Sunday afternoon brought back memories of Hurricane Rita after the high winds, rain and no electricity. Thankfully, I've not heard of any personal injuries except trying to sleep without the luxury of air conditioning and the hum of the ceiling fans. With all the trees down, I want to thank the crews who got the electrical current flowing in less than 10 hours. Sometimes it seems I've held the telephone that long trying to get through to talk with them.

How much better can you endure this hot weather than to enjoy an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Thanks to Patty Waller, DQ's cake decorator who brought us a delicious ice cream cake appropriately decorated with a longhorn steer. Thank you.

Brothers, Robert D. and Tommy Fenley came in looking for a linch pin to go in an antique-looking tractor that Tommy had bought. Robert is enjoying his third retirement; the last one was five years ago. He and Vela "Bill" (Stivers) enjoy their one granddaughter and seven grandsons. Their oldest grandson, Josh Kee, returned from Iraq in January and is presently stationed in Ford Hood; his parents are Jimmy and Brenda Kee.

Kathy and James Simms are extremely proud of their only son-in-law, Craig Parker, who will graduate Aug. 8 with a 4.0 grade average from Texas A&M in San Antonio. His sweet wife, Jamie, has worked to help Craig through college after four years in the service. Craig and Jamie will be moving to Conroe where he will work for First Bank & Trust of Conroe. James said he and Kathy are grateful the kids will be close enough now to come eat supper with them and go back home

According to the Agri Life Extension monthly bulletin congratulations are due to Dan Eddins, Livestock 4-H, and Cecilia Flournoy, Diboll 4-H, for receiving the State 4-H Salute to Excellence Award at State 4-H Roundup in College Station. These two have given many hours of service to young people and have truly earned this award. Our congratulations to you also.

Vernon Burkhalter celebrated his 80th birthday with a party at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Bessie and James Furgurson. Vernon enjoyed plenty of good food, including one of his favorites, chicken n-dressin'. Along with his wife Bettie Sue, all five daughters, Dorothy Sue Barlow, Bessie, Jerri Lynn Ledford, Lisa Burkhalter, and Suzanne Langford along with "bonus" daughter Melissa McCall attended the event. Vernon has been blessed with 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Those there to help VB celebrate included Wayne Barlow, Tina, DeWayne, Brax and Macie Turner; Codie, Phillip, Austin, Haylie, Kayleigh and Brian Watson; James Furgurson, Angela, Todd, Gunner, and Madison Horton; Kallen Treadway, Paul, Lisa, Jeremy and Noah Kilman; Haegan and Rich Spring; Gaylon and Hannah Langford.

Robbie and Don flew to Jackson Hole, Wyo., and took a rent car through Grand Teton park, through Yellowstone out the east entrance through Cody, Wyo., Red Lodge, Mont., then on to Nye, Mont., where they met their friends, Dick and Gina McAvoy, who had a cabin on a mountain by the Stillwater River (it was not still) . They all hiked the Stillwater Canyon along the beautiful rapids and climbed to see several waterfalls. The low temperature at night was 49 and the high was low 80s and glorious!

Don was thankful that his new knee did fine with all the walking and climbing. They drove through Red Lodge to Cooke City over the Bear Tooth Highway which still has snow and was breathtakingly beautiful, with the plateaus of nearly solid rock, cut by canyons and dotted with highaltitude mountain lakes, reflecting snow topped mountains and great vistas. It was sprinkled with delicate, colorful wildflowers everywhere. They caught rainbow and brown trout in a small lake in Stillwater Canyon.

While in Yellowstone, they saw bear, bison, deer, elk, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep.

They went to the Old Faithful Inn but were too late to eat in the dining room; instead, they went to the deli, got lunch to take to the second floor outdoor patio, where they watched "Old Faithful" do his thing - great way to see it! They saw many other geysers erupting along with "paint pots"and many colorful steaming sulfur pits.

Another day they drove to Big Timber, Wyo., down the Boulder River Valley to see waterfalls and where "A River Runs Through It" was filmed as well as the ranch on the river where "The Horse Whisperer" was filmed. They had reviewed these two movies the week before they took the trip as a reminder. The "real thing" was even more beautiful. After they left the McAvoys (who have been going there for years and are great tour guides), they drove back through other parts of Yellowstone from Gardiner, Mont., (the north entrance) and returned to Jackson Hole to fly home.

My thanks to Don Wier for e-mailing this news. Sounds like a great trip, my only comment would be, why Don thinks Old Faithful is a "He." Personally, I think as dependable and reliable this geyser has been year after year, it must be a "She."

Larry and Jan Porter stopped by and visited at the RT. They have recently moved into their new house in the shadow of Moody Gardens on Galveston Island. They were on their way to Louisiana to visit with friends and family and play golf. Larry grew up in Diboll, the son of Leroy and Willie Dell Porter. They moved in 1958. Larry left as a sophomore in Diboll's 1A school and moved to a 4A school in Texas City and played football. Reminiscing with Larry about the good ole days in Diboll were Joe Paul Stovall, Earl Carr, Charles Havard, Skeeter Scarborough and John Ralph. I overheard some names mentioned: Billie Frank Pate; Travis Parker who married Larry and Jan; Coach Ervin Dubose; Don Hendrick; Sandra (Ashworth) and Harry Medley who went to school with Larry in Texas City; the Park Street gang that included Mary Alice, Elaine and Sill Bunch, Johnnie Sue Fox and JoNell (Vaught) Placker. After leaving the RT, they had plans to stop and visit Dixie Cook at The Meadows.

Larry Porter's grandparents were Arthur and Mable Porter who owned and operated Porter and Sons' Service Station in Diboll where Cannon's Countertops is located today. It is still remembered as a true service station where they filled your car with gas; washed the windows; swept off the floor mats and checked the oil, all with friendly smiles. The Porters were benevolent, compassionate, caring people. During World War II, they offered their large home that was built on the corner of Ashworth and Hines streets to anyone that needed a place to live. At one time there were 12 people living in the house including the Porters, their two sons Richard and Clem; an adopted daughter, Emma Lou, her sister Alta Faye Wright and her baby, Luann; Mr. Porter's brother; Mrs. Porter's dad, Mr. Potts and Diboll senior Geraldine Martin (soon to be Pouland) whose mother, Effie, was in a long term care hospital out of state. The Vaughts, Jack, Avis and JoNell, rented a two-bedroom apartment in the large house. They will always be remembered for their acts of kindness.

Happy birthday to Melvin Linton Sr. on Aug. 5; JoNell Placker on the 6th and her daughter Kim Chapman on the 8th.

Stay cool; come see us…'round the table.