Christiansen's Comments
published in Hinds County Gazette April 25 2013

John and I moved to Edwards in 1987,

 Inez Lee, was my very first Edwards friend. Back in those days Miss Inez was delivering the Clarion Ledger newspaper around Edwards.  Miss Inez was out early every morning, she had her finger on the pulse of Edwards, she was one of the first in town to know who was sick, who needed help, and who had died…Black and white she knew everybody.  Inez is one of the kindest people I have ever known. 

Miss Inez is 92 now, I saw her at the Edwards Fellowship Club last Tuesday, she had on a beautiful pink blouse, cute as a button she was, and  an absolute delight, Miss Inez kept the conversation bubbling at our table that is for sure.

Miss Inez

The very next day, Inez fell and broke her hip; she has had surgery, but physical therapy is ahead. I told you that, to ask you this, please pray for Miss Inez Physical therapy is not comfortable.

Inez was my first friend after coming to Edwards….  Doug Beard, he does not know it, but he is my NEW BEST friend.

This is not the first time Doug has been my best friend.  The spring after John died and I just finished chemo…I needed a new string trimmer, I wanted to know who I would be looking at if it needed fixing, so I went to Doug.

  Doug informed me I could buy one a lot cheaper just about anywhere, and he advised me it was heavy.  Bless him he tried hard not to sell me one.   I guess he didn’t think I was strong enough yet to handle a trimmer…  I kept insisting until I finally wore him down a bit…Doug said he would put one together, I was to come back later and he would see if I could start it.

I left there, on the way back home I called my friend Emily Dear, put her on notice that  she might have to call Doug and testify on my behalf…”You tell Doug I am well! And I am strong!”

 Later that afternoon I went back to pick up my brand new machine…Sure enough I could start it…On the first pull! But he still would not sell it to me!!! He insisted I take it home and try it…he wanted to make sure I could run the thing, before he let me pay. Doug is a man of integrity.   I still have that trimmer and it still starts easy.

I am just about to the part about why Doug is my NEW BEST friend…..

I told you about learning how to change the spark plug in my riding mower a few weeks back…well I mowed and then the crazy thing would not crank for anything…Knew it was not the battery it was brand new…One of the guys from the bottom of the hill came up declared it was a bad solenoid, but did not have time to work on it right then…. so I was going to have to wait until the next day. 

But then later that morning I was in Bolton, I spotted Doug…an idea flashed in my brain…” I shall go ask Doug about solenoids, see if he has one to fit my mower and ask him if he thinks I could change it myself.” I talk to myself a lot.

Last year Doug talked me through changing my fuel filter…..He did not actually say he thought I could install a solenoid …What he did was…he handed me two solenoids told me, one of them should fit it…explained to me where I would find the solenoid on my mower…He even took the parts out of the box…and gave me some pointers about removing the old and installing the new….placed the new solenoids down in a bag, asked if I needed to borrow any tools, and told me to bring back the one that didn’t fit....and sent me on my way.

solenoid

 It took a couple of hours but I got it installed and the mower ran!!!  And that folks is why Doug is my NEW BEST friend…

My new best friend needs prayers too…Doug has finished treatments and will be having surgery soon.

Hey I have got to go! Shelby dog has to go to see her veterinarian, Doctor Farr this morning! Doctor Farr has had  some medical issues recently also…but he is back at work…not sure wife Pam was ready for him to go back so soon….but he seems to be doing great….But you might want to put Pam on your prayer list.

Shelby

Love to all

Call if you need me

The Swing project

  There was a time a three year old boy was my best friend

With much help from our friends, Whit and my swing project is complete! We wrapped it up Friday.  But not, without, over the course of the project, innumerable trips to Gaddis McLaurin and to Doug Turner’s wood scrap pile. 

 The place in the yard,  Whit always heads to when I open the back gate is the front yard, to the left of the house, under the pecan trees, so that is where we placed the swing frame. ….it is made from five, 8 foot, 4X4 posts, Doug and Kay came and helped set the swing up, it is a good thing they came.  I had a picture of the swing from a web page selling the plans to build it.  I did not want to pay the $12 for the plans, so constructed it from the picture.  Well when we got it set up…It looked just like the picture!  Yes it did!  But there was just one little thing…it would not stand on its own, it wanted to fold.

  Kay and I had to hold it up while Doug scrambled around and found some lumber to make temporary braces. After much measuring…Doug wanted it to be square…Kay and I didn’t care so much about square…we just wanted to be able to let go.  But way on after while… Doug got it like he wanted and nailed in the temporary supports and it held on his own! 

 Then Doug went to his shop and cut permanent braces, when I went to pick them up he gave me very careful and detailed instructions on how to attach them. I hope it suits him….he has not been by yet for final inspection of the braces and ropes.

I wanted a porch swing to place in newly constructed frame; because the intended purpose of the build was a comfortable relaxing place for me to sit while watching Whit play.  So I went swing shopping… but did not find a swing like I wanted, in the short time I had to look. (I did learn one thing though while out looking for a swing…I could have bought a swing set for what this one cost.  That is… if ever all things were taken in to account…gas alone back and forth to Bolton would figure to be a substantial outlay.)

So anyway, Friday Whit was coming back and I knew he would be expecting something to be happening with the project. Bless Whit’s heart, he worked hard on that swing frame, he learned real fast how screw in the lag bolts with the ratchet wrench, I think he liked the sound it makes.  And he can use the drill to make the pilot holes for the bolts…But I do have to hold up the back of the drill… that battery is heavy.

Doug Turner inspecting our build

So anyway, not wanting to disappoint Whit, I wondered “What to do? What to do?” You all, I felt like a genius when the solution finally came to me!   An old time rope and board swing! We went old school! John was a bit of a rope aficionado, so had plenty of rope in the shop and there was a board in my very own scrap pile just the right length. 

Whit calling himself tying a knot

Whit enjoys the old timey board swing so much….I may never get another swing….Until he grows up….which will be way to soon, Whit will be three years old next month.

  While working on this project with Whit… I came to believe my children were no doubt  just as smart and clever at three years old… as my grand children were and Whit is, if I had had taken the time and had patience with them…. as I have had with the Grands and Whit. 

Love to all

Call if you need me

 Christiansen Comments
First Published in
Hinds County Gazette April 18 2013

Katherine Worrell died today

Katherine Worrell
This picture was taken august 2004

Katherine Worrell Died today, she would have been 100 her next birthday.  Ms. Katherine was much loved, greatly admired, and will be long remembered by those who knew her in person and through her years of writings in the Hinds County Gazette.

Good Bye Ms Worrell