June 30, 2011

Less than 24 hours ago, I received a call from Mary Lou and Frank Coate who had discovered that today  is Father Sauciers tenth anniversary as a
priest. It was suggested that we take him out to dinner tonight and the idea was to alert the Knights, Ladies Aux. and the Seniors of the event, It was like a "perfect" situation, however, since Charles Czajkowski and I had purchased him a tool set to replace the one stolen from him two weeks ago. So we presented it tonight from the three groups, had a bakery make up an anniversary cake AND managed to round up over 75 persons to join him for his surprise party at Catfish Junction. 

June 28, 2011

Today I spent the morning in my office ordering CD recorders for a client, then progressed to the back yard where I pressure-washed the patio and lawn furniture. Just about wore my tired old a-- out. But Deborah called and as the head cashier for Dillards, had achieved a "perfect" audit when the home office gave her department a surprise visit. Of course that called for "dinner-out" and she insisted on taking my picture for the occasion. Still trying to figure out why her great work warranted taking MY picture, but she said her hair was frizzy from the rain.

June 27, 2011

Last June Kiwanis meeting and we conducted business as well as presenting speakers. We voted to provide $200. for fireworks for the 4th celebration and to give Pastor Dennis Brown $200 to help move a piano to Costa Rico for an orphanage. Our speaker this morning was Cecilia Ann Dailey who gave us some information about the Library including their access to Ancestry. com and reading programs going on during the summer. She and her husband Ervin spoke about their recent trip to Ireland, Kenya, Tanzania and Egypt.

June 26, 2011

I almost forgot to mention that last night a friend and I stopped by Callahans Irish Pub for a frothy one and to see Phil and Walt, a regular duo

at the bar. They are a good acoustic guitar act that plays everyone's favorite songs and gets all in a happy mood. Our waitress had a great sense of humor and kept us laughing during the evening. I really like that bar. . .it reminds me of a place in Atlanta called Manuel's Tavern.

June 25, 2011

Saturday at the VFW Hall, right above Burger King in Saraland was Heavy Metal "Make A Scene" Day.  For $7. you could show up at noon and listen until your ears bled profusely. I'm not saying the groups were anything other than professional, but several of them reminded me of when I owned Nova Studios in Atlanta and would leave after a 3 to 4 hour session in the afternoon or night and my ears would "ring" for a couple of hours due to
the loud volume. I finally said goodnight when "Pseudo Nein" finished, unable to hear my car radio on the way home. I'm pleased that Saraland does offer soething other than Lawrence Welk or Rap.

June 24, 2011

Tonight was the Seniors "Western Dance" at the Sullivan Center. Everyone brought food to share and their wine, beer or soft drinks depending on your party criteria. There was slow dancing, line dancing and some serious fifties "shag". Father Saucier and the puppies joined us for some fun. The reason the second picture is so dark is after they turned off the ceiling lights to set the mood.

June 23, 2011

Corresponded with the mayor and councilman this morning about the 4th of July fireworks. I am told it's a GO. This afternoon I called our code inspector about the dead tree on city property behind our church. It has already dropped two large limbs onto the Quanset Hut and storage building, but the damage is minimal. I was told that the city is waiting on a bid to take it down. Then there was coffee at the Huddle House.

June 22, 2011

After working yesterday in the church, I am taking a day off today to work around the house. Last night we joined the Czajkowski's for dinner at Zaxby's and today I had a couple of people come by the house to order hams and a Boston butt from the Knights for the 4th. Speaking of Independence day, I will be working with the Kiwanis selling hamburgers and sausage dogs. I just hope we continue to have rain so we can have the fireworks show. at Brooks Park.

June 20, 2011

At Kiwanis today, we welcomed Lovina Koch, a retired CPA and Lt. Governor of District 14 Kiwanis Foundation. Lovina discussed the advantages of using the foundation to process our fund-raisers because of its 501-C3 status and the grants available to benefit children. Of course every Kiwanian knows our motto is "Children First, Priority One". We are quite active in the RIF (Reading is Fundamental) program and we voted to up our annual donation for that cause from $300. to $500. We are then sent numerous books which we read to the children and then give them the book to take home.

June 19, 2011

What a great Fathers Day! All my kids called and my sweet wife took me for brunch to the Trellis Room at the Battle House Hotel.  In addition to the champagne cocktails, they served wonderful crabcakes and fillet and shrimp that melted in your mouth. Thank God for the strong coffee afterward or I would have dozed off at dessert.

June 18, 2011

Saturday Deb works the later half of the day so we had the first part to ouselves. We watered plants, cleaned fan blades and she did a load of clothes. Being in the mood for a great hamburger, we visited Butch Cassidy's on Florida St. They make some of the best onion rings you've ever tasted. This afternoon I will work on Knights Of Columbus material for our next meeting.

June 17, 2011

Last night Deb and I were at the Municipal Meeting downtown at Government Plaza to hear Charlie Henry, the new Mobile director of the NOAA Gulf Of Mexico Center. We had our second dinner served by Catfish Junction in one day. Today I worked over at St. Thomas Church, sound proofing some small rooms for privacy. When I returned home I received some wonderful phone calls from friends who had attended the Chamber Meeting yesterday.

June 16, 2011

The Chickasaw Chamber's "Citizen Of The Year" was held today at the First Baptist Church. I was honored to be a nominee, but the final award went to Stephanie Stewart, a caring and hard working employee of the city. The caterer was Catfish Junction and Terry Pringle, our president and Terry Ellis, our speaker did a fine job. Mayor Pittman welcomed the crowd and Representative Randy Davis was in attendance. Top picture: the nominees. Second picture: Me, with my bride.

June 15, 2011

This morning Mayor Pittman, Chief Reynolds and I went downtown to South Broad Street to talk to Fred and Rose Pollman about opening a bakery in Chickasaw. They are willing to meet with us to discuss a good location. Later in the evening, Frank Coate and I attended the conferring of the 1st degree for the Knights Of Columbus on six candidates. It is a solemn and impressive ceremony. Two of the fellows are from our council.

June 14, 2011

Charles and Margaret Czajkowski swung by and picked me up this morning to go see J.D. Crowe (Mobile Press cartoonist) at the Daphne/Spanish Fort Chamber Of Commerce meeting, held at the causeway Oyster House. Mr. Crowe is an amusing speaker, making fun of everyone from Herman Thomas to Steve Nodine. At the end of the meeting he answered questions and signed an autograph for Margaret's framed cartoon about Chickasaw's one and only gambling day. 

June 13, 2011

This morning at Kiwanis we were honored to welcome Cathy Dean Gafford to speak about the State sponsored RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) program. Alabama clubs pick volunteers who travel to schools periodically during the year to read to children. Afterward, the book is given to the child to take home. It would amaze the average person to know that in many cases, that becomes the only book in that family's home. Statewide, 1 in 6 people are functionally illiterate. It has been proven by research that "reading to a girl or boy between 0 - 5 years of age helps set a habit that will determine their literacy in life." Over one million books have been read and handed out since this program started and we are proud to be part of those results.

June 12, 2011

A decadent scourge to the City Of Chickasaw since the eighties was the old Burger King on the Craft Highway-Wilson Ave. site in front of the Word Of Life Church. It was occupied after Burger King moved by a myriad of "fly by night" clothing stores and "head shops" but now it is gone. . .every trace except a brick or two. Our fine city declared it a hazard and removed the debris. Maybe the land owners will take the necessary steps to replace it with a building of which we will all be proud.

June 11, 2011

This morning the Knights (four of us) reported for duty at the church. We tilled the courtyard between the Knights Room and the Ladies Aux Room. I really don't think that earth has been worked in over forty years. After planting about twelve junipers. we planned to put in the near future a large circle of encore azaleas bordered by a circle of "monkey grass".

June 10, 2011

Tonight we went downtown to the Art Walk of the Mobile Arts Council. Our friend Jim Hayward (the artist) was having a showing at the council. He is the artist that donated the $2000. series of sculpture that is appearing in the library and has several pieces displayed by the owner in the Civic Theatre. He has produced about 40 great new works that were being
shown tonight. We relaxed with a glass of wine at Spot Of Tea and visited with Ruby Moore before returning home.

June 9, 2011

We had a Senior Meeting at the Sullivan Center and "pot luck" lunch. Talked about election of new officers, dances coming up and a trip to Atmore for visiting the Wind Creek Casino. Frank Coate and I spent a good portion of Thursday picking up hurricane tie-down bolts and placing air tight seals on the doors of the confessional.

June 8, 2011

Another milestone along the road to Chickasaw's regrowth is the dedication and ribbon cutting for the Safe House located at 799 Iriquois Street. The Mayor and council thanked all the people responsible and pledged continued success for this Port City. Representative Randy Davis was there to share our pride in adding another building which can be used for meetings dinners and informational distribution. We are delighted to be a part of this ceremony.

June 7, 2011

I attended a client meeting downtown this morning, then went to Garden Club which was held at Brooks Park.  We discussed ideas for planting daylily bulbs around some of the tree groupings in the park, then ringing those with "monkey grass" If the slope from Highway 42 into the park belongs to the city, it would provide an excellent area to spell out Brooks Park or Chickasaw in flowers.

June 6, 2011

At Kiwanis we voted to give Jim Trout the Hixun Award and Adam Bourne presented us with new road signs for the club. Our speaker today was Robert Mc Gee who heads up the Cleveland House in Saraland. The Cleveland House takes care of special needs citizens where they meet

every Tuesday from 9 AM until 2PM. There are square dances, picnics and assorted outdoor activities.

Unfortunately time has taken its toll on the location at the end of Norton

Ave. and water leaks and wood rot have brought about more maintenance than the non-profit can afford to sustain. One of our members, City Code Inspector Carnes Craig has agree to do a check on the building, find the cause of the damage and our club will make an effort to be of some help.

June 5, 2011

This morning we had Knights Of Columbus where we voted to donate $500. to the Seminarian Fund and pay $72. to have our Knights Room door professionally inset with our council # and name. After Mass we attended a St. Vincent De Paul meeting who's mission is to perform acts of charity for the less fortunate. We had Deborah's car washed to entice the rain and while we were on Springhill Ave. we stopped to visit the practicing Society Of Anachronism working on their swordfighting skills.

June 4, 2011

This morning we had a model train club meeting in Robertsdale at the home of Tom Lindsay. He has an HO layout modeled after his home town in Virginia. If you look closely you can see our illustrious leader, Herb Kern, trying to check a switch in a tunnel. He's the one underneath the layout platform. The second shot is an engine "turnaround" where different locomotives can pick up a freight or passenger car load and proceed on their journey or can be brought for maintenance. The third photo is the main part of town.

June 3, 2011

Corresponded with a couple businesses at the Port today and sent one an application for the Chamber Of Commerce. Had to make a trip to Lowes for weatherstripping and door flanges for a client. This afternoon I met a friend at Spot Of Tea for a beer and some seafood. Looking forward to a busy weekend.

June 2, 2011

A few days ago we were at Dauphin Island, but I couldn't find where I had stored the picture file. . .found it and here are a few of the shots. The sun radiating off the sand was uber-hot and a lot of folks were under umbrellas. The guy in the boat was returning with a good catch and was on his way to a local restaurant. Speaking of food, stopped at Bayley's for a shrimp burger. This place has seafood as good as anything on the causeway.

June 1, 2011

Because our normal meeting day fell on Memorial Day, we met on Wednesday June 2nd.  We discussed giving Jim Trout the Hixun Award which costs the club $1000., but tabled the motion until we have more members present. The club has now earned a total of 90 points and just

needs another 10 to become a "Distinguished Club" Those  extra 10 should come easy, since we have four more months to earn them.