The Rock Wall

Had enough rain yet? Former Police Chief Ernie Clawson used to say that in the summer you are never more than two weeks away from a drought.

Grandpa Long said, “People (probably meaning farmers) make more money in a wet year than in a dry one.”

– Davis and Erica are starting our newest grandchild, Reese, off as a newspaper baby. First, Reese was born on Wednesday morning which didn’t interfere at all with getting the newspaper out.

Erica went back to work so Davis brought two-month-old Reese to work with him Monday. She’s not waiting on the front counter yet like her Aunt Adrian did at a very early age, but give her a little time.

– When I opened my email last Thursday, I thought (or hoped) there must be some mistake when there was an obituary for Tom Jones. I called the funeral home to ask if his wife was Lana Sue. It was.

I had heard that Tom had some heart problems but I did not know the full extent.

Our parents took us to Glade Springs Missionary Baptist Church so I have no idea when we first met. Tom went to school in Sheldon, so I really had no idea about his age. I was surprised that he was just two years older than me. He was always several years taller than me.

When we went to his funeral Friday, it was like a Glade Springs reunion.

I finally recognized his older sister, Nora Mae, after I called her Anna Jo who always had lighter colored hair. For some reason Nora Mae’s hair got lighter colored.

I told Tom’s cousins, Eldon and Dwain Steward, that it looked like they used the same barber. Dwain said I did, too.

– I heard on the news that they finally have a royal baby, the first American born into the royal family, seventh in line to the throne. They forgot to say he’s not as cute as ours, I told Mary when I relayed the news to her after lunch.

– I heard on the radio on the way home Saturday evening that they had disqualified the Kentucky Derby winner and awarded it to another horse. Kimball hadn’t watched the race live so we sat down to watch the recording. I just told her there was a surprise and nothing else. After it was over, she told me that she had heard it on the TV news and didn’t want to spoil it for me either.

I heard Monday that the actual winner has appealed. Well, the Mueller team is unemployed.

– Sunday afternoon, Kimball drove over to Nevada to baby sit Reese while Davis took our grandson, Ben, to see The Avengers.  Ben cancelled because in the last one five of his favorite characters got killed. I understand. I quit watching Suits because my two favorite characters left the show. I quit watching The Good Wife because she was anything but good.

So far, all three Chicago shows are staying interesting along with all the NCIS ones. And the head cop on Hawaii 50 says, “Book ‘im, Danno,” just often enough to revive my early TV memories. Nothing quite like Red Skelton’s Gertrude and Hecliff and Freddy the Free Loader, though.

Usually, the kiss of death for  TV show is if I like it. KL