Calendars provide more than dates
I love calendars. You can find a calendar to fit every interest from agriculture to zoology and everything else known and unknown to man. Right now, besides my computer calendar, I have four others on my desk: Saturday Evening Post Covers, World War II, Reflections and a date book that supposedly keeps me organized.
Calendars are informative as they serve not only their standard function of answering “What day is this?” but also items to keep us aware of holidays, time changes (hate these!) and season changes. For instance, Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday, March 8. That means most of us will run around Saturday night setting the clocks ahead one hour (Spring Forward!). Somehow there are always one or two clocks that get missed and then you’re never sure which clock to believe.
Personally, I never change the clock in my car and the one in my bathroom. If it’s an hour behind the actual time it reminds me to keep moving as I don’t have as much time as I think I do. (That could be prophetic for any of us.) If it’s an hour ahead, I can relax and enjoy that extra hour I know is still available. I’m sure this says a lot about my character and personality, but let’s not go there.
Then about the time we get our body clocks in rhythm with the new time, we have a season change. Spring is scheduled to arrive on March 20! For myself, it wouldn’t be too soon if she got here tomorrow bringing sunny days, warm breezes and NO SNOW!
Calendars are used for a variety of purposes besides providing the correct dates. My mother, for instance, used her large kitchen calendar as a weather chart and diary. Each day she carefully recorded the temperature, weather conditions, and any bit of family or world news she found important. She also made notes of upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, meetings, or other commitments. It settled a lot of arguments as to when a certain occasion had occurred or what day the big storm blew into town.
And she kept all of her old calendars for years. After her death I found a stash of them that spanned nearly two decades. Part of that time I lived in California as did my son, and she carefully noted each time either of us called or she received a letter from one or the other. Dates of our infrequent visits home were circled and highlighted. Seeing these entries later made me realize how much she treasured those times with us.
How will those addicted to iPods, Kindles-or whatever the latest in technology is-be able to leave that kind of random record of their daily lives for their future generations to enjoy? Somehow I can’t imagine them leaving several of their hi-tech apparatuses stashed away for their grandkids to unearth.
Then, again, maybe no one will really care to read (or hear) about our antiquated lives.
Still, I’m going to continue to record bits and pieces of my life on the “hard copy” calendars I gather each year. If only as a reminder of the days behind me I’ve lived and the anticipation of days ahead.
Riding a champion….Kristi Herbst and her family (including their dog and good will ambassador, Hamilton) were in Scottsdale, Arizona this month for the 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Arabian Horse Show. Kristi said she steered her Arabian hunter “Captain” to both a first and second win in the Half Arabian/Anglo-Arabian “Hunter over Fences” competitions, then the next day rode “Beyond the Seaz” to take Championship in the Modified Working Hunter. The Herbsts enjoyed the warm Arizona weather and even went hiking in the desert. Hopefully, they stored up enough warmth to last a few days back home in Missouri. Congratulations to Kristi and the Herbst Farms.
Visit from the north….Jim Fitz and his wife were here from St. Paul, Minnesota over Valentine’s weekend to visit with his mother, Barbara Merseal, and his aunt, Suzi Noltkamper. Don’t know where it was colder…in St. Paul or here. But the visit greatly warmed those they visited.
Word was received here of the death of Dr. Bob Griffith on Valentine’s Day at the Georgetown, Kentucky home of he and his wife, Doris (Overall) Griffith. Prior to her marriage to Dr. Griffith six years ago, Doris had lived in Columbia, Missouri and grew up in Farmington as the third youngest of the seven Overall children. Our sympathy to Doris.
Despite the cold, work progresses on the new public library as well as the remodeling of the two-story stucco building on the corner of East Columbia and Jackson Streets. The ground preparation for both the CVS Drug Store and the new location of the car wash also continues when they can find the ground under the snow cover.
Coming Up:
Fridays…The annual Fish Fry dinner is available each Friday evening through the Lenten season at St. Joseph Catholic Church. It’s all you can eat of fish, sides and dessert.
Saturday Feb. 28…Chicken ‘N Dumpling dinner at Memorial United Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Full meals are only $7 for dine-in or carry out and tickets are available at the door. For those who are working and can’t get away, delivery is available.
The meal benefits the church mission trip to Eleuthera, Bahamas.
Also on Saturday…The Twin Oaks Disco Party will be in full swing beginning at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
March 5…The March meeting of the Newcomers Club meets at 9 am at the Presbyterian Church, located at West Columbia and Cayce Streets. Lynn Blackwell from the Health Department will speak on Emergency Preparedness. All interested persons are welcome to attend as asked to bring a canned good for the Food Pantry.
Happy Birthday to City Administrator Greg Beavers who celebrated his day on Feb. 24!
Don’t forget to mark your calendar that spring arrives on March 20! We need a huge “Welcome Spring” banner across Columbia Street to cheer her on!
Janet Douglas
