brad Pitt film, "Fury" was a wild black stallion. The 70-something Diamond is a lawyer and real estate investor in California.

After a hike, Richard and I are frequently asked if we saw any snakes. and our answer has more often than not been "no." As it turns out, we saw our first copperhead on a recent walk around Tywappity Lake. It was uncomfortably close to the trail with its head in the cavity of a stump. Richard is always 10 to 15 feet ahead of me and didn't see it since he looks upward for birds; I, however, am always watching for obstacles, critters and scat in my path so I easily spotted the snake. Thanks to a brochure Richard had picked up at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape and the live copperhead they have on display, I quickly identified the big copperhead. Richard and I got a good look at it from a safe distance after I quietly slipped by.

Mentioning the Libson Shop in Cape brought back memories. Martha Lee Suedmeyer said her older sisters, Gloria Fay and Elizabeth Ann Lee, shopped there and she could not wait until she was old enough to shop there, too. She says that two of the employees, Barbara Schlue and Thelma Brothers, became close friends of her family and often came to Chaffee to visit and partake of her mother's good cooking. After Libson's closed, Barbara worked for Hecht's on the corner where Cup 'n Cork used to be located. Some of us remember a saleslady who was especially elegant with her blonde hair pulled back in a chignon and big, expressive eyes. One reader said the salesgirls somewhat intimidated her, so she just stayed outside admiring their beautiful window displays.

A search in the Southeast Missourian archives brought up a 2008 obituary for Millicent Poinsett O'Connell, who was a saleslady at Libson's before moving to St. Louis and becoming the sales manager of the ladies department at Boyd's Department Store for 20 years. There was also a March 2008 article that is a reflective read about Cape businesses in 1968; it mentions Libson's new location at 119 N. Main St.

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 continue to be with those who have lost loved ones, our homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, those undergoing cancer treatments and those recovering from surgery. We thank our many brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country so valiantly. We pray for the safe and timely return of those on active duty.

Comments

Please email your news and comments to me at darbuck2@airmail.net. You may also leave a detailed message at 573-887-6430 or 214/207-7839.

And them ...

Then there was the dieter who only bought Halloween candy she did not like.