Christmas Day update

In case anyone wondered how the snow affected us out here, my husband went to work around 7:45 a.m yesterday and I just called him, at 7 a.m., and he is still blading US 84 in Scurry County. Those TxDOT boys (and girls) are working hard!

My son and daughter-in-law were having a rough time getting back from Snyder last night. A bunch of people were stuck on the Camp Springs road and they couldn't get past, had to backtrack to the community center and get up on 180. I was worried, since I was babysitting, and it's been a long time since I've had a baby in the house all night (18 years!). Ah, I could've probably done it. I can say that because I didn't have to.

Have a good holiday with your families and friends! Stay warm or stay cool, wherever you may be.

A new bird

I've added Hobbs Holler to Twitter, as you can see if you look over to the right. I'm not sure how it will go, but it seems you have to try these things out to see if they suit you. They're all kind of the same, words on a background, but I guess arrangement counts for something.

The photo today is from the Grady Cemetery. I took it a long time ago, but I don't have a recent photo since my camera broke. I'm expecting one in the mail next week, I'm looking forward to it.

Yesterday I was going to take my kids to see the Cottonwood Cemetery over at Rough Creek. We consider that the western entrance, and Grady the eastern entrance. I swear, I've been going down in there since before I could walk, but I never end up on the same road or at the same destination twice. We never found the cemetery, but ended up at the lookout over the valley, and they thought that was cool, so it worked out. At least you're guaranteed to find something entertaining in the Rough, no matter where you end up.

No definite word about the house fire next door. There's lots of speculation and rumors going around, but I would be interested in seeing a final report from the fire marshal. Oh, yes, they've all been out here, Texas Rangers, too. I'll let you know if I hear definite word or if it comes out in the newspaper.

I was sad to see that Anson Martin's daughter, Linda Thurman, died after a long sickness with cancer. The photo in the paper is beautiful and a tender memorial is printed along with it.

I read an interesting article about Jessie Etheredge in the Snyder Daily News, today's issue, Oct. 25. She was married to W.D. Etheredge and talks about moving to Hobbs in 1933 to teach. Information on how to get a copy can be found at the SDN site.

I found another interesting site, Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, gleaned from Old Photos & Genealogy, a site that I follow here on Blogger. The author writes about more than just genealogy, so give it a go. My mind just can't come to terms with the spelling of that word. You should hear how I try to pronounce it in my mind. It's better if I don't look at it when I'm saying it.

I'm going to go gear up for the big battle. Which one? Steelers vs. Vikings, as though there were another as important. Go Vikes, hope we win!

Reunion reminder

Remember the Hobbs class of '59 reunion will be this Saturday, 10 a.m., at Buck's Steakhouse in Sweetwater.

Hobbs house fire on KTAB

KTAB News reported the house fire at the old Templeton place on local news tonight. Here is one of my videos from the fire. We were also having storms come through, so you will see lightning in the background.




Below is another from earlier in the day when the house was engulfed in flames. You can hear some pops, which is ammunition exploding. There were times when it sounded like fireworks. The guys said it was 22 rifle and 30-30 rounds, and shotgun shells.





The house has now burned to the ground, with just a few flames licking up.

Hobbs house fire on KTAB

KTAB News reported the house fire at the old Templeton place on local news tonight. Here is one of my videos from the fire. We were also having storms come through, so you will see lightning in the background.




Below is another from earlier in the day when the house was engulfed in flames. You can hear some pops, which is ammunition exploding. There were times when it sounded like fireworks. The guys said it was 22 rifle and 30-30 rounds, and shotgun shells.





The house has now burned to the ground, with just a few flames licking up.

Templeton house burns

The former residence of Les and Daisy Templeton is burning as we speak. It looks to be a total loss. Update to come.

Symbols and a Hobbs Reunion

I was cleaning out the kitchen window this morning, thinking about how cluttered it looks with so much junk sitting up there above the sink. I've just always enjoyed having a bunch of stuff there to look at while I wash the dishes. If I analyze the pieces, each one has specific meaning to me. The duck belonged to my aunt, the rocks are from a friend who lives near the beach in northern California, the picture of the patron saint of animals is from my best friend, the jar was found in the back pasture, the feathers come from a trip to North Dakota, the colored glass bits come from a game of Pente that I used to play, the rooster belonged to a friend that died the year my son was born, and all the snuff jars remind me of my grandma, who was a dedicated Sweet Garrett woman.

I'm overwhelmed to think that every living being has their own set of symbols, reminders, markers. Things that make no sense to anyone except the owner. I don't know what it means, but it seems existential. I'm probably being crazy; lately, life events have me thinking about the importance of what we do, what it all means, and how we should live for the moment. Isn't that all we really have? You can't make special, it just happens. I know, the last sentence doesn't fit into this self-psychoanalysis diatribe. I just thought of it last week and I've been dying to use it.

Onto the reunion. A Doc Hardin hosted reunion of the Hobbs High School Class 0f 1959 will be held October 17 at Buck's steak house in Sweetwater, 10 a.m. If you have any questions, just email me and I'll try to find the answer.

I was looking around on YouTube and found a video made at the Quail Research Ranch, formerly know as the W.T. Martin land at the yellow light intersection of US 180 & FM 611 here in Fisher County. Agricultural wildlife specialist Dr. Dale Rollins stars in the show, along with some canine friends. The ranch will be having a Field Day Sept. 25. For more information on that, you can contact Rollins: 325-653-4576, d-rollins@tamu.edu.

We were watching Ted Nugent's Spirit of the Wild on the hunting channel last night, we just had to see what a "swamp donkey" was. Nugent has an over-the-top personality, and he puts that to good use as a philanthropist, with programs like Freedom Angels and Hunters for the Hungry . He also is active in the Make-a-Wish Foundation, allowing children with life-threatening illnesses to spend time on his ranch, SpiritWild, in Waco.

We're in the rain and enjoying these temps, not even out of the 70's. We heard some ducks out on the tank yesterday, so maybe fall really is coming, if the fowl are going south. I guess we all KNOW that it's coming, but you know me, always looking for signs, always collecting symbols.

The Norway Duncans

Former Roscoe citizen Joe Duncan, who is now living in Norway, recently celebrated the wedding of his daughter, Heidi. As for the reason the couple is standing on the table, there is a tradition that when the assembled guests at the wedding party tap their glasses with their forks or knives and stomp their feet, the parents of both the bride and groom must stand and kiss. When the guests demand it, the bride and groom must do the same.

Joe actually sent me a photo of the couple dancing in the church in which they were wed, a grand structure built in the 12th century, but when I went to look at the photo on Joe's facebook page, I saw this one and just had to share it with all of you. It looks like it was a fairytale wedding.

Speaking of face-dilly, Hobbs Holler is now on there, so come join as a friend. Lordy, I hope I don't have to add a myspace and twitter, too, or I'll have to quit my job just to keep up with it all! Hey, that sounds like a lot of fun.

I saw in Reader's Digest that comedian Jim Gaffigan is on twitter. He is hilarious and clean, as is Jeanne Robertson, who you might be familiar with as the woman who sent her husband to the store to buy ingredients for 7-Up cake. Videos of both can be found on YouTube.

For about a week the county was talking about the murder of Jimmy Mauldin by Greg Redden. That incident happened in Roby mid-August. This week, the concern is for safety in Rotan. People in Rotan want a constable of some sort, the city doesn't have money for it, citizens feel like their tax dollars warrant for the sheriff's dept. to take care of it, and it seems the sheriff's hands are tied because of the commissioners court. That's just my take on it all, after reading a few weeks worth of meeting minutes and letters that ran in the newspaper.

Although temperatures are still hot, we know fall is in and summer will soon be fading. We (Mr. Husband) killed a 10-button rattlesnake in the yard last week, the Fisher County Fair & Rodeo and Hogfest Bike Rally is behind us, and many hometown homecomings will be celebrated in the next few weeks. Sweetwater & Roscoe homecomings will be Sept. 11, Roby Sept. 26, and Rotan Oct. 16. The West Texas Fair & Rodeo in Abilene will also be the weekend of Sept. 11.

Yays: My house at Hobbs, my husband and kids.
Nays: Can't think of any this morning, maybe just wasps, but they have a place in the world, too.

Hope you all have a good week, we've got chances of rain for several days to come. Thanks for stopping in!

Irene Etheredge funeral set for Friday

Irene Etheredge died this morning at the Fisher County Hospital. Visitation will be Thursday night 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home. The funeral will be Friday, 10 a.m at the First United Methodist Church in Rotan. Mrs. Etheredge was well-known as a teacher at the Hobbs School for many years.

Mayor of Camp Springs dies at age 71

Neighbor Glen Ray Williamson died yesterday at his home. Visitation is tonight 6-7:30 p.m. at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral home in Rotan. The funeral will be tomorrow at Cross Roads Baptist Church at 11:30 a.m. Please keep the family and friends in your thoughts.