Smoke Signals and other news
I took my husband, Doug, to the emergency room Monday at 5 a.m. A whirlwind of medical events followed. After several hours in the ER, we were sent to a room only to be moved later that day to a step-down unit.
Our daughter, Melissa, came and stayed with her Dad, while I went home to care for the animals and grabbed some clothes. My other daughter, Emily and her daughter, Mary Claire, took our tiny spoiled dog home with them. The cats only needed food, water, and a clean litter box to be happy.
We were at the hospital until late Thursday; but my husband and I had the best care. Even though the area of the hospital we were staying in was not close to anything – food services or parking lots, the the nurses/aides were wonderful. They assured that when my husband got a food tray, they brought me a tray, too. The staff made sure we had everything we needed.
Our window view was a rooftop of another building. We had some Canadian Geese stop by for a visit after a rain shower and could view them up close from the window.
On Tuesday, we discovered our son, Mike, was in another hospital. He was discharged Sunday with serious heart issues.
Shortly after arriving home, I discovered my wedding ring was not on my hand (I never take it off). I called the hospital unit, searched the car, suitcase, purse, and computer bag, and returned to the three places we stopped in town but, I did not find it. My heart is sad to be without it after having it for 32-plus years. If someone finds it, I pray they will do the right thing and return it. I’m offering a reward. If anyone has seen or have any knowledge of where my ring may be, please contact me at 901-246-8843.
My grass, which already needed cutting, grew while we were at the hospital. I went out to mow on Friday and was making significant progress. Then, I got too close to the old dog pen area and the blade grabbed a large piece of wire. The mower snatched it and made the wire get tangled around the blade. I couldn’t get down there to fix it, so I left it sitting and went to get the smaller mower to finish cutting the grass. Another problem arose. The battery was dead on the smaller mower. My son decided to come by and untangled the wire. I was ready to finish cutting my yard, but no, the original mower now had a flat tire from the wire. I decided I was not meant to cut grass that day.
My neighbors, who purchased the house and acreage across from me, are apparently into dirt bike racing. Several times a year, they host a dirt bike racing event with campers, trailers, concessions, porta johns, and they even charge admission. There were at least 100 vehicles parked there this weekend. It is quite an event, and there is no sitting on the porch enjoying the quiet Saturday or Sunday when the racing is going on. This year they added sparkling lights around their gate so the attendees would not miss the driveway. From the noise, it is obvious the kids had a great time. Fortunately, I cannot hear it from inside my house. I am concerned for those who ride their bikes on the road since many drivers in the area drive anything but safely.
Legrande and Matilda Wilson came to Byhalia from Petersburg, Virginia, in the late 1840s – early 1850s. Mr. Wilson was “recognized as one of the leaders of Byhalia, socially, commercially, and politically. His two sons, Dr. N. J. Wilson, and Aristotle Wilson, were also very prominent Byhalian. Dr. Wilson was married to Mary Raiford and served as one of Byhalia’s first doctors from the Civil War until he died in 1901.
E. Q. Withers arrived in the area in the 1840s. A man of wealth, he bought a 920-acre plantation near Victoria, where he built a palatial log house. He planted a grove of pecan trees among the huge oak trees. One of the largest holly trees in this part of the state was in his front yard. During the war, the home was burned down by Federal troops. Withers rebuilt a large frame home which accidentally burned several years later. A third house, smaller but just as attractive, was built over the foundation of the first house. Withers was also a banker and became an official of the Bank of Holly Springs after the war. His home was bought in 1938 by Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Carrington.
Please share your news with me at jchwagg@gmail.com or text or call 901246-8843. You can message me on Facebook as Clair Wagg.