October 2019

Hoopla October 2019

Longtime friends go together like a needle and thread

Page 12

Plus: Local History, Puzzles, Fun Features, & Area Events

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

Songbirds take flight this season

The Parker County Retired School Personnel Songbirds are presenting a program of Motown classics this fall at various assisted living and nursing facilities. The program includes music from the 1960s with the narrative focused on the “Roller Coaster of Love.”

“We try to include songs that are familiar to our audience and that will make them smile,” said member Kay Crumley. “We have a great time because we see the faces light up and the residents often sing along.

“One lady even danced,” added Crumley about a recent performance.

Songbirds leader Kathryn Jordan agreed that the concerts are enjoyed by both spectators and performers.

But singing is just one way the organization works in the community.

She said PCRSP, which has over 100

October 2019

Hoopla October 2019 Volume 2, Issue 12

COURTESY

Songbirds, from left, are Karen Cook, Carey Durham, Adrienne Payne, Debbie Pipes, Laurie Jones, Kathryn Jordan, Kay Crumley, Claudia Mason, Cindy Buscher, Karan Haynes. Not pictured: Pam Long. active members, has accumulated more than 25,000 volunteer hours.

The Songbirds have scheduled October performances at Autumn Hill Manor, Santa Fe Rehab, Weatherford Health Care, Clear Fork Assisted Living, and Keeneland.

PCRSP invites former school employees from any district to join their organization, even if they don’t sing.

The next meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

© 2019 Hoopla. All rights reserved.

Hoopla is published monthly and available at more than 45 locations throughout Parker County, including the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce and the Weatherford Senior Center. For a complete list of distribution points, go to our website at www.hooplamagazine. com. We no longer offer home delivery.

You can contact us at Hoopla, P.O. Box 305, Weatherford, Texas 76086.

817-894-1822

seniors@hooplamagazine.com

Publisher Cynthia Henry

Contributors

Kay Burleson • James Carroll Martin Rick Mauch • Neil Sperry • Janet Standifer

Copy Editors Sandra Davis • Jean Henderson

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October 2019

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

3

Don Newbury Speaker, author continues to churn out great stories ...and popcorn

by Rick Mauch Hoopla Correspondent You may have read about his friends, or his fictitious Uncle Mort, but what do you know about syndicated columnist Don Newbury?

We sat down with Newbury, who writes “The Idle American” for over 200 newspapers, and found him to be anything but idle. In addition to his weekly column, he serves as the Popcorn Chancellor of Howard Payne University and receives speaking invitations from all over the nation.

If you’ve got the time, and even if you don’t, it’s recommended worth clearing your schedule – the man will keep you smiling, and in some cases laughing out loud, for hours.

There are his bits of wisdom: “Do not buy potato chips from a vending machine in an airport where the average boardings are four a day.”

There are expressions from his mythical Uncle Mort, made famous in his writings: “That’s not rocket surgery.”

Being who he is, Don is down-toearth and ready to talk about anything from sports to politics -- but only until someone gets too serious.

“I was born near May (the town).

COURTESY

Don Newbury finished 40 years as an educator before starting his weekly newspaper column, The Idle American.

Folks have always asked me if it was late April or early June,” Don said, adding the grin that has endeared him to so many people over the years.

ALMOST TOOK A DIFFERENT PATH

There are many layers to Don, 82, who now lives in Burleson with his wife Brenda. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, a Ph.D in journalism from the University of North Texas, and a master’s degree from the University of Texas in Austin.

He did post-doctoral study at Notre Dame.

He served as president of two colleges during his 40 years in education. He was at Western Texas College in Snyder from 1980-85 before he was offered the job as president of Howard Payne, where he served in that capacity from 1986-97, and he is still a chancellor in an honorary role.

In 2008, he received Howard Payne’s highest award, The Honorary Doctor

of Humanities degree.

“I went to college at Howard Payne because I thought it was the only place I could go,” Don said.

“Turned out to be one of the greatest decisions I could ever make, because I fell in love with it when I was young, and it was such a beautiful feeling to come back as president.”

And to think, he almost took up sports writing for a career. In fact, had it paid more, he might well have been reporting on the Howard Payne sports teams for a living instead.

“I was going to be a sports writer, that was my goal. Some months I’d make $200 stringing ( freelance writing), and that was good money doing that in the 1950s,” Don recalled. “I regularly strung for the Abilene paper, and I’d string for Austin, Fort Worth.

“I was in radio, too. I had a broadcast every day for 15 minutes for $15 a week -- and gas money if I had to go out of town to a football or basketball game.”

Then came a critical moment of decision in Don’s life. He was offered a job as a full-time sportswriter at the Abilene Reporter-News for $125 a week.

“That was not a bad salary,” he said. “(Sports editor) Fred Sanner made the offer and really wanted me on staff. He said, ‘Don, I did the best I could. I only make $140.’”

Don passed and continued into the field of education, but he still has great memories of those days.

“I remember sometimes we’d have to set up a remote broadcast from a cafe or restaurant and you could hear in the background, ‘Hold the onion!’ while you were on the air,” he said with a laugh. “And then there was the time we broadcast a game from Breckenridge. It was icy cold, and I hooked up the box wrong. I found out later I didn’t get one word out.”

Then, he added with a chuckle, See NEWBURY, P. 4

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

NEWBURY

LOVES TO SPEAK

From Page 3

“No one complained. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

WHEN THINGS STARTING POPPIN’

At Howard Payne, students referred to Don as the “Popcorn President.” He has popped and given away more than 24 tons of popcorn, a tradition that began on his back porch in Brownwood.

They knew that “when the porch light was on, Dr Newbury was handing out popcorn,” he said.

In fact, that was the inspiration for his first book, “When the Porch Light’s On...Stories of People, Popcorn and Parasails,” written in 2002.

Don spent hundreds of evenings sharing popcorn with students and other visitors at his home.

He still regularly makes bags of popcorn to share with friends.

Don said the popcorn tradition started when his daughters were young and the family had a snowcone machine. Then, a major donor at Howard Payne asked him why he didn’t give away popcorn instead.

“I said, ‘I don’t have a machine.’

She said, ‘I’ll send you one.’ That was three machines ago,” he said.

And these aren’t just any popcorn machines. They are the same kind one would see in a movie theater before going in to enjoy a film.

Don jokes a lot, but he takes his popcorn seriously.

“We’ll give away 600 bags at Halloween time, nickel bags, little bags,” he said. “I love popcorn, always have. I’ve been gifted with two machines, and bought one about 15 years ago. I bought it sight unseen from a fellow in Houston for $1,400, and it’s still poppin’.”

LOOKING UP TO STUDENTS

It was not uncommon for Don’s students to look down on him while at Howard Payne.

It certainly wasn’t for lack of respect, but simply because they were

October 2019

RICK MAUCH | HOOPLA MAGAZINE

Don Newbury has given away more than 24 tons of popcorn to people all over the state. He became known as the Popcorn President at Howard Payne University. often literally above him.

Among Don’s many loves in life was parasailing, or operating the boat while students parasailed from a height of 600 feet above Lake Brownwood.

“That’s what I miss most. It’s exhilarating,” he said. “They go up to 1,200 feet or more in Mexico, but we shortened it to 600 feet for Lake Brownwood.

“We had this one kid, he was up in the air, waving at us, and I waved back because I thought he was having a great time,” Don recalled.

“Then, when we landed, I learned he was waving because he was vomiting all over the lake.”

He added with a smile, “It was by the grace of God that nobody was disabled or killed but, man, that was fun!”

SERIOUS SIDE

“I’m not ministerial, and yet I’ve spoken in churches several hundred times,” Don said.

Don didn’t mention any particular topic, such as religion or politics, that requires seriousness; but, he did say the world needs levity.

“I try to live a life that provides people a chance to laugh, even when

there’s little chance to laugh,” he said.

Then, he added, “One thing I am really serious about is instant replay (in sports). I miss distant replay, you know the times before we had instant replay.”

Oh, and there was that one super serious time in his life when he had open heart surgery in 1998.

“The doctor said if I exercise and eat right I could make 15 more years.

I’ve proven him wrong by 6 years,” Don said with a grin.

WRITING FOR FREE

Once he retired from Howard Payne, Don resumed writing.

His weekly column “The Idle American” is in its 17th year of publication and appears in a couple hundred newspapers, including The Weatherford Democrat. And he doesn’t charge them to run it.

“Most of them are broke. I feel better doing it this way,” he said. “I just love writing, and if they’re willing to run it, that’s great. It’s in some I don’t even know.

“I’ll go into a town, stop off at the newspaper and give them a bag of popcorn and ask them if they’ll run my column. They say no, and then I tell them it’s free. They go, ‘Oh, okay.’”

Whoever said public speaking is the greatest fear of all has never met Don. He has had around 6,000 public speaking appearances and is still going strong, though he’s slowed down a bit.

Don used to do an average of 100 speaking engagements per year.

Nowadays it’s around 30.

“You get to a point where you are more selective. I still love doing it, but as time goes on, everything slows down — but I’m a long way from being ready to stop,” he said.

Don has spoken at many events, from college functions to civic organizations, and funerals. And, as is his style, there was always something memorable.

“One time at a funeral, a guy keeled over dead while I was talking,” he said. “Believe me, nearly everything that can happen has happened.”

WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR

Don’s first book is now in its second printing, and he’s since written many more, including “Life by the Seat of the Pants,” “A Few Geese Short of a Gaggle,” “Stories from the Sunny Side,” “Funnier Than Fiction,” “A Wheelbarrow Guy in a Digital World,” “Honk! If You’re Sick of Political Ads,” “As the World Churns,” and “Life With IF in the Middle...”

“The second book is probably my favorite, ‘Life by the Seat of the Pants,’” Don said.

Don said it sparked a great friendship between he and Fred Lowery of Jacksonville, known as “The World’s Greatest Whistler.” They met when Don once spoke in Jacksonville.

“He became a good friend after that. His widow gave me permission to include his old records in the audio book,” Don said.

“He really was the greatest whistler ever. He whistled at the White House, at a New York Yankees game, everywhere.”

Lowery, who was blind, was most See NEWBURY, P. 5

October 2019

NEWBURY From Page 4

popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He also recorded a top-10 Billboard music single, “The High and the Mighty.”

STILL JUST PLAIN OL’ DON

While he still loves staying busy, Don takes each day with a sense of relative ease. You might find him at a McDonald’s near his house enjoying a cup of coffee.

It’s a good place to think about what his mythical Uncle Mort might have to say in an upcoming column or book.

“I’ve enjoyed life very much,” he said.

“And I’m going to keep on enjoying it. Why wouldn’t I?” He and Brenda moved to Burleson in 2002 because two of their three daughters lived there at the time, but Don is going to find inspiration wherever he is.

“Just look around, there’s so many stories to tell,” he said.

And you never know when you will provide Don with inspiration.

For example, after the interview wrapped up, a distracting text provided a humorous opportunity.

After taking the sunshield out of the window of the car, instead of folding it and putting it away, it was almost placed right back in the window.

“That’s something Uncle Mort might have to write about,” Don said, chuckling.

“That’s something I can see him doing.”

Who found the frog?

The winner of last month’s hidden frog contest is Ann McLaughlin, who found the frog near the Palace Theater on P. 4.

To enter this month’s contest, submit your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of where you saw the hidden frog (not the frog on this page) to Hoopla, P.O. Box 305, Weatherford, Texas 76086 or e-mail seniors@hooplamagazine.com.

Contestants will be entered into a drawing for one of three $25 gift certificates.

Read next month’s issue to see if you’ve won. Winners must contact Hoopla within 90 days to claim their prize.

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

nCrossword Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 Farm youngster 5 Drink served with marshmallows 10 Kind of rock 14 Olfactory assault 15 To no ____ 16 Bud holder 17 NASA scrub 18 Insignificant 20 Some pots and pans 22 Pencil part 23 Basketball position 24 Submarine detector 26 Poet Angelou 28 Empathizing with 32 Neighborhood 35 Bing, bang or boom 37 Dove call 38 Pizazz 39 Jeweler's unit 40 Stern 41 Feel sick 42 Hotel employee 43 Like undercooked eggs 44 Florida beach 46 Kind of grin 48 Expenditure 50 As a precaution 54 Be a snitch 57 Biblical son 59 Inconsequential 61 Aussie pal 62 Camping shelter 63 Present occasion 64 Like some proportions

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(Puzzle solution is on P. 19.)

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by Margie E. Burke 16

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Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

65 Not had by 66 Like Neil Diamond's Caroline 67 Cost of living?

DOWN 1 Funnel-shaped 2 Love to pieces 3 Get connected 4 Jagger, to the Stones 5 He played Candy on "Bonanza" 6 CBer's term 7 Kennel structures 8 Texas tea 9 Psychiatrist, in a Caleb Carr novel

10 11 12 13 19 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 39 40

Bird sanctuary Vehicles for hire Archipelago part Forest forager Fireplace fixture Whip mark Morphine, e.g.

Like clocks with hands Desktop item Verb preceder Like slasher films ____ of faith Mixed dish Peaceful Metal in rocks Water carriers American folk instrument

42 Olympics event 43 Watermelon waste 45 Chip source 47 Shade of purple 49 Express 51 Wide open 52 Gown material 53 Choose for office 54 "Jackson 5" member 55 Prayer ender 56 Foursome led by Leonardo, briefly 58 Marathon, e.g.

60 Column's counterpart

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

My best friend Ti’gee the Tiger PARKER COUNTY TEXAS 1949-1961 When I was about four and living on the Circle Cross Ranch, my mom sent a dime and a self-addressed envelope to Aunt Jemima Syrup and recieved back an oil-cloth toy tiger.

She filled it up with cotton balls, then sewed the opening closed and gave it to me to play with. I took one look at the little stuffed animal and knew I had a friend for life.

Mom told me it was a tiger, but I couldn’t say the word tiger correctly. Thus he was named Ti’gee.

Ti’gee became my best friend, my sleeping partner, and my protector. We traveled everywhere together – you never seen one without seeing the other. We caught crawdads in the creek, chased cottontail bunnies in a field, captured grasshoppers and watched lightning bugs at night.

We both took solemn oaths that we would remain pals of the saddle forever and ever. Oh, the fun we had together. We went to church, the movies, to carnivals, and once we even went to see Rex Allen at a rodeo!

When it came bedtime, Ti’gee and I would kneel by our bedside and say our prayers together, then we’d hop into bed and wish each other “sweet dreams.” With his head resting on my pillow, I’d bend over and kiss him goodnight on the forehead and drift off to sleep.

When I was about eight and living on the Dowdy Ranch, Ti’gee and I were playing out on a trail that

crossed the ranch when a road runner appeared, and the chase was on.

That road runner started running down the road with me an’ Ti’gee right behind him.

We got pretty close to him when all of a sudden it took to flight and landed in some trees at the edge of the pasture.

“Now, I’ll get ya,” I thought.

We chased that old road runner further back into the woods, through briar patches and across creek beds. Finally, I jumped across a small log and landed square in the middle of a snake, just behind its head.

That ole copperby James head had been Carroll Martin sleeping or something for he was just as surprised as I was. I jumped about five feet away before the snake could strike and ran back towards home.

I was really scared and was about half-way back home before I realized Ti’gee was still back there. I hurried to the house to get my mom to go back with me to get Ti’gee, but she said to wait until my father got home.

My father and I looked for that place for months on end but no Ti’gee was ever found. Finally, my father said, Ti’gee was more than likely carried off by a coyote or some other animal.

Although I never forgot Ti’gee, time does march on.

Fast forward eight years, my family had moved to town and my father had been very seriously injured when a tractor turned over on top of him.

I had to leave school and go to

Campfire Stories

work to support a family of seven.

Now I was back on the Dowdy Ranch building fence and clearing brush for the new owners.

I was working in a spot that was extremely dense from undergrowth, when in a small clearing, I seen Ti’gee lying under a small bush.

My heart leaped and tears started forming in my eyes. After all these years, I had finally found my little friend.

Oh, he was a sight to see! His cute little face and body may have been rotted and filled with holes, but he

was a beautiful sight to me.

I brought Ti’gee home with me and put him in a box where he lived out the remainder of his life.

Ti’gee was lost when my home burned in 1989.

A part of me died with Ti’gee that day.

September 2019

James Carroll Martin is an old time Parker County cowboy turned historical western adventure and romance writer. Contact him on Facebook at James Carroll Martin Western Writer.

nSUDOKU Sudoku Difficulty: Easy

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Edited

(Puzzle solution is on P. 19.)

5 9 1

6 3 7 7 9 2 8 5 6 8 9 4 7

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must also contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

HO

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October 2019

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

As smooth as a stone Lately, I have been thinking a lot another, but God always tops the about time. I was recently blessed list no matter where we are in life. with my first grandbaby – a month Keep God as the first priority. after my youngest child graduated Second, look ahead and seek from high school. That was timely God’s direction for the next steps. to say the least!

It may be hard to leave some things I know sweet little Norah Gibbehind, but remember that God son’s arrival in this world definitely has a plan for the rest of your life. softened the blow of the loomWe may think we have fulfilled the ing empty nest. Life is one transigreatest purpose God could have tion after another, and even the for us, but we may be just about smoothest transitions can someto receive more from God than we times leave us could imagine. feeling empty Third, anticiand lost. God pate what God has purpose might be bringfor us in eving your way

by Lara Cook ery place in with great expecNorth Side our life and if tations! There Baptist Church we let Him, He is an element of will usher us excitement in through every move in our life. transitions when we submit to God There is a song called “Stones for His will and purpose in our lives.

Under Rushing Water” that talks Stones in a stream may or may about time and how it rushes over not be moved by the rushing water, our lives as smooth as water rushbut the rushing water is unhining over stones; and most of the dered by the stones. In spite of the time, we don’t even know it’s hapstone’s presence, the water rushes pening until it’s gone. over, under and around. It finds its The song is not really a Chrisway forward no matter what. And tian song, and it is rather sad as the over time, the water smooths the context is about a couple who sud- surface of the stones as it washes denly realizes that as the years have away the roughness of the outside passed. They don’t dance or smile of the rock. or laugh anymore.

Time rushes over us in spite of In marriage, our relationships any attempt we make to stop it. It with our children, or any area of is unhindered by our presence and our lives, we don’t have to look back rushes forward no matter what we with sadness and regret if we live do. intentionally every day.

Making the most of every day When we find ourselves in the God gives us and being good stewmiddle of a transition or in a new ards of His time is the best way to place in life, there are some things spend the rushing days. Like the we can do to help us make the stones in the stream, if we allow most of this time. First, we need to God to transform us through each realize we are in a different place. and every transition in our lives, There may need to be some chang- smoothing away the outer roughes made and some things we need ness on our lives, we can end up to let go of. smooth and soft, so He can use us Obviously, our focus shifts a little again and again in every transition when we move from one place to we go through.

Life in Grace

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

‘The Promise’ now showing Twaddell returns for his second year in the role of Jesus

by Rick Mauch Hoopla Correspondent To perfect his role of Jesus in “The Promise,” Robert Twaddell reflected on the devil he once was. That is, before taking on the role of the savior in the show’s 30th season in 2018, he played a variety of characters the previous six years, including Satan.

“I based the psychology of Satan on the character Javert from Boublil and Schoenberg’s ‘Les Miserables,’” Robert said. “Ultimately, what Satan wants is for all of us to justly pay for our sins. Jesus is the proof that grace and mercy are more righteous and powerful than draconic justice.”

With any role comes pressure, of course. But Twaddell noted that, when playing Jesus, there is a certain expectation from each and every member of the audience.

“Not only is this a deeply personal role for myself, but also most people who come see the show, and every denomination, every church, every person has an opinion on how the role should be different from what I perform,” he said. “I can’t focus on that, though. I have to work on connecting to the deeply human compassion and connection I see in the story of Jesus.”

Longtime castmate and friend David Culp said seeing Robert make the transition was nothing short of “awesome” and is indicative of Robert’s talent as an actor. He also said Robert’s ability to be humble was enhancing for all in the cast.

“Before we’d go onstage for the Last Supper, he’d say a little prayer with each of us disciples.

He wasn’t worried about the lyrics or the lines, he was focused on sharing that moment with us. He’s not just acting like a leader, he is a leader.

“Last year I played Judas, and the way the script is written, they are close until the betrayal. We had to make it believable, not just one guy betraying another, but a friend betraying a friend. It brought us a lot closer.”

And though Christ was perfect, Robert said hu-

JAMES DORMAN

Robert Twaddell as Jesus mans are not. Therefore, he reminds those watching that they are seeing the best portrayal he can give of Jesus, admitting that no one will ever truly capture all he was.

“This is something I’ve had long talks with my pastor friend about. I give a very human interpretation of Jesus,” he said. “I’m aware that Jesus in the spiritual gospel has much less difficulty than in the synoptics. I can’t relate to that, so I can’t tell that story.

“No matter what actor is in this role, they won’t sweat blood in Gethsemane. So if the audience is looking for perfection, they won’t find it. Instead, however, they might find a way to relate to Christ that they haven’t found before. Then I’ve done my job.”

Robert, 26, grew up in Mount Pleasant. He now lives in Arlington and joined “The Promise” cast in 2013. Before taking over the part of Jesus last year he had played Peter, John the Baptist, King Herod, Pilate, various disciples and Satan.

He is a professional actor, and he and his wife Haley run an acting/vocal studio to supplement income as coaches. She is in the show as well, playing Chaya, the shepherdess in the prologue, as well being a member of the quartet singing during the crucifixion scene.

Haley recalled their meeting, which was, in fact, while each was performing in the show. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him onstage, his performance as John the Baptist was so mesmerizing.

“I was supposed to be a person in the crowd, focused on Jesus, but I found it very difficult to look away from Robert’s John the Baptist,” she said.

“There were nuances and complexities to his acting he would include, even if there was no way for the audience to see them. It is just that real.”

It is that kind of commitment that has his castmates praising his performance, and saying he lifts them to a higher level as well.

“He doesn’t have to transition or become his SEE PROMISE, P. 9

October 2019

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

PROMISE From Page 8

character. He is able to step in and out of a character as easily as one would sit down and read a book,” said Ally Watson, who plays Martha of Bethany.

Robert said he knew nothing about “The Promise” before joining the cast, but after study he thought

COURTESY PHOTO

Robert and Haley Twaddell

The Promise Where: Texas Amphitheatre, Glen Rose Dates: Aug. 23-Nov. 2, Friday and Saturday nights Showtimes: Starts at sundown.

Ticket information: Prices range from $30-$45, depending on section. A discount of $10 per ticket applies to group orders of 15 or more, with $5 per ticket discounts for children, seniors and military/veterans. Tickets may be reserved by visiting the online box office and clicking the buy tickets tab, or by calling 254-897-3926.

Dinner: After choosing your tickets, click “continue shopping” to add one or all of the following items: The Promise Brown Bag Dinner - barbecue sandwich, chips, drink of your choice, and cookies for dessert. Dinners are $10 per person and include a 10% off voucher to be used in the gift shop.

Parking; $10 per vehicle. Buses and motorcycles park free.

it was a chance to be a part of something that could bring about some positive changes in those watching and participating. He said that is also the reason he returns each year.

And, he said while Jesus had much power, his message was a simple one – one that Robert hopes to convey each time he takes the stage.

“We are each responsible for all those around us. No exceptions, no

excuses. ‘Love one another’ is a command we tend to take lightly,” he said. “But most of the disciples were martyred because of their radical faith and love.”

Haley added, “Robert doesn’t play Jesus like an untouchable and unknowable, distant, divine being. He plays him like a friend and brother.

With feelings and inside jokes. A son who loves his mother, and traveler

9

who reaches out to the outcasts and oppressed – a holy teacher seeking to know and connect with the people around him.”

And while Jesus knew all, remember that Robert is human and does not. Thus, he can’t answer how long he will continue in the role, except to say, “I take it a year at a time. As God keeps calling me, I’ll keep going.”

10

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

How temperature changes affect elderly and those with dementia Question: My mother has dementia and always complains of being cold, even when it is 100 degrees outside and 75 degrees inside. Is this normal?

Answer: Older people and those who are inactive usually have poor circulation and are prone to a drop in body temperature. When aging is compounded with dementia, it is more difficult to regulate body temperature and to be comfortable. Your mother may perceive that she is cold, which is caused by her impaired sensory skills due to the dementia. With the season starting to be cooler, monitor your mother’s body temperature closely.

First, always consult with her physician to assess for any medical issues that may be affecting her

Dementia in Perspective

by Janet Standifer Parker County Dementia Care Trainer

body temperature. Look for signs of hypothermia, which includes shivering, weakness, sleepiness, slurred speech, memory loss, confusion, and impaired motor skills.

If you see any of these signs, seek medical attention immediately.

Second, in the elderly, the skin becomes thinner and loses some fatty cushion. This could cause your mother to become more sensitive to heat and cold. With dementia, your mother may already be experiencing hyper-sensitivity to external temperatures.

Third, check to see if your mother has experienced any weight loss or if she has any nutritional issues, such as low iron.

During the winter, watch for carbon monoxide poisoning. Remove electric blankets because they may become too hot and burn her skin.

Remove old open fire gas heaters for safety. If using an electric space heater, make sure it automatically turns on and off when tipped over or when it reaches a pre-programmed temperature.

Suggestions to keep your mother warmer: 1. Have her drinking warm beverages and avoid cold drinks.

2. Provide tactile stimulation, such as gentle massaging to increase sensory awareness.

3. Make sure the rooms she occupies are warm and draft proof.

4. Have her wear layers of clothing and socks inside her home. If she is going outside in the cold, she needs to wear a hat and gloves.

Even if it is hot outside for her, she may still find it cool indoors, so provide her with a sweater if she is complaining of feeling cold.

5. Encourage her to move around in the house to increase her body temperature. Try to get her to participate in light physical activities.

Reference: alzheimers.org.uk/ The Conversation 2018-08.

To contact Janet Standifer, Dementia in Perspective, call 817-9014658.

ementia in Perspective

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FINALLY a way to fix the PAIN of a BULGING DISC Are you suffering from back pain, arm or leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs?

Then it’s likely you’re suffering from a Bulging DISC. That’s when one of your spinal discs are bulging and causing these, sometimes severe, symptoms because of the effect it’s having on your nerve system.

You may have already had this diagnosed on an MRI and thought that there is little that can be done about it.

That’s a major problem: bad information, because in the right hands, a lot can be done for you.

To end the misery caused by Bulging DISCS, you must have the right information. Pay close attention because I’m going to destroy some important myths and give you the facts.

MYTH: Bulging DISC problems will just “go away” with some rest.

FACT: If you are dealing with leg pain, then you must seek help from a Bulging DISC specialist immediately. If left untreated, the problem can lead to permanent nerve damage - and lifelong pain.

MYTH: Pain is the only problem associated with Bulging DISC problems.

FACT: In severe cases, this problem can lead to the inability to control your bowels, bladder and sexual potency - leading to embarrassing situations.

MYTH: You must take pain medications to deal with Bulging DISCs. FACT: Drugs like muscle relaxants, pain killers, narcotics, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications have serious potential side-effects and do not cure Bulging DISCs. MYTH: “I must have done something wrong to damage my DISC.” FACT: Physical work or simply sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to Bulging DISCs. Accidents and trauma can also be the culprits. Pregnancy can cause damage.

DISC bulges can happen to anyone - including super-fit celebrities like Tiger Woods, Sylvester Stallone, and British Olympic medalist Ian Wynne.

MYTH: Stop exercising and get several weeks of bed rest to let the Bulging DISC recover…

FACT: Staying active can help to relieve the pain and prevent the pain from getting worse. Staying inactive in bed could be the worst advice - based on a recent study in the Netherlands.

MYTH: DISC Bulges or herniations require surgery.

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MYTH: “There’s nothing anyone can really do. I’m just stuck with this for the rest of my life.”

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This procedure does not require a hospital stay and, in most cases, you’ll be able to continue with your normal daily activities with little interruption. The focus is on finding - and correcting - the original cause of the Bulged DISC. According to Dr. McAfee, “We use a specialized digital x-ray motion study analysis to precisely diagnose the cause or your Bulging DISC. This means superior, longterm results for most people.”

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

Longtime girlfriends share a passion for quilting

by Kay Burleson Hoopla Correspondent When Cindy Ross and I started college in the fall of 1967, we did not know our paths would cross to begin a lifelong friendship.

We met when assigned to the same suite in the girls’ dormitory on the campus of University of Texas at Arlington. Because our majors were so diverse, Cindy in architecture and I in accounting, we only shared one class -- modern dance.

Before the first semester was over, we had become close friends. But our educational plans were put on hold when we both chose to marry and leave school. Cindy’s suitor was so set on winning her hand; he followed her home to Salt Lake City during Christmas break and asked her father for his consent.

Through marriages, starting families, and then divorces, we provided friendship and support for each other. Cindy finished nursing school and became an RN, and I began a career in the business world. However, fate sometimes interferes, and we both moved away and eventually lost touch. The last time I saw Cindy, she stopped by to visit one day and told me she had moved to Weatherford, Texas. The years tumbled by as we raised our children and continued our careers in separate cities. I finished education classes and began teaching in 1990.

After my husband and I retired, we relocated to Lake Weatherford. I remembered that last communication I had with Cindy. After some investigation, I found that she still lived in Weath-

erford and sent a card to the address. A few months passed, and I thought she must have moved. Then one day, I answered the phone and there she was, my old best friend, on the line. We made plans to get together and had a wonderful reunion telling each other what had happened in the 20-plus years we had not seen each other.

One of the things I promised myself I would do when I retired was learn to quilt, and I had been working on that goal for four years. What a surprise when I discovered that Cindy also had started quilting! Not only were we best friends again, we shared a love of the same hobby. We coined a new phrase, BFFPIQ for “best friends forever partners in quilting.”

With zeal and that shared passion, we planned our first quilting trip to Paducah, Kentucky for the spring show. That was followed with a cross country trek of about 1,300 miles from Texas to Ohio and back through Missouri to home, visiting numerous shops along the way. Not content with local shop hops, or even Texas, we headed out again on the Ozark Quilt Trail and north to Missouri Star. We love visiting the quilt shops, not only to see the beautiful fabrics and quilt projects but to meet the people.

Quilters everywhere share a common bond that makes you feel as if you’ve known them for years.

Cindy and I are members of the Quilter’s Guild of Parker County and enjoy the friends and learning experiences we have there.

Where will our next quilt shop travels take us?

We don’t know yet, but we do know we will do it together.

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October 2019

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

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Estate plans can help you answer questions about the future The word “estate” conjures images of attorney, which allows you to desiggreat wealth, which may be one of the nate someone to manage your finanreasons so many people don’t develcial affairs if you become physically op estate plans – after all, they’re not or mentally incapacitated. You could rich, so why make the effort? In reality, also create a medical power of attorney, which allows someone to handle though, if you have a family, you can health care decisions on your behalf if probably benefit from estate planning, you become unable to do so yourself. whatever your asset level. And you Will I shortchange my family if I may well find that a comprehensive leave significant asestate plan can help sets to charities? Unyou answer some less you have unlimquestions you may ited resources, you’ll find unsettling – or even worrisome.

by Mary H. McDow have to make some choices about chariHere are a few of Edward Jones Adviser table gifts and money these questions: for your family. But as part of your esWhat will happen to my children? tate plans, you do have some appealWith luck, you (and your co-parent, if ing options. For example, you could you have one) will be alive and well at establish a charitable lead trust, which least until your children reach the age provides financial support to your choof majority (either 18 or 21, depending sen charities for a period of time, with on where you live). Nonetheless, you the remaining assets eventually going don’t want to take any chances, so, as to your family members. A charitable part of your estate plans, you may want remainder trust, by contrast, can proto name a guardian to take care of your vide a stream of income for your famchildren if you are not around. You ily members for the term of the trust, also might want to name a conservabefore the remaining assets are transtor – sometimes called a “guardian of ferred to one or more charitable orgathe estate” – to manage any assets your nizations. minor children might inherit.

As you can see, careful estate planWill there be a fight over my asning can help you answer many of the sets? Without a solid estate plan in questions that may be worrying you. Be place, your assets could be subject to aware, though, that certain aspects of the time-consuming, expensive – and estate planning, especially those related very public – probate process. During to living trusts and charitable trusts, probate, your relatives and creditors can be complex, so you should consult can gain access to your records, and your estate-planning attorney or qualipossibly even challenge your will. But fied tax advisor about your situation. with proper planning, you can mainBut once you’ve got your plans in place, tain your privacy. As one possible eleyou should be able to face the future ment of an estate plan, a living trust with greater clarity and confidence. allows your property to avoid probate and pass quickly to the beneficiaries you’ve named.

Who will oversee my finances and my living situation if I become inThis article was written by Edward Jones for use by capacitated? You can build various your local Edward Jones Financial Adviser, Mary forms of protection into your estate H. McDow, 102 Houston Ave., Suite 203, 817-5980882. Member SPIC planning, such as a durable power of

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Ingredients 1 large block cream cheese, softened 1 pound processed cheese, like Velveeta 1 chopped sweet onion Sliced jalapeno, jar or fresh Chopped pecans Salt and pepper (optional) Wax paper or parchment Crackers Directions: Place cheese between two 16” pieces of wax paper.

Roll with glass or rolling pin until about 1/4” thick. Remove top paper.

Spread with cream cheese. Sprinkle on peppers and onion.

Tip: add some pepper juice if using canned peppers.

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Wrap in foil and chill well.

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

The Conundrum Over Local Bridges In the late 1800s, there were settlements south of the Brazos River with no easy access to the Parker County Courthouse.

To remedy the situation, the county contracted with Mitchell & Pigg to build two “practically identical” suspension or swinging bridges for $28,000.

Two settlements affected were Hightower Valley and Smith Valley. Hightower Valley was named after the owner of most of that valley at the time – Joseph Hightower.

Just six miles north of Hightower was Smith Valley. Later, the valley was renamed Irby after a local rancher. This is the community we know today as Tin Top, named after a cotton gin with a shiny, galvanized metal roof that could be seen for miles. The first bridge, near both of these communities, was completed in 1906.

If truly identical, both bridges were one-lane, 16 feet wide, and built with an oak deck.

Roscoe Pitchford remembers a time when he and Gene Howard Vance flew small engine planes under both bridges.

“Had I realized in time what he was about to do, I might not have followed him,” said Pitch-

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

This photo from the National Registry shows the curve at one end of the original Tin Top bridge.

The original bridge built in Tin Top.

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

heard about the old suspension bridge and still ford. look for it, according to our research.

Research sources can be confusing, and It may be gone, but locals remember the old somewhat contradictory, when it comes to bridge well. these two bridges. Information retrieved from Howard Plumlee, having worked for the Highthe Parker County Historical Commission, way Department from 1958 through 1965 statTexas State Historical Association, History of ed, “When you came up on the bridge, it would Parker County (Pub. 1980), Bridgemeister.com, roll with the weight of your car, making it come Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) up in front of you. We would go down just to and United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not always jive. Lifetime drive across Tin Top bridge.” residents of the area do not alWhen asked how many susRemember ways agree either. pension bridges crossed the Reaching out to the Parker Brazos River during his time When County Historical Commisof employment with TxDOT,

by Debbie sion seemed like the first step he replied, “Three: Dennis, Tin Arwood in trying to sort out some of Top and Granbury, but only Tin the confusion. Unfortunately, Top Bridge would roll with the what they now claim was erroneous informavehicle.” tion on their website took our research in a difHoward had no recollection of a bridge identiferent direction. Before it was updated midcal to the one at Tin Top/Hightower.

September, the PCHC site stated the Hightower Having been born and raised in the area, Sanand Tin Top bridges were two different bridges. dra Boucher remembers the bridge well. “We For a brief time, we wondered if locals using the would swim there as children,” she said. “Family names Hightower Bridge and Tin Top Bridge in- called for us to drive down to Tin Top the mornterchangeably were confused. ing the bridge collapsed to see the damage for TxDOT records state neither of the Mitchell ourselves.” & Pigg bridges are still standing today, although Mary Jo Jordan remembers a time when her the Hightower Bridge at Tin Top survived almost father was peeved over an incident at the Tin 77 years before it collapsed in February 1982. All Top bridge. other sources report the bridge collapsing under “Daddy had to back up his tanker truck the weight of snow in January 1982. loaded with gas off the bridge around the turn SEE BRIDGES, P. 17 Some people from outside the area have

October 2019

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

17

BRIDGES

still see one abutment in the river if you drive over the current bridge in From Page 16 Tin Top. There is no historical marker that because an inconsiderate neighbor, who’s name I will not mention, we could find.

Where was the nearly identical would not back off the bridge,” she bridge? One lifetime resident, Ronvividly recalled. nie McNutt, thought it might be in Dan Hamilton remembers driving over the original Tin Top Bridge the Dennis area. Research revealed the suspension bridge near Denin a loaded gravel truck. “That old bridge started vibrating and did not nis, built by Flynn-Meyer Company in 1893, was demolished in 1962. stop until I was well off it,” he said.

Neither the dates, nor the builder, Quinalyn Morgan remembers two bridges at Tin Top. “There were match.

There’s a picture in the National two bridges, one about 500 feet from the one replacing it,” she said. Register showing a slight curve at This would have to be relative to an- the south entrance to the Tin Top other entry from the Parker County bridge. Did the other bridge have a curve? Did they both roll under the Historical Commission stating, “A weight of a vehicle? new state road, along with a new After we contacted the Historical bridge is in the process of being Commission, their website was upbuilt just south of the old bridge. dated to reflect Brannon’s Crossing Declared a historical site the old in Millsap as the location of the twin bridge is to be preserved.” suspension bridge. A replacement There is not much left of the bridge was built nearby in 1934. original bridge, however, you can

SANDRA BOUCHER

Sandra Boucher provided this photo, taken the day the Tin Top bridge fell.

Was the bridge at Brannon’s Crossing in Millsap the twin bridge?

If so, why was it replaced so soon after it was built?

Send your memories and comments to seniors@hooplamagazine. com or call 817-894-1822. You can also send us mail at P.O. Box 305, Weatherford, Texas 76086.

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019

Plant trees, shrubs during autumn It’s my favorite time of the gardening year. Oh, I love spring with all the flowering plants, the fresh air and the hope of a new gardening season, but everything is always so rushed. Fall gives you time to assess all that’s just happened and make plans to improve on them in the months ahead.

compost pile.

• Dead and damaged branches from trees while you can still identify them. They’re likely to fall during winter ice and snow storms and early spring winds.

• Perennial garden to remove dead stalks and leaves.

Fertilize: Plant: • Lawn and landscape plants • New trees and shrubs as you with all-nitrogen fertilizer (same redo your landscape. Fall plantas you’ve been using all during the ing gives them the longest possible growing season). Do so as soon as time to become established before possible. Water deeply after you the next sumfeed. mer rolls in.

• Patio pots Watch for endand hanging of-year sales. baskets with • Ryegrass high-nitrogen,

by Neil Sperry seed as temwater-soluble Gardening Expert porary green food for suscover for wintained growth ter. Do so early the rest of the soon to cover bare ground and pre- fall. vent erosion. It will die out in May, • Pansies, violas and other winter just in time for planting your percolor plants with same high-nitromanent turf. gen, water-soluble food after they • Spring-flowering bulbs. Daffohave been planted two weeks. dils, summer snowflakes and grape hyacinths can be planted immediOn the Lookout: ately. Tulips and Dutch hyacinths • Fall webworms are running should be put into the vegetable bin rampant in pecans, persimmons, of the refrigerator for a minimum mulberries and other Parker Counof 45 days at 45 degrees. Plant the ty trees currently. Prune them out latter half of December. That “prewith a long-handled pole pruner. chilling” is necessary for normal Spraying with insecticides is futile flowering. as the webs repel the sprays.

• Watch for stinging caterpillars Prune: as you work around shrubs and • Continue mowing your lawn at trees. Do a little online research on the recommended height until the asps (puss caterpillars), Io moth first frost. Letting it get taller does caterpillars, Hagg moth caterpilnot improve its winter hardiness. lars and other larvae. Don’t let kids Mowing also allows you to keep handle interesting caterpillars. fallen leaves picked up and shredTheir stings are extremely painful. ded so you can put them into the

Timely Tips

NEIL SPERRY

Hyacinth bean

n Plant of the Month: Hyacinth Bean It’s not just because I grew up in College Station, attended A&M (before transferring to Ohio State) and worked for A&M for seven years. Nope. None of that. I just like maroon plants with maroon flowers and maroon seedpods. And, if it makes you feel any better about things, Thomas Jefferson liked this plant, too – and that was almost a century before the Aggies ever hit town.

This is a beautiful vine, and I thought you might want to know a bit more about it so you could include it in your plantings for 2020.

• It’s an annual that you plant from seeds sown in April.

• It grows to 10 or 12 feet tall and wide.

• It climbs by twining, so if your fence or trellis support has pickets, slats or wires it will take hold all on its own.

• Its leaves are dark green all summer. It really doesn’t start blooming and setting its seeds until fall’s cooler weather rolls in.

• Save seeds from one fall until the next spring’s planting time.

Share them with friends.

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

n Neighbors We’ll Miss n Dorothy June Reynolds, 96 September 19, 2019 n Linda Cannon Murphy, 71 September 19, 2019 n Barbara Ann Pask, 63 September 16, 2019 n Kenneth Roger Phelan, 68 September 16, 2019 n Maxine Phillips Combs, 94 September 16, 2019 n Casey Lane Cox, 39 September 16, 2019 n Norma Cauthen, 74 September 16, 2019 n William Thomas Reaves, 76 September 14, 2019 n Rita Honsberger, 62 September 13, 2019 n Aletta Maxine Fowler, 88 September 12, 2019 n Mary Christian, 78 September 10, 2019 n Marie Grigsby Schaub, 89 September 8, 2019

n Glenn John Westenhover, 88 September 7, 2019 n Melba Delois Duke, 88 September 7, 2019 n Curtis Dean Kornegay, 88 September 6, 2019 n Juanita Ruth Wilson-Proctor, 72 September 5, 2019 n Melvyn Bruce Blair, 82 September 4, 2019 n Richard “Wayne” Berkley, 65 September 4, 2019 n Alta Brewer, 81 August 31, 2019 n Georgianna “Jan” Smith, 86 August 30, 2019 n William “Pat” Bailey, 69 August 28, 2019 n Doris Jernigan, 84 August 27, 2019 n Charlene White, 87 August 26, 2019 n Sandra Scarlett Lothridge, 72 August 24, 2019

Solution to Crossword: Crossword: Solution to

n Ethel Marie Huffstuttler, 86 August 23, 2019 n William Curtis Galloway, 79 August 23, 2019 n Lois Evelyn Peschel, 90 August 21, 2019 n Chavela Lively Hurley, 65 August 20, 2019 n Truman “Dean” Daniel, 73 August 19, 2019 n Oba Leon Davis, 87 August 19, 2019 n DW “Dub” Bransom, Jr., 82 August 18, 2019 n Kevin Wayne Morgan, 30 August 17, 2019 n Claude W. Griffith, Jr., 89 August 17, 2019 n Neal Howard, 92 August 16, 2019 n Melvin Ratliff, 73 August 16, 2019 n Della Marie Rice, 78 August 14, 2019

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Galbreaith Pickard Hilltop Chapel

4941 I-20 Frontage Road | Willow Park, TX 76087

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

October 2019