I’ve looked everywhere and no one can tell me what happened to the rest of 2008. I can’t figure out how we are knocking on Thanksgiving’s door and preparing for Christmas! Football season flew by, now it’s time for the playoffs. I don’t remember attending all those games? Where in the world is time going? Did someone leave October and November off the calendar? I’m just plain lost!

Speaking of lost; did you know that Naomi Smith stopped me to say I had managed to lose her son! Months I can handle, but someone's son; that is totally different! On the flip side of that was the fact I gave Melanie Smith another son instead of a nephew.

Melanie has a son in Russia, I believe. She does claim Nelson as a nephew and for all of you who scratched your heads in confusion. Naomi has not disowned her son; she loves him very much and intends to keep him. I’m told he is an excellent son who takes wonderful care of his mother!

This has been one of those weeks! We had days of homecoming fun; complete with crazy costumes and high spirits. We had a lively pep rally in downtown Richland Springs on Friday. That function just made me happy. It was so good to see all that young life in Richland!

Our Queens and Princesses have all been crowned and lauded. Wayne and Gladys Powell were crowned Coming Home King and Queen. They are a truly wonderful couple, and great successors to last year’s couple, Junior and Bonnie Evans. If you missed the band performance, you missed a treat. Under Mr. Bishop’s guidance, this group of young people has taken giant strides towards being a band once again. My heart leapt with joy as I listened to their music. What a delight!

Saturday was the Autumn Fair and booster club Bingo Night/Chili Dinner. I’m still recovering from the pie toss. Can you believe people pay to throw pies in a teacher’s face? I only had to wash my hair once to get the gunk removed!

To add insult to injury, Storm Teel paid to put me in jail. That’s not too bad, except it was his class I was helping to raise money! Talk about double cross! I suspect they will remove the manure from the trailer next time, so I won’t have to do it for them! I think manure comes out easier than flour and whipped cream?

I did see Mr. Fowler sacrificing himself on the dunking booth. Isn’t it wonderful, what we teachers will do for our students? I saw Mr. Hogue liberally covered in whipped cream. I guess he didn’t duck fast enough!

Sunday we held a wonderfully sweet wedding for Alan Taylor and Donna Stengel. They had a beautiful autumn wedding, complete with deliciously rich colors.

Kay McKee made a fantastic cake. The tables were covered in deep burgundy cloths, the centerpieces were individually quilted placemats courtesy of the ladies quilting club. Each placemat had a bowl of autumn flowers. The entire scene was a joyous fanfare of fall colors. The couple departed immediately after the dinner for their honeymoon. They seemed to be having some difficulty locating their car thanks to a few enthusiastic nephews! All in all it was a glorious day!

The second six weeks is about over. Failing grades on this report will mean the end of any UIL competition. I can truthfully say the thing I hate the most is a failing grade due to not turning in assignments.

My deepest wish is for our students to be successful, but none of us can give grades for missing or incomplete work. Parents, please check with your student to make sure they are getting their work done, and turned in to the teachers. School work habits often translate to work habits. Employers don’t give failing grades, they give pink slips!

The elections are over and hopefully our economy will settle down. Gas prices are lower and I think that makes everyone feel better. I realize it will go up again, but for now, paying less than two dollars makes me feel really good! Alan Brown won the Sheriff’s position. The folks in Richland Springs are looking forward to working with him. We know he has taken a strong anti-drug position and I’m sure we have a few folks in town, who hope he won’t be around too often!

We are desperately in need of rain. It’s time to gather and pray for our county. I know there are many changes ahead for our country as well but God is still in control. No matter what happens, this is a magnificent country with a long proud heritage. We will survive. This nation will persevere and regain its strength. Our citizens will regain the work ethic that made this a winning country. We cannot be a welfare state, nor a nation of parasites that are content to be hand fed. We will be strong. We will be that ethical giant that leads the world!

I hope you have a blessed week. Please pray for our precious troops, our country, our Presidents new and old. We will have another smooth transition of power, just as we have done for hundreds of years. What a marvelous system!