Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Now Raymond, don't go saying that if you don't mean it.  :)  Can you imagine how sore, raw, and burning the inside of my thighs would be from the saddle after just one day.  Ouch!

Say Freddie, if you're boss wins the Lt. Gov.  position against that Democrat New Orleans lawyer, does that mean you become the SOS?  :)  Hmmm, naw, I "ain't" gonna say anymore.  :)

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Polly and I are getting ready to head for the Smokies for a week or so.  Hope to do a little hiking (walking) and drive some of the back roads, I mean really back roads.

Is anyone else going to be in the Smokies in the next week or so?  We'll be pulling a travel trailer, oh, so nice, to sleep in your own bed, to have your own "facility", to be able to pull over anytime you need a "facility" and not have to wait for the next exit to see if there is a "facility" there, 20, 30, 40 miles down the road.  :)  And it's really nice to be able to walk around the rv park in the afternoon/evening visiting with other folks from who knows where.

Temperature in the Smokies at night is down into the 30s, daytime up to 60/70.  Nice!!!!!

Let us know if you are heading for the Smokies by this weekend and plan to be there for a week or so.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Raymond,

If you like Blue Grass, there is Bluegrass RV Park at Franklin, Kentucky on I-65 at exit 6.  There are two Pilot truck stops there on the cross road.  The RV park is a ways behind the one on the south side.  I've spent the night at that Pilot several times while I was driving the big rig.  Intended to walk back to the RV park to see about the music but never did.  They have a big ad in the Trailer Life 2010 RV Parks & Campgrounds Directory.

Elaine Philen (Strickland)

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Elaine,

I was told that about Floyd Cramer, actually being a Creamer, from Campti.  Don't know if it's factual or not.

Polly & I were able to visit with Alice Faye Dietrich Bagley and also with Vivian Tanner Griffith on our trip to & from the Smokies.  We're heading homenow.  Really enjoyed visiting with both of them.  Vivian is moving back to Jamestown, LA.  I think it's in Webster or Bienville Parish.  Anyway, she lives with one of her daughters who is going to build on their old home place when they sell their home in Mt. Airy, Georgia.  Being a work day we did not get to stop and visit with Don Beasley in Athens, GA.

Bill & Polly

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

:)  For those of us who could/can only afford a $25 horse, and that's with the saddle & bridle  thrown in, those are astounding prices.  :)

Of course, I just read in the paper where someone paid over a million dollars for a baseball bat, jersey, and three other items I can't remember.  On TV last night they said a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth went for over $250,000.  Someone still has money even in this economy, bet they don't know what "living from paycheck to paycheck" means.  :)

Gail Straughan (Barbo)

Polly St. Andre (Holly)

Thanks Gail, and the same to you and your family.  We have so very much to be thankful, God has really been good to us. 

As for us...we have already started the "Thanksgiving" festivities.  Our oldest son and his family have just left, tomorrow we will be taking Bill's Mom to Beaumont to be with Larry and his family for Thanksgiving.  Then Friday, we will go to our daughter's house to have our Thanksgiving with them.  I'm already concerned about the 25 pounds I will gain...but who cares...just more to love, huh!  :)

Thanks for keeping in touch.

Elaine Philen (Strickland)

Gail Straughan (Barbo)

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!  Hope your New Year is filled with great blessings and joy for you and yours.

Anna

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

And may Polly and I wish for each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and may each of you know the Christ of Christmas and Easter.  And our prayer for the new year is that each of us will enjoy health as we age and the fellowship and friendship of old and new friends, sweet memories, and that our "bucket lists" would be accomplished.

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

TO ALL MY NHS CLASSMATES,  I SINCERELY COVET ALL YOUR PRAYERS.

I have a condition called IPMN and am being evaluted for surgery.  It is a "horrific surgery and the Mt. Everest of surgery.  I will have part or all of my pancreas removed along with all of the duodenem and part of the small intestines and part of my stomach.  If all of the pancreas is removed, I will have to have an insulin pump implanted.  It is very difficult to recover from and takes awhile.  IPMN takes about 5 years to turn into cancer and they know I have had it for 3 years but do not know how long I have had it before it was diagnosed.   They told me that I was very fortunate to know about this before it is pancreatic cancer.

To each one of you, I wish a wonderful and healthy New Year.  If God is willing, may we all make the next reunion.   MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS EACH OF YOU!!

LOVE................................JANETTE

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Raymond, if it is not too late, PLEASE come by to see us, the WELCOME mat is out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  I talked to Bill tonight and he told me you had contacted me but I haven't been on here since Saturday, please forgive me.  Let me know, I will tell you how to get here and have the coffee pot ready.  Please let me know; I go for a stress test and echocardiogram Thursday morning but will be here otherwise.  Anyone else coming this way is sure welcome anytime.

HERE'S HOPING TO SEE YOU AND YOURS!!!!

Judy Bob Roberts (Easley)

for all of you prayer warriors out there--Jeanette is having her surgery tomorrow. very serious surgery. please keep her in your prayers all day tomorrow.

judybob

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Rosalie spoke with one of Janette's sons on Friday, Janette was still in surgery at 5pm on Friday.  Rosalie called the hospital today and learned Janette is in ICU, no more info at this time.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

There is an update on Janette in the "User Forums" under "Prayer Requests".

Raymond Thomason

There is a whole lot of dancing going on down here in the valley. If you don't mind dancing with Winter Texans.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

:)  That's what the "snow birds" call themselves, there are other names for them among the "locals".  :)  Where are y'all, Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen or somewhere in between?

Gladys Porter Zoo was built while we were living in Brownsville, '70 - '72, it was state of the art at that time, without fences, in order to have a more natural look.  Amigoland had not yet been built but was envisioned.

Don't know if Higgie's Cafe is still down on Elizabeth Street or the White Owl Cafe on ??.  I stirred things up one quiet night in front of Higgie's when I put two 12 guage OO buck through the floor board of our station senior's new sedan that no one else was supposed to be using.  :)  It gave all the other agents a kick to hear the story but I had to stand tall in the Chief's office the next day.  It didn't hurt the engine, but blew the linkage off the side of the transmission.  Officially, there was only one shot fired since the 2nd one went through the hole created by the first.  :)

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Tu quieres decir que no puede hablar espanol?  :)  You have to be careful with pronunciation too, same word pronounced incorrectly gives a totally different meaning.

I just got home from Baton Rouge & have to go back to Baton Rouge tomorrow.  Our daughter just gave us a new, beautiful granddaughter, Skylar Grace, yesterday.  Polly will be staying with them for the coming week to help out.  After 28 hours of labor they finally did a c-section so Donna is going to need some healing time and grandpa has to do some spoiling too.  Dang, just thinking about her makes me want to go back right now to hold that precious child again!

Thank you, Lord, for this child for whom we have prayed!

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

LESLIE DUBOIS HONORED

Hmmm, not sure where to post this right now so will do it here.  Anna Swafford Bernard has passed on that Leslie Dubois has recently had the honor of having a tugboat named after him, an honor normally reserved to members of his company's board of directors.  I don't remember the name of the company right now but he has been with them for 40 years.  Congratulations, Leslie!

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Here I am after 8 weeks in the hospital and 4 1/2 weeks at home and am very slow in getting my strength back.  I am still on a walker at home and in a wheelchair when I go to the doctor.   A friend took me to the hair salon 5 days ago and it wiped me out.  BUT I sure was glad to finally get my hair done.  I have a wound that it not healing at all, still the same depth as when I left the hospital.  Mary Pittman Welch came to see me when I got home, it was great to see her and YAK and YAK.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS AS I HAVE A WAYS TO GO AND WARD CAN'T DRIVE UNTIL JUNE 11 DUE TO HIS HEART PROCEDURES.

LOVE YOU ALL.............................................JANETTE

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Here I am with another update.  I had to go back in the hospital on Monday (5/16) and came home Thursday evening.  I had another infection and had IV antibotics (2).  I again think things are looking up for me.  Please keep me in your prayers.

Gilbert and Marilyn Scarborough called me yesterday, they are doing great.  Gilbert had a back surgery since the reunion.  His call really llifted my spirits.

A very pleasant Memorial Day to all of you!

Love..................................................Janette

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

7/20/11

What a way to celebrate my birthday...........ON MONDAY I HAD SURGERY ON THE WOUND THAT WILL NOT HEAL.  Also 7 weeks ago I had surgery on the same wound to try to get it to heal but no luck.  The doctor does not know why it is not healing.  I thank you all for your prayers and am asking again for prayers.

Thanks so much for the b-day wishes and sweet words..............they really lifted me today.  I did have a wonderful day!!!

MAY GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU..................................JANETTE

Elaine Philen (Strickland)

Hello Janette,

              Sorry that I have not written you, but I do hope you are feeling better.Much prayers are going up for you....It was so good to see you at the reunion...

Love and Prayers

Elaine Philen Strickland

PS. My computer has not been working right...