Alaina Callaway Dear Readers, I hope you have time to read a somewhat lengthy thank you note as I say good-bye. The time has come - all systems are not "go" but are more like "slow down."

Thank you for kindnesses through the years. It has been a pleasure. Writing about a whole lot of nice people has been fun, and having you say you enjoyed the columns was a bonus, for which I am grateful.

My gratitude goes to the Newsomes - Smythe first, then Sparky, always Jane, and in more recent years, Mary. They have given me space for these little stories, and have been most gracious and helpful, while dealing with my less-thanskilled way of writing.

Smythe first offered me the opportunity to write some 30+ years ago. Sparky's placement of pictures and headlines made my columns look like something worth reading. When Jane called to clarify dates or names, she definitely "went above and beyond." Mary was a great help in many ways, including making sure pictures were filed right, so they could be returned to the families.

And, the patience of those I "wrote up" was always appreciated. When I couldn't read my own writing and called or emailed to ask something like, "Was his name Don or Dan?" they answered without saying, "But, you took notes."

Mackenzie McCommons Every effort was made to get facts right, but boo-boos happened. I'm sure I noticed (and regretted) them more than anyone. I can only remember one negative comment, and that wasn't about my writing, but about the subject. I always ended up fond of the subjects, wished them well, and have good memories of all.

I am also grateful to those who posed again for pictures, or provided their own, when camera or photographer malfunctioned - most often, the photographer.

There were many times when I ended up writing too much and there was just not room for a special photo. Please know every effort was made to make sure that pictures used were the best to illustrate the story.

There will be stories I would like to write. I will especially miss sharing stories of my trips to Alabama to see my dear children - Carl and Vickie; of my great-grands and other little ones, of family doings here; of keeping an eye on youngest grandson Chris, now that he is living near; of special events at Beaverdam Baptist Church; of ministers, of Courtground School reunions, of Rayle Rambles; of newcomers and old-timers; of Elvis and Pricilla's antics, shelter care, and other puppy tales.

Kaitlyn Bentley I know I shall just miss writing . . . and seeing the good folks at Wilkes Publishing - the Newsomes, Susan Pope, Buck Cope, Kip Burke, and Eric Sifre - haven't seen Eric in a while. Has he moved already?

For this last column we are featuring great grandchildren of longtime Beaverdam Community friends. Wanting you to see pretty pictures of Beaverdam's GREATgrands, I'm cutting back on the writing and leaving space for them.

I have been wanting, for a long time, to tell you about my friends, had even plotted with her granddaughter, a while back, to do just that. My children call Catherine Pitts (Mrs. Herbert) Callaway my "running buddy" because we are always running somewhere together - to town, to see friends, to breakfast at McDonald's and supper at Huddle House and, occasionally, Home Cafe or Lin's Wok, to WalMart, to . . ., but not as much as we once did.

Chancey Maxwell We don't really do much running these days, don't even walk three miles a day as we used to - walking to our mail boxes is now somewhat of a chore! She can outrun me any day. I know, for a fact, she has been raking leaves recently - she exposed a snake in the raking. It was black with orange stripes. What was it? A king snake? Maybe.

Catherine has six precious great grandchildren and is expecting another. I enjoy seeing them when they visit. Alaina, 3, who is daughter of Rick and Sheila Bolton Callaway of Washington, will be big sister in May. Alaina's paternal grandparents are Ricky and Penny Freeman Callaway. Maternal grandparents are Claude W. and Ive Bolton; greatgrandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Torres and Mr. and Mrs. George H. Bolton.

Sarah, 10; Harrison, 8; and Anna, 6, are children of Glen and Cathy McCommons Stott. Mackenzie, 2, and Delanie, born February 15, 2006, are children of Ben and Deborah Tart McCommons.

Sarah, Harrison, Anna, Mackenzie and Delanie are grandchildren of Bill and Pat Callaway McCommons of Raleigh. Louise Lunsford McCommons of Thomson is also their great-grandmother. Sarah, Harrison and Anna's paternal grandparents are Peggy and Bobby Stott. Mackenzie and Delanie's maternal grandparents are Carolyn and Jerry Tart. All live in North Carolina.

Taylor and Amy McAvoy are mine so they get special treatment here in the middle of the page. When these little ones gather with their parents and grandparents on special occasions - vacation times, Christmases, and Catherine's milestone birthday celebrations, all have a wonderful time.

I haven't met them, but Dot and Tom Hardy have two adorable greatgrands, Kaitlyn, 2, and Cole, born August 5, 2005, who are grandchildren of their daughter Louise Hardy (Mrs. Pete) Grimaud; are children of Louise's son, Chris Bentley; their mother's name is Krystal. They live in Lincolnton, which is also the home of their paternal grandfather, Edwin Bentley. Louise is also proud step-grandmother of Hannah and Ben Strother, children of Rob and Andrea Strother.

You would have met Chancey Maxwell, 7, earlier if the camera had not failed at the last Rayle Ramble. She did a great job of singing with her daddy, Billy Gene Maxwell, Jr. Chancey is great-granddaughter of the late Susie Kennedy (Mrs. John Rabun) Maxwell, who held the title of oldest member of Beaverdam Baptist Church for years. She was great grandmother of many but Chancey is the one who spent a lot of time with her during her sunset years and still visits her Aunt Della Holstein and Uncle Larry Maxwell at the home place.

Ansley Granade Let's see if I can get Chancey's other grandparents right: Geneva Buff and Billy Maxwell, grandparents; Henry and Cora Lee Casper Buff, great grandparents. Lynn Blackburn Maxwell is her mother; Willie Frank and Joyce Poss Blackburn, grandparents; Newton and Marion Combs Poss, and Tom W. and Ruby Moon Blackburn, great-grandparents.

You have recently met one of the late Elizabeth and Jim Granade's great-grandsons, Jay, son of Jimmy and Phyllis and grandson of Janet and Jim, who are also proud grandparents of Ansley, daughter of Jonathan and Samantha Granade. Ansley was born August 31, 2005.

Sarah, Harrison and Anna Stott You have also met mine, Taylor and Amy McAvoy. I've written about Taylor, from the time she was a little one at Christmas in Dixie (Remember that fun place?), seeing a military display and talking about her daddy, Richard McAvoy, who was serving in Desert Storm, to the time she was a model in a fashion show. Richard is son of my daughter Gloria and Tommy Wheatley. Christine and Thomas Wheatley are also GREAT-grandparents.

Taylor, now 17, is daughter of Shannon Thomason and Richard and Lisa McAvoy. Her maternal grandparents are Sherry and G. B. Newsome, Jr.; great grandpaents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wallace. We appreciate Sherry, who writes Aonia News and keeps us informed of the sick and bereaved. Allen McAvoy is Taylor and Amy's paternal grandfather.

Amy has been pictured in my kitchen making cookies with her big sister Taylor, at the fish pond as she pulled a big fish out, and in various other poses. I shall miss writing stories of her future antics. A good one could be written about her ninth birthday party last weekend, as she and her friends had fun in the tree house her dad, Richard McAvoy, built for her. It already has live Petunias blooming in her window boxes. Amy's mom is Lisa Redfern (Mrs. Richard) McAvoy, who just has to be the best Girl Scout mom around - she really helps Amy with cookie sales.

Cole Bentley Amy has the same paternal grandparents as Taylor - MawMaw and PaPa Tommy, Nannie Teen and Papa Thomas, YahYah Allen, and yours truly, MeMaw/Granny Siz. (I'm MeMaw to Taylor; Granny to Amy.) Her maternal grandparents are: Gradee Ledbetter - Nanna, and Mickey and Lynn Redfern. Her great-grandmothers are Mrs. Virginia Ledbetter - Big; and Mrs. Mary McTier.

My favorite picture of Taylor and Amy together, shown here, was made Christmas 2001. They've grown a bit.

Most of you know I have not written for The New-Reporter continuously since the early 1970's, but did "off-and-on" long enough to have a trunk full of stories about local folks. It is fun to go looking for a particular article and end up spending a couple of hours refreshing my memory of great people, many of whom are no longer with us. I will be rambling in the trunk a lot.

Delanie McCommons There are many stories out there, and many good writers waiting to write them. I am now looking forward to Thursdays and pulling my News-Reporter from my mailbox. I'll read it while seated on my sundrenched living room sofa or in the cool shade of the oaks, depending on the season.

Thanks for everything!

Good-bye now, Mildred

(If I have personal pictures you wish returned, please contact me. Address: 309 Sisson-Bridges Road, Washington, GA 30673. Telephone: 274-3316. Email: messisson@nuz. net).