The County Line - September/October 2012 v5i64 by MyCounty-Line.com

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Volume 5 Issue 64

Speak up, join the discussion, take part! Take w w w. M y C o u n t y - L i n e . c o m National News and Opinions mixed with Local Small Town History and Story Telling. One! Representing the small-town conservative viewpoint of what makes this country great!

~Mike Norris, Owner & Publisher

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

Monthly Issue

September/October , In This Issue: 3 Growing Up Small Town

4 Texas Conservative 7 @The Ranger Library 8 Good Neighbors 9 Treasure Hunters: History Series

10 Tumbleweed Smith 12 Treasure Hunters 14 Love Lessons Learned So Far

15 Huddle Up! 16 Breckenridge

Community Page

18 Puzzle-Club.com 19 Rising Star Community Page

20 This Week In Texas History

23 In Sickness and In Health

vol.5 Issue 64

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“A TIMERonald FOR CHOOSING in 2012” - Part 3 Reagan gave this speech on October 27, 1964

If he were giving this speech today, perhaps it would go something like this. ~mwnorris

ut the reverse is true. Each year the need grows greater; the program grows greater. We were told in 1960 that 9.3 million families in this country were poverty-stricken and in 2010 15.1% of the entire nation lives in poverty. We’re spending nearly $900 billion dollars on welfare. Now do a little arithmetic, and you’ll find that if we divided the $900 billion dollars up equally among the 47 million citizens living in poverty, we’d be able to give each one $18,985 dollars a year. The poverty level is $11,344 dollars a year! It would seem that this added to their present income should eliminate poverty. It would also seem that someplace there must be some overhead. And so “the war on poverty” continues. ut seriously, what are we doing to those we seek to help? Not too long ago, a judge called me here in Los Angeles. He told me of a young woman who’d come before him for a divorce. She had six children, was pregnant with her seventh. Under his questioning, she revealed her husband was a laborer earning $250 dollars a month. She wanted a divorce to get an $80 dollar raise. She’s eligible for $330 dollars a month in the Aid to Dependent Children Program. She got the idea from two women in her neighborhood who’d already done that very thing. et anytime you and I question the schemes of the do-gooders, we’re denounced as being against their humanitarian goals. They say we’re always “against” things—we’re never “for” anything. ell, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so. ow—we’re for a provision that destitution should not follow unemployment by reason of old age, and to that end we’ve accepted Social Security as a step toward meeting the problem. ut we’re against those entrusted with this program when they practice deception regarding its fiscal shortcomings, when they charge that any criticism of the program means that we want to end payments to those people who depend on them for a livelihood. They’ve called it “insurance” to us in a hundred million pieces of literature. But then they appeared before the Supreme Court and they testified it was a welfare program. They only use the term “insurance” to sell it to the people. And they said Social Security dues are a tax for the general use of the government, and the government has used that tax. he 2012 Annual Summary of Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds reveal that Social Security will exhaust all trust fund assets in 2033, only 21 years from today. But the report also indicates there should be no cause for worry because as long as they have the power to tax, they could always take away from the people whatever they needed to continue the program. And they’re trying to do just that. ake for instance a young man, 21 years of age, working at an average salary of $46,000—his combined total Social Security contribution would amount to $210,500 at age 65. With a meager 2.5% rate of return, he would have $393,000 for retirement. With a life expectancy of 80 years, this would give him a monthly spending allowance of $2,183. Social Security promises about $1,065. Now are we so lacking in business sense that we can’t put this program on a sound basis, so that people who do require those payments will find they can get them when they’re due—that the cupboard isn’t bare? nd at the same time, can’t we introduce voluntary features that would permit a citizen who can do better on his own to be excused upon presentation of evidence that he had made provision for the non-earning years? Should we not allow a widow with children to work, and not lose the benefits supposedly paid for by her deceased husband? Shouldn’t you and I be allowed to declare who our beneficiaries will be under this program, which we cannot do? I think we’re for telling our senior citizens that no one in this country should be denied medical care because of a lack of funds. But I think we’re against forcing all citizens, regardless of need, into a compulsory government program, such as Obamacare.

Y W N B T

COVER ART: Danny Norris spots for Larry Bryant at the Graham Rifle & Pistol Club shooting range in Graham, Texas. The two were competing in a local match that is one of many long range, black powder rifle silhouette matches sanctioned as a National Rifle Association qualifying event. Both competitors placed in the Top 20 for their classes at the recent NRA 2012 National Silhouette Championships held earlier this year in New Mexico.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. B:510-152550100200

2012

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To Be Continued in Next Issue!

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

3Growing Up Small Town

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, Mike W. Norris

Growing Up Small Town

Learning as We Go...

Buying Your First Handgun! by Mike W. Norris

I’m looking to supplement my archery equipment If you’re like me... with my first handgun. And in the process, I decided You probably grew up around guns all your life. Your grandparents had guns in a closet at their house; there was a rifle behind the seat to turn my adventure into an article for the paper. in your grandpaw’s pickup; there was probably a pistol in the glove First Things First -- What’s the best box on the tractor. Your parents most likely had a collection of guns handgun for home and self defense? in one of their closets, too. When you were in school, most of your I called up dad and asked him this question. His friends had gun racks on the back window of their pickup trucks... basic answer was “The best thing for home defense in fact, most of the guys I went to school with actually drove their is a shotgun.” trucks onto the school grounds with rifles clearly visible in the back Well, I couldn’t argue with that logic so I added windows! Oh my gosh! shotguns to my list of possible purchases. But When you were a kid, I would bet that on Friday night, you could as far as handguns, dad didn’t have much to say probably go to the parking lot of any grocery store, any football -he’s always been a rifle man and is currently field, any movie theater and count how many deer rifles and shotguns were hanging in the backs of pickup windows. You didn’t need a heavily involved in black powder cartridge rifle gun-sniffing dog to know that there was a gun in that truck! You competitions. They shoot long range, open sight, black powder cartridge rifles at metal silhouette could see it in the window...plain as day! targets at various ranges out to 1,639 feet (that’s And 90% of the time, those rifles and shotguns were loaded, ready over 3/10’s of a mile). I’ve looked down the barrel to fire. I wonder how many truck cabs earned bullet holes from at a hog silhouette at range and all I see is a little people franticly grabbing a rifle from the back window gun rack? I black oblong dot! You have to have a spotter figure a bunch! looking through a scope to tell you where you hit But I imagine that I am in the minority when it comes to this: I the target in order to adjust your sights for windage was never given a rifle or a pistol as a present when I was growing and elevation. You get 10 shots to knock down 10 up as a kid. I never had my own shotgun or my own deer rifle. I’ve targets in less than 12 minutes. You are allowed never even owned a .22! practice shots, or “sighters,” during each relay, but each shot fired takes between 20 and 40 seconds That might be my fault. Mom and dad gave me a Daisy Red Ryder lever-action BB gun to clean the rifle barrel and reload. So it’s a test of when I was a kid. I had it for a few days before I accidently shot my sister in the stomach, leaving a bright red spot. It was truly an accident since the small projectile had ricocheted off a frying pan and the metal slide that she was sitting on -- Bing! Bing! OOOWWW! A few years later, my parents gave me a pump BB target pistol thinking I had matured. I had that pistol for several weeks until one day I was out at my cousins, Kyle and Susie’s house, and Kyle and I were target shooting using Uncle Larry’s prized hogs for targets. It took him a bit to figure out what was making the hogs so jumpy but when he did, there was hell to pay! I didn’t see that BB pistol again until the day we moved out of that house and we found it while we were packing up. And then there was the time I went bird hunting with dad, Uncle Dicky, and cousins Gene and Don. On my very first shot with a shotgun I managed to destroy the barrel because I had stuck it into the ground climbing over a fence. So maybe that explains why my parents and grandparents never gave me a “real” firearm as a kid. They probably thought it was best that I stayed interested in video games so I wouldn’t hurt myself. But here I am going on 43 years old and I’ve never bought a rifle, shotgun or handgun in my life. I figure if I don’t redeem myself shortly, I may be forced to give up my “Native Texan” status. Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ●

accuracy, stamina, confidence, skill and a little bit of luck. Maybe a lot of luck! Anyway, the long range rifles are not exactly what I’m looking for so back to the hunt... I stopped by Gold Stop Pawn Shop in Breckenridge and pulled Denny to the side to explain my dilemma; “Denny, I’m thinking about buying my first gun...what do I need to know?” “Well...” Denny obviously needed more information to go on, “What kind of shooting do you do? What are you going to use it for? Are you looking for something just to plink around and shoot tin cans and target shooting, or you looking for a concealed carry handgun or a home defense weapon or a collector’s item?” I blinked once or twice and said, “Yea...one of those.” After we stopped laughing, I explained that I was thinking of writing an article for my readers to go over the in’s and out’s of first time gun purchasing. So basically, we could “pretend” that I knew nothing about firearms and that we were starting from scratch -- let’s start with the very basics! Continued on page 11...

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4Texas Conservative ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline Texas Conservative

, Chuck Norris - The Man

In God We Trust United We Stand

By Chuck Norris

Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and Facebook’s “Official Chuck Norris Page.” He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. Election 2012: Supreme Court Hangs in the Balance

I believe freedom is worth fighting for. I am committed to protecting the freedoms our forefathers guaranteed to us in our Constitution. There are many politicians who disagree with me, although they are loath to admit it, but their true colors show in voting records on critical legislation. And part of what makes America great is that every two years, we, too, cast our votes, rendering judgment on whether lawmakers have fulfilled their promises. And every four years, as in 2012, our opportunity extends to the highest office in the land. Less than 60 days remains before Election Day. I don’t need to tell you how important this election is to the future of our country. The stakes are high, and that’s why I proudly serve as honorary chairman of Trigger The Vote, the National Rifle Association’s nonpartisan campaign to register voters who support the Second Amendment. As a proud gun owner and defender of our Constitution, I am working within the system to make sure my voice is heard in Washington. In the past several years, we have achieved great victories. In two rulings, the Heller decision and the McDonald decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that all American citizens, in every state and municipality, have the right to legally possess a firearm. Those decisions were a tremendous accomplishment, and they finally ratified what our Founding Fathers envisioned when they drafted the Second Amendment. So those who wish to deny our freedoms have been vanquished, and all is settled, right? Wrong. There’s a storm brewing on the horizon. Those who want to restrict our freedom have not surrendered. In truth, they are counting on this election to make their move. They are playing the long game, looking down the road to a day when one or more vacancies on the Supreme Court could upset the current balance. The Heller and McDonald decisions were decided by razor-thin 5-4 votes in the Supreme Court. Those who want to overturn these decisions are betting on at least one of the nine Supreme Court justices to retire or otherwise leave service during the next four years. Some pundits have suggested that the number of Supreme Court vacancies filled by the next president could be as many as three. Like all Supreme Court decisions, Heller and McDonald are not set in stone. If the balance on the court is shifted, a new challenge quickly can be mounted in the lower federal courts, eventually making it to the Supreme Court. Our freedoms hang in the balance by the thin gossamer thread of a single vote. If that vote turns, the victories we worked so hard to solidify could be reversed. The threat is present not only at the Supreme Court but also throughout our federal judiciary. Right now, dozens of cases already are winding their way through federal courts to implement the Supreme Court’s rulings in Heller and McDonald. Those rulings were somewhat general in tone, and now their specific impact on existing gun laws is being defined through these cases.

The president also nominates judges for all levels of the federal bench. That is why we need to make sure we have a president whose nominees for any court -- including the Supreme Court -- will support the original meaning of our Constitution. Every plan needs a backup, and this one is no different. We also need to make sure we have a U.S. Senate that is supportive of our fundamental freedoms, because the Senate votes to confirm new judges and justices. Several of the key Senate races are in highly competitive “battleground” states, and they may tip the balance of power in this country. If you live in these states, it’s important to make your voice heard. And that’s why I am urging Second Amendment supporters nationwide to register to vote. If you’re already registered, you probably know someone who isn’t. Share the stakes of this election with that person, and urge him or her to join the rolls of informed voters. We’ve made it easy on our website; all the tools to register are at http:// www.TriggerTheVote.org. After all, when it comes to defending yourself and your family, can we really afford to gamble here? I’ve spent my entire life standing up for what is right and seeking justice. I sleep better at night knowing that I have registered and exercised my right to vote. I urge everyone who is eligible to vote to do so. Let’s make sure that the

future of our country is in the hands of those who cherish freedom. Don’t forget: “Last Ounce of Courage,” the first theatrical motion picture to be awarded with my “Chuck Norris Seal of Approval,” opens nationwide Sept. 14, coinciding with the 9/11 commemoration of Patriot Day. Visit http://www. LastOunceTheMovie.com for more information, including where it is showing in your area. Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @ chucknorris and Facebook’s “Official Chuck Norris Page.” He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. To find out more about Chuck Norris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

©CHUCK NORRIS DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM - Reprinted under license by Mike Norris

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Lots of activity on the firing line as competitors shoot through their relays at the Graham Rifle & Pistol Club Shooting Range north of Graham, Tx. 16 shooters from as far away as Oklahoma competed in 5 different classes of Black Powder Cartridge Rifles at the NRA qualifying event. Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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7@The Ranger Library

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@The Ranger Library

, Diana McCullough

By Diana McCullough

From today’s mailbox: “It sounds like Ranger Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has a good vision for the City of Ranger. Ranger Hill has been and will continue to be a large part of the history in the Ranger area.” I was truly surprised and pleased to read this very nice, FOUR PARAGRAPH letter today from Elias Rmeili, the District Engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation in Brownwood. Due to the urging of my fellow board member, A.J. Ratliff, I wrote to Mr. Rmeili last month and requested that TxDOT consider installing those new bright lights at our eastern entrance into town, out there past the school and the old Ranger Hill Café—also known as the “East LP 254 and IH-20 intersection”. It was an informative letter. Highway lighting follows statewide guidance outlined in the TxDOT Highway Illumination Manual. There are two categories for lighting on the freeway; one is “Continuous Lighting” and the other is “Safety Lighting”. Our eastern intersection does not meet the continuous lighting criteria at this time. Safety criteria require about 1,000 vehicles per day leaving and entering the ramps, and the number of accidents at the intersection is also considered. Mr. Rmeili wrote of the current construction of a new concrete section of IH-20, just to the East of this intersection and construction of the new Safety Rest Areas that is about to begin. (One will be located Westbound at Ranger Hill and the other Eastbound at Ranger.) He continued, “The construction of these rest areas should change the traffic patterns on IH20 in the area between Ranger and Ranger Hill. As traffic patterns change, the Brownwood district traffic engineering office will monitor the traffic volumes…(etc, etc, and then POSSIBLY if needed)…pursue funding for lighting at this intersection.” I intend to write Mr. Rmeili again. Just a brief note. His time and interest are appreciated and I want to thank him for both. I also received an email from Rebecca Kuipers today, regarding her follow-up with a survey that I completed for the Texas State Library and Archives a couple of months ago. She prepared a document titled “Ranger City Library” for the 83rd Legislative session. Rebecca asked that I read the document and make any corrections, so I did. She and I wound up emailing back and forth several times, and I think that maybe we were both enlightened. Libraries ARE important. Broadcaster Walter Cronkite once commented, “Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.” As I was running my errands this afternoon, I was delighted to see the new improvements at our very own Shoppin’ Baskit. Temptation got the best of me and I made another round to the produce section (“pretty produce” I must say), pulled my iPhone from my purse, recruited two little girls to step back (with their mom’s permission) and snapped a picture of the new dairy cases. It was a fun “trip”, visiting our grocery store and “witnessing” the improvements—because there is MORE. (Over by the meat!) Byrd Electric spent time at our library today. I believe they replaced the electrical outlets in our Community Room and I KNOW they replaced the ballasts in two of our flickering fluorescent light fixtures—now all six light

fixtures LIGHT! At the same time! Our library also had a visitor lately look at our floor, the floor in our Computer Room that concerns me. He recommended Abilene Foundation to determine the best solution. We hope the “cure” is a simple one. There is a LOT of weight on some of our old piers and beams. It was wonderful to see Mrs. Polly Alexander walking so well into our library yesterday! She is a tremendous supporter of our town, and of Roaring Ranger Day that is…nearly here! September 15th—only one week away! Are you interested in reserving booth space? Please call our library (647-1880) or the Ranger Citizens Task Force (647-1700). Let’s pray for a great day for Ranger. Our mailman has delivered another box of books! “A Wanted Man” by Lee Child and “The Bridesmaid” by Beverly Lewis are set for distribution Tuesday, Sept. 11. Seconds Away by Harlan Coben, Severe Clear by Stuart Woods, and Winter of the World (Book Two of the Century Trilogy) are all set for release from this library

on September 18—my sister Vicki’s birthday. It’s getting late and I need to close. Cooler temperatures are in our forecast and God is good. We have more blessings than we can count. Please take care, and as always… ENJOY READING!

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Danny Norris of Carbon, Tx sights in his C.Sharps Arms Model 1885 Highwall 40/65 black powder cartridge rifle on the firing line during his relay. NRA BPCRS Rules require that all competition shooters utilize historically accurate equipment that was being manufactured prior to 1895. Part of the challenge is casting and reloading your own ammunition for each competition -- a practice that requires hours of careful attention to detail to make every shot count.

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® Agent Neighbors Neighbors, Clint Coffee CLU ChFC State Farm InsuranceGood

How to Afford Long-Term Care It’s likely that at some point in your life you will need assistance with your daily activities. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 70 percent of people over age 65 will eventually need long-term care, whether in a home setting, a senior living community or a nursing home. Long-term care insurance can help cover the costs of these services and may help you preserve your financial resources. Keep these factors in mind if you’re thinking about purchasing coverage: Age. Look at long-term care insurance well before you need it. The older you are, the more you can expect to pay for your plan. Also, if you wait, it’s more likely you’ll have developed a health condition that may disqualify you from getting coverage. While there’s no “right” age to buy, the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance estimates more than half of long-term care policies are purchased by people ages 55 to 64. Affordability. Coverage and cost vary, so shop around for a plan that will be reasonably affordable rather than choosing one that breaks your budget. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recommends spending no more than 5 percent of your income on a long-term care policy. Features. It’s not easy to evaluate different plans. Be sure to compare these key features: Benefit trigger. The criteria or event the insurer uses to determine when your policy will go into effect. Elimination period. The number of days you’ll pay for care out of your own pocket before you begin receiving benefits. Thirty days is the minimum elimination period for many long-term care plans.

Daily benefits. The amount the policy will pay on a daily basis. Some plans pay benefits based on the hours of service, such as the number of hours a home health aide visits your home. Inflation adjustment. A feature that helps your benefits keep pace with rising costs. Types of services. A description of what’s covered under each plan and where you may receive this care—at home or in an assisted living residence, adult day care facility, nursing home, or other setting. Duration of benefits. The length of time you’ll receive benefits, from a few years to as long as you live. Exclusions. Stipulated conditions or acts that the benefits won’t cover. These could include conditions caused by alcoholism or dangerous behaviors. Learn more about long-term care insurance from the HHS National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information. Contact your State Farm® agent to discuss policy options that may be available to you. The information in this article was obtained from various sources. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. Nor is it intended to effect coverage under any policy. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made. Comments: neighbors@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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NRA BPCRS (Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette) Shooting Range Basic Layout...

RAM’s @ 500 meters (1,639 ft)

PIG’s @ 300 meters (984 ft)

TURKEY’s @ 385 meters (1,262 ft)

CHICKEN’s @ 200 meters (656 ft)

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

10Tumbleweed Smith ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline Tumbleweed Smith

, Bob Lewis

By Bob Lewis

LIFE WITHOUT A CAR For most Texans, especially those of us smart enough to live way outside the giant metropolitan areas, the main source of transportation is the four-wheeled vehicle: the car, pickup, or SUV. We think nothing about driving to see kinfolks or to a vacation site. It is extremely convenient. Just get in your vehicle and go. It is a way of life. Inside the big cities, it is different. Parking prices are beyond reason. On a recent trip to Chicago the hotel where we stayed had a $41 per night parking charge. A Chicago resident told us some downtown hotels get close to a hundred dollars a night to park your car. That certainly encourages travelers to use public transportation. We have rented cars when we fly to the east or west coast. Only once have we rented a car overseas. That was on a trip to England. Scary. I remember leaving the airport and getting in trouble immediately because I was not accustomed to driving in the left lane. When I got to the hotel where we were staying, I was exhausted. When I returned to the car after checking in, I of course did the usual thing: got in the car on the right side. I sat down to find the steering wheel in front of the seat next to me. I didn’t drive the car during our 3 or 4 day stay there. By then I had worked up enough courage to drive again. We stayed another few days driving around the Cotswolds. But I was nervous the whole time. When we leave the country, we use public transportation. In some places you have to be an electronic game expert to figure out how to purchase a ticket. In Italy, you not only have to go to a machine to buy your ticket, you also have to put it in another machine to get it stamped. If the ticker taker on the train finds you have not stamped your ticket, off you go. I am extremely ill at ease when it comes to buying a ticket from a machine. But I have the most competent traveling companion. My wife Susan could be a tour guide. She has always been able to figure out complicated ticket dispensers. When we were in Amsterdam we took several train trips to nearby towns. No problem. Susan’s expertise with machines is uncanny and she has a remarkable sense of direction.

On the Chicago trip, we landed at Midway Airport, which has a subway station. We were told to take the Orange Line to the Roosevelt station and walk about 4 blocks to our hotel. Our son had been to Chicago a few weeks earlier and gave us a Chicago Transit Authority pass. We inserted it into the ticket machine and the screen asked us if we wanted to add dollars to it. We punched in $20 and the pass came out with the new amount. Susan went through the turnstile before me. I put the ticket in the slot, Susan went through, then I did the same thing. So far, so good. Everything was as it should be. We got off at the Roosevelt stop and walked the few blocks to our hotel. Chicago’s transit system is extremely efficient and we used it several times while we were in the city. The CTA pass can be used on buses as well. We had no problems whatsoever. We spent less than $25 to get around in Chicago. That’s less than one night’s parking. A PORTABLE COTTON GIN Joe D. Rogers of Hereford collects old carpenter tools. Some of them date back to the days of the American Revolution in 1776. He has traveled throughout the New England states looking for the ancient items. “My wife says I can spot a rusty chisel a hundred yards away while traveling at 70 miles an hour,” says Joe, a teacher who holds a few history degrees. He fell in love with tools while working in his dad’s shop. Joe uses the old tools to makes things that were invented more than 200 years ago. He made a cotton gin that he caries around in his car to show students how cotton is ginned. He did a lot of research on the internet to find out about the components and how a gin works. I asked him why it was called a cotton gin. “The word gin is a shortened version of the word engine,” he said. “It was first called a cotton engine. Later on, words like spinning ginny came into use. It’s just another word for engine.” The cotton gin he made is about the size of an apple box, approximately the same size as the original cotton gin built by Eli Whitney in 1792. “The idea

for the cotton gin came to him while he was watching a cat chase a bird. When the bird flew through a chicken wire fence, the bird was on one side, but his feathers were on the other side. His brain kicked in and he thought about a series of combs and brushes to remove seeds from a cotton boll. The comb and brush idea came from watching a slave curry a horse. As the horsehair collected on the comb, he would knock it off with a brush. So Eli went to his blacksmith and built it in about a week.” Joe says Eli hoped to make money from his invention, but while he was waiting for a patent, several people stole his idea. “It was so simple everybody could copy it and they did, so Whitney never made any money off it. Not that he really needed it. He had invented a nail making machine and was the sole manufacturer of hatpins. He wanted to corner the market with the cotton gin, like an operating system for computers. He had ideas of controlling all the gins and all the cotton would come through him.” The cotton gin brought about the Industrial revolution. Some say the invention encouraged slavery and ultimately led to the Civil War. “Before the cotton gin was invented, farmers could produce three pounds of cotton a day, then after the gin came along they could do 150 pounds a day. So they needed more cotton. To get it farmers had to clear more land, do the planting and harvest, which required more slaves. Then you had to have all those other machines: the spinning ginnys, the mills, factories and all the rest.” When Joe demonstrates his homemade cotton gin to students, he starts with raw cotton. “I gather up cotton left in the fields after harvest and put it through the machine. I turn it with a hand crank that came from an old sausage grinder. It makes a great tool to teach about the social changes that came about during the time when our nation was young. When the students can touch something, it tends to make them focus on whatever you’re trying to teach. I love teaching with artifacts.”

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

11Growing Up Small Town

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■

, Continued...

Revolvers & Semi-Automatics A revolver is a handgun that carries its ammunition in a multi-chamber cylinder. Each cylinder holds one bullet and the bullets are generally visible just by looking at the weapon. When the trigger is pulled, an internal mechanism does two things at once -- it rotates the cylinder and brings the next bullet into firing position and the springloaded hammer is pulled back. At the full pull of the trigger, the hammer is released and the gun is fired. Pulling the trigger again will repeat the process. When all the bullets have been fired, the empty shell casings must be removed and new bullets reloaded into the chambers. Semi-Automatic handguns generally hold more rounds of ammunition than revolvers. The bullets are also hidden inside the handle grip in a removable “clip.” Multiple clips can be carried in your pocket or on your person, and when a clip has been emptied, you simply eject the empty clip and insert a fully loaded clip and you’re ready to shoot again. The ability to use multiple clips already loaded with ammunition gives the semiautomatic pistols a huge advantage over revolvers just because they are faster and easier to reload. But when you run out of pre-loaded clips, the advantage swings in favor of the revolver. The firing mechanism of the semiautomatic is also different because the mechanism uses the recoil of the weapon to eject the empty shell casing and load the next bullet into the firing chamber from the clip. This takes place in the blink of an eye and the empty shell casing will be ejected from the gun generally off to the side.

Due to the fact that the semi-automatic must be fired in order for the reload mechanism to work, the first shot from the gun must be “chambered” manually. This takes a couple seconds to accomplish and a bit of practice as well. The choice of weapon doesn’t matter at this point....BUT....Denny informed me that if you choose to get your concealed carry license with a revolver, then the license will only allow you to legally carry a revolver style handgun. But if you get your CCL (or CHL) using a semiautomatic, then it will allow you to carry either type of handgun. So if you are interested in attaining a CCL, the semiautomatic would be the preferred choice. How Big Is Too Big? Most handguns on the market come in many different calibers (or bullet sizes). The cheapest and most abundant ammunition on the market may very well be the .22 and .22LR. For comparison purposes, that Daisy Red Ryder BB gun that I had as a kid fired a .177 caliber BB at roughly 280 feet per second. A Sig Mosquito .22LR SemiAutomatic Pistol fires a .22 caliber Long Rifle bullet at over 1,000fps depending on your choice of ammunition. Many gun enthusiasts will say that a .22 caliber handgun will just make an intruder mad at you. So the .22 and the .22LR are generally associated with “plinking” at targets and used for competition shooting for accuracy and affordable fun shooting. But, a .22 caliber handgun is still a lethal weapon and may provide just the right amount of peace of mind for the price. There’s much more to chose from as you move up the caliber scale: There’s .32’s, .380’s, .357 Magnum’s, and .45’s. Then

The Kimber Covert II .45 ACP with Crimson Trace Lasergrips - MSRP: $1,617 Ouch!

there’s the 9millimeter and 10millimeter varieties. When I asked Denny at Gold Stop which was the better choice, he basically said that it’s up to the shooter. Bigger might always be better but a .357 revolver doesn’t make for a very practical CCL weapon. Take One For A Test Drive Denny suggested that I go to Abilene Indoor Gun Range for my next stop. I dropped by their location at 1309 Ben Richey Drive in Abilene and was welcomed by their eager staff. They rent firearms to the general public to shoot and practice on their indoor firing range. While I discussed the features of a Kimber Ultra Covert II .45 ACP with laser sights with one of the attendants, his coworker was busy loading a foot-long magazine clip for a fully automatic UMP 45 submachine gun that a young man was

about to unleash on the shooting range. At least I think that’s what it was. After browsing their inventory of shooting accessories, I watched the young man put the UMP 45 through its paces. He went through 3 of those foot-long magazines in about 5-minutes -- which was kind of cool, but at the same time, it was about a buck a bullet! Gun rentals go for $15 plus ammo for handguns and $35 plus ammo for rifles and machine guns. There is also a $15 per hour range fee. So for about $50 to $60 you can spend an hour hands-on with any of about 60 different handguns. That will be my next step in the process and should help me determine which caliber and which model of handgun I’m more interested in. Until next time, let’s be careful out there. Send Comments to: smalltown@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

12Treasure Hunters ■

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, Jerry Eckhart

By Jerry Eckhart To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart” They Kept On Tickin’

One of the things most treasure hunters find when out swinging their metal detectors is an old watch. As a matter of fact, most of us have found more than one watch, or at least parts of a watch. Usually, those watches no longer work and are filled with rust and dirt. The majority of them are old pocket watches of the kind we used to call “dollar watches.” That is because they could be bought for a dollar at any dime store. As a ten-year-old, I wanted one badly but it was nearly a year until I had enough change hoarded to visit Kress’s in Lawton, Oklahoma for my supreme purchase. The Kress store was the 1950”s equivalent of the big discount stores of today. Sizewise, it was large for its day, but small by today’s standards. In spite of that, a kid of the ‘50’s could spend hours looking at all the treasures it held. In my case, it was the watch counter that held my interest. I would push my nose close to the glass case and gaze at all the designs and all the prices of those shiny, dollar-sized watches. There on one end were those priced at one dollar. They weren’t as fancy, nor as detailed as the more expensive ones, but I knew that was what I had to have. The day finally came when I had the required dollar plus a few pennies for the tax. I marched up to that counter and proudly announced, “I want one of those, pointing to the watches.” The clerk impatiently waited as I counted out the mixture of coins I had in my pocket, then unceremoniously scooped them into the register and handed me my watch. There was a big clock hanging on the wall and I carefully wound and set my new pocket watch, then tucked it into the watch pocket of my jeans. I was one happy kid. I would pull out that watch every chance I got just to look at it. I really didn’t need to know the time, but did it anyway. Each time I dig up an old pocket watch or at least a part of one, I remember that day. Unfortunately, my dollar watch only lasted a few weeks. First, it began losing time, then quit completely. I was devastated, but carried it anyway. Eventually, it was relegated to a dresser drawer and eventually Mother tossed it out. Those dollar watches came in many shapes, sizes and qualities, but the name seemed to stick for all pocket watches because most of them were about the size of a silver dollar, and because the common price was one dollar. Some were exquisitely made, and many were of gold. Last fall, I dug the back from a gold watch and it had the name of the man who owned it engraved on the back. It was one of those older models that required a separate key to wind it. Although I searched and searched, I never found the rest of it. Today, treasure hunters still find bits and pieces of those old watches and occasionally an entire one. If you are interested in history, those old pocket time pieces are a thrill to find. They bring back thoughts of a time when time moved a little slower, and that they were mostly for show than actual use.

Some of those family heirlooms have been passed down for years. Lately, several treasure hunters have unearthed complete wrist watches. In some cases, they still run. Last year, my son-in-law was metal detecting along a sidewalk, when he dug up a Timex that was crusted and dirty. He cleaned it up, and just out of curiosity tried to wind it. He was surprised when it wound and started ticking. That lived up to the old advertisement from the 1960’s when Timex advertised, “It takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.” The Timex company recently reported that they have received so many accounts of their watches continuing to work after abuse that they are no longer interested in hearing about those events. I thought that was a rarity until about a year ago, I found a ladies watch with the band broken buried about two inches in the mud. It wasn’t a Timex, but it was battery operated and was still tickin’. Only a few days ago did the battery die. I imagine if I put a new battery in it that it would still work. Pocket watches aren’t as popular as they once were, but you can still buy them. They now are more of a jewelry

Back of a gold pocket watch with owner’s name engraved, along with a key from a local hotel from the 1800’s

accessory rather than a necessary timepiece. Some working men still carry them because they don’t want anything on their wrist to catch on something as they work. Others like to wear them with an attractive chain that stretches from vest pocket to vest pocket. There are even ladies watches designed to be worn on a necklace or pinned to the lapel. Most of the ladies watches were designed to be hung upside down so that the lady could pick it up and easily read the time. Although pocket watches are still in use and bring a certain degree of satisfaction to the owner, nothing can replace the joy of a young boy with his first “Dollar Watch.” Send Comments to: treasure@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Anatomy of a shot: Check wind, adjust sights...deep breath...squeeze trigger...*Thufoom!*...cloud of smoke... silence..spotter calls the shot, “Hit!”...*CLANG!!*

Score +1, “Target next one standing...”

Reload and Repeat... Larry Bryant of Kokomo, Tx works his way down the rail, one shot per target, 10 targets per relay, one chance at each target - hit or miss. A “ringer” is a target that takes a hit but doesn’t fall off the rail. Unfortunately they don’t count! Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

14Love Lessons Learned So Far

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■ Love Lessons Learned So Far , Vicki Stiefer

By Vicki Stiefer 10 Signs You Married Your Best Friend

1. You laugh at each other. 2. You can’t imagine growing old with someone else. 3. There is nowhere else you would rather be in good time and bad. Her exact words, “His embrace feels like home.” 4. He knows your face and can read you like a book. You don’t have to tell him when something is wrong. 5. You still make each other smile. 6. Life is just better-think about your life before marriage. Have you had a better time in your life than you do right now? 7. You still get excited when your spouse walks through the door. 8. People recognize your happiness and want to have a marriage like yours. 9. No matter how mad you get, you still have love for them. 10. Your spouse is the first person you go to whether excited or sad.

Perusing the internet I always marvel at the endless love advice you can find there. Everyone thinks they have the answer to solve your every romantic issue and find the person of your dreams! That includes me of course, but I am smart enough to know that I don’t know it all. I know just enough to be dangerous according to my husband. I love him and I highly recommend the institution of marriage if everyone can have a marriage like the one I share with my man. I absolutely consider him my best friend. He is my go-to guy, my guy Friday in all the right ways. He is the only man on earth that I trust whole heartedly. When he wraps his arms around me I really do feel like the world is locked out and nothing else matters. My favorite act of love he does for me is to envelope me in a big bear hug and whisper, “We will figure it out.” So no matter what comes our way we will hold hands and face it together. Trusting him is such a huge deal in my world. I don’t trust anybody. I second guess everyone’s actions and read between the lines constantly. I know what you are thinking, and we all have our issues. My life would be a lot simpler if I would just let things go. My hubby shakes his finger at me about this every chance he gets. Not because he is nagging but because he sees the stress that comes from worrying to death about how people react to you. Whatever past you had before you met your spouse absolutely shapes how you feel in your marriage unless you are confident that you have chosen the right mate. As I have neared my 40’s I have learned that yes, a woman chooses her mate. I don’t really believe in the common cliché, “You can’t choose who you love.” I think that is an excuse to do the wrong thing. God gave you free will. You make the choice. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if there were a grocery store of men? All of them lined up with a tag around their necks identifying good habits and bad. Women could carry their shopping baskets and pick up canned green beans and a husband at the same time. That way you know exactly what you are getting. It’s a nice dream. Since man grocery stores are not on the horizon you have to do your Are you and your spouse best own homework and figure life out like normal people. So, you’ve got a friends? Lori Garcia also says, spouse. Are they your best friend? According to Lori Garcia on Yahoo. “For some love blossoms from com there are 10 signs that you have married your best friend.

ADVERTISE HERE!!!

friendship but for others, friendship blossoms from love.” I think this is a progressive view of love and friendship. I was always taught that the kinds of people you hang around are the kind of people that you marry. Look at the sitcom Friends. On the other hand, Seinfeld could be considered the polar opposite. Jerry Seinfeld and Elaine used to date and that morphed into friendship. The best ever love advice I got was from my mother who said to date a man in all seasons-winter, spring, summer, fall. That way you see him in all lights and all fronts. I definitely knew what I was getting into when I said I do with my big strong man. He’s not perfect and sometimes pretty stinky. He doesn’t do half of what I tell him but that’s OK. If I had married someone exactly like me…I would have already strangled them. I am positive I married my best friend.

Send Comments to: lovelessons@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

15Huddle Up! ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline Huddle Up!

, Matt Swinney

By Matt Swinney

After two weeks of high school football in the books, not much has been settled which means that there are plenty of exciting and heart stopping football to go around the county. After two weeks, the Cisco Loboes are the only team in the county that’s undefeated. They’re 2-0. The Eastland Mavericks are 1-1, and the Ranger Bulldogs have yet to make it to the win column at 0-2. Let’s start our two week recap by discussing the two week run by the Cisco Loboes. The Loboes started the season by taking control of the Early Longhorns 54-7 and defeating the Clyde Bulldogs in week 2, 49-21. In two weeks, the Loboes have outscored their opponents 109-28. In their win over Early, the Loboes outrushed the Longhorns 333 to 5, led by Junior Mason Reed, who rushed for 169 yards on just 8 carries and scored 5 touchdowns. In the Loboes win over Clyde, they were led by three Loboes, Senior Quarterback Colten Gayle, who completed 5 of 7 passes for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns, Running Back Landen Lewis, who rushed for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Junior Colten Kent, who caught three passes for 62 yards. While the Loboes went 2 and 0, the Eastland Mavericks won a game and lost a game. They started the season with a 23-13 loss to the Sweetwater Mustangs. In their loss to Sweetwater, the Mavericks were led by Junior Quarterback Josh Moylan, who threw for 258 yards on 30 of 49 passing. Moylan’s favorite target was Senior Wide Receiver Clint Galyean, who caught seven passes for 89 yards. The Mavericks rebounded from their opening week loss with a 43-7 victory of the Jacksboro Tigers. Josh Moylan again led the Mavericks as he threw for 2 touchdown and ran for 2. The Ranger Bulldogs struggled to start the season as they are 0 and 2 after losing to the Santo Wildcats and San Angelo TLC Academy for homecoming 46-0 and 49-28 respectively. I was in attendance at O.C. Warden Stadium for Ranger’s homecoming, as you can see in the photo. I am a 1992 graduate of Ranger High School. In watching the Bulldogs, I realized the guys, no matter what the score was, played 210% and I applaud them for not giving up. In

the first few series of downs, they tried to establish the running game. When they figured out that they could throw the ball, they were able get within striking distance. Quarterback Marcus Young threw for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown on defense by intercepting a pass and returning it 60 yards for a score. The Bulldogs also had a special teams touchdown when Dylan Montez returned a kickoff 64 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs downfall

Cheryl Swinney and Ellen Goodwin having fun at Ranger Homecoming on September 7th

have been turnovers where they had 4 turnovers (2 interceptions and 2 fumbles) in their loss to San Angelo. Also, penalties have another achilles heel for Bulldogs. But, one thing you can count from the Ranger Bulldogs. They will always give 210%. Fans need to continue to support these hard working young men. Send Comments to: huddleup@mycounty-line.com

No matter which team you’re rooting for, you can create your own custom team sports apparel and accessories! No Minimum Orders! Quantity Discounts! Shipped Straight to Your Door!

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Breckenridge Community Page

If you do business in Breckenridge, contact The County Line to advertise here for an unbeatable low, monthly cost!

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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HELP WANTED The County Line is looking for parttime, work from home sales person(s) to help expand our marketing and advertising sales territory. Responsibilities will include making face-to-face sales calls and developing ongoing relationships with current and future advertisers and clients as well as participating in monthly billing and collections procedures and paper deliveries as needed. Computer and Internet experience and access is required. Good reliable transportation, excellent phone and communication skills are highly beneficial. Sales experience is a plus but not required. Graphic Design experience is a plus. Excellent opportunity for enthusiastic individuals and self-starters. If you want to become part of the greatest little newspaper in Texas, then send your resume to: County Line PO Box 1156, Eastland TX 76448 -orVisit our website at: www.MyCounty-Line.com No phone calls please.

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

18The County Line

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■ , Mike W. Norris The County Line Distribution Area

■ www.puzzle-club.com

Puzzle-Club.com

Published by Michael W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design P.O. Box 1156 Eastland, Texas 76448 http://www.MyCounty-Line.com info@mycounty-line.com

HELP WANTED

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Rising Star Community Page

Visit www.MyCounty-Line.com Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

20This Week In Texas History

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■

, by Bartee Haile

This Week In Texas History

By Bartee Haile

TINY TEXAN SHINES ON TV’S “BEVERLY HILLBILLIES” Half of the television sets in America were tuned to “The Beverly Hillbillies” on Sep. 25, 1962 for the premiere of the corn-pone comedy co-starring Texan Irene Ryan. After a successful five-year run as writer-producer of “The Bob Cummings Show,” Paul Henning took an extended vacation in 1959. Filmways president Al Simon tried to lure the fan of down-home humor back to prime-time by offering to buy the TV rights to Ma and Pa Kettle. Henning declined stating a preference for something fresh rather than a small-screen rehash of the movie bumpkins. In no time at all, he came up with the concept summed up in the first two verses of “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” the series theme song: “Come ’n listen to my story about a man named Jed, poor mountaineer barely kept his fam’ly fed. An’ then one day he was shootin’ at some food, an’ up thru the ground came a bubblin’ crude. Oil that is! Black gold, Texas tea! “Well, the first thing you know, Jed’s a millionaire. Kin-folk said, ‘Jed, move away from there.’ Said, Californy is th’ place y’ ought-a be, so they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly. Hills that is! Swimmin’ pools, movie stars!” Henning pitched his idea over lunch with Simon and his boss. The Filmways executives fell head over heels for “The Hillbillies” halfway through the main course and eagerly put up $100,000 to produce the pilot. For the central character of widower Jed Clampett, Henning wanted Buddy Ebsen. Parts had been scare for the former song-and-dance man, the original Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, since he played Davy Crockett’s sidekick for Disney. Ebsen was concerned about being typecast and worried he would be the show’s straight man. “It sounded like everyone was going to be very funny -- everybody except me.” But the money was good, and Henning accepted Ebsen’s deadly serious condition that Jed be portrayed as a practical patriarch with complete control of the family fortune. Although Henning imagined Granny, Jed’s mother-in-law, as “a wiry little woman,” he let Bea Benaderet try out for the part. At her audition, the buxom comedienne noticed a bantam-weight competitor waiting her turn. “There’s your Granny,” Benaderet announced, and Henning agreed the moment he saw Irene Ryan and Buddy Ebsen together in costume. Born at El Paso in 1902, Irene Noblette was an “army brat” whose show business career spanned 48 years. A popular vaudeville performer, she broke into radio in 1932 and for awhile she and husband Tim Ryan had their own comedy program. Hollywood was Irene’s next stop with supporting roles in pictures like Bonzo Goes to College, Diary of a Chambermaid and Desire in the Dust. She entertained the troops on overseas tours with Bob Hope before making the transition to television in the 1950’s. A big grin landed Max Baer, Jr., son of the former boxing champ, the role of Jethro Bodine, Jed’s nephew. After his first choice for daughter Elly May jumped ship, Henning remembered a blond he had seen in a Rock Hudson film. “When they told me I got the part,” gushed Donna Douglas, “I thought my heart was going to burst right open!”

Rounding out the regular roster were Raymond Bailey as banker Milburn Drysdale and Nancy Kulp as his long suffering assistant Jane Hathaway. Bailey was a temperamental thespian, who once threw a punch at an ostrich on the set. Ebsen called him “the sourest person I’ve ever met in my life.” “The Beverly Hillbillies” was an instant hit. The third episode attracted 36 million viewers, and the audience soon grew to a whopping 50 million. In four months, the comedy climbed to number-one in the Nielsen ratings and stayed on top for two seasons. Jed, Granny and the gang set a remarkable ratings record which still stands half a century years later. The eight most widely watched halfhour programs in TV history are all “Hillbillies” episodes telecast in the winter of 1964. Ryan handled her money wisely and donated a million dollars to a scholarship fund for theater arts majors. She did allow herself one indulgence, a long black Cadillac she drove to work every day perched on two pillows. The 274th and last episode of “The Hillbillies” aired in September 1971. Henning and the cast went their separate ways, which for 69 year old

Ryan meant Broadway. The vaudeville veteran appeared with Ben Vereen in the musical Pippin. After her two numbers, which always brought down the house, she would stand in the wings to savor the applause. Choreographer Bob Fosse made the mistake of suggesting for safety’s sake that she go directly to her dressing room. “Irene looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Bobby, I’ve traveled 3,000 miles, given up a beautiful home in California and left all my dear friends just to hear that sound. Please don’t ask me to leave the wings until the last person has stopped applauding.” Irene Ryan suffered a stroke during a Saturday matinee in early 1973. Hospitalized on the West Coast, she slipped into a coma and died the following April. But as Granny the pint-sized Texan will live forever in the reruns. Bartee Haile welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions at P.O. Box 152, Friendswood, TX 77549 or haile@pdq.net.

Send Comments to: texashistory@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Chickens are the hardest targets to hit even though they are the shortest range. Competition rules require shooters to shoot from a standing position during the Chicken Rotation. Chickens are so hard to hit that the number of chickens a shooter hits will be used as the tie-breaker if two shooters have the same final score.

Chicken HIT! Caught in mid-air by the County Line camera!

SWEET STUFF COFFEE & GIFTS 100 E. Williams Breckenridge

GRAND RE-OPENING Oct. 4th 11.A.M. till 5 P.M. Celebrating our new gift shop with special items for all occasions even a gift wrapping area.

20% off on our new preserved floral arrangements. 10% off S.O.S. T-Shirts made in America from Texas grown organic cotton. Feed On The Word dinner ware at 2010 prices. Come see our new look inside and out and let us be of service to you for your holiday trays and sweet treats to ship. We will be serving sample bites to tempt your taste buds with our old fashion candy, cakes from scratch, our unique filled cookies, large muffins, two new salsas and dips, the best tasting popcorn made here, along with our ice tea, lemonade, and Taste of Texas Coffee.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Dennis & JoAnn

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline

September Update

Wow, has it been a month already? Boy, how time flies by. But with my schedule it really does go by fast. Well the end of August I went to Lubbock to see a surgeon about putting in a fistula in my arm. I had an ultrasound done on both arms and just as I knew it; I have small veins and a lot of scarring. They have decided it will go in the left arm. I go back to Lubbock on the 24th to have the procedure done. Please keep my in your prayers that day. They will put me to sleep and the procedure should take about an hour. I will be sore for a few days and was told that it will be 3-months to heal. Mike will keep everyone posted. Everyone keeps asking “How are you doing?” Well for a while I really wasn’t doing so good. I was so sick with nausea and high and low blood pressure and I found myself crying for no reason and not wanting to go to dialysis. Just sad and questioning everything. Mike and I started talking and it seemed like it went for hours -- all this was new to me because I would normally keep it to myself. He started posting that night how sad and depressed I was. People started posting replies back and I started reading them. I started crying because I realized how many people care about me. Thank you all for all those posts. It made a difference. I started talking to my case worker at the center and then to my doctor. He has given me several options to look into. I am doing much better now but I have to Follow Ruthie’s Progress online:

www.facebook.com/sherriesmom

remind myself that I can’t do this all by myself. You guys help me more than you know. Thank you. Old Ripfest is coming up soon. Michael is planning to drive his red truck - the My County Line truck - in the parade. He wants me to ride with him. I would rather have Sherrie but she will be marching with the band. So ya’ll get ready to wave at us! I will also have a booth on the square and we hope will be the same place as last year. We will have several baskets that you can bid on and Mike is making up some new book markers for this year. I hope everyone enjoyed the rain and the cool weather. I sure have! It seems like everyone has been in such a happy mood. I never noticed that in Georgia but that was because we had more rain there. I forgot to tell ya’ll. I am trying to get a cookbook together from my family and friends in Georgia!!! My daddy, “Turtle,” came from a large family and I have my mom’s side of the family and my step-mother’s family as well. Plus lots and lots of cousins! And the friends I made while working at my old job for 20-years! We have some good food in Georgia -- some real, good old southern-style food! I look forward to sharing that with all of my Texas family and friends! So be on the lookout for a Ruth Norris “book sale!” Until next month,

Love, Ruthie

Follow Mike & The County Line:

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In Sickness and In Health

Donations may be made to: Farmers & Merchants Bank

Ruth Norris Benefit Fund

930 East Main Eastland, TX 76448 (254) 629-3282

Donations can be made instantly via PayPal at:

www.PeachyTurtle.org

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ September 2012 v5.64 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline

Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com