Sewer project testing, Christmas parade and Toni Twins

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Lois Roush.

For now, birthdays and anniversaries are not being listed. We do, however, encourage you to pass along milestones and special celebrations so we can share them with our readers.

The cold front that blew through last week brought out the rakes again. Once the leaves fall, however, we bird lovers can more easily see the birds and spot old bird and hornet nests.

A senior dinner will be at the VFW this Wednesday evening. The Senior Center will hold its annual Thanks-for-Giving Dinner Nov. 25.

The Mobile Food Bank will be at the Church of God on Highway 77, this Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.

City and County taxes are due, and you can pay city taxes in person any weekday and county taxes between now and the end of the year (except Christmas Eve) on Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m.

The sewer project is moving along with smoke testing. You will get a door hanger 48 hours in advance, and will be notified of any defects found in your system; you will then have 60 days for repair. Keep an eye on things during the process, making certain there are no dry pea traps in your sinks and drains.

City Hall also reminds residents to please post your house numbers on the front of your residence so they can be seen from the street. Not only is this important in case of an emergency, you can be assured that your Christmas packages are timely delivered.

Matheny tickets

Tickets were still available last week for tomorrow night's "Arrow Leadership and Success Summit: An Evening with Mike Matheny" at the Show Me Center in Cape. VIP tickets are $99, and general admission, $10. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the VIP reception followed by his speech at 7 p.m. Who better to talk about what it takes to make winning teams and organizations than Mike Matheny? It is a great opportunity to meet and hear the manager of our beloved St. Louis Cardinals, who is not only one of the most admired managers but also, without a doubt, the most handsome! Call 573-651-5000 or online at showmecenter.biz.

Event promoter Dixie Burnett tells us nearly 150 vendors will be participating in the 19th Annual Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show at Notre Dame Regional High School. There will be health and beauty supplies, handbags, clothing, commercial and home-based businesses, edibles and every craft imaginable. Vendors from Chaffee are Connie Enderle, Virginia Seyer, Linda Lee, Amy and Alyssa Dumey and Tina Pobst. Admission is only $1 Friday and Saturday, and free, Sunday. Call Dixie at 573-266-3688 or email semocraftshow@hotmail.com for event/booth information.

The Chaffee Christmas Parade is scheduled for Dec. 6. This year's theme, "Twelve Days of Christmas," remains the same as last year's parade, which had to be canceled due to the weather. Call HB Rice at 573-887-3555 for more information. Does anyone remember the year of the first Chaffee Christmas Parade? We know of one in 1969, when Joy Cutler was crowned Christmas Queen.

Richard Kiehne

Great news! I heard from the man himself -- Richard Kiehne. Some friends told him that Chaffee Chatters was "wondering about" him. He taught junior high in Chaffee from 1957 to 1959 and was principal and sixth-grade teacher at Chaffee Elementary from 1959 to 1964. He was principal at St. Charles for 25 years and retired in 1989. He and his wife, Beverly, have lived in Gordonville since 2000. We had a great time catching up. I thank him for calling, and, I thank his friends for letting Richard Kiehne know we were "wondering about" him.

Remember Toni home permanents? Alva Anderson, about whom we wondered last Sunday, and her sister, Alice, were the Toni Twins who appeared in countless radio and print ads. Viewers were challenged to pick which twin had a beauty salon perm and which had used the Toni do-it-yourself kit. Alva says her twin sister Alice, who recently passed away at age 89, continued giving herself and her daughters perms.

Last week's "then there was' about the ESPN female reporter who stood her ground in the middle of the NASCAR scuffle was Jamie Little. When asked if she felt threatened in the middle of the melee, she answered she fought for her spot and wasn't about to give it up.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. There are many resources, support groups and books available on this subject. Those of us who have been caregivers know how important it is to learn from the hands-on experiences of others. You only have to search on amazon.com to locate some of the best, including my book, on caring for yourself and the ones you love.