We have our air-conditioning set at 74 degrees (Sunday, August 21,) and it’s running continuously, doing all it can do to keep it there. The heat outside is near to unbearable. Heat advisories have been given out for the past several days. Speaking of “bear”able. Brotherin law Walter LeRoy e-mailed me that a bear gave his daughter, Pat Leaptrot, quite a fright the other night. After hearing strange noises outside, she turned on the floodlights around their mountain home in Scaly Mountain, N.C., and saw this huge bear. When she made noises to try to make it go away, he just came onto the porch. At this point, she called some neighbors and they came up the driveway, honking their car horn and frightened him away. I thought about the fact that a few years ago when Albert’s son Charles lived in Utah, we visited him and went to Yellowstone National Park. I don’t know that we even got a glimpse of a bear there where you would think they would be plentiful. Back to the heat. Why is it that I can hear of a winter storm watch and get excited, but get depressed when I hear of a “heat” warning! To each his own, I suppose. All the rain we’ve had keeps the grass growing so fast it’s hard to keep it cut. I have a thing about tall grass. It gives me the heebie geebies. It makes me itch, insects bite more and it looks snakey. It looks so nice when the grass is cut uptown, even if it’s in a very small area, it looks so much better. Keep up the good work, fellows. I rode into Washington one day last week. It’s actually been a while since I’ve ridden around The Square and looked at how pretty everything is. This summer, I’ve noticed more flowers in planters here and there, even above stores and this really adds to its neat appearance. Y’all folks do yourselves proud. Hats off to you. I especially liked the front page of The News-Reporter last week where two of our high school football players were pictured. One of the young guys being homegrown in Tignall (Clete Wilson) made it even more special. Clete is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Wilson who run the Citgo Station uptown, and he is the grandson of the late Grady Wilson and Emma Wilson of Tignall. Albert just told me someone recently caught a bear somewhere close by in North Wilkes County. They were hunting wild hogs. He says there is a picture of it at the Kwik Stop. How about that. Halloween items are already on display at Dollar General. Christmas wrapping paper is visible and winter sweaters are out for sale. Who in the world wants to even look at a sweater right now? The stores may set a new record for rushing the season this year. The most recent animals we’ve spotted in our backyard are a raccoon and a terrapin. And of course, stray dogs continue to be frequent visitors. I have ordered me a little toy that may help eliminate this problem. I love cantaloupe. I’ve boughtt several here and here but have yet all summer to find a really good one. Please call me if you know where I can get a good one. I know I’m jumping around and rambling, but I’m just writing things down as they come to mind that I’d like to share with you. Who paints the little seasonal designs on the bale of hay located about midway between Tignall and Washington? You can see it better traveling from Washington into Tignall. It’s located about a mile or so on the left, a mile or so south of Sam and Dawn Moore’s home. I enjoy looking at it and appreciate whoever takes the time to do it. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family of William (Bill) Collins of Tignall who passed away last Saturday. Mr. Bill had been in poor health for quite some time. He let Albert use his mobile wheelchair when Albert was recuperating from his broken ankle and we appreciated that very much. It was a big help in allowing Albert to go outside. Albert and Peter Hoffmann conducted a wedding ceremony last Saturday afternoon at Ebenezer Baptist Church. In a lovely ceremony, marked with simplicity and beauty, Lois Hoffmann Jones of Washington married Coryer Poss of Tignall. They used to ride the school bus together growing up in the Tyrone community. Both their spouses are deceased. Playground fund continues to grow – The total amount to date in the Tignall Community Playground Fund is $1,171.47. Randy Luke and his daughter, Malinda Luke Mills, are to be commended for their efforts which have helped us reach this rewarding total. You will be kept informed of upcoming fundraising events. Thanks to all who are supporting this project. Please mark your calendars now for our upcoming Tignall Fall Festival. Once again it will be the first Saturday in the month of November, this year being November 5. We asked the Chamber of Commerce four years ago to please mark this date for us each year in hopes that it would be respected if anyone wanted to hold another major event on this same day. We appreciate their cooperation with us. JUST FOR FUN – Someone emailed me this and I immediately thought of my mother. Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe for washing clothes. It was found in an old scrapbook, with spelling errors and all:

Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hold cake of lie soap in boilin water.

Sort things, make three piles: 1 pile white. 1 pile colored. 1 pile work britches and rags.

To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.

Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, rub hard, and boil, then rub colored don’t boil just wrench and starch.

Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then wrench, and starch.

Hang old rags on fence.

Spread tea towels on grass.

Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. Turn tubs upside down.

Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.