So good to see a host of friends

Gravelly News by Glenna Goodson


Two Aggie friends happened to meet each other on the street one day. One guy had a sack of chickens. His friend asks,"If I guess how many chickens in that sack will you give me one?" The Aggie friend said,"if you guess how many chickens I have, I'll give you BOTH of them!"

I want to apologize, big time, for called Miss Jessie BUFORD, Jessie Lofland. Maybe I was thinking of
Miss Gussie Lofland, who was also one of my favorite teachers. But Miss Jessie was a Buford.Seems as if I would rememvber the name of my very favorite teacher, doesn;'t it. Loucinda says"What were you thinking?" That's O.K.--someday she will be 74 and get mixed up and forget names!!I can hardly wait for that day!

On Oct. 18th, Fred, Russell and I drove from OKC to Guthrie to see Robyn graduate from the Eagle Ridge Institute. Robyn had been in thge treatment center for 15 months. All the women that are housed there because of a drug dependancy, have their children with them, as Robyn did. wo ladies from Robyn's church were at the graduation. The church gave Robyn $100 and one of the ladies gave Robyn a mini-van! It has a lot of miles on it but we all were so grateful!Robyn already had an apartment waiting for her to move in, there in Guthrie. Fred and Russ took her a truck load of furniture and other things she needed, the day of her graduation andthen the next day, Russell took her another truck load ofthings she needed. Many people have been so kind and have given her things, two people gave her beds,one gave her a small television, and others gave her dishes and silverware. God is so good!!! Robyn and the kids came to OKC to see us Sunday afternoon. Robyn is gong to college at the Francis-Tuttle Vo-Tec school in OKC. A shuttle comes by her apartment and picks her up and brings her to the school every day.

Last Sunday I attended my former church in OKC. It was so good to see a host of friends. Monday afternoon I went to my friend's, Debbie and Mel Mayo's. I spentthe night--The next day I went with Debbie to Yukon and watched her bowl on her bowling league. After theteam bowled, we all went to eat lunch. Then Deb and I did some shopping. I called asnother friend, when I left deb's, and she met me at a restaurant and we visited a couple of hours. Diane was in my Sunday School class at Mayridge and it is always so wonderful to see her. I taught a Sunday School lass at Mayridge for 30 years and still love those women with a special love.

A couple of special friends from Ola gave me a DVD player. Russell was hooking it up for me and discovered it could not be hooked up to my television. He went to a big Wal-mart in OKC and got an adapter and hooked it up when we got back to Gravelly.I guess my TV is really out of date!

My sleep stufy at St. Mary's in Russellville was certainly interesting. The lady that did my "hooking upo" and was in charge of me filling out, it seemed a thousand papers, was really a wonderful person. I was "hooked up" and put to bed at 8:30 p.m. but at 12:30 I was not asleep. The sweet lady came in and turned up the heat and when I got warm, I went to sleep. Of coursethe technician is not allowed to tell me the results ofthe study so I am anxious for Dr. Sandberg to share with me the results.

When my son and I got back to Gravelly, the 26th, I suppose I hoped for a miracle and Gravelly Store would not really be closed, but it is.I just really hope that when Gale and Bill get it fixed up and put it up for sale, that it sells quickly. Let me tell you some ofthe things my cousin Billy, remembers about the store in the early '50's, when Mr. Jabo Clements was the owner. Billy writes: "Bob and I had a Saturday morning job. We loaded Uncle's truck for the Monday run--we would go to the store, get the truck back in the loading dock and check Uncle's want list andthe list from ther previous week that people had requested--so we loaded it with all kinds of groceries and feed sacks stacked to the back door. then we would deliver to Mr. Jabo's parking shed."

Billy also made me remember that he and Bob Roy swept and cleaned the floors of Daddy's barber shop, cleaned the sink and tools used, filled the hot water tank, lit it up so it would be hot for my Dad to go to work, shaving and cutting hair all day on Saturdays. Then Billy said he swept out the show house, all the chicken-roost seats, and when it was winter time, got the coal in to build a fire about one hour before show time--Billy says,"All this for a ticket to the show--cheap kid labor, huh?"

At the Wing Community Church Sunday, 3 of Hazel Russell's daughters that are visiting from out of state, were at church and my son, Russell, so we had 9 attending. Hazel has had cataract surgery on both eyes but she is dojng well.Then it was so good to be back in my Rover Baptist Church where I was pleased to play the piano because Janette and Bill Milligan were singn with the Rover's that day, and I subbed for Janette at the piano.Three people came for membership,having already made professions of faith, and will be baptized next Sunday. The Lord is blessing us "real Good" as Billy Graham says.Sunday night was our 5th Sunday singing. Our outh presented a very good skit. We really appreciate Kathy Shipley working with our youth. We had several good specials and the Rovers for Jesus closed our program by singing some of our favorites. I told William Price that it gives me goose bumps when I hear him sing. He has one ofthe most beautiful bass voices I have ever heard.

Remember a TRUE friend sticks closer then a brother.

Dad was a peddler for Mr. Jabo Clements

Gravelly news by Glenna Goodson



A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband. Suddenly her husband broke into the kitchen. "Careful," he said "CAREFUL"! Put in some more butter!! Oh my Lord you're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY!!Turn them,!TURN THEM NOW!! We need more butter--Oh my Lord, where are we gong to get more butter? They're gong to stick!! Careful--CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You never listen to me when you're cooking!! Never! Turn them!Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you lost your mind?Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt!!THE SALT!!THE SALT!! The wife started at him. What in the world is wrong with you?You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?" The husband calmly replied, "I wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving!!

I am so sad! The Gravelly store is closing. A landmark for Gravelly. The store has been here over 60 years--probably in that 60 years itwas not closed over a couple of days. In the '40's my Dad was a peddler for Mr. Jabo Clements, who ownedthe store back then. Some of us would get off the school bus there. I remember Lily Jean Clements, probably a senior at that time,. would go into the store and get herself peanut butter and crackers to eat. I would be thinking how I sure would like some of that peanut butter. Gee, the store did a booming business then. They had the peddling truck that went throughout Yell and Montgoimery County. Mr. Cody Hunnicutt mostly ran the store cause Mr. Jabo was very busy with his paper work and the peddling truck. And I cannot forget Junior Lewis, who later became Lily Jean's husband.There was plenty of work for Junior in the store too. Gee, things were different then. Not very many people had automobiles, so there was no going to Danville or Russellville to get groceries. At the Gravelly store was where my mother bought flour in the pretty sacks that she would use to make me dresses for school and church. Now people do not support the store, instead they go to Wal Mart and other places. It is a sad time for our community. No more running to the store to get bread and eggs and bacon for breakfast. Gale Damon tells me that this weekend they will probably close the store, do some repairs andthen try to sell it.

Loucinda Buford is involved in a family reunion that is meeting at Petit Jean.The Woolbright family will meet the 11th, 12th and 13th on the mountain. Loucinda, Scott, Michael and Sammy Turner will be there for the reunion. I know they will have a great time.

I was just devastated to hear that one of the exchange students, from Brazil, was killed in a car accident last week. He was a student at Dardanelle high school. Can you imagine the feelings of those parents that have to find out their son is dead by a long distance phoine call? The body was sent home Tuesday of last week. I pray for this family.

Cindy Moua, of the Nola store tells me her little 5 year old comes in from Waldron school, on the school bus so very tired. She has to leave home at 6:30 on the school bus. The bus ride home, which amounts to at least an hour, is so tiring for a child. She says her children are so tired, they do not feel like doing homework or playing--they just want to rest. I look at those children and think of how some crazy people in authority would love to close our small schools and our children ride the school bus for at least two hours to school. You can talk about a different curriculum all you want, I can tell you, even if the kids have more subjects, if they are tired and worn our physically, they can't learn. I will never forget when integration began in OKC when I was teaching there. That's when, for the first time, bussing began in OKC. Our white children, the 5th graders, were bussed to the N.E. part of town. The little blackchldren were bussed to our schools in the S.W.Those small black chldren had to catch a school bus whle it was still dark. They arrived at our schools, sleepy and worn out. I KNOW it doesn't work for the chidren. In OKC it was seen, after a few years, that it did not work and bussing mostly stopped.We might not have had the top quality curriculum in the 40's when I attended FV school, but if you would make a study of the graduates of FV school in the 40's and 50's,you would be surprised at the ones that graduated college, went on to get Master's and Doctor;'s degrees/.We have scientists, medical doctors, teachers and just all around good citizens--and we did this without a lot of required subjects.It is so much the teacher!! Having an English teacher like Miss Jessie Lofland prepared you for college or just to speak correctly.Because of Miss Jessie, I still cringe when I hear people not speak correctly or see their writing loaded with mistakes in grammar!! So a small school seemed to have graduated kids that did well without a lot of the requirements we see nowadays.

I will really miss teaching my Bible class at Wing, while I am n OKC. I will also really miss my Rover Baptist Church. I wanted to take part in a women's retreat in Little Rock but I had to miss that too. But it will be so wonderful to see my granddaughter graduate and to see my great-grandchildren.

Remember Life is a song, and God's love is the music.

That is the ugliest dog I have ever seen!

Gravelly news by Glenna Godson

There were 4 country churches in a small Texas town: The Presbyterian church, the Baptist church, the Methodist Church and the Catholic Church. Each church were overrun with pesky squirrels. One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do about the spuirrels. After much prayer, they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they should not interfere with God'sdivine will In the Baptist Church, the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistry. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistry and drown the squirrels. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many there the next week.The Catholic Church got together anddecided they were not in a position to harm any of God's creation, so they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back. But---- the Methodist Church came iup with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members ofthe church. Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter!!

I attended a Mary Kay make-up party last week in Gravelly. The demonstrator, on her way to conduct the party, got a speeding ticket in Plainview.Yep!, that's the place you are likely to get one. My so called "friends" can hardly wait for me to get a speeding ticket cause they think thatr will slow me down. I may get a ticket but it will not be in Plainview cause I slow to a snail's pace when I enter the city limits of Plainview.I know a cop is around somewhere!! So you had better slow down in Plainview.

My neighbor, Cindy Clements has a new Toyota Corolla. Beautiful car!!Those Toyotas are thge best in gas millage ever. Cindy says they used only about 3 gallons of gasoline from Branson to Gravelly. My dream is to own a Toyota Lexus. I can tell you it will continue to be just a dream!!

My sister and I picked up my son at the Russellville bus station Monday evening. The bus, from OKC, was 2 hours late.When he last rode the bus from Russellville to OKC, the bus was 4 hours late getting into OKC. Russell is kinda off bus rides as of now!!

Katie Fickle will fly to Colorado Springs this Sunday night the 8th, to see her son and his family. Her son's First Calvary group, is being sent to Iraq, the 10th.Katie will also get
to see her handsome baby grandson.Pray forthe troops!!

A couple of weeks ago, the formef Ethel Faye Payne, brought the ashes of her deceased brother, Charles Ray Payne to bury them between the graves of her father and mother, Austin and Ella Payne. This Payne family were my neighbors for about 7 years when my parents lived in Scott County. Ethel Faye and I attended F.V. at the same time, but Chares Ray was only about 7 or 8 years old, when they moved to OK. I'm sorry I did not get to seeEthel Faye but a few in the community went to the cemetery to be with her.

My granddaughter Robyn, called me Saturday night. A lady in her church at Guthrie sponsored her to go to OKC to a Women of Faith meeting. It was conducted in the Ford Center and Robyn said several thousand attended from all over the U.S.The women that comnducted the seminar are women I have heard speak and have readtheir books. Max Lucado was also one ofthe speakers and he is my favorite Christian author. Robyn was so blessed by the meeting. Bless the lady that sponsored her. Members of Robyn's church in Guthrie are also helping her by purchasing some of the things she needs for her apartment.

Loucinda and I wentto Waldron Wednesday.We went to my cousin, Dortha Putman's. When Dortha answered her doorbell, she hadthis different dog in her arms. Loucindasays"That is the ugliest dog I have ever seen!"She is a little "strange" looking. Dortha has papers on the dog to take to Gary Garner. The dog is one ofthose hybrids that Gary and Sheila deal with.

How come if you mix flour and water together you get glue and when you add eggs and sugar, you get cake. Where does the glue go?The glue makes the cake stick to our hips!!

I received a wonderful e-mail from my cousin, Billy Euel that lives in Owasso, Ok.The letter made me cry because it describes so well how I feel about my school, F.V. and the Valley. Even ifyou did not attend FV nor live in the valley, surely you have memories that make you happy. You perhaps met your first love in high school. You made friends that stayed a part of your life. The friends I made in FV andthe Valley truly changed my life. So I would liketo share with you Billy's letter___ "At Melba's(Melba Boyd) party in July of 2000, at Waldron, there we were, classes of 49 thru 52 to honor Melba..Coach Loyd Reid George was there. The basketball team of "51 and '52 was there. As we were leaving, Coach says"see you atthe homecoming game at FV."Mary and Sue began thecontacts and we had homecomng in the OLD GYM., the one we had watched go up from the ground--could not wait to shoot a basket---..dribble a ball on something rather than Ar. dirt---andthe "old lady" was full of original kids wh loved her more then life itself---we lived and breathed to play the "game"-- she just was awakened by our physical presence and memories in each mind-----and shortly after, fire took down the "old lady" and down to a small pile of ash--all old weak, creaking lumber pieces--all old worn flooring where we all ran, jumped and tried to excel--now a ;pile of ash--and even more, all ofthe visible records of those of us and before melted as ash--not available for view anymore by those remaining andthe classes of 40's and 50's seemingly wanting someting to reunite us all to our great past--the old is gone and a new day dawned--for us all--what a great reunion was that first homecoming for us in the old--then the first reunion in the new school--packed with people from many far away places--returned to find great friends, classmates andmost of all the memories, so we moved frm the "old lady", now gone, to new school, to a new gym and I think all of us(our group) felt thesame with this gym completed as we may have when the original was completed---but the main thing is we have just experienced a great thing--twice in our lifetime--add this to the memories of growing up in F.V. and it just boggles the mind--that we had a second chance--who would have thought this for us--I am proud to be one ofthe very few of us who lived to see this happen--Thanks be to God this all happened for usto be a part of." Your cousin Billy Euel, a fortunate son"

This column is dedicated to two ofthe best friends I ever had--Melba Deane Lemons Boyd and Robert Gwen Buford.

THE BUNGALOW

The Bungalow is filled with hay. I can't believe this bungalow is now a barn because at one time it was home for myself, my parents and brother. As I look at the bungalow, I am not seeing a barn but I am seeing a home where happiness abounded. I hear laughter,and see my parents as we sat around the coal oil lamps at night time, talking and laughing at my Dad's jokes.My brother and I had to get our school homework around these coal oil lamps and I wonder now, how in the world we could see well enough to do the work, but we did.In this bungalow,we had a living room where a coal stove set to furnish us heat in the winter time.It was the only place in the house we had any heat,so we stayed covered up in bed until Daddy built a fire in the stove each morning.There were two bedrooms,and a large kitchen.At night time we would bring in a washtub and fix warm water for the tub so we could take a bath.It was better in the summer time cause we would set the tub filled with water forthe sun to warm for our bath that night.We had a small porch on the back of the house which we mainly used to do laundry. At first we washed on the rubboard. Daddy would build a fire aroundthe wash pot and fill the pots with water, he drew up from the well.My mother would start out with putting thre sheets and pillow slips in the hot water and crumble up lye soap.We would have two tubs waiting for us on the porch and Mama would use a special stick and takethe boiled sheets from the wash pot and ut them in the tub. She would wash them o nthe rub board andthen put them in the other tub that was filled with rinse water. I woujld rinse them and put them in a basket and hang them on the clothes line. We would do all our clothes the same way so it took us all morning to wash and hang out clothes.. At evening time, it was my job to "bring in the clothes". I did not mind bringing the ones from the clothes line but there were always some that had to be hanged on our barbed wire fence and I did not like having to get the clothes from the barbed wire. I took them in and sprinkled the clothes that wrere starched, rolled them up in a sheet and ironed them the next day.I had to iron with irons we put on the stove to heat hot enough to iron the clothes. It took me all day to iron the clothes, but I did not mind ironing. I especially remember meal time in that bungalow I called home. My mother just seemed to cook all lthe time and we loved to sit down at the big table all filled with delicious food. I remember my Dad would say"Old Sweet, that sure was a good meal." None of us were overweight and I think of alll that food I ate and never gained weight and now I eat so much less and get fat!!!It was the exercise.Our family in that bungalow worked hard on the farm. We hoed and picked cotton,gathered corn, picked up peanuts, cut sugar cane, and worked in the garden that ;provided us with alll those wonderful vegetables.My brother and I had so much fun in that bungalow.We just talked about our friends,played games, laughed a lot but never did we fight. I remember thinking it was wierd cause my cousins would fuss and fight and my brother and I did not do that.My mother told me later that she thought we were the strangest brother and sister cause we never fought. Gee, I never wantedto fight with my brother. If those bungalow walls could talk, even today, they would say," we never heard any quarreling or disagreements when the Oglesbee family lived here." The bungalow had a long front porch, and it really was not that stable, but we did not seem to realize the porch needed repair. I rememer when Daddy bought me a piano. It was a very old, heavy piano. To get the piano into the house, it hadto be unloaded onto the front porch.I remember how the men that unloaded it were afraid they were going to ruin the porch, but wonder of wonders, it survived.This bungalow always had our kin folks for Sunday dinners or just during the week to visit eachb other. My Aunt Dora and Uncle Loy Highfill and all 6 Highfill cousins were there almost every day. My Uncle Fredand Aunt Alvis Copeland were there a lot too. This bungalow was truly a happy place for all of us.My mother planted beautiful flowers around the bungalow and all three children inherited her love of flowers. Into this bungalow, in April of 1949, my little sister was brought to bless our lives.She was so beautiful and Bob and I treated her just like a toy!! My cousin ,Billy Euel Highfill lived with us for a year when his parents moved to Oklahoma. Heand Bob were juniors in high school andthey teased Kathy unmercifully,since she was only about 2 years old by now. I was away in college so I did not get to join in the fun except some week ends.At that bungalow, I spent the happiest days of my life--so I hope the person that uses that bjuilding as a barn will be gentle with her and please do not twar this bungalow down because it was once a happy home. By--Glenna Goodson

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket

Gravelly news by Glenna Goodson

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example the other day Don and I went into town and went into a shop. We were in there for about 5 minutes. When we came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket. We went up to hm and said,"Come on man, how about giving a senior citizen a break?" He ignored us and continued writing the ticket.I called him a turd. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires.So Don called him a dirty name. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. That went on a bout 20 minutes. The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote. Personally, we did not care. We came into town by bus.We try to have a little fun each day now that we are retired. It's important at our age.

Last week ,a beautiful young lady, named Julie Keeling, came from LinCare of Russellville to do a pulse test overnight study as the first test to determine if I needed a sleep study. Julie showed me how to use the machine and the next morning, she picked it up. One thing that was determined was that I am oxygen deprived as I sleep. I am scheduled for a sleep study October 13th, at St. Mary's Hospital in Russellville.Julie will bring an oxygen machine this week that I will use until after my sleep study. She explained to me that after the sleep study, they will pick up the oxygen machine and bring another machne that releases air into my lungs. Julie tells me this treatment should stop me going to sleep as I am driving, so I am really ready for that--so are all the other drivers on the highway that I meet when driving.

I was showing my friend, Midge, of Plainview, a picture of our '49 graduates of F.V. made during our high school reunion.She said"Mrs. Glenna, you look the youngest." I say "and the fattest!" She says "you are not fat--you are fluffy!" I don't know if that was a compliment or not.

Michael Buford tells his grandmother, Loucinda, that 2nd grade is challenging, so he likes his teacher and school. Michael asks his Dad, Scott, a question and when Scott answers his question, Michael says, "that was just a rhetorical question, you did not need to answer it!"Since I probably had not heard the word "rhetorical" used until I was in college, I would say that 2nd grade teacher is really challenging her class at Pottsville school.

Our Masonic Lodge at Gravelly sponsored a pie supper auction, Saturday night, the proceeds gong to Richie Brothers and his family. J.B. Wagner and Tommy Vanover were the auctioneers. We had a large crowd and many ies and cakes so we appreciate every one that participated.

Last Monday night, the Eastern Star Ladies honored the Masons by preparing a meal forthem. We had 5 Masons as our honored guests. Our Eastern Star ,that night, had as guests, Tommy and Judy Bell. of Ola.

Details Beauty Shop at Ola, is changing beauticians. Stacie, the owner of the shop, is quitting to go to college.I am so glad Stacie is gong to college, but I will really miss her as a beautician. Sarah is quitting also andtheir last day was last Thursday. The lady that will be there now is named Charlotte. I wish the best for Charlotte.

The owners ofthe Nola store have bought a 4 bedroom trailer in which to live.Since they have the trailer set up just a few feet from the store, it will be good for Cindy and her family and I am glad forthem.

Well, my Aunt Syble. of Waldron nursing home, was 99 years old last week. Dortha says they fixed her a cake and her caregivers came in and helped her eat her cake and wished her a happy birthday.Aunt Syble sleeps most of the time now.

I am so excited!!My granddaughter graduates from the Eagle Ridge Institute, located in Guthrie, Ok, this month. Robyn has vbeen in the drug related program over a year now and has done well, She has an apartment waiting for her to move into after she graduates. She plans to begin college this month also. Jake sang a song for me over the telephone that he had learned in kdgn.He says, Just think, Nanny, when we get into our apartment, you can visit me any time you want too, and do not have to wait until certain days." That is a plus!

I have now read the two books by Mary Spainhour Knight, entitled "Chlora" and "Chlora's Babies." I enjoyed the books and if you would want copies of her books you can probably contact Diane O'Bryant of Gravelly.

Our church services at Rover Baptist Church, were such a blessing, Sunday. Brenda Turner blessed us by singin "Still the Cross." and Brother Shipley chose as his text John 14.You know I want to gain knowledge as well as be blessed by a sermon andthat is always true for me as I listen to Brol Shipley preach.Sunday night, Bethany Light sang "When the Saints go Marching In."I really enjoy when Bethany sings for us.

If you happen to be traveling behind me on the road, remember that I brake for spuirrels and turtles.!!