My first cousin, Carl Kingsley, participated in Memorial Day activities. His picture as well as my cousin, Cecil Duke, were in the Lee County Courier with other veterans from Lee County.
Hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day; it is summer time in central Mississippi with the temperature in the mid 90s with a possibility of 100 later this week.
School ended for most students this week; Wednesday was Carly's last day; here she is pictured walking away after receiving an award. Look carefully and notice that she had earlier won another award. Forgive Bop Bop for bragging. Can't believe my baby is now a third grader.
Carly and Peyton have been friends and in day care or school together since they were nine months old; since there are only four days between their birthdays, we have had parties together; over the past eight years, we have become friends with her grandparents, James and Sandra. Mr. James is the only grandfather I know who is as devoted if not more so than I am. Despite battling some serious health issues the past year, he still comes to almost all of Peyton's events. We were present today when Peyton and Carly, among others, received awards during assembly. Please keep my friend James in your thoughts and prayers.
On our way to Tupelo this weekend, we observed where a tornado apparently touched down just as we got on the Trace from Highway 82 at Mathison, and it seemed to have followed the Trace for a little over eight miles. There was damage such as this on both sides of the road for that distance. 
Apparently, there was a misprint on the mat at our front door; it must have read welcome cat rather than welcome mat, as our neighbor's cat has decided to spent most of her time at our front door and in the house and garage if we would allow it.
Easter came and went, and it was so hectic, I failed to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Hope the Easter bunny found you.
Dr. Kolb's house from the street. Though you probably can't see them in the picture, there are various cracks that seem to indicate that the house was moved from its foundation.
My good friend, Dr. Raymond Kolb's house in Clinton has been declared a total loss. Dr. Kolb is 92 and a retired missionary who served in Brazil. Dr. Kolb's wife, Ann, died a couple of years ago, and he had been living in this house alone until a few weeks ago when he moved into an assisted living home. His granddaughter, however, was living in his house, but fortunately she was away when the tornado struck.
Those of you in south Mississippi who survived Katrina are very familiar with the blue tarps. They have become quite common in Clinton since Friday.
For those of you familiar with Clinton, this picture and the one before were taken in the Hannah Drive, Mt. Salus and Kitchens area. I'm not certain which of those streets this is.
Sunday was not a day of rest for most folks in Clinton as many were repairing their houses or helping friends, relatives or church members repair their homes or salvage belongings from houses that were totally destroyed.
These cars and the truck were damaged in yesterday's storm. Notice the two in the center that were, so I was told, picked up from a parking lot and thrown onto Interstate 20. An eighteen wheel truck was blown from one side of the Interstate to the other.
In this case, a light pole. That is my eye doctor's office which was damaged in the storm. I have a good friend who works there; I know she experienced some scary moments.
On a lighter note, Carly is attending a birthday party today; nothing special about that as she has one just about every weekend, except this one is at the American Doll store in Dallas. They left after the bad weather yesterday arriving in Dallas around ten last night.
Emergency and disaster relief agencies set up a staging area in the parking lot of the Big Lots and Freds on Clinton Blvd. in Clinton.
Yesterday a little before eleven in the morning, the local news station reported a tornado headed toward the Woodmoor subdivision in Clinton, which happens to be where we live. There was intense wind and rain for about ninety seconds, but we did not lose power.
Yesterday was my bride's birthday. We celebrated by eating out last night. In the picture with Mama Cita is our precious Carly.
Carly's new season of softball began last night in weather more suitable for football. That's Carly at bat; she was two for two.
Carole and I celebrated, and that's the right word, our 45th wedding anniversary Saturday. We spend the night in Vicksburg, eating ourselves into oblivion, and then the kids took us out to eat Sunday where this picture was taken with Carly and her monster high doll.
Today is my 71st birthday, where have the years gone; with me in the picture taken a couple of months ago is Laurie George with whom I worked at Hinds.
The 31st chapter of Proverbs describing a virtuous woman lists a number of talents and traits of women we have all known. Many of the contributions of Altha Camille Jeffreys Tackett to family and friends parallel verses in Proverbs 31, as in “she maketh fine linen . . .” and “strength and honour are her clothing,” “she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness, and “she looketh well to the to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”
And her children do indeed “arise up, and call her blessed.” Among the talents she so willingly shared were her gifts of sewing, gardening, and cooking. She was one of those gifted persons who could look at a drawing and make a pattern to sew a dress or gown. She could take a neglected plant into her garden and bring it back to life. Her basic recipes as well as her more exotic ones such as gazpacho enhanced with neatly chopped vegetables and croutons were family delights. She could draw and she could make a house look more like a home with her artistic talent. Her sewing included treasured tooth fairy pillows for many young friends complete with the special tooth fairy poem in the little pockets.
The third child of Mary Jane Dupree and Benjamin Franklin Jeffreys, she heartily focused on her family, devoting herself to her daughters and their families, with a love that has always extended to her sisters and brothers and her nieces and nephews. A sickly childhood made it necessary for her father to home-school her after tonsillitis and a tonsillectomy left her weak and recovering for a long period of time. Family love and nursing finally brought her back to health and allowed her to enjoy relatively good health for years. The influence of her father and his teaching of writing and reading no doubt influenced her in her love for words and her hobby of working crossword puzzles. She chuckled about ‘Papa Jeff’s’ dismay over her lack of aptitude for learning the multiplication tables and studying arithmetic.
Her love for children was shown in her work with five-year-olds in Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church, as well as nursery work. She worshiped at South Green Baptist Church, and later also found joy in her church home when she joined St. Luke United Methodist Church.
Her ‘outside’ work included years at Reeds and then at South Central Bell where she retired in 1988. She and her family survived the Tupelo tornado of 1936, and she saw her husband, brother and brothers-in-law off to World War II.
She cherishes memories of her parents and her sisters, Velma, Alma and Ann. and her brothers, Bennie Addison (Donk) and J. C. (Billy).
Family members who delighted in and will always cherish her personality and life are her daughters Carole Kelly and her husband George, and Margaret Pickard; her grandson Marshall Jenkins; granddaughter Cameron Kelly Chennault and her husband Tim; her great-granddaughter Carly Grace Chennault; her niece Laney Sims and her husband Tip and their daughter Paula; brother and sister-in-law Huey and Linda Jeffreys; and sister-in-law Betty Jeffreys.
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 Surely Altha favored this verse, but there was nothing wrong with her asking for her lipstick even when being treated in the emergency room. She confessed with a chuckle that her longevity might be attributed to the fact that she felt her kids don’t have sense enough to handle things without her. . .
Plantersville's own Steve Holland had the honor of being roasted last Saturday night in Jackson for a charity event.
Karen Balint sent this a week or so ago while I was in Tupelo.
Carole's mom and my sweet mother-in-law, Altha Tackett, died Thursday, February 24 at Darlington Oaks in Verona; services were Sunday at two at Holland Funeral Home.
Carole's mother, Altha Tackett, has been in the North Miss. Medical Center for a little over a week. 
Carole met a couple of Tupelo High School classmates for lunch yesterday. From left: Joe Savage, Carole and John Satterwhite. Joe and Carole graduated in 1960 and John in 1961; I think I'm correct that John's father managed the Woolworth's in Tupelo.
This picture was taken at the party held this weekend to celebrate Carole's mother, Altha Tackett, birthday; she turned 96 on Monday.
Carly experienced her first White Christmas even if not exactly dressed for it; George experienced his first as well.
Students in grades 5-8 from Plantersville and Verona attend the school located and sharing some of the same building where I attended from 1946 - 1956.
In the midst of all the Christmas celebrations, we celebrate Carly's birthday, December 10. The picture shows Carly and some of her guests at the theater before going to see Tangled. There were about seventeen present.
Carly's school presented a wonderful Christmas program. That's Carly in the pony tail in the center. I love small world stories. The young lady on Carly's left is Anna Claire, whose grandmother is from Senatobia where we once lived, and Anna Claire's Uncle Paul was one of the guest for Cam's fifth birthday party a few years ago. Anna Claire is in Carly's class.
I don't know about you, but it has been a hectic start to the Christmas season for us. Carly was in two Christmas parades.
I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow, and for those traveling, please be careful
My cousin, Ruby Morris Webb, died November 10. Ruby had lived for many years in Saltillo, but was born in Auburn and grew up in the same neighborhood as my mother where she and her sister and my mother were close friends. Years later my mother married their first cousin, my father. Ruby graduated from Plantersville High School in 1934.
Ruby’s father, James Hillard Morris, was the half brother of my grandmother, Sarchie Morris Kelly. My grandmother’s mother died a short time after my grandmother’s birth and my great-grandfather, George Morris, married Lou Blythe and moved his family from near Smithville in Monroe County to Richmond.
James Hillard died young leaving a wife and three children, Ruby, Dorothy who married Gordie Lee Ford, and Truman who also died young leaving a wife and two boys.
Carole and I would like to express sympathy to Dorothy and to the all of Ruby’s family.
My kid's neighbor, Valerie, always hosts a wonderful Halloween party, and the one Saturday night may have been her best yet. These aren't all the children present.
Since Halloween falls on Sunday, most cities are asking trick or treaters to be out tonight.
Carly's team, The Heat, played their final game yesterday afternoon.
The Mississippi State Fair closed yesterday in Jackson after a twelve day run with the best weather in years. Last year the fair was extended an extra day due to excessive fair. No rain this year leading to what may be a record crowd.
On this Labor Day weekend, there's a hint of fall in the air; school is in full swing, and Carly, as are student across the state, is busy with her homework.
Gloria Holland accepts a flag that flew over Task Force Knight Headquarters in Iraq from SFC Henry Harper."It's Monday evening, and we, along with so many, remain in mourning and in shock over the loss of Leigh Anne Ward. The service on Saturday was comforting, celebrating the precious life of Leigh Anne, who touched so many, many people of all ages. The eulogies by friends, the thoughts and prayers of the ministers, who were touched by her life, the music: it was a memorable, special service with hundreds and hundreds of people coming to remember and to try to find comfort in gathering together. Her parents, her family members, and all friends are being remembered and prayed for constantly. Special loving thoughts are coming from us because of George having been taught by Mr. and Mrs. Gooch, Bobbie's mother and father; Bobbie being our classmate; and Carly being one of Leigh Anne's students at MRA. . . "Remember and cherish . . . "
Carly and her friend, Peyton, on the left in the yellow shirt and black shorts, start school today. They met their teacher yesterday, then had lunch together.
