April 16, 2011

Did you see anyone last weekend at the Dogwood Festival that didn't have a smile on their faces? Perhaps the people at the end of the Dogwood 5-K run were the only ones. I did the inaugural run a few years back and came in in just under 3 hours and 33 minutes. The kids gobbled up cotton candy, snow cones, and lemonade and loved seeing all the fun activities for children. Good job, whoever put all of it together. Tallapoosa's Dogwood Festival brings together wonderful artists like Mary Tollison with her homage to Tallapoosa with her creative art. I met a fellow who was selling cedarwood chairs that cost more than my first car. I purchased an Adirondack chair from Buddy Gentry a couple of days before the town's celebration and I wish every piece of furniture I had was as well built as to what Brother Buddy makes. I have a household tip for people who want to Minwax an Adirondack chair. Never allow a 6 year old to assist you in staining a wooden structure. The parade was a grand event. Sheriff Eddie Mixon always throws out a 55 gallon drum of candy at every parade he is in. Mayor Pete Bridges went one better. He gave out dollar bills to kids along the parade route. I thought the Rebel Marching Band was terrific and added to the festive air of the Dogwood Festival. It was good seeing some of my school mates from Tallapoosa High. I began to ponder how many of my teachers were still with us. I could only think of Curtis Watson and Joyce Combs. Joyce taught a course called "Family Living" and it was essentially home economics that allowed guys in the class. Once while learning about child care we were assigned to take care of a 10 pounds sack of flour go simulate caring for a baby. I left my "assignment" on the kitchen table when I came in from school and went outside to throw the football with Keith Hughes. When I came back inside my grandmother had made a pan of biscuits and a peach cobbler out of my "assignment." Curtis Watson inspired me to study drama at West Georgia. I have a degree in theater arts from the college. I hold a minor in journalism but not so much as you can tell it. I am hoping the CRCT exams went well for the Haralson County School System. 8 year old Presley took hers this past week in Cobb County. I am bothered by the fact that one of our local banks is closing come July 1st. I got a letter in the mail telling me of the "business decision." I wrote them back and told them I was closing my account and it was a "business decision." It is a shame that a corporate "business decision" means that some good people will loose employment. Sine die was shouted a couple of days ago at the Gold Dome. I recall the years of Speaker of the House and our district representative, the Honorable Thomas B. Murphy used to slam the gavel down and proclaim Sine die! I never understood how the most powerful man in the state could have been turned out by the voters of this district. Like him or not Speaker Murphy got things done.These days I am trying to figure out how the average Georgian's life is a bit easier because of the past few months of committee meetings, proclamations, and photo opportunities. I read an interesting statistic about the economic mess we all are facing. 50 percent of all bankruptcies in America are because of medical bills. 75 percent of all health care dollars are spent in the United States are on chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, lung disease, and some forms of cancer. After I read that statistic, I got on the treadmill and then made a phone call to Marie Osmond. Can you believe that Easter Sunday is but a week away?