News From The Round Table At Pouland's

We had a nice visit with Blant Ferguson who grew up in Diboll but now lives in Hiawassee, Ga. He came in for his uncle O'Hara Chandler's 100th birthday celebration. Blant's two sons, Duane and David, flew from Atlanta and met their dad who drove. Blant stopped in Beaumont and visited with his brother and sister-in-law, Carl Webber and Mary Sue (George). In Humble he had lunch at Papasitos with friends and sisters, Evelyn (Walker) Davison and Billie (Walker) Jones who also grew up in Diboll. Billie lives in Kingwood and Evelyn in Austin. Evelyn is a Christian motivational speaker and was flying out of Houston to San Diego, Calif., for a speaking engagement.

Blant Ferguson graduated from Diboll High School in 1949. His mother, "Ms Jimmie," was the first person you saw when you went into Southern Pine Lumber Company; she was the "switchboard operator." Blant attended Diboll First Baptist Church all his life; after serving in the Navy he continued his education and eventually became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church. He applied for a commission in the Navy Chaplain Corps while in seminary and upon graduation re-entered the navy as a chaplain, retiring in 1987 earning the rank of Captain. In 1971 he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from the school of Theology in Claremont, Calif. I didn't ask him if I needed to refer to him as "Captain" or "Doctor" Ferguson? Personally, I prefer Blant, who I remember as a young handsome vocalist.

Blant also had a nice visit with Joe Donald and Emma Lee Smith while he was in Diboll. His niece, Jennie Ferguson, organized a Texas-size birthday party for her cousin Duane, who celebrated his 44th birthday in Diboll. The party was in the Diboll home of Bill and Clara Ferguson. Other family members present included Jennie's daughter and brother, Lizzie and Carl Dennis Ferguson. Blant attended Sunday morning worship services at Diboll First Methodist and went as a guest of JoAnn (Minton) Grigson to Keltys Baptist for the evening service. He was still raving about how Andy Jarvis could play the piano.

As you know, the Minton family from Diboll has been very instrumental in raising lots of money for Relay for Life. This year JoAnn Minton and her family and friends team, The Pink Pearls E-Racers, have come up with the idea of a pajama party. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. The event will be Feb. 29 from 7- 11 p.m. at the Lufkin Civic Center. Elvis is scheduled to appear and there will be food, door prizes, bingo and lots of fun. Don't forget to wear your pj's. Call JoAnn at 635-0992 or Lisa at 829-1431 for more information.

You may have seen signs in and around the Burke area advertising "The Cowboy and the Princess," which is a business that boards and trains horses and teaches riding lessons. The "princess," Denise Wilson, is a regular customer and brought her parents in to meet us. They are Howard and Jean Wilson of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. They are retired now but at one time owned a tour bus company. With over 50 vehicles, Clipper Coach Lines and United Trails carried tourists from Canada all over the United States. Denise recalled that she and her siblings spent many a night sleeping in the luggage racks while their dad was driving a bus.

You can't be around Denise Wilson very long before you realize she is and has been a horse lover for many years. She saved her money from a paper route and bought her first horse for $67.67 and that didn't include a saddle. Because they lived in town at the time, she kept the horse in the garage and had to ride before dawn and after dark so the neighbors wouldn't know. Today, she owns and trains between 18 to 24 horses. If everyone is interested, The Cowboy and The Princess horse ranch was formerly owned by our dear friend, Bill Oates, and is located on Morris Road in Burke. They will board, break or teach you to ride. Almost every pretty Sunday afternoon several riders will gather and ride with them through the beautiful woods of East Texas. Give her a call at 829-2104.

Kids all over Angelina county had been feeding, cleaning and caring for animals getting ready for last week's Angelina County Youth Fair. Others had different projects that include mechanics, baking and crafts. Jennifer Reeder, a student at Diboll, was working on her FFA project after school one evening about 7 p.m. when she tripped and hit her head on a squeeze chute. Her parents, Scott and Tammy, rushed her to Woodland Heights' ER where they determined she was going to be OK except for the bump and headache. As they were leaving the hospital Tammy received a call that her grandmother was at Memorial's ER but thank goodness she was released later that night. The Reeder family got into bed about 3 a.m. the next morning. A sleepy-looking Scott came in the store about 9 a.m. and reported that Tammy was resting and her grandmother was cooking hot tamales. Everything worked out OK.

Stacy Kilgore has her own pet project. She came in to buy vaccines for four small Yorkshire terriers. Stacy is their "nanny" as she is taking care of them for a friend. They are for sale! Out of 14, only four beautiful silver and blond puppies remain. They will only weigh about 5 to 8 pounds when they are grown. The dam and sire are full blood and registered. They are selling for one half of their worth, $400. Give Stacy a call at 829-4527 if you are interested in relieving Stacy of her nanny duties.

Richard and Jo Ann Rainwater enjoyed a two-day Valentine's getaway in Natchez, Miss. Jo Ann's sister Betty had gifted them a stay at the historic Dunleith House, a stately three-story white colonnade plantation home built in 1856, now a 26-room bed and breakfast. The Rainwaters were glad to be in the General Bedford Forrest suite, which was one of four large suites with a fireplace, as the temperature was 29 degrees their first night there.

They toured several of the antebellum homes and were most impressed with Melrose, built in the 1840s. Melrose was purchased in 1990 by the National Park Service (our tax dollars at work), and the elegant rococo revival furniture, lavish silk draperies, intricate wallpaper, velvet carpet, and gilded cornices and mirrors have been perfectly restored to their original state. Prior to the Civil War, Natchez had the most millionaires per capita of any city in the United States, making it arguably the wealthiest city in the nation, and it now has the greatest number of antebellum houses in the country, primarily because it was spared the destruction of many cities such as Vicksburg during the Civil War.

Have a great week and come see us…round the table.