Christiansen's Comments...Hinds County Gazette May 26 2011

 “What did you say you were doing?????”


My answer: “I am going to Raymond to help entertain Yankees.”

Question: “Why you? And what are Yankees doing in Raymond?”



Well, I don’t think it is a long story, but with me you never know. So here goes…. as I understand it,

The tale begins with Doctor Clark Stewart, Clark is a periodontist, Clark grew up in Raymond, after a bit of time away, he came back to Raymond to raise his family, giving them the small town experience he had growing up.



So anyway, several years ago, Clark was attending a conference in Jackson, where Doctor Bob Levine, an oral surgeon/periodontist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was speaking. In the course of conversation Clark learned that Bob has a passion for history. Clark invited Bob to come to Raymond, somehow Clark was able to get Raymond Mayor Isla Tullos and civil war historian, Parker Hills, involved with Bob. The Mayor and Parker took Bob on a ride around the area, pointing out the points of interest.





Parker is a retired general, who now is a tour leader with Battlefield focus Tours. Parker is a well qualify guide…. I was told, and I am quoting a source who wants to remain anonymous , “Parker knows everything there is to know about the battles of the civil war. He can even point to the exact spot Grant’s horse Pooped.”. I hope I do not have to go to jail to protect my source.

Parker Hills

Because of the efforts of many ….beginning with Clark… Bob has been back to Mississippi several times and is a generous donor to The Raymond Battlefield, plus Bob a cannon sponsor.



For this trip and tour with Parker Hills, to Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion Hill and Vicksburg, Bob and his wife were joined by several other people from Yankee Land and Memphis, they were mostly from the dental profession accept, a pilot and Ray. Ray is a retired psychiatrist. You all, I caught my self being very self conscious of what I said when I was with in ear shot of Ray…then I was offered a glass of wine and got over that, and asked “So tell me Ray, is this group is so messed up it needs a psychiatrist to travel with them?’’ didn’t get an answer…Patient doctor confidentiality no doubt.



Other members of the South’s team called on to entertain the Yankees were Bob Chun, Brenda and Charles Davis, Mayor Tullos, and of course Clark and Ruth Stewart. It was great fun, Thursday we met at the Mayor’s home on the Square for light refreshments before motoring on to Jackson to Cherchale’s to meet up with members of the tour group who’s plane had been delayed. Bob Cherchale went all out to make the Yanks feel at home.

Isla and Tilly

Friday evening we met at the Clark's home for light refreshments….Has Clark ever got the man room! He doesn’t just have a few stuff deer heads…he has whole animals stuffed and mounted to the walls….they are mounted in such a way they appear to be climbing down a rock wall.



Then way on after while we left the Stewart's and we caravaned to Learned, to Gibbes Grocery for dinner….We didn’t leave the restaurant until almost 11 o’clock. So obviously a grand time was had by all!

I know I wasn’t invited because of my vast knowledge of events surrounding the Civil War. I learned everything I know about the Civil War from my friend, Gordon Cotton and Parker Hills….But!!!! don’t ask me any dates… Or specific places…or names…. best not ask me any questions.



So any way…I believe, I was invited in case an interpreter was required. You know my field expertise … I can translate Yankee!



I do hope this band of Yankees comes back to Mississippi soon…I want to have them to my house for a party on the porch!



If you can…Adopt a Yankee…they are so much fun. But you can’t have these Yankees…they belong to Raymond.

Love to all


My deepest sympathies go out to the family of Dick Kilby, indeed the entire city of Raymond. Raymond has lost a friend.



Dick Kilby
getting ready to unload Cannon


Call if you need me

Christiansen Comments Hinds County Gazette November 04 2010

Get your running shoes on! It has begun!

…I am talking about the holiday season. The Holidays run from Halloween through Super Bowl Sunday now. Not that many years ago, The Holidays began on Thanksgiving and ended, for many, early afternoon, very early afternoon, December 25. I have seen trees on the curb Christmas afternoon…Not just the real trees that may have become a fire hazard…but I have even seen artificial trees still fully decked out on the curd. I guess folks just get tired of them…so tired of them, they can not stand the sight of that tree even one more minute…so off it goes to the trash.




I was out and about Friday gathering up a few things to get me through the weekend, You all, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise were all mingle and scrambled together in the aisles of stores. Not only that, there were great batches of people everywhere…I was quite puzzled…then I saw an advertisement on the TV. Last Friday was to be the new “Black Friday”. Black Friday traditionally has been the Friday after Thanksgiving. We shall see if this New Black Friday thing catches on…I guess, there is no reason why it shouldn’t….we are easy…. We follow where ever Retail leads.



We abandon whole malls and shopping centers…Metro mall, Jackson Mall, Meadowbrook to name just a few….to follow….where we are led. We ran out north, to County Line Road, to shop til we dropped at Northpark, But the new has wore off Northpark…So, now then, we are choosing to ignore, Northpark in favor of “The Renaissance” and the other new shopping destination out on Lakeland drive. I have forgotten what it’s name is….it will come to me.



There is nothing wrong with commerce…the American economy needs us to buy and consume…Americans need the jobs. I just wish more of the jobs were in the manufacture of the merchandise we are buying. Remember Back in the day when Wal-mart proudly advertised they sold “made in America” products? My friend Isla maintains if Wal-Mart, would go back to Sam Walton’s way of doing business…our economic woes could end…if we manufactured what we purchased we could all be working.



Dogwood! That is the name of the mall on Lakeland! I knew it would come to me.

Gibbes Grocery Learned Mississippi  (Gibbs Grocery) 601 885 6833

Saturday night a great bunch of us traveled to Learned to pass out Halloween candy to the trick or treaters from Margret Sue’s front porch, she was working next door at Gibbes Grocery, but she had refreshments laid out for us…Some of the men were fussing because they were missing the ball games…. Margret Sue turned on her TV and settled them comfortably in her living room….Gibbes was very busy, so Margret Sue even arranged for their steaks to be delivered to them at her house…. so they didn’t have to miss even one down of the ball game…Now that is hospitality!

Margaret Sue Dozier on her front porch Halloween 2010  Learned Mississippi

I just love going to Learned for Halloween…I don’t think there were quite as many kids this year as last though.



Sunday morning I was telling daughter Angela about trick or treat in learned.. I was telling her I didn’t think kids are excited about Halloween as they use to be…she too had noticed. “But kids get candy all the time now…we didn’t have candy around when we were kids.” I paused didn’t say anything, she went on… “On Halloween we ran from house to house fast as we could, to get as much candy as we could carry, then we ran home, got another bag and took up where we left off…We didn’t have candy in the house when we were growing up.”



Well, they say confession is good for the soul…I didn’t want to but, I had to tell her, “ Angela there was always candy in the house when you were growing up….it was hid…and I never shared…it was usually Snicker bars.” I waited for her to fuss…she never uttered a word about me not sharing. Which, thinking on it later…lead me to believe she hid candy from Garrett.



There are times in many women’s lives that Chocolate is a necessity…like air and water….we have to have it…God knows, we would share anything we had with our children,….except our secret stash of chocolate, but I believe he forgives us.



love to all, call if you need me