What a wonderful summer we have experienced. For teachers and students our vacation is over, but we have had marvelous weather. Now that the real Texas summer is showing itself, we are headed back into our airconditioned classrooms. We may get a 100-degree day before the end of the month, but that is a miracle in and of itself. I for one am truly thankful for this beautiful summer. We could do with some good heavy rains.
What has surprised me this summer is the number of grasshoppers in the area. We used NoLo Bait last summer and expected a lighter crop of these pests. After the hard freeze that took the power down for days, I was positive it would be a light grasshopper year. I was totally wrong. Everywhere I walk, I am bombarded by flying bodies. They are eating my plants, especially my new roses, and I have bodies littering my front porch. Yes, I put killing stuff down on my porch. I must time my NoLo buying better. Once again, they were out of stock by the time I ordered - not that I am positive the bait did any good.
Since we only have one person occupying the front office, instead of two ladies. Mrs. Wyatt has moved over to the school office, and our new school secretary, Kim, will occupy Mrs. Wyatt’s old office. This will give Mrs. Wyatt much more room and spacious area for parent meetings. Mr. Womack and his son, Connor, have been hard at work painting and replacing old carpet in both rooms. I can’t wait to see what Mrs. Wyatt does with her new space. She has great taste and will make this new place inviting and beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Womack and Connor, for all your hard work.
I noticed that we have put down more gravel on the back driveway. Hopefully, that will stop the giant puddles that stay long after the rains have stopped. The fan restrooms have been repaired and updated by Mr. Lasley this summer. That will make it easier for visiting fans to use and keep people out of the main building. Changes are in the air. If you haven’t had time to visit with Mr. Womack, drop by. He may be a little busy, but he loves to meet parents and students. Of course, he’s going to meet the students next week. We are going to have a great year.
We are going to miss Mrs. Hall, Mr. Fowler and both Linda Morris and Delores Mask. That is a tremendous store of knowledge to lose in one fell swoop. I wish all our new employees the best of luck. Mrs. Womack will be teaching the third-grade class. All other teachers have moved down. Mrs. Ashworth will teach second grade, Mrs. Burkhart will teach first grade, and Mrs. Perry will continue with the kinder class. Mrs. Brown and I are staying put since we teach multiple levels. I’ll let you know about high school next week.
Please remember there will be no need to buy school supplies this year. Mr. Womack and the school board have approved the purchase of materials for all students. They have also approved free breakfasts and lunches for all students and staff. That’s a little mini raise for teachers like me because I am too lazy to make lunch. I almost always eat in the cafeteria. There are times when I don’t like the lunch being served, but that’s usually the favorite meals for the kids. Mrs. Sutherland does a great job of trying to meet everyone’s needs. It’s a tough job.
There will be a memorial service for Mary Kate Adams July 31st.
Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m.; the service will be at 2:00 p.m. A family dinner will be served in the First Christian Church. Salads, casseroles, and desserts will be provided by friends in the First Baptist Church and other community members. All dishes need to be delivered by 11:00 a.m. Mary Kate was a light to this community. Her physical presence will be missed, but her spiritual influence will live for generations. We were blessed to enjoy her musical and spiritual talents.
I wish there was a cure for cancer. I hate what it does to the sick and to the families that walk that journey with them. We have several in the community who are walking this path. Please pray for Tiny Shannon and his family. Gerald McKee will be back in Houston this week to undergo more tests to see how his cancer is doing. We pray for good positive results. This has been a long journey for him and Kay and the family. Vera Ralston is experiencing extreme pain and is hoping for some relief from the doctors this week. George and Donna Hill need prayer as they work through their health issues. Little Camden Soto spent his first birthday in the ER room. He was running a fever and having breathing issues. Grandma Esmeralda reports he is doing better.
Prayers are needed for Barbara Rogers. She fell and broke her back. If you see Chloe Elkins, wish her happy birthday.
Please pray for our local, state, and federal government. We need some civil discourse, peace, and progress to be made for the good of all citizens. Pray for our Olympic athletes as they participate in a country that is undergoing an uptick in Covid cases. Please keep them safe as they compete. Our police officers and all other police officers need our prayers. This killing must stop. Pray for our troops around the world. My heart cries for them and their families. Keep them covered, Lord. Have a great week, everyone. Don’t forget the school prayer meeting Sunday, August 1st.