Hand washing has certainly come to the forefront these days, and rightfully so. The experts say frequent and thorough hand washing is the most important thing you can do for defense against Covid-19. And it’s been an important health action for many decades, but this hasn’t always been the case. For thousands of years people were getting sick or dying from contamination spread by unclean hands, but no one knew anything about bacteria or viruses and such. The first glimmer that clean hands were a big deal occurred in 1847 in an unusual manner.

“You’re so nice,” my friend Susan told me.

I shook my head and laughed. “No, I just have a Southern momma.”

My Southern momma began my training as soon as I learned how to talk and was able to communicate with others. It’s an old family tradition. My momma received most of her training from Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle.

Unfortunately for my momma, I didn’t take to my training as well as she did hers. I don’t know who was more frustrated: me or my momma.

Last week’s submission left three fictitious youngsters in the hayloft of Uncle Ex Newman’s barn as they laid out of school—Clark Mosely, his older brother Hen, and their still older cousin Jay Harvey Tatum. We’ll join them in their misadventures once again soon, but inspiration has taken me on another path for this week.

Have you ever done the Dragon? You haven't? Well, you are in for a treat, or a treatment; whatever. Let me tell you the story of my daughter Anne's sister-in-law, Jackie. She came down to visit last summer. She has a brother over on the North Carolina side of the Smokies. Jackie has never been near the Smokies before. She needed directions on how to get to her brother.

Back in the mid-nineties, I had hip replacement surgery. I didn’t want it, but the horse I fell from about twenty or so years earlier gave me no say in the matter. It was a strange journey. About 1989, I went to see an orthopedic doctor at Ft. Sanders when my back was hurting. He ordered an MRI after saying he was pretty sure he knew what was wrong. I wish he had just told me.

Have you noticed those tiny frankfurters in the case near the hot dogs? How do you fix them? Why prepare them at all? That's easy. They are used as an appetizer, but need a sauce to spice up their flavor. This is a good one to try.

This was one my dad's favorites. He liked it with a glass of beer. The bar he frequented always had a gallon jar on the counter behind the bar. I never made them for Dad. I didn't have the recipe. These are different than eggs brined in beet juice.

On March 13, 2020, Union County High student Dawson Epperson signed a basketball scholarship with Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens, Tennessee (TWU). Dawson talked to several schools before making the decision to sign with TWU. TWU is a member of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Dawson is undecided of his major at this time.

The Union County Commission met on Monday, April 27, in a virtual meeting for some commissioners in order to observe the mandates under Covid-19.
According to Mayor Jason Bailey, work on the Union County FY 2021 Budget is on track to be ready for the Union County Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 26.

Chairman David Coppock called the first virtual meeting of the Union County Board of Education to order on April 9, 2020, with all board members present.
Director of Schools Jimmy Carter relayed a message from UCEA President Carolyn Murr. She thanked the BOE for the care and thoughtfulness shown during the pandemic, especially the distribution of food to the students.