www.MyCounty-Line.com --- February 2012
Volume 5 Issue 57
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Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
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vol.5 Issue 57
In This Issue: Growing Up Small Town by Mike W. Norris
Texas Conservative by Chuck Norris
@Ranger Library
by Diana McCullough
Good Neighbors by Clint Coffee
Tumbleweed Smith by Bob Lewis
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Don’t Be Shy!
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Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design PO Box 1156 Eastland, Texas 76448 Phone: (254)433-2693 mike@mycounty-line.com
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Out of the Box
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This Week In Texas History by Bartee Haile
From the Backside
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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
January & February
Texas
by Mike W. Norris
The other day, I was reading our local newspaper -- the Eastland Telegram -- and the editor had some very interesting comments that he shared with his readers. Granted, he was trying to make an effort to characterize his publication as being superior to some of the newer media outlets in our area. Most notably, I believe he was speaking about the Microplex News website; which he referred to as the “local spin-o-rama” due to its sister-site “The Eastland Spin.” I have to give Julie Elrod complete credit for all of her efforts at turning the Microplex News website into a real, true, local online news source. Outside of it’s sister-site, The Eastland Spin, the Microplex News website stands completely on its own as a creditable local news source. My hat’s off to Julie for a job well done. Bravo, sister! The Telegram editor also mentioned a “regional newspaper” that “cherry picks its news articles” and “charges an arm and a leg to run obituaries.” For a minute there, I thought he was talking about The County Line but the obituary issue threw me for a loop because I have never charged anyone a penny to run an obituary in my publication. Maybe he wasn’t talking about The County Line at all but just in case he was -- the reason you don’t find obituaries in this publication is because I don’t want my readers to pick up The County Line with their only reason being to see who passed away this month. There’s already a newspaper out there for that purpose – that’s not my publication’s purpose. Just so you know the whole story, when I took over The County Line, I started putting the obituaries on my website. It became such a large part of my time, that I had to get a young lady to help me. When she stopped working with me, I looked at what Julie was doing at MPN and I decided that I couldn’t compete with her...so that marked the end of obituaries in The County Line. I still have the databases that I developed to manage them, and I still receive all the obituaries and death notices from the area funeral homes. So I have been looking at what I can do with these databases that maybe the Telegram or MPN haven’t really thought of yet. The best idea that I’ve had so far is to burn the databases to a few cd-roms and donate them to local libraries. So keep those obituaries coming. I promise that I’ll do something with them befitting their memory at some point. And I won’t be charging anyone an arm and a leg for my time, either. Now, back to what our neighborhood newspaper editor was saying. It seems that he would like for the Telegram to be “THE” local news source (his word and emphasis). I have no argument with that at all – I believe that our local newspaper should be one of our foremost news sources and being the cornerstone of the local news media should very much be his goal.
It’s Like a Whole Other Country. But just a couple pages later, our neighborhood newspaper editor recalled his first trip to Billy Bob’s Texas and compared it to the feeling of his readers who might find themselves just now getting informed and having to ask themselves “How did we get into this mess?” When I read these two pieces, I saw a problem. On the one hand, you have the established newspaper media mogul who sees his publication as being the only source of reliable news coverage in the area. But on the other hand, this same media mogul has to admit that his readers are not very well informed. He suspects that all they can do is ask themselves, “How did we get into this mess?” Well, folks...if I may be so bold; that’s why you’re reading this publication. Because for the last few years, you’ve already figured out that you can’t depend on just one source for all of your information. You already know that you have to expand your informational footprint. You are already expanding your exposure to information. You are already looking below the surface, behind the closed doors, in the dark corners and through several microscopes. You are already going out of
your way to get informed. That’s what brought you to this publication. Basically, if you’re just reading the same old local newspaper every day, then more than likely, you are on a collission course for a serious wake-up call. But since you are reading this right now, I know that you are looking for better content delivery, more in-depth information on a wide range of topics, and you value information and points of interest that you aren’t finding any where else. You are a County Line reader and for that, I thank you. I thank you for your time and I thank you on behalf of my advertisers. It is not my goal or ambition to be your only source of news, entertainment and commentary but I do want to be one of your favorites! Please let me know how I’m doing. Send me a letter or an email or give me a call. THE COUNTY LINE MEDIACAST Just in case you haven’t dropped by the County Line website lately (www.MyCountyContinued on page 10...
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
4Texas Conservative ■
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, Chuck Norris - The Man
MY ENDORSEMENT FOR PRESIDENT By Chuck Norris
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In God We Trust United We Stand
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.
Our republic as our Founding Fathers created it is under assault from extremists outside our country and anti-constitutionalists inside our country. Combine that with the flailing American economy and global markets and you see that Western civilization is on the brink, as experts and all the GOP presidential candidates agree. President Barack Obama has tried and failed miserably to fix our economy, deepening us and our posterity into more than $6 trillion of additional national debt -- something he criticized former President George W. Bush for as “unpatriotic” and “irresponsible.” Yet the unemployment rate remains at a higher level than it was when Obama was elected, and the dollar is as unstable as the Middle East. Now is not the time to be mincing through minutiae and fighting with fellow party members. Rome is burning, and we need to appoint the best firefighters possible to rush in and put out the fire. What’s critical at this point is to appoint a commander in chief who can clearly lead America to a more solvent and secure future. No man or candidate is perfect. We all have skeletons in our closets. If buried bones become unforgivable bones of contention, the world will never know another Benjamin Franklin or King David. We must remember that we’re electing a president, not a pastor or pope. The mainstream media and a billion-dollar campaign coffer are on the president’s side, so we need a veteran of political war who already has fought Goliath, because he will be facing Goliath’s bigger brother. In the past few editions of my weekly column, I detailed 10 questions to find our next president, in no particular order of importance. I proposed that the name of the candidate that fills the majority of the answers deserves readers’ votes. 1) Who is most committed to follow and lead by the U.S. Constitution? 2) Who has the greatest ability to rally, unify and mobilize citizens across political and societal spectrums? 3) Who has the best working comprehension of America? 4) Who has the best ability to influence a volatile world away from the brink of destruction? 5) Who has clear and present moral fortitude? 6) Who has the best chance of beating President Obama, in and outside of debates? 7) Who has the best abilities to lead Washington politics and politicians? 8) Who has the best plan and leadership ability to restore America’s economy? 9) Who is the most fiscally prudent? 10) Who has demonstrated the highest regard for human life? My wife, Gena, and I sincerely believe that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the answer to most of those questions and deserves our endorsement and votes. We agree with our friend and governor of the great state of Texas, Rick
Perry, who suspended his campaign and endorsed Gingrich. He said Newt “has the heart of a conservative reformer.” We believe that Newt’s experience, leadership, knowledge, wisdom, faith and even humility to learn from his failures (personal and public) can return America to its glory days. And he is the best man left on the battlefield to outwit, outplay and outlast Obama and his campaign machine. I would only challenge and call on Newt to fulfill the rallying strategy he outlined in South Carolina in November by utilizing the expertise and skill sets of the other GOP presidential candidates (even those who have bowed out) in his future administration. Newt explained: “I do approach this whole campaign, I think, differently from everybody else. We have a number of friends who are also running. We have no opponents except Barack Obama. I think that’s very important. I think (Abraham) Lincoln was very wise, as was captured in a book called ‘Team of Rivals.’ ... Literally everybody who was his opponent ended up in the Cabinet because he needed all of them in order to be able to put together the political power during the crisis that we faced. I would say the same thing. I don’t know of a single person currently running who wouldn’t be a very effective member of an administrative team and who doesn’t have real talent and, in some way ... a unique strength. So I don’t have any opponents on the Republican side.” As Gov. Perry said during his “strategic retreat” (citing Gen. Sam Houston) from the GOP presidential race, “this mission is greater than any one man.” I’m tired of watching our country be torn to shreds by those who think
the answer is more government debt and control. I’m tired of being in bondage to a tax system that robs U.S. citizens as the king of England did before the Revolution. I’m tired of watching our sovereignty be sold by foreign loans and loose borders. And I will not sit back and merely watch this decay and degradation of the U.S. and then hand it over to my children and grandchildren to deal with. That is why Gena and I have committed the rest of our lives to help Old Glory rise again to its heights of splendor. And that is why we are endorsing and standing with Newt Gingrich, because we believe he can lead all of us who have committed to the same. If you’re ready to keep fighting the good fight and once and for all restore our republic, then I invite you to join Gena and me by endorsing, rallying behind and voting for Newt Gingrich as GOP nominee and then president of the United States. Waging War on the Trifecta of Tyranny ~ FEBRUARY 7, 2012 As a six-time undefeated middleweight world karate champion, I have a pretty good idea what makes a warrior. And there’s presently one particular presidential candidate in the political ring who wears those gloves better than the others. It’s one thing to enter a ring with a single opponent, but what if you had to enter with three -- one candidate with unlimited money and two titans of political swing to back him? That is exactly what former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is facing right now. People see Newt’s primary GOP opponent as former Massachusetts
©2011 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
5Texas Conservative ■
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, Chuck Norris - The Man
Gov. Mitt Romney, but I don’t. I think the battle is with Romney’s and his cronies’ staggering wealth. Last week, The Washington Post exposed that there are 41 mega-rich individuals who bankroll Romney’s campaign and his purchase of the seat in the Oval Office: “Nearly a dozen of the donors have contributed $1 million or more. ... Some of Romney’s biggest supporters include executives at Bain Capital, his former firm; bankers at Goldman Sachs; and a hedge fund mogul who made billions betting on the housing crash.” In Florida, for example, they collectively spent $15.4 million to run about 13,000 negative ads against Newt (not Obama). Compare that with the 200 ads that Gingrich’s campaign ran. Romney’s campaign spent more on ads in Florida alone than John McCain spent during his entire presidential run. Given that monstrous media assault, I was actually pleasantly surprised Newt received more than 500,000 votes, compared with Romney’s 700,000. Newt’s second major opponent is the mainstream media, or MSM. All it takes is a quick flip through the major network channels to hear the pro-Romney accolades and defenses being offered via a variety of news anchors. For example, after Newt spanked (with great audience fanfare) CNN anchorman John King at the South
Carolina presidential debate for asking Newt to defend himself against his ex-wife’s accusations on ABC, CNN sent in its veteran bulldog, Wolf Blitzer, to host the Florida debate. The next day, after his full-court press against Newt before a national audience, Wolf was on CNN gloating over his victory over Newt. Wolf said, “I was ready for him. ... I wasn’t going to let Newt get away with that again” -- “that” being Newt’s ability to shut down the power grid of the MSM. So much for unbiased hosting and objective media! And it’s no coincidence that radically left progressive globalist and billionaire George Soros, according to Fox News, wields his finances and pulls the strings in more than 30 major puppet outlets, including The New York Times, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, NBC and ABC. It’s also no coincidence that Soros likes Romney just as much as he does Obama. During a recorded television interview, Soros said, “Between Obama and Romney, there isn’t all that much difference.” The MSM would have us believe that the GOP contest is over and Romney is the winner. But the battle has just begun. Newt was absolutely correct when he stated before the Nevada caucuses, “This race is not anywhere near over. There are 46 states to go.” As Joseph Farah
-- CEO of WorldNetDaily, one of the few sources I trust for news -said on Sean Hannity’s Fox News Channel show last week, “nobody has 100 delegates yet. We are not even one-tenth of the way to the end of the GOP election.” Perhaps a word about the power of the MSM from Thomas Jefferson is apropos here: “The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.” The third enemy of Newt’s is the entrenched GOP establishment -- a part of what Newt calls the Washington elite. Those in the establishment loathe Newt not because of what he’s done, but because he is a lethal threat to their way of life and existence, namely their political control and sway over your money and tax dollars. When the establishment types saw Newt’s colossal win in the South Carolina primary, they scurried to bring forth a few of their kingpins, such as Bob Dole and John McCain, to try to convince us Newt is a danger to us, too. The Boston Globe even ran an article titled “GOP insiders rise up to cut Gingrich down to size.” Newt retorted at a tea party gathering in central Florida by stating categorically, “The Republican establishment is just as much an establishment as the Democratic establishment, and they are just as determined to stop us.” Dan Schnur, a former GOP campaign strategist who teaches politics at the University of Southern California, put it straight: “The Republican establishment might not be wild about Mitt Romney, but they’re terrified by Newt Gingrich.” Rush Limbaugh reacted to the frightened squirms of the GOP establishment by saying: “Newt doesn’t act like he’s got any fear.
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... Finally, somebody’s telling the bad guys who they are, what to do and that we’re not going to take it anymore (just as Reagan did). ... Newt has thrown this thing into a tizzy.” While Romney decries that he is not a Washington insider, it is amazing to me that he gloats over the roughly 72 Washington elites who endorsed him, compared with Newt’s 11. Rather than a badge of honor, that’s a thorn of shame. How do they say it, birds of a feather flock together? I have only to remind you of the tea party’s initial receptivity in Washington, which was not exactly like an actual tea party. I’m reminded of the wisdom of Samuel Adams: “If ever the Time should come, when vain & aspiring Men shall possess the highest Seats in Government, our Country will stand in Need of its experienced Patriots to prevent its Ruin.” If it’s true that you always can tell one’s positions by the enemies he has -- and I believe it is -- then Newt is exactly where he needs to be, battling the trifecta of tyranny: Mitt’s treasuries, the MSM and the GOP elite. One cannot, in any way, underestimate the grisly enormity of this triple-headed monstrosity. It is a goliath of ginormous proportions. And let there be no doubt: Only heaven and earth combining their forces will overcome this gargantuan foe. Thomas Paine was correct: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” (Please go to http://www.newt. org and help Newt triumph over the trifecta of tyranny.)
©2011 CHUCK NORRIS DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM - Reprinted under license by Mike Norris
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Send Comments to: chuck@mycounty-line.com
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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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, Diana McCullough
Trip to Minnesota By Diana McCullough
“You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.” We know this is true! Last Saturday, Jim and I walked all over the 200 acres behind our house, admiring our full tanks, that we call lakes, and the natural springs that are trickling forth precious water. After our horrible drought, we know to be grateful. Two days later, my daughter Lora and I walked all over downtown Rochester, Minnesota, home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic. Rochester is a beautiful city, about the size of Abilene. The buildings are mostly old and wellpreserved, the people are friendly, and the climate is much colder than what we are accustomed to. Fortunate for us, they are in a “warm trend” with highs in the lower 40’s. Unfortunately, due to dense fog, all flights were cancelled today and we are spending an unplanned, extra night here. Man plans, God laughs, you know. It will work out! We DO plan to return to Texas ASAP. Bob Davis has kept our library open this week, and I’m very appreciative and I’m sure our patrons are, too. I called him this afternoon, explained the situation and he kindly agreed to put a note on our front door and open the library at 1:00 again tomorrow. Next I called City Hall and explained my situation to Shirley Griffith. “It’ll all work out,” I keep assuring my daughter and myself, and it will. By the time you read this, surely that will be TRUE! I’ll tell you a little about Rochester and my trip… Many of these downtown buildings are connected by skywalks and yesterday I ventured from our hotel room to the Rochester Public Library, blocks away, never stepping one foot into the cold outdoors. Their library is a WONDERFUL place! A BUSY place. Lots of books, lots of patrons and staff, and I couldn’t help but notice—great signage. The second floor skywalk leading the opposite direction leads into a mall called “The Stores of Rochester” and their very best store is a large bookstore— Barnes & Noble. I’ve visited this store three times now and even taken pictures of books! Books that I intend to order from Brodart if I ever get home… On Tuesday, while Lora was busy all day, and after I’d wandered all around by myself, I took a nearly 3 hour “private tour” with a guide named Dan. The brochures looked very professional and I’d called early in the morning about the “Hop On Hop Off” trolley tours, and left a message. Dan called me back and the Trolley Tour wasn’t available but we agreed on a fee and an “Overview Tour” of the city. It was a great tour! One of my favorite stops was touring the historic Plummer Home. Dr. Henry S. Plummer was a genius, so of course he was also eccentric. Dr. Will Mayo once said that the best day’s work he ever did was to hire Dr. Plummer, and that was back in 1901. Lora told me later that Dr. Plummer was the inventor of medical charts. Who would have thought medical charts would need to be INVENTED? Lora and I also took pictures and walked into the Plummer Building—HIS building—built in 1928, and it’s a magnificent structure. I loved it! The story of the Mayo brothers, Will and Charlie is a fascinating one too. But here’s the main thing: Amazing results can occur with PARTNERSHIPS.
These brothers, and their dad Dr. W.W., partnered with Mother Alfred, and like “they” say, “The rest is History.” It’s been a good trip, but it’ll be GREAT to get back home. A great big thanks to our Basic Computer Class instructor, Mrs. Wendy Rodgers, and to our students for participating in this class, sponsored by the Ranger City Library, and motivated by the PEARL Foundation. Another big thanks to the Ranger Citizens Task Force for carrying on! Have you noticed more street signs? There’s MORE now! If you haven’t contributed to this good cause, please consider it. You may designate a particular street name or intersection or just give and help us fill in some needed, missing street sign markers. I’ll close with a quote from Dr. Will Mayo, “Books are friends that never fail.” Please take care, and as always… ENJOY READING! Lora McCullough, Ranger High School graduate, stands in front of the Plummer Building, part of the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Send Comments to: rangerlibrary@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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Neighbors, Clint Coffee CLU ChFC State Farm Insurance® Agent
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Retirement Planning Even if you’re already enjoying retirement, you hobbies, and for unplanned expenses, such as a may still have questions about your savings and lingering mortgage or other debt. You may find spending, or other to-do items on your planning list. you need less, or more, than you anticipated preretirement. With your needs in hand, tailor a sensible Review Your Income Sources plan specific to your needs and goals. When you’re retired, your goal is to maximize Find Other Income Sources and protect your income sources so you can live You might consider generating additional income comfortably and worry-free for the remainder of your if you’re finding retirement expensive. More and life. more retirees work during their golden years, either You may consider leaving a portion of your because they need the money to make ends meet or investments in a higher-risk, or aggressive, allocation miss the structure a job provides. If you’re healthy adjusted for a longer timeline. In addition, you can enough to work, you may consider consulting or place two to three years of expenses in a liquid account finding a part-time position in a new field. – such as an interest-bearing savings, checking or If you’ve already started collecting Social Security, money market account – to help safeguard against market downturns. It may be worth a visit with a your benefits will be reduced $1 for every $2 you professional, who will review your asset allocation earn over the current earning limit until you reach and re-determine your comfort with investment risk. your full retirement age. Good news, though: Once you hit your full retirement age, your benefits are Of course, you need to decide when to begin recalculated, taking into account the months that receiving Social Security benefits. You can start benefits were withheld. Plus, you can then work as drawing benefits as early as age 62, but you’ll receive much as you want, with no earning limits. more money each month if you wait until your U.S. Annuities can also help protect you against outliving government-deemed full retirement age. Your benefits your income. An annuity is a contract offered by will continue to increase until age 70. an insurance company, which makes a series of If you haven’t yet filed for benefits, you can payments to you in exchange for a single premium easily estimate how much you can expect from or series of premiums. These payments can continue Social Security. Knowing your approximate benefit for a defined length of time or an indefinite period, amount is essential if you’re planning to rely on it for such as your lifetime. Deferred annuities begin at a retirement income. set time in the future and help you accumulate money Regardless of when you plan to begin drawing for future use. Social Security benefits, or what your full retirement Keep Planning age is, you must apply for Medicare three months Your future doesn’t end at retirement. Estate before your 65th birthday to avoid delay in the start of your Medicare Part B coverage. Keep in mind planning will help ensure you’ve protected your that you may also need a supplement plan to cover family’s interests as well as your own. the gaps where Medicare falls short, as well as a An estate plan involves the creation, conservation, prescription drug plan. and distribution of your property. Your estate plan may be simply a last will and testament, or it might also How Much Money Should I Spend? include life insurance, trusts, business continuation One of the most common mistakes you can make plans or charitable arrangements. Regardless, is withdrawing too much money during your first few you should create an estate plan that pays estate years of retirement. After all, you now have all the time expenses, including federal estate tax, provides your in the world to do everything you’ve been planning. family members with income after you’re gone, and But while you may have saved the suggested 70 to distributes your assets to family members and other 80 percent of your previous yearly income to live heirs with the least amount of loss possible. on, you certainly don’t want to overspend and risk Estate planning is an ongoing process. Review running out of cash. your estate planning documents once a year, or when People are living longer than ever before, and life changes necessitate it. Outdated and irrelevant therefore drawing on retirement savings for a longer documents may be as helpful to your loved ones as period of time. A 2010 study by the Employee no documents at all. Benefit Research Institute found that 41 percent of Relax And Enjoy Americans in the lowest pre-retirement income level will run short of money after 10 years of retirement. Remember, you’ve earned your retirement through After 20 years, 29 percent of people in the secondyears of hard work and savings. Enjoy this time in highest income level will run out, as will 13 percent your life. But always be aware of the time that still in the highest income level. lies ahead, and plan accordingly. You should consider putting together a realistic post-retirement budget, since you now know how much you need each month for housing, food, and Send Comments to: 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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10Growing Up Small Town
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, Continued...
Line.com), I want to take a few minutes to tell you about a new feature that I’m working on -- The County Line Mediacast! Using audio and video, I am able to touch on several topics of interest in each episode. The videos last between 10 and 20 minutes and I’m still trying to work on my format. But since The County Line only comes out once a month, I’m hoping to get to use the Mediacast as a weekly or bi-weekly touchstone with my audience. The Mediacast is not going to replace the printed issue, but it does allow me to be more responsive to weekly events and topics of discussion
between County Line issues. So please take a few minutes to visit our website and click on the “County Line Mediacast” link to visit our Mediacast YouTUBE page. Post your comments about the videos and let me know what you think. I would like to hear from you. WHERE THE WILD WEEDS GROW January brought a much needed rain shower to central Texas. All over the area, there were reports of 3” to 5” of rainfall! And boy did we need it! My yard has turned into a
landscaper’s worst nightmare. Weeds and wildflowers have taken over! Huge, thick clumps of dense grass have sprung out of nowhere and Ruthie has been after me for the last two weeks to do something about it. I bought a new mechanical reel mower a couple of weeks ago and I spent the afternoon trying to tacxkle the task at hand. Nope...ain’t happening! Reel mowers aren’t made for this kind of turf war. Nice, level cut grass is one thing but wild bushy undergrowth is something else entirely. Sherrie and I both tried oiur hand at forcing the reel mower through the thick grass. I eventually had to admit
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defeat and call in the special forces. We talked to our next door neighbor to get in touch with her yard man and schedule us for a visit. He was supposed to drop by this weekend, but looks like another round of showers are going to beat him to the punch. By the time he gets to our yard, I’m sure the native plants will have strengthened their defenses. One thing about it, as soon as we get this wild kingdom under control, the reel mower is going to be a pleasure to work with. And I deffinitely need the exercise.
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
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, Bob Lewis
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LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT By Bob Lewis
Charles Bogutzki of Crockett saw a good bit of action during World War Two. At the end of the war he was stationed at a naval base at Hitchcock on the Texas coast. He had just got engaged to his girlfriend back home in Pennsylvania. Then while on a Sunday outing, he met another girl when he and a buddy went to a drive-in in Houston. “I was a passenger,” says Charles. “We pulled into Prince’s drive in, which was very famous in those days. As we pulled in, and this is the very truth, the first moment I saw this carhop with the brunette hair, I said to my buddy Nick, the driver: ‘I’d give my right arm to have a date with her.’ He looked at me and said he liked blondes. Well, sure enough, the blonde came out and waited on us.” Chuck carried the image of that carhop with him the following week. The very next Sunday, he and his buddy went back to that same drive-in in downtown Houston. “This time the brunette came out,” says Charles. “After she brought us our order, she stood and talked to Nick for a few minutes. Finally she stooped down and looked over at me and asked Nick, ‘does he ever speak?’ I told her I speak if someone speaks to me. Then she ran around the front of the car and came over to my side and the first words out of her mouth to me were spoken in a New England accent: ‘what paht of the nahth are you from?’ I told her I was from Pennsylvania. ‘And what is your name?’ she asked. I said my name is Bogutzki. She said, ‘honey when we get married you‘re gonna have to change it ‘cause I don’t like it.’ ” Chuck realized he was engaged to the girl back home, but was fully smitten with this dark-haired carhop. His girlfriend had been writing him regularly all the time he was in the Navy. Finally one day he sat down and wrote his girl friend a goodbye letter. “I told her I had met a girl down here and find myself thinking about her quite often. I never got another letter.” He and the carhop had four dates and got married on the 5th day of January, 1946.
“My friend with the car drove us to Rosenberg, Texas where we got a marriage license and on the way back to the base we stopped in Missouri City and found a Justice of the Peace. I had twelve dollars in my pocket, a ten-dollar bill and two singles. After he performed the ceremony I pulled out the ten and was gonna say, ‘I’d like to have five back’ and he grabbed it and said ‘thank you very much.’ So I had a wife and two dollars, which I spent at Zales jewelers for a wedding band for her. And that’s how we started our life. After 59 years and six days my wife passed away. We had nine children, ten grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and I have a great great grandson.” Charles Bogutzki did acquire an alias. Around Crockett he’s known as Chuck Bogard.
SPENDING TIME WITH THE DRAGON I was visiting with a Rotary friend last summer and we were talking about recent books we had read. He said he had just finished the third book in Stieg Larsson’s THE MILLINNEUM TRILOGY, published in Sweden in 2005, 2006 and 2007. His fascination with the three books caught my attention. I had heard about the series, but hadn’t paid much attention to it, although the titles indicated to me that this was a something I needed to read. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE AND THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST practically jump out at you from the bookshelf. The conversation about books made me feel almost ashamed that I hadn’t read the series, which was the talk of the literary world. Steig Larsson died in 2004 shortly after delivering the three manuscripts. I bought the first book and after just a few pages I was hooked. Not since reading Thomas Wolfe in college had I just absolutely jumped into a book. I was caught up in the love story, the family saga, the financial intrigue and the mystery. The story is about a journalist, something I could identify
with at the outset. I may have set a record for reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. It was difficult to put it down. While I was reading it and after reading it, the images conjured up in my mind about the characters stayed there and I wanted to find out what was going on with them. Of course I bought the second book, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, before I finished the first. I devoured the second one also, fully engrossed in the ongoing story. The first two books were paperbacks. I read the third book, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST, on a Kindle. Reading from a machine had the same excitement, if not more, than reading from a conventional book. My wife Susan read the series right along with me. Work, play, home life, outside activities were ignored occasionally to stay up with the story. When we visited our son in Dallas we were talking about the books and he told us that a Swedish company had made films of the three books and he had seen them all. When we got back home we went to Blockbuster and rented the first one. Wow. The characters and locations were just as I had imagined them. The film was true to the book for the most part and stayed with the story. We watched one of the movies on Monday, the second one on Tuesday and the third one on Wednesday. We finished watching the movies about the time the American version of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO hit the theaters. We were impressed with the American version. I personally like the ending better than the Swedish version. While the lights were coming up in the theater, we were discussing the movie, talking about the subtle differences and similarities between the Swedish and American versions. The person sitting a seat away from Susan began talking to us. Of all things, he just happened to be from Sweden. Our conversation lasted well into the lobby of the theater. We’re waiting for the next two American movie versions. Send Comments to: tumbleweed@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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■ Lake
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Leon Water Level
Starting off the New Year The Leon River is formed by the confluence of its North, Middle, and South Forks in Eastland County. The waterway flows approximately 185 miles southeast, eventually joining the Lampasas River to form the Little River. The upper reaches of the river would not normally be suitable for
January, 2012 recreational use and has sufficient water only during periods of heavy runoff. The lower sections, however, have been determined to contain a sufficient flow for recreational use almost any time. These lower sections of the river pass through a scenic portion of the Cross Timbers area of
Central Texas. On January 1st, 2012 the Lake Leon reservoir was at 12.31 feet below its “conservation pool” level. On that date, the lake was measured at 43.68% full according to the Texas Water Development Board Reservoir Summary website.
The lowest recorded level for the lake in the past year was 13.26 feet below conservation pool level, or 40.50% capacity. That measurement was in October of last year. Pictured here, on January 24th, 2012, the lake is 11.88 feet below conservation pool level.
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
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■ Lake
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Leon Water Level
Going into February, 2012 On January 31, 2012, after the January rains had cleared and the run-off had mostly settled down, Lake Leon stood at 6.13 feet below conservation pool level. With the single January rain event, Lake Leon caught 5 feet 9 inches of run-off water...most of that in a
48 hour period from January 24 to January 26! That’s an average of about 1.43 inches per hour! At the time of this article, there is another rain system developing over Eastland County. This looks like a
slow-moiving system that is generating significant rainfall to the southwest and is heading our direction. Also, the snow event that happened a few days ago, provided a small bump in water levels and helped maintain water saturation in the surrounding ground and also helped maintain
water levels of area irrigation tanks and livestock watering holes. With any luck, we’ve gained back a significant amount of the water that we lost during last year’s dry season and moving into spring we can hope to see our lakes and rivers returning to their happy levels. ~mwnorris
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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, Vicki Stiefer
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LOSING YOUR IDENTITY AFTER MARRIAGE By Vicki Stiefer
When I first got married, I was on cloud nine. I walked around and told everybody that I highly recommend the institution. I still do. However almost 4 years later I am coming out of a fog I had been swimming in without realizing my position. God had a lot to do with the story. My relationship with God before I married was one of thanks but I was just lacking one or 2 things. I was severely overweight and lived alone. I would talk to God and tell him, I had everything I could ever want except being skinny and having a good man. I’m here to say that if you are a single overweight woman, men generally expect you to be grateful they are spending time with you. So he gave me a good Christian man and then he gave me skinny. When he granted me these two very precious things I was and am ever grateful. From that moment on my head was in the clouds. The man I married was my best friend, my confidant; he was everything I was looking for. He seemed to know me better than I knew myself. When good news happened he was the first person I thought of. When something difficult happened he was the first person I ran to. Now, later on, we have gotten into a very married routine and I realize all my friends are hanging out on the sidelines. The true friends are patient and the others have floated away. My identity as a woman transitioned into one as a wife. I actually woke up in the middle of the night with the epiphany, that I wasn’t Vicki anymore I was Vicki and Husband. Words like “Ya’ll” instead of “you” were the words I started to hear. Decisions were made together and there was someone else to consider when making plans. I wondered what happened to the single girl. I had a rich life. I read, hung out with friends, stayed current on events and the like. What went wrong? Now I know that nothing really went wrong. I just got married. It’s a new chapter in your life and it’s a big one. When you get married every single nook and cranny of your life changes and for most it is a positive change. After the initial shock of the revelation that Vicki was not the same Vicki before the “I Do’s” I started to try and remember what I was like, what made me whole. I started to remember the life before and I realized I could still do all the same things. 24hrs a day up against the man I love was starting to wear thin. Not because I didn’t love him, but there is more to life than being glued together just because you are
married. I am starting to realize he is the best addition to what was an already rich and beautiful life. He brings additions to my table, which has become our table, that are just as rich and make my life more exciting and vice versa. I had to stop and remember what I liked to do before I was married and have started to do some of those things whenever I can. My husband doesn’t care if I go out with the girls. He has told me I can do whatever I want as long as I come home to him. So I am learning the balance between friends and marriage. How to keep my home, make my husband happy and still find time for fun. It gets tricky though, if you have a husband who would prefer not to rock the boat then he might not let you know if you are spending too much time with the friends and not enough time with him. It could
fester. I’m not asking you to read your spouses mind. I am simply asking you to be aware of their body language and use your time wisely. You may think you have all the time in the world, but our stay here on earth is short, spread yourself between your family and friends with care.
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Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
15Treasure Hunters ■
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, Jerry Eckhart
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TIPS FOR SENIOR TREASURE HUNTERS By Jerry Eckhart To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart”
Back in the 1990’s, I wrote a book called “Research Techniques for Treasure Hunters.” In that book, I had a chapter called “Interviewing Old Timers.” At the time, I never thought I would reach Senior Status. I suppose I thought I would remain at my prime for the rest of my life. Now, in the blink of an eye (so it seems) I am one of the old timers. I’m over 70, and so are most of my friends. Of course, some of my friends are much older and call me a kid. That makes me feel some better, but not a whole lot. Senior treasure hunters come in many types. Some can’t be slowed down. They are still out there swinging a metal detector with the best of the youngsters. They can search all day long. Others, myself included, are not so lucky. We have aches and pains. Arthritis stiffens our joints. We have trouble kneeling or bending, and others suffer from heart problems. We have slowed down a lot, but there is something in treasure hunting that keeps us ever seeking our personal treasures. There is something about treasure hunting that keeps us old codgers going. Many may be in wheel chairs, but they still make the best of their condition and get out there to hunt. Here are a few tricks that help me get out there and keep on hunting. I’ve also learned a few survival tips from other old folks. Maybe they will help someone else as well. Mind The Heat Most of us over 60 do our summertime treasure hunting between sunrise and mid morning. As soon as the heat builds, we head for the house. We can cheat sometimes by staying in the shade and drinking plenty of water. Shady spots often produce as many coins as other areas,. After all, people have been seeking shade for centuries. There was no air conditioning in the pioneer days so they had to find ways to keep cool during the summer. You can too. Set your water bottle under a shade tree so it will stay cooler, and take plenty of breaks for yourself. Sometimes taking a break helps you find more coins because it gives you a chance to look your surroundings over. If you get too hot, find a cool place to recover. These are good heat tips for all ages, but especially for us ancient ones. Stay Warm In Winter What might first seem like a mild winter day that is ideal for metal detecting for a younger person can feel like the North Pole for a senior citizen. We must dress warmer, stay out less and come home sooner. If it is not possible to go home right away, warm up in your car, using your heater to thaw out. Gloves are bulky and hard to search in, but they will do a world of good in protecting your hands and fingers. Headphones make excellent earmuffs. It is always good to have a treasure hunting buddy with you, whether in the heat or in the cold. Adapt Your Hunting To Your Physical Condition A cane may seem like a nuisance until you get down on your knees and can’t get up. A detector shaft simply isn’t strong enough to assist you in rising to your feet. More than likely it will bend or break if you try it. If you have trouble with your knees, feet or keeping your balance, the cane will assist you. Because I have stiff knees, I use the cane in my left hand and the detector in my right. When I need to dig a target, I lay both down and dig my coin. If you have trouble keeping the cane handy, you can put a loop of string on it and slip your wrist inside. You can also tie it to your belt. On the beach, it is a great tool to drag behind you to make a mark as to where you have been. Some treasure hunters use their long handled sand scoop for this purpose and when they do have to get down on their knees will use the handle end to help them get up. Don’t be bashful about using whatever you need to make your detecting trip enjoyable. A cane as a prop beats falling and skinning your nose or something else. Knee pads are great for arthritic knees and they reduce the chances of kneeling on a thorn, sticker or sharp stone. I understand that the pants manufacturer, Dickies, has come out with a pair of trousers with knee pads already sewn it. That might be worth checking out. Treasure hunters have been using knee pads for many years so it really isn’t anything new, just something we often forget. Sometimes seniors have trouble getting down on their knees and have to dig their target
by stooping over. A small narrow bladed shovel with a waist high handle may be the answer. Be advised that this is not the best tool for parks and manicured lawns so you may have to select your hunting areas carefully. Wherever you hunt, don’t get in such a hurry that you leave a gaping hole. Patience is something we seniors have learned over the years so we should be able to make a little more effort when we recover our targets. Spend some time thinking about your particular situation and you will come up with innovative solutions. Don’t just sit and moan about not being able to hunt any more. One treasure hunter in his 80’s has a very dedicated wife who goes with him and actually digs the coins for him. He hunts. She digs. Wow! However, when you think about it, that may not be too strange. I’m sure that many a grandfather has taken his grandchildren with him and they have been more than eager to dig up the coins. Another man who has breathing problems straps his portable oxygen tank to his side so it won’t flop around, hunts very slowly and makes some remarkable finds. They haven’t given up and neither should you. There are too many treasures waiting to be found. Seniors who love treasure hunting, even those in wheelchairs have invented ways to overcome their drawbacks. Treasure hunting is actually healthy exercise for us old coots. It involves slow walking which is good for our hearts. It helps to shed pounds slowly. The bending, stooping and kneeling keep us a little more flexible. Metal detecting is a relaxing hobby with little stress. That is great for our attitude. Of course, if you turn up a gold coin I can’t promise your heart rate won’t sky rocket. The first gold coin I found made me so weak from excitement I had to sit down for five minutes.
it later when I got home. Remember, those coins will still be there tomorrow. Make yourself stop before you get too hot, too cold or too tired to make it home safely. Stop from time to time anyway to catch your breath and regroup. What good will it do you if you find a bunch of coins only to find it takes you several days to recover. We seniors must learn to pace ourselves.
A Word To The Younger Generation Take an old timer with
you. They need someone younger than them along. It makes the senior feel younger when you are with them. When the senior tires out, it is nice to have a younger fellow along to make sure the senior gets back to the car okay. That isn’t all one-sided either. The younger treasure hunter will gain a lot from his senior associate. Once you make a couple of trips with a more experienced hunter, that old treasure hunter will begin to share his many years of knowledge and secrets with you. You may think you know it all, especially if you have done much treasure hunting, but you will find that the years of experience a senior has racked up will be a wonderful addition to what you already know. There are little tricks of the trade that he has picked up over those years that can’t be learned except through time. On the other hand, there are many treasure hunters who don’t begin the hobby until their later years. Here is where the younger hunters can shine. Take the time to invite a senior to go with you. Then you can help get them started right. You can teach them what you know and not only will you experience that thrill of seeing them make their first finds, but make a friend for life. Treasure hunting is not a selfish hobby and no one should become so wrapped up in the finding that greed takes over. Greed will any hobby faster than anything. Save Quit When You Get Tired kill your competitive spirit for another day and When you are finding coins, it is hard to spend some time enjoying the company of a quit. I know because many times, I have senior treasure hunter. gotten into a hot spot and didn’t want to stop Send Comments to: treasure@mycounty-line.com , even though I was exhausted. I paid for
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18The County Line ■
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, Mike W. Norris
The County Line 2011 Circulation Figures
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
Print Circulation:
2011 Total Printed Circulation: Print Frequency: Issues Printed (2011): Circulation per Issue: Estimated Average Readership:
Digital Circulation:
2011 Total Website Traffic: Average Visitors Per Month: Average Visitors Per Month (2010): Year-Over-Year Traffic Increase: Google® Verified Unique Visitors: Traffic Sources: Search Engines (Google®, Yahoo®, Bing®) Direct Traffic (mycounty-line.com) Social Media (Facebook®) Other Sources Facebook® Friends (www.facebook.com/mycountyline) Twitter® Followers (www.twitter.com/durfea)
Demographics: Male: 30% Female: 70%
Age Group 45 + Age Group 25-44 Age Group < 25
36,000 Monthly 12 3,000 2,805* 7,380 615 406 +51% 834 43.3% 32.0% 10.3% 14.4% 1,157 282
44% 47% 9%
*Readership estimate based on average uncirculated copies per issue. Uncirculated copies are collected with each printing, counted, and delivered to a collection center for recycling or donated for use as packing material by area businesses.
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20Out of the Box ■
www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ February 2012 v5.57 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline , Joellen Hodge
Valentine’s Day By Joellen Hodge
To Whom It May Concern: For the past four plus years, I have been treated to the full treatment of just what Valentine’s Day can be if you are a true romantic. I was presented with flowers, candy, jewelry, and romantic dinners with a bottle of champagne thrown in for good measure. It is good to be queen! This year, as in the past, romance is on my mind this second month of 2012. My reasons are very different. The darling who showered me with his offerings of affection passed away in his sleep on January the 16th. He taught me that romance is more than cheap candy and dying flowers. Romance is that look you barely catch out of the corner of your eye. That sweet slow smile that tells me you think I am cute today… or that you are proud of me…or that you know I was looking at you the same way earlier. Romance is taking me to Subway, even though you hate sandwiches and wanted to go to Taco Bell. Romance is sitting behind the Subway and eating the sandwich together watching the birds fight over the crumbs Romance is standing next to me for twelve weeks in the hospital, holding my hand, feeding me with a spoon and taking me to the bathroom ten times a day. Romance is supporting me after I was fired from my job and cried for three days. You promise that you will take care of the bills and I am not to worry. Romance is dropping me at the front door of the store every visit, just so your girl does not have to dodge traffic. I am too precious and delicate a flower! Romance is riding in the truck with you, while I sit and crochet. We are always stopping to look at cows, fields, houses, and horses. The rhyme and reason come just wanting to go outside I don’t understand from and play. why Cupid was Romance is when you say go back to school. Your girl is not chosen to represent too old and way too smart not to finish your degree. You also Valentine’s Day. pride yourself on telling others When I think about you snuggle a college girl every romance, the last night. Romance is not a day on the thing on my mind calendar. It is not mooning over each other under the stars. It is a short, chubby is not even cards and candy or dinners. They do not toddler coming at champagne sell it anywhere off the shelf or me with a weapon. made to order. It is the appreciation of one
another and the time you spend together that is the stuff love stories are based on. Through the best days and the worst moments, knowing you are loved as much as you love is the basis that movies will never be made of. It does not really matter, because it would not be very exciting looking in from the outside. If you think me a pitiful creature, think again. I am far sadder for those who spend the days hating each other from opposite ends of the couch. It breaks my heart to see you eat at the next table talking on your cell phones and never reserving a word for one another. Valentine’s day is once a year, but there are 364 other days to open your hearts and minds to the reality of love. Hang up the phone and listen. SincerelyDon’s Girl
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21This Week In Texas History
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, by Bartee Haile
FIRST GOVERNOR TAKES TIME OFF FOR MEXICAN WAR By Bartee Haile
James Pinckney Henderson rode into Austin on Feb. 16, 1846 three days ahead of the ceremony that swapped sovereignty for statehood and certified the ex-diplomat as the first governor of Texas. Born in the Tar Heel State in 1808, Henderson studied law at the University of North Carolina and became a licensed attorney at 21. Chronic health problems that he never could shake mandated his migration to Mississippi, where in late 1835 he heard about the revolt in Texas. Although Henderson arrived six weeks too late to fight, he must have made a heck of an impression on the Hero of San Jacinto. President Sam Houston invited the sickly young lawyer to join his cabinet as attorney general, a post he held for barely a month before switching to secretary of state after the premature passing of Stephen F. Austin. Henderson was sent abroad in 1837 to secure European recognition of the new kid on the North American block and to establish the commercial ties so essential to the survival of the struggling Republic. Basically winging it with little guidance from Houston or his successor, Mirabeau Lamar, the one-man foreign service successfully negotiated trade agreements with England and France and persuaded both powers to acknowledge Lone Star independence. While in Paris, Henderson met a Philadelphia socialite with an extraordinary head on her shoulders. Frances Cox was fluent in as many as two dozen languages, played the piano and harp and was sufficiently versed in the law to run her future husband’s office during his frequent absences. They married in London in October 1839, and the following year set up housekeeping in Texas. Kenneth Anderson, last vice-president of the Republic and Henderson’s law partner, was considered a cinch for governor in the summer of 1845. But after the sudden death of the front-runner on Jul. 3, his backers settled on Henderson, whose name had never appeared on a ballot, as a suitable substitute. Two months of begging and pleading wore down his resistance, and he reluctantly announced his candidacy in early September. The Dec. 15 election was just seven weeks away, when Henderson finally drew an opponent. Dr. James B. Miller of Fort Bend County was a serious contender having served in Houston’s second cabinet, the Republic Congress and the recent annexation convention. Political prognosticators predicted a tight race, and more than a few gave the physician the inside track. No one was more surprised by Henderson’s landslide victory than the first-time office seeker himself. Unbelievably lopsided returns from eastern counties like Rusk (271-1), Harrison (747-1) and Nacogdoches (711-0) gave him a four-to-one advantage in the final count. Two months after Texas officially entered the Union and Henderson was sworn in as the first governor, the inevitable war with Mexico broke out. Gen. Zachary Taylor called for volunteers, and Texans answered with three regiments -- two on horseback and one on foot.
In spite of the fact that he was, as usual, ill, Gov. Henderson insisted upon leading his constituents into battle with their mortal enemy. On May 9, obliging legislators granted his request for a fighting furlough, and ten days later he left for the front leaving the lieutenant governor temporarily in charge. As it turned out, Albert C. Horton could only twiddle his thumbs until Henderson’s triumphant return in November or December -- historians disagree on the exact date -- because the state legislature adjourned the same week the warrior governor buckled on his sword. A second term was his for the asking, but Henderson flatly refused and this time stood his ground. He privately endorsed Isaac Van Zandt, a friend and fellow diplomat from the days of the defunct Republic. However, his death from yellow fever ensured the election of Col. George T. Wood, Indian fighter and Mexican War hero. Henderson moved from San Augustine to Marshall in 1856, and the next year stumped for Hardin Runnels in his gubernatorial upset of Sam Houston.
Consistent with the custom of the times, the former governor followed the former president from town to town presenting the opposing viewpoint after each and every speech. During the campaign, Henderson lost a second law partner and Texas a U.S. Senator with the shocking suicide of Thomas Rusk. On Nov. 9, 1857, state lawmakers passed over a host of ambitious applicants in favor of a respected figure living on borrowed time. Henderson undoubtedly knew he could not complete Rusk’s term, which had two years to go, but surely figured he would last longer than three short months. Exhausted by the long trip to Washington the following March, he rapidly weakened and died on Jun. 4, 1858 at the age of 50. 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
Bartee Haile lives in Friendswood, TX and is the author of one of the most long established Texas History newspaper columns in the state. Column collections available at twith.com or request list from Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 152, Friendswood, TX 7754
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23From The Backside ■
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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ February 2012 v5.57 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline , Henry J. Clevicepin
Peeong in the Fridge & Obama Czars By Henry J. Clevicepin Collaborated by Nellie Frecklebelly and Agnes & Ophilia Fudpucker
Well, Buzzard Roost got about 5 inches of rain the other day. You’ll can all thank ol Nellie Frecklebelly and her little rain dance for that. We may change her name to the “Frecklebelly Raindancer”. She is a lot better than one of them ol boys that go up in a plane and seeds them clouds, cause you don’t have to haul ol Nellie up 6000 feet in the air. It’s a good thing too, cause as big ol gal as she is, it would take a C-130 to get her that high. Like it is now, she just gets up on the hill behind the Buzzard Roost Bar & Grill and shakes a little bootie and here comes the rain. Course, God probably has something to with it too!!!!! Speaking of God, one of our old Buzzard Roost locals that is nearly 80 went to get a physical the other day. And when the Buzzard Roost Doc came back with all of his results, he told him that everything looked great. Ol Doc ask him how he was doing mentally & emotionally and ask if he was at peace with God?
a Drug Czar, Securities & Exchange Commission & a Regulatory Czar, U S Treasury & a Pay Czar, which incidentally is set up to try to start regulating how much executives can make in the private sector….. WHAT???....that cain’t be right can it ???? Now me & ol Estee K. will kiss yer butt in front of the courthouse if that don’t sound like ol Obama isn’t getting him a little dictatorship going up there. Better not give him 4 more years or we will be in a mell of hess!!!
Ol Harry, told the Doc that he and God were tight….he knows I have poor eyesight so he fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to Well, we’re going down to see the go to the bathroom, poof, the light comes on when I open the bathroom Czar of the Buzzard Roost Bar & door and when I am done & close it, poof, the light goes off. Ol Doc said, Grill, ol Boliver Kegass and discuss Wow, that’s incredible !!!” this little situation. Later in the day, the Doc called Harry’s wife and told her that ol Harry was doing fine and he was in awe of his relationship with God. He ask her, Words of Wisdom from Henry is it true he gets up in the middle of the night to go the bathroom and poof, J : Suppose you were an idiot & the light comes on and when he is done, poof, the light goes off? Harry’s suppose you were a member of wife exclaimed “Oh MY GOSH, he is peeing in the fridge again !!!” Congress…..never mind, I am And ol Obama is kinda peeing on all of us & the Constitution with all of repeating myself !!!!! them Czars he has appointed. Now folks, this deal is getting more like a dictatorship every day. Now before you Obama supportin yahews get your panties in a wad, other Presidents have done it occasionally too, usually You can email ol Henry J at : in cases of emergency. But Obama has appointed 30 of them sapsuckers. henryjclevicepin@aol.com Even one of them big time Democratic Senators said that Czars could threaten the constitutional checks and balances of the government…… now this is a Democrat saying this !!!!! A czar is defined as any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field. Czars are part of the Executive Branch and are NOT approved & DO NOT have to answer to Congress. They answer only to the President. And what is kinda strange about this deal is that most of them mirror administrations that our government has already set up. Like the Dept of Homeland Security and the Border & Terror Czar, the FDA &
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Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
www.MyCounty-Line.com --- February 2012
Hello everyone!! I have to start off by saying “Thank you” for a GREAT Bake Sale. We had a variety of brownies, cupcakes, divinity, muffins, cakes, pies, cookies, fudge, and we even had packages of potato soup! What a successful Bake Sale!! So hats off to you all that donated baked goods and thank you to all that came by and bought all of those yummy goodies! Also, thank you to all for your cash donations and a BIG “Thank you” to my family and friends helping me get set up! And Diana, thank you for letting me set up in front of Louise’s Café! Since the bake sale, I have been to Dallas. My kidney number (creatine) has been going up. So my Doctor wanted to do a biopsy on my kidney. There’s a mild rejection going on. So they put me on a 5 day steroid treatment. They wanted to keep me in Dallas for those 5 days. But I was able to talk them into letting me do the treatment in Abilene. That was I wouldn’t lose a week off work. So I drove every day to Abilene, got my treatment, and returned to work.
Volume 5 Issue 57
Now I am just waiting for my next doctor appointment to see if the rejection is gone. Did everyone have a Happy Valentine’s Day? Last Valentine’s day for me, I was in 1 month recovery from the transplant. Chocolate was the S pmind! e a kSouthis p , year j o iMike n t and he last thing on my I went out to eat. Afterwards he said, “We’re going to Walmart to get you some chocolate!” He took me down the Valentine’s aisle. We started picking up all kinds of chocolate. It was pretty fun! So thanks Mike for a fun evening, checking out all kinds of chocolate! I would like to tell our readers sorry Mike was behind this month. When I have to go to Dallas, for a doctor visit or test or whatever is going on. He likes to be there, with me. So he often picks me first. Just would like for the readers to know why he is running behind sometimes. Thank you for understanding. We love you guys!
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Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com