HIGH POINTS FROM EL CAMINO REAL
CHRIS DAVIS
Life along El Camino Real continues to move at a steady pace as folks go this way and that about their daily business.

It is hard to believe that it has already been five years since our world was shaken up as the space shuttle Columbia was torn to pieces over our heads, leaving a debris field scattered across East Texas.

It was a tragic time, but it was a tragedy that spotlighted the big hearts and the spirit to volunteer that is possessed by our local folks. The world spotlight was on East Texas and we shined. We continue to honor the memory of those brave astronauts who died that day.

I have a picture of them hanging in my office and I think about them often and how proud our country is of our space program. I guess I better get you caught up with some new stuff for your four bits' worth.

The wet, cold weather last week was enough to give us flu or pneumonia. It was some miserable stuff, but at least we didn't get one of those awful ice storms.

These electronic age kids don't do well without electricity to run all their stuff. Sunday was a beautiful day after the sun finally came out and warmed things up. Hopefully the folks who had been shut up in the house sick for the past week were able to come outside and enjoy a little sunshine.

They say folks get depressed this time of year because they aren't getting enough sunshine. And I thought it was because deer season was over and I was shut up in the house on the weekend with the wife and kids.

Well, I got a real shock last week, and I'm supposed to know what is going on around here. I stopped by Lyons Butane for my mother-in-law and they told me that Ricky Glaze, owner of Glaze Appliance, had retired from the appliance repair business. I nearly had a stroke right there in the store. Ricky has been fixing my stuff ever since Jay Anna and I got married and now I don't know what I'm going to do if something breaks. I guess all good things come to pass, but usually there is someone else to follow in their footsteps. I can't think of a soul around here who can fix a washing machine or a dryer and get to it as fast as Ricky could. Good luck on your retirement Ricky, but we are sure going to miss you.

We need to keep Steve Winfield in our prayers this week while he gets his ticker worked on. He had a heart attack last week, so the doctors are trying to figure out the best way to clear the blockage.

It looks like there will be no more rib eyes or brisket on Steve's menu for a while. He is at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, I think. They can patch up hearts pretty well these days, and with our prayers to boot he ought to be getting along fine in no time.

Rhett Gresham and Brandon Thacker both caught calves in the calf scramble at the Fort Worth Livestock Show this past weekend. I would have been very disappointed if our state championship football players had come home without tackling a calf. If you catch one then you have to show a calf in next year's show, so the work isn't in the catching, its what comes later. Congratulations to Rhett and Brandon on catching the calves in Fort Worth. I couldn't catch anything but a cold.

Bobby and Rosa Belle Holcomb will celebrate 50 years of marriage this weekend. Their children are hosting a celebration of their marriage at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2. The event will take place at the A. Frank Smith United Methodist Church.

I like the idea of doing it in the morning. I always get busy and forget to clean up and go do stuff that I'm supposed to on Saturday afternoons. It takes a special person to live with a Holcomb for 50 years and I ought to know I've been living with one for nearly 25 years now. Happy anniversary to two of my favorite folks.

The Scott twins celebrated their 16th birthdays this week on Jan. 28. Abbey and Hayden Scott celebrated their birthdays with a Bunco party on Saturday night with all their friends at the Scott farm. These kids are going to get drivers licenses this week and I can remember when we were carrying them around in our arms. Mindy and Kim must really be feeling old this week. Happy birthday to my favorite twins, Abbey and Hayden.

My friend Eloise Williams had celebrated her birthday on Saturday, Jan. 26. I don't know what we'd do around here with out Eloise and her sewing. She has been working at Main Street Cleaners in Rusk ever since their pick-up station in Alto closed years ago.

The cleaners has changed hands several times over the years but thank goodness Eloise stays with it to keep our clothes sewed up. If she ever quits sewing on buttons and hemming pants we'll all have to buy a case of safety pins. Tonya and Joe Glover, who have the cleaners now, invited Kevin and Donna Bowden who peviously owned the cleaners, and my family to meet them over at Clear Springs Restaurant in Nacogdoches on Saturday night to help Eloise celebrate her birthday. The food was great and I found out that Eloise wasn't as old as I thought she was. Happy birthday Eloise!

I guess this is about all I know for this week's four bit's worth. If you've got news happening around your place then I'd appreciate a call. I can't tell it if I don't know about it. I'll see ya next week! And remember, God will mend a broken heart if we give him all the pieces. elcaminoreal@consolidated.net