I was on the receiving end of one of my Mother’s retorts, or as I prefer to call them, lightning bolts.

Mom and I used to cook lunch at my grandparents’ house after church on Sundays. And I would bring my dog Little John with me. Let me tell you, my grandparents loved that little dog. They used to dog-sit him while I was at work. I came to pick him up one day and they had driven him around the block. He was restless and they thought he needed a ride. I’m not making this up. They even kept a picture of him on their mantle.

What do a new playground, a drunk driving simulator and exercise for seniors have in common?

They're all coming to Union County with state grants applied for by the Union County Mayor's office.

Traveling can be rough on the body. Whether you are traveling alone on business, or on your way to a sunny resort with your family, long hours in a car or on an airplane can leave you stressed, tired, stiff and sore.

The power has to go out for you to see the stars at night as brightly as we did during the Great Depression. We have a yard light now, two of them really, and we can see the glow of the night lights of Knoxville on the Southeast horizon. There might be a shooting star but we don't bother looking for one. There are too many other things to do. After all, the best television programs are on at night. No, we don't linger outside like we used to do.

Mincey’s Musings
Year One, Week Twenty-Five

Once again, we find ourselves close to an election. Our founding fathers saw it necessary to create our national system of government to have a balance of power that would prevent any one group from becoming dictatorial. That is why we have a President as head of the Executive Branch, the Senate and House of Representatives that serve as the Legislative Branch (the only branch of our national government that has its own balance of power), and the Supreme Court Justices as heads of the Judicial Branch.

Water is the world’s most healthy and inexpensive beverage. It can increase energy and endurance, prevent kidney stones, aid digestion, and regulate body temperature. Yet few of us consume as much as we should.

It is surprising how much water your body loses in a day. About two cups are lost just breathing, and another two cups are lost through perspiration just sitting around. Another six cups are lost through kidney and intestinal function. That’s 10 cups you lose just doing office work.

This may seem like a strange title for a story, but as you will see, it is appropriate. This happened a long time ago, before I knew my stepfather. Cloy Weishuhn was of Dutch extraction. He was a mountain of a man, weighing in at about 450 pounds when he was dieting and closer to 500 pounds on a bad day. He was a used car salesman and a good one. One day he sold a used car with no motor in it. When the new owner tried to drive it away, and hit the starter, nothing happened. The motor has been taken out for repairs. With it installed, he drove off the lot, happy and a little wiser.

I was driving at the young age of 3. Not literally of course. I loved it when I sat in front of my Papaw as he drove his tractor. He would let me place my hands on the steering wheel with his while he drove. It is a cherished memory.

Needless to say, John Deere tractors were a fixture while I was growing up. Papaw always had at least 2. He also had an old red Massey Ferguson.

My mother would be horrified if she saw all the food we waste today. She had a knack with left-overs that was almost an art. I guess today it's a lost cause. I still get a guilt trip if I toss good food out to the critters, just because there isn't enough for another meal and the refrigerator is getting covered up with left-overs.

It was one of the most exciting nights of my life. I had traveled to the wilds of Kentucky to see John Fox Jr.’s The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, the most Appalachian of all Civil War era novels, brought to life upon the stage. The setting deep in the woods of the Cumberland Mountains could not have been more authentic as were the stage and the seating.