Hinds County Gazette I am Taking the Greyhound Bus to see the USA!

Mother getting a pedicure.

John with his 4 wheeler .

John has been gone two years, mother died over a year, my two old dogs passed this past year….So right now it is just one dog, Charlie, the golden retriever, two cats, Harper Lee and Scout,, and me living on this hill… even with the changes, my life seems to be on the same track, pretty much as it has been on for over 40 years. My schedule was shaped by others much of the time… staying home is not without responsibilities…the daily, the weekly routine of seeing that things get done, and the home runs relatively smooth…cooking at a certain time, shopping , and being home just in case I might be needed …I am not complaining, I enjoyed my life and would not have traded it for a “Real Job”.

But, I am slowly coming to realize, I have 24 hours to do what I want to…even more slowly I am losing those feelings, that I am suppose to be tending to something or somebody.
I can run vacuum at 2 Am… if I want to I am not disturbing anybody…my life has changed…but I have been reluctant to change my life.

So now then I said all of that to say…you all I have mashed the reset button on my life…instead of wandering around wondering what I should be doing…I am going to “DO”! Recently on C-Span’s Book TV they had a lady, Kath Weston, a professor at the university of Virginia, on talking about her latest book, Traveling Light; On The Road With America’s Poor…. This lady traveled all over the united states on the bus!

I am going to try it! A short trip first, to Florida, Mid March,…. yeah, I am going to grab up my backpack, strap on my camera and hit the road with Greyhound and leave the driving to them. My bother, and his family are in Florida. If I like that trip, I will go to North Carolina in May, to see Grandson Philip graduate from high school…if that trip works out…I want to take the bus back to Nebraska in late June…to take pictures…lots of pictures of the wheat harvest., And of the places of my childhood…Just in case one day my kids or grand kids get curious about where John and I grew up….so far they have shown little to no interest.

Traveling by bus is very economical…round trip to Florida is not but $120. Air fare is quite reasonable now too…but you do not get to see anything. Some of my friends are speculating , that before I get off that bus in Ft Myers Florida, I will have seen a whole heap more then I wanted to see….So Taking all of their concerns and warnings into consideration…I will be boarding the bus in V’Burg, and if I don’t like the way the trip is going…. I can get off in Jackson.

I did not tell daughter Angela until I had already purchased my nonrefundable ticket. Angela is a lot like her dad…some things you just do not mention until after you have carried out your plan. So, when I bought the ticket I Emailed, her the itinerary, I had no sooner I hit the “send” button on the computer… my phone went to ringing….It was her, she did not even say hello…it was “do I even want to know where you are going on a Greyhound bus?” there was a tone to her voice…she didn’t say too much.. not really…. But I could tell by her tone and her breathing, those long breathes and audible sighs…. she was not excited as I was with my latest scheme to add some adventure to my life.

I of course I heard of Muscadine grapes…But the first muscadine I ever ate was one of Hugh Allen’s …his vines are on his fence so close to the road, that when they began to ripen they became an irresistible temptation to the walking group…. we sampled them every morning during the season…..we would try to pretend he cared, but he didn’t…if fact this past fall Peggy Ann and I stopped by to admire the muscadines…there wasn’t any… Hugh from inside, must have seen the disappointment on our faces…because he came out and lifted up some leaves to reveal bunches of the prettiest muscadines, you ever saw…”Here, the birds didn’t get these”
When ever I see a muscadine in the grocery store or the farmers market, I always think of Hugh Allen…

My sympathies go out to Hugh’s family, Mr. Allen passed away this past Thursday afternoon.
Love to all
Call if you need me

My trip to Nebraska, my 15 minutes of fame..Vicksburg Post and Hinds County Gazette

My Picture as it apeared in The Vicksburg Post......

We ate a hot dog here, The Coney Island in Grand Island

Blurry sunset,,,I am not use to my new camera yet.

Cows

My sissy and her lab Brook shoveling snow....I am on the inside where it was warm taking the picture.

Good Morning! Good Morning! Long time no see…What have I been up to? Well, for one thing, I have been to Nebraska tying up some loose ends. Very cold up there…highs in the teens most days during my visit.

Mother the entire time she was with us, here in Mississippi, (10 years)…she complained about Mississippi being the coldest place she had ever been…well, she was right, when it is 20 degrees in Mississippi it feels much colder then 20 does in mother’s home state of Nebraska, that is if you can stay out of the wind….Staying out of the wind can be quite tricky…Nebraska is very windy.

For another thing, since being here …I had my 15 minutes of fame…Twice! Thanks to Gordon Cotton writing about me in the Vicksburg Evening Post, then my very own editor and chief , Mary Ann Keith, reprinting it in the Hinds County Gazette.

It took me a bit of time before I could read the article all the way through myself….I would start to read it…then I would stop…put it down……it was kind of like hearing my own voice on a recording…I would think “That’s not me, Gordon is writing about.”

I was aware of most of what was said in the article though…Because my friend Peggy Ann came by one afternoon right after the piece came out, she commenced to reading it out loud to me, such nice things being said about me.….I would get embarrassed…make her stop….She could not understand why because, “It is a lovely article.”….she would read to herself a minute and go to reading out loud once again…I would protest she would stop…this went on, stopping and starting… until she had read the entire write up….and my ego was full, swollen up like a hot air balloon.

It was super flattering, and such an exciting event to have happen in ones life….except for the photo…Gordon told me I might not be speaking to him after I saw the photo…Me with my mouth flung wide open…Like I was fixing to swallow a sword….or consume a dozen tea cakes all at once. I must say my hair did looked good though.

I must confess people did recognize me from the picture…folks I did not even know!!!! You all, I felt like a rock star! The whole experience was quite intoxicating….. But I am hoping fame will not change me…and I will continue to be my sweet, humble self.

Thanks Gordon and the Vicksburg Post, Thanks Mary Ann and the Gazette….I had a grand time!
Love to all
Call if you need me

Charles Rather Alderman at large...Edwards Mississippi

For some reason,the pictures are not in order. So beginning at the end....
The above is Mrs. Rather congradulating her husband.

Mayor Perkins shaking hands with the new alderman at large Chasles Rather.

Judge Ivory Britton swearing in Charles Rather, our newest town board member.

Hinds county Gazette

Christiansen's Comments

Non voters want and demand their rights and privileges, but it is said, “If you don’t Vote, You can’t complain.”

Well, fact is….This is America….therefore even if we don’t vote, we are nevertheless allowed the same privileges of those who do vote. This is America so Everybody in America entitled to representation, the young, the old, all races, all religious faiths, even the unborn are represented.
One of the privileges, we have as Americans, is to disagree with those who are elected to offices…someone who has never cast a ballot, for what ever reason…In many cases it is just because we do not want to be inconvenienced, has the same right to protest, to whine and complain…. as those who do vote. And the same right to call elected officials to beg for help.

I said that to say this: when we do not make the effort to vote, when we do not take any responsibility .…. we are free loaders, we are parasites, we want, demand and expect something for nothing.….Americans who do not vote are riding on the backs of those Americans who do vote, of the citizens who see voting not just as a right, an honor and a privilege…but also as a responsibility …..it is by the voting and holding our elected officials accountable for their action that American is free.

I am on my soap box this morning because , we in Edwards had an election, December 2, to fill the Alderman at large seat, left vacant by the late Robert Jack Smith …Lots of folks did not vote…The election did come up with out much notice so maybe that is why…But there will be a run off Tuesday December 23...so we get another chance to have our say in our city’s government.

Another thing, when we vote especially, in our local elections it shows the men and women who are willing to take on the job of directing our cities, that we do appreciate them and their willingness to serve. Please vote.

I know you have noticed, you just can’t buy good souse anymore….. you have noticed….Right? As we speak I am making a batch of ….I am thinking this might be my best batch yet….I added a bit more vinegar….In a couple of hours it will be set , I can cut off a slice, lay it on a cracker and I will know for sure.

That’s it from here…201 Luster Street….call if you need me.
PS if you have a good souse recipe email it to me, GloriaChristiansen@gmail.com my goal for this winter is to perfect the perfect souse recipe.