I zipped over to San Antonio this weekend to see my granddaughter’s gymnastics pageant. I think I’m suffering from sympathy pains! I don’t know how in the world you can do such awful things to your body and come out smiling! I feel as if I’ve aged 20 years! I thought I was pretty spry for an aging school teacher but I have disabused myself of that notion! I needed some of that energy to complete my Christmas shopping. I’m in reasonable shape, just a few things to pick up. I can finally put up the rest of my decorations on the gate. It has been very hectic at school!

This is finals week, so I expect things will not improve. My students did well in UIL. I hope they will continue, and do even better next year! I wish we could take it easy this week, but we have to complete this short 6 weeks. It would be nice if we won overall but we do not have enough students competing. Mind you, it’s rather nice to know that everyone has a chance to compete if they want. The main criterion is to keep your grades up, and be willing to work hard to achieve the goal. Sounds like a recipe for success to me.

The memorial ceremony was held for Sharon Ann White, Irene Faith’s Mom on Saturday. Our condolences go out to the Faith family for their loss.

Dell Jolly is continuing her visits to the doctor to determine the source of her health issues. Her son Richard spent Thanksgiving with her. Dell tells me she has a new daughter-in-law. Richard left for Iraq this past Thursday. Our prayers go out to him and Dell. We have several in our community who have family in Iraq this Christmas. Please say a prayer for them and their families. It is extremely stressful to have family far away during this time of blessing.

My son-in-law Mark and grandson Jacob were down for a few days. They would like to go pig hunting in January. They toured some of Floyd Gossett’s property. He has some huge wallows in his field due to hogs. We are blessed, we don’t have any crops, just cows and the pigs don’t have anything to eat here, so they stay away. I hear many tales of hogs, and the damage they inflict to fields, crops and vehicles.

Donna & George Hill had family in for the weekend. They were coming to check on George. As Pastor Barry said this morning, “George was a very sick boy!” We’re glad he’s up and about even if he is not quite100%.

I challenged Donald Skelton to a race up the stairs this morning. He is a testimony to knee surgery. He is getting around very well.

Gerald McKee went to the doctor for a little mole, and they decided to take a chunk instead. He’s doing fine, but would prefer not to have had his latest procedure! We all know down here in sun country, that we can’t let those spots go for too long. Skin cancers are something you can’t mess with, especially around your face and head!

I suspect I have Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Alston to thank for getting the tall weeds cut near the railroad tracks. It is still a tricky corner, but you can see what’s coming a little better. Nancy Slaughter and I nearly kissed bumpers, when I came zipping off the highway, and made that sharp turn! Most of the time you have plenty of time to take it slow, but occasionally you have traffic behind you. I haven’t been to a town council meeting in a while; I guess it is about time I attended.

Friday is an early out for the school kids. I’m not sure how other teachers are doing, but I’ve run out of time to get stuff done. Our 5th Grade pine trees are growing and the kids are doing well with the watering. Some day we will have great big trees outside the classrooms. We’ll decorate them for Christmas, and everyone can enjoy our lights! Mind you, that happens as long as they decide it’s okay to have Christmas. Every year the attacks on this Christian holiday get more and more deliberate. Some day we may be celebrating some other religious holiday, instead of our own. We’re going to keep up the good fight as long as we can!

I haven’t reminded anyone in awhile, but we are still collecting Box Tops for Education. Valerie Gossett relies on these little slips of paper to buy books for the library. Our 4th and 5th Graders are burning up the books each month meeting their reading goals. We have to have new books just to keep up with them! Mrs. Hall is requiring more reading from the upper level students, so we will need more books at that level also!

Parents, please make sure your students, no matter what age, are reading every night. Reading fluency transfers to all subjects. Good readers do better in all subjects.

The ladies quilting club has taken a short leave during the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Studies and sewing will resume the second week of January. We are still working in the book, 15 Minutes of Prayer. We sincerely hope you will join us in the New Year. If you’re concerned that you don’t sew well, don’t fret. I will be there to make you feel better. I suspect everyone is better than I am! I love the fellowship, and the sense of community that comes with our meetings. Kay’s sweet spirit sets the tone for our Wednesday gatherings.

Thank you everyone for the kind comments that you give me about this column. This has been a chatty one, and those are always good. Remember you can leave a message on my phone, or send an email to rsreport@centex.net. If you call, be sure and spell the names you need me to print. I am always guessing at the spelling and getting them wrong!

This is a wonderful season and a precious time for family.

Please send out a special prayer for those who have soldiers overseas. We also have several families in San Saba County that have lost loved ones recently. Time will ease their grief, but for now, perhaps a special hug or prayer will help. We need the Lord to bless our land with rain. The need for moisture has become fairly urgent for farmers and ranchers in the area. Pray for our government as they make serious decisions about our economy.

Finally, strange as this may sound to you, thank the editor and staff of the San Saba News. They work diligently to produce this paper and we are very glad they do so. Have a Merry Christmas.