Improve the world: Slurp chicken soup, give to UNICEF

By Darla Buckhannon

Happy birthday to Karin Dumond, Linda Yarbro, Jim Miller, Lana Rister, Sharon Crowden, Idona Sue Scheffer, Randall Hibdon, Steve Wall, Don Reischman, Reta Mantel, Blake Perry, Jason Harrell, Walker Rice, Jesse Johnson, Brittney Little, Andy Pobst, Dottie Vickery, Anna Ruth Pobst, Joshua Sadler, Elizabeth Beck and Chris Knutson.

Happy anniversary to Bill and Micia Beard and Bobby and Ruby Hester.

Today is Chicken Soup for the Soul Day.

We thank our veterans and service men and women for their commitment in keeping our country safe. The Senior Center is hosting a Veterans Dinner at 11:30 a.m. Monday for area veterans.

The Chaffee Public Library is hosting a Make Your Own Furry Friend and Chili Dinner from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at the VFW. Chili is $7 for adults and $5 for 12 and younger. Please call Tina Horton at (573) 887-3298 for more information.

Congratulations to Alan and Julie Cook whose home on Third Street was selected as Chamber of Commerce's Residence of the Month.

The leaves are falling and many of us are getting that last mow of the season.

First it was Diebold Orchards in Benton, Missouri, and now Plants Plus in Cape Girardeau has closed. Spring will be interesting when we search for those colorful bedding plants and vegetables, but luckily we have Whitakers in Chaffee.

Collecting for UNICEF

One of my sisters recalled the days when we would meet at First Baptist Church and go around the neighborhood at Halloween collecting for UNICEF. Shortly after wondering if it was still around I saw Jennifer Lopez promoting the worldwide relief organization on TV. It has a presence in Chaffee again, thanks to Chaffee Elementary School teacher Chelsea Nesbitt. UNICEF was created in 1946 to help children in war-torn areas, and their trick-or-treating program began in 1950. The fifth graders eagerly collected donations Halloween weekend to help children in areas devastated by recent disasters. Anyone interested in donating can call Chaffee Elementary or contact the organization at unicefusa.org.

'Sooners' the better

It is about time! In Oklahoma, it is now against the law to drive in the left lane unless you are passing. The new law applies to cars as well as truckers. We've all been behind a driver who is hogging the left lane; they could be texting, on the phone or just oblivious to the backup (and oftentimes road rage) they are creating behind them. Left lane for passing only has been a law in Texas for years, but not enforced.

Bridges to the past

We drove to Louisville, Kentucky, recently for the National Young Bird Show at Exposition Center. We took the route through Paducah, Kentucky, on the way over, and I-64 through Indiana on the way back; the trees and hills were beautiful. Going over the many bridges was exciting, and I didn't know there were so many bridges in Louisville over the Ohio River. The back-to-back bridges over the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers brought back the memory of our family trips to Kentucky Lake. My sister Ruth Ann started screaming as soon as she saw the first bridge, and continued screaming well after we were over the second. Funny that we were talking about her, because when she called, those bridges were the first things she mentioned.

The bird show was well attended, with folks driving from near and far with birds in tow. We took two Mookees and two Indian fantails; one of the Mookees won. More than 140 fantails were judged along with thousands of other breeds. I've never seen so many pigeons! Richard bought a pair of Mookees, as he assured me, to improve his stock. After a show, you quarantine them for two weeks or more so they won't infect the flock. Richard has the six birds in cages in the garage atop the vintage pink iron baby bed.

We had the bed out for the Citywide Yard Sale, but no takers, just lookers. The bed dates back to when my half-brother, Wayne, was born. The bed originally was blue, but after my dad married my mother many years later and started having girls, he painted it pink.

As always

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

Email your news to darbuck2@airmail.net or leave a message at (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was the mobile pet service Doody Calls.