High points from El Camino Real

by Chris Davis

Winter came early for folks along El Camino Real this past week when temperatures plunged down to about 28 or 29 degrees for Halloween.
Over the years I’ve watched lots of little kids bake in fuzzy Halloween costumes, but this year the thick suits were the best ones to have. I’m just glad that my kids are grown so I didn’t have to spend a weekend shut up in the house with a bunch of kids hyped up on sugar.
It was a beautiful weekend to be in East Texas and I’m thankful I live here everyday, more especially this time of year. It was so pretty on Sunday afternoon, I didn’t want to come inside and write your six bits worth of news.
My Great Aunt, Alma Wallace had to be life flighted to Tyler on Saturday. She is going to have to get a pacemaker, when she gets a little stronger. Aunt Alma is 95 years old. I don’t ever remember her being sick or in the hospital, so this has got to be tough on her. Please keep her in your prayers until she is up and going strong again.
I guess the biggest excitement we had in Alto this past week was a three car pile up at the Doughnut Shop. It turned out it was just a two car pile up, but the police and ambulances came which made it more exciting than it probably really was. Sometimes when its raining people will pull up and block the driveway and then other people can’t get out of the road.
If they start a text at the red light, they won’t be finished with it by the time they get to the doughnut shop and if you are in the road, wham you’re done for. I’m glad I wasn’t at the doughnut shop that morning. The traffic is bad enough there in the mornings without adding a wreck to it. Hopefully no one was hurt and every one was able to get their pigs in a blanket and doughnut holes and get on to work.
The Alto Yellowjackets are still undefeated with a 9-0 record for the season after beating Hawkins 57-8 on Friday night. I keep hearing rumors that we might get a chance to play in the Historic Tomato Bowl during the play offs. That would sure be a great location for a play off game and a chance for everyone to see what a fine job they did renovating it. The Yellowjackets are playing Union Grove this Friday night here in Alto.
The weather was perfect for the first weekend of the regular deer season, but I didn’t hear much shooting around my house. It usually sounds like a holiday weekend in Chicago around here.
The other night when the norther blew in I heard three loud pops really fast just outside the door and jumped out of my chair. I told my wife that somebody was shooting outside. She looked at me like I was crazy and said it was the pecans hitting the metal roof. I felt a little stupid, but I didn’t let on to her that I did.
I didn’t even get to go deer hunting on the first day of season. We were keeping our grandson Sawyer, so I just picked up pecans and watched him push his Tonka dump truck back and forth. I think I’ve finally found something that I like better than hunting. Maybe all the novice hunters will get it out of their system this weekend and I’ll get started this week on killing a big buck or a big doe.
Please shoot every wild hog you see. I don’t think we are ever going to put a dent in the population, but we have to try.
I know I say this every year, but I hate this time change. Its seven o’clock and I feel like I’m writing this column in the middle of the night. I was putting a turkey on the grill to cook at 5:30 this morning. Its going to be a rough week to get through and you better make sure you’ve got good batteries in your flashlight because its going to be dark when you get home to do your chores.
NeNe’s Table celebrated their one year anniversary this weekend. Ever since Harvey Parker and his wife, Beverly, opened their restaurant in the old Dairy Queen building they’ve kept a steady stream of people coming in to enjoy some great food. People in Alto thought it was the end of the world when the Dairy Queen closed down several years ago and now we’ve got an even better eating place in the same building.
Running a restaurant is hard work with long hours. I think it would be easier to stack brush everyday than run a restaurant.
Congratulations, to the Parkers and all the great folks at NeNe’s Table on their one year anniversary.
The hard freeze put a quick end to the yard mowing, but its probably going to speed up the leaves falling, so we won’t get much rest from the yard work. I do like this time of year when you drive down the road and smell wood smoke coming out of the chimneys. I don’t believe I could live in a place that didn’t have a change of seasons like we do. They may not always come when we want them, but you know they are coming.
If you can think of something else that I need to put in this column, please let me know. Sometimes I think I’m getting in a rut that I can’t get out of, so any suggestions will be appreciated. I’ll see ya next week! And remember, You always have time for the things you put first.