I have two dog tales to tell. Tony, a rescued dog, has lived with his family in Logan Woods for several years and has never ventured away from his territory. But I guess Tony decided he might as well celebrate the New Year, and so on New Year’s Day, he crossed busy U.S. 78 and eventually appeared at the home of Perry and Margaret Gunter. His celebration ended when Perry read his dogtag, called the Wilkes County Veterinary Services, found whom he belonged to, and took him home to Logan Woods. That’s what being a good neighbor is all about.

The other dog tale is about another Shelter dog. Bonnie has lived with Jo and Buzzy Randall since the demise of her namesake earlier this year. Bonnie doesn’t know that she is a dog, or that she is still a puppy even though she is a rather big dog. She lives in the house, and has her own little room. Somehow, her room has become known as “Bonnie’s Boudoir” and she not only voluntarily goes to her “Boudoir” when it’s bedtime (early), but goes there when there are guests in the house or when she’s just “had enough.” She understands when you say, “Bonnie’s Boudoir.” She likes to greet people but is a little too exuberant with her greeting. . . . I have found that Bonnie and I are kindred spirits. She sits patiently while the television is on, but when Buzzy has a football game on, she heads for her Boudoir, and whines until somebody comes to close the door. She has made many trips lately with all the bowl games on. (I think I will find a Boudoir for me.) . . . But there’s hope! It won’t be too long before the Braves get cranked up again and it’s baseball time. I hope Bonnie likes baseball.

We’ve had some beautiful, beautiful weather lately – especially for January. But we’ve also had a good bit of rain, some severe thunderstorms, and tornado watches and warnings. Norris Ware says we’ve had 1.45 inches during the past week; and a total of 4.3 inches for December. Total rainfall for 2005 was 48.6 inches which is about two inches above normal.

Bonnie Boatwright, who writes the Rayle News for The News-Reporter, got a letter from Santa Claus! It was addressed to “Editor for Rayle News, 140 Boatwright Circle, Rayle, Ga.,” and it was signed, “Always, Santa Claus.” The letter read, “Hello, Mrs. Boatwright: Just been reading your writings from Rayle, and enjoy them very much. I do know some of the people you write about, seems to be a good section and neighborhood. Just keep up the good work. It couldn’t be better. Have known you long since you were a very young lady.” The return address said, “Santa – North Pole.” Bonnie was very pleased, but doesn’t have a clue to Santa’s identity.

I know of several people who watched the “Peach Drop” in Atlanta on television New Year’s Eve. But I don’t know of but one Wilkes Countian who was actually there. Charlie Burke, Kip and Margie’s junior at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, and several of his friends were there in that big crowd of people! . . . They’ve got more courage than I have!

Dot Harris, who coordinates the Salvation Army kettles and bellringers during the Christmas season, says that when she cleared out the kettles one day last week, she found two keys, along with the money. If you accidentally dropped in a key, you can claim it by calling Dot. Call us here at The News-Reporter and we’ll put you in touch.

New information keeps “popping up” about Eliza Frances (Fanny) Andrews. Well-known for her Wartime Diary of a Georgia Girl, and her contributions to science and education, now she has a novel to her credit. Dr. Kit Rushing, an “authority on Fanny Andrews,” has edited the first of four novels which she wrote, and the University of Tennessee Press has published A Family Secret. You can check the book out at the Mary Willis Library or you can buy one. The library has them for sale.

The Atlanta JournalConstitution’s Christmas Day 2005 issue had a section designated as “Today’s Gift” to readers. The section copied front page issues of The Constitution beginning with June 16, 1868, and then selected random ones through 1990. The fourth front page selected was September 28, 1930, and the lead story was about “Powerful Georgia Team Crushes Oglethorpe 31-6.” The article recounted the football game between the University of Georgia and Oglethorpe University, and cited Frank Anderson as one of Oglethorpe’s star players. Frank Anderson is the brother of Eddie Anderson, who was Washington High School Coach in the 1940s and 1950s and father of Washington Wilkes’ Judy Anderson and Andy Anderson and their siblings. Eddie Anderson also played for Oglethorpe at one time. . . . Thanks to Hoppy and Oleta McAvoy for calling my attention to this article.

One of the things that didn’t make the year-end review of 2005 in The News-Reporter, that I think is one of the best things that happened last year. That is the “shoring up” of the old Washington Loan and Banking Co. Building at the corner of East Robert Toombs Avenue and South Jefferson Street (where the Antique Exchange is now located.) The building was such an eyesore as all of us traveled west on Robert Toombs and as visitors came to our town from that direction. Thanks to Mike and Cristy Todd, the windows were repaired and fixed and painted and now it looks great.

A family from Pennsylvania read about the Aonia Pass Motorcross on the internet and then found Babe’s House Bed and Breakfast on the internet. The two boys in the family – 12 and 17 years old – are motorcross enthusiasts and so the family has been to several parks so that the boys can ride their vehicles. They made reservations at Babe’s House and arrived in the afternoon the day after Christmas, having driven all night and bringing their vehicles with them. The first thing the boys wanted to know was, “Do you have any Georgia Peaches?” They enjoyed the track at Aonia and said it was one of the best they had been to.