Who wants to talk about the weather? We have had promises of rain and promises, but no results. Now the weather report (Monday 7), they say 70% chance. Do hope they know what they are talking about, but will know by the time you read this if it is true. We have been receiving a sprinkle or so, even some sleet, but not enough to measure, just enough to settle the dust for a short time.

Patsy Henniger reported about their celebration of Christmas with the family. She and R.J. spent Christmas with their son Mickey and Jill Henniger, and their children, Jennifer and Eric Dworsky from San Jose, California, Sarah and Dustin Hite and son Aiden from Boulder, Colorado, Jeremy and Kayla Henniger from Austin and Jacob Henniger. Also Pete Henniger and his four children Madison, Nick, Anthony and Joshua and Kayla’s parents from Lawrence, Kansas. She reported they had lots of good food and conversation. Patsy reported that their daughter Jill Harrington gave birth to a son December 28 who weighted in at 6 pounds and 15 ounces and was 20 inches long and as of January was without a name. They are having a hard time picking a name for baby number 12. Mother and baby are doing well.

The home of Tommie and Jane Tinney had the pleasure of having Jane’s brother Don Liles and Liz Liles from December 27 to the 30 at their home. While here they went up to the lake to check on Don’s lake cabin and on the way back they stopped in Llano and picked up some Cooper’s Bar-B-Q to bring home. They enjoyed lots of games of spades, conversation and of course food.

Bonnie Millican reported that they had their required black-eyed peas for dinner on New Year’s and hope that will bring them good fortune for the year. They had a visit from an old friend (a former tenant at the cottage) Pat Fitzgerald dropped by for a visit on New Year’s Day. She was from Utah to visit her son who lives in Lampasas. She is well into her seventies, travels alone in a customized van and likes to stay at parks. She knows every park and lake between here and Utah and some places in between. She is a wonderful photographer and a very adventurous spirit. Last summer and fall she had both hips replaced and hasn’t missed a beat. She left the Millican’s with every intention of going to get some good seafood along the Gulf Coast, either in Louisiana or Florida. She is a most interesting person.

Saturday, January 5 a big birthday celebration was held at the Leaning Bluff Lodge for Charlene Brister. There were about 200 people including family members attended the affair. People came from Rosenberg, Dripping Springs, Dublin, Palacios, Taylor, San Antonio, Cherokee, San Saba, Llano, Valley Springs, Lometa, Kempner, Lampasas and of course Bend. Charlene decided turning 75 wasn’t bad after all.

Lesa Preece is now back at work after her surgery. She reported that Cathie Lackey of San Saba is her house guest for a while. Her son Clay had a birthday December 28, and celebrated his birthday by going to see his fiancé in Maypearl. On New Year’s eve Lesa had some friends out and she was the party pooper and went to sleep at 11:00 and everyone else made it till midnight. She reported that all her puppies went to good homes Christmas and the house is quiet without them.

She had a strange rooster show up at her house and it apparently came from R.J. Henniger, who reported that he had no idea where it came from. It was one he had no use for, but denied having any knowledge of. He apparently thought that Lesa would not notice one more chicken. She is lucky that is all he had no use of!

Raymond, Lewvon, Bobby, Debbie and Laura Beth Hicks departed the Bend at 4 am on Christmas Eve to celebrate Christmas with Belinda Hicks Wiers-chem in Mt. Pleasant, SC. They departed the Killeen Airport at 6 a.m. and arrived in Charleston, SC at 10:30 a.m. in time for a scrumptious dinner prepared by Ken Ayoub. Belinda had a schedule set forth that included family portraits made at the Historic Pitt Street Bridge, between Mt. Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island that operated in the 1930s and is now a fishing pier. The pictures are available on Face Book. Our next stop was supper at the Charleston Bistro Restaurant; where the locals eat. Our last event was a Midnight Christmas Eve Service at St Matthews Lutheran Church. When the bells tolled at midnight, everyone kneeled and sang Silent Night in German. They made it back to Belinda’s house at 2:30 a.m. and called it a day. On Christmas Day, they exchanged gifts and received gifts that Santa had left. They then attended a Christmas Day dinner with a group of special friends from Charleston. They took Bobby and Debbie to the airport at 7 pm for their return to the Bend. Belinda kept them busy with parties, shopping and sight seeing until New Years Eve. It was a little hectic, but they were very happy with it all. Traveling on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve Holidays is great. They had lots of room on the planes, and the airports were almost empty.

It was reported that LaNell Daniels is out of the hospital and in rehab in Temple. Which indicates she should be coming home before too long.

The Bend Community meeting will take place January 19, at 6:00 p.m. Chili or stew will be the meal. Everyone is invited to attend and asked to bring a dish or dessert. New election of officers will take place. You are urged to attend.

A happy birthday wish goes out to Jaylee Messer, Curtis Lemons and Phillip Dowdy who will celebrate a birthday January 11, to Kristen Preece whose birthday is January 13, Emma Johnson who will celebrate her birthday January 14, to Haley Price who will celebrate her birthday January 15, and to Devin Lucas and to Deidra Nixon who will be celebrating a birthday January 16.