Opinions

I visited my Mother, a very special lady, last Saturday morning. This is a ritual and years ago I would have expected a huge breakfast of grits, eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, biscuits, waffles or pancakes. I mean a feast, brother. This was standard fare for many years but time has taken its toll on all of us. I do not require such nourishment now for if I ate like that at my age I would weigh 400 pounds and Mother is no longer physically able to do the things she used to do. Make no mistake, if she gets it in her mind, she can still issue commands and you darn well better snap to it when she cracks her whip. She will be 88 this November and she is still a beautiful lady. I got my good looks from her side of the family. [Full Story »] 

There is something to do 24/7 aboard a luxury liner. Food is delicious and abundant. Because cruising is an international experience, the fare on the ship is an international experience. On the food bars and menus, cuisine from many countries is offered and prepared by some of the best chefs in the world. Whatever you have a taste for is probably available. You can dine casually in a relaxed atmosphere, eat hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza at poolside while listening to “hoedown” music, order in your stateroom, or dress up formal and be treated to fine dining in a stylish setting with a brass band to entertain while you enjoy a variety of delicately prepared dishes. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

This is a follow-up to my letter of March 7 concerning the death of Corporal James M. Dixon III, USMC, and responses to remarks and comments. [Full Story »] 

I would like to re-share some information with readers, which was first presented in this newspaper by former Editor and Publisher Max Gardner, about a particular class of people that will be revealed later in this editorial.

Some 117 members have run at least two businesses each that went bankrupt, often leaving business partners and creditors holding the bag. Seventy-one of them have credit reports so bad they can’t get an American Express card (but as members, they get a Amex card without a credit check). [Full Story »] 

Sometimes I hear the name of an Arabic country and become frustrated with myself because I can’t call up an instant mental map with that country on it. My geography skills are weak, but I recognize my weakness and work to improve them. When I am working on American geography, watching the weather channel helps me recall the states up around New York and those mid-western states that I have trouble remembering, but countries—well, that’s another matter. Usually the evening news reporters talk about foreign countries and show maps to help us locate them. Apparently they know how weak we Americans are in this area. I guess I’m not the only one. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor and citizens of Appling County,

I guess you want to know, why, when and where, however that is not important, but it is more important than we realize that the sick have a right to be seen at the hospital regardless of race, creed, color or gender.

How can the facilities continue to function without patients? [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

As I rode down Holland Road Extension yesterday I still felt as if I was in a fog, in a nightmare that wouldn’t ever end. My cousin, best friend and Hero will never stand in his yard again, will never cut his grass, play with his dogs, ride down that dirt road, never get to visit any of us at our homes, and will never be a part of any family events. Most people have gone on with their lives, and the big news of Corp. James M. (Rooster) Dixon III’s tragic death was just another news story for the big town of Baxley. [Full Story »] 

Grand Turk in the wondrous Caicos Islands is exciting, glamorous and fundelicious. With exotic cuisine savored to a Calypso beat in a remarkable beachside setting, Grand Turk will charm you into a genuine Caribbean mood. B. J. and I enjoyed our visit there almost to the maximum. We gathered seashells from the adorable beach only to discover that we could not bring them aboard our elegant ocean liner, the Westerdam. Disappointed, we deposited our pretty seashell collection on the dock before boarding our cruiser. [Full Story »] 

After a morning bird count, I decided it was time to call the shoot at a local field for that afternoon. It was short notice but I managed to get commitments from several avid bird hunters like myself. During all the flurry of calls, my daughter, Jesse, overheard and asked if she could go. I was delighted and readily agreed. She asked if she could call some of her boy pals and I agreed again. The texting began in earnest as her little fingers worked the keyboard of her iPhone to a hot lather letting her buds know there was to be a shoot. Since school was out, she had no trouble getting takers. I busied myself gathering the necessities; guns, shells, swivel buckets, blinds, camo, and warm clothing. I had to show Jesse how to work her Mom’s 20 gauge 1100 Remington, as she was used to the 410 pump I bought her several years ago when she was much younger. Of course, all this flurry of activity did not go unnoticed by Fox, the Chocolate wino Lab. He was beside himself with excitement and began barking to let me know to include his flask of antifreeze. I told him no, naturally, and reminded him that drinking and retrieving don’t mix. [Full Story »] 

Super Tuesday is over. Did it ever really live up to the hype repetitively provided around the clock by television pundits? I’d say in Georgia the pre-hype did not live up to expectations. There are roughly 5.7 million registered voters in Georgia. Just barely over one million voters showed up to vote in last Tuesday’s Presidential Preference Primary. Not even 20 percent. [Full Story »] 

We had a whirlwind visit with the whole family this weekend, and a hectic, fast visit is much better than no visit. Calvin and Julie and the boys arrived from Atlanta after midnight Friday night, and Josh and Bentley, coming from Virginia, rolled into Baxley even later than that. Naturally, today when Julie told the boys it was time to go home, they weren’t ready. Grandpa and I weren’t either. Spring Break’s not too far away. Maybe we can wait that long, but we aren’t certain. [Full Story »] 

My Daddy left for the Douglas Fishing Club and told me to take James Graves, tractor and seedlings, and plant a twenty-acre field of Slash pines. ‘No problem’, I thought, ‘I get to be the Boss Man.’

Everything went well until James and I took a break and he suggested that since it was Friday afternoon and cold, it would be nice to have a sip of store bought wine to fight off the chill and drudgery. Since I had never had a taste of store bought wine and was a bit fatigued and cold, I agreed. James had a driving license so we took off to Ambrose with two dollars and bought two pints of King Cotton peach wine at Myrtice’s juke. [Full Story »]