Beech Tree News Network

Last year, my youngest son, Jax, was mad at me because I would not buy him a treat from the vending machine we had to walk past everyday when we would leave the daycare located at WKU.  The rule is IF he had a good week at “school” then he could have a treat on Friday.  Needless to say, we had the same conversation everyday, usually with no issues because I had become pretty good at redirecting his attention.  But not on this day as he had become wise to my secret powers. 

I awoke on Saturday past with two thoughts running through my mind.  The first was, “This is the last day of my two-week care-taking of Sabria (my granddaughter).  The second was, “My body feels like it has been beaten with a baseball bat.”  At the time, I was lying in the bed in my daughter’s room, beside Sabria.  She was still sleeping as I cast a wary eye around the room.  No baseball bat that I could see, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.  Sabria is crafty when it comes to concealing things.  My alarm clock, brown barrette, and LED flashlight have been missing for three days, a

There were 100 entries into the Quality Cruise-in on Saturday, June 23.  For at least 4 hours, cars, trucks, tractors and motorcycles made the trek to Quality. Believe it or not, the farthest to come to the show came from Georgia! Over the last few years, I’ve really gotten into the car shows.  That’s probably because you pay more attention to something that a family member has a direct entry into (as my dad does with his ’01 Bullitt). 

To politicians fluent in Orwellian “Newspeak,” it’s known as the “ Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (PPACA). But you and I know it more accurately as “Obamacare,” the controversial piece of federal legislation that forces everyone to purchase health insurance – whether they want it or not – and mandates that each state have a health exchange.

Kentucky has obtained nearly $67 million from taxpayers in the form of a federal grant – more than any other state except New York – to establish such an exchange.
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Saturday night, June 16th, a large crowd of music and car enthusiasts gathered at Pizza Zone for the St. Jude Jam/Cruise-in featuring Southbound.  Among the many cars and trucks brought for show were: lime green Silverado truck, jet black Duster, light blue SS, red Stingray, black Monte Carlo SS, dark green 2001 Bullitt, red 340 Duster, baby blue 396 Turbo Jet, a red C-10 350 truck and a bright yellow Vega, along with several motorcycles.  There was some great pizza and live music as well.  It was pretty much all you could want.

I’ve been a resident of Morgantown and Butler County for over 30 years and my roots go pretty deep. My late husband and I have lived and worked here, raised our children here, and have a tombstone here. I see so many things about our town that I like; but, I also see a few things that I don’t like.

A few things about Morgantown and Butler County that I like are randomly listed below:

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” (Prov. 27:23).
    Animals can’t talk and tell us when they are sick, or where they hurt, we must discern that by observation. (Balaam’s donkey did talk to him…Numbers 22:28 & 30). The donkey talked but it had some help from an angel.
    Generally when an animal is well it will arise, stretch, and sometimes yawn. I’m talking here of domesticated animals; I don’t guess I ever saw a possum stretch. Billy Frank is our resident possum who feeds on scraps on our porch.

One evening at a monthly family meal at our church, I was sitting at the table with my 4 boys.  The husband was working late that day and so it was up to me to keep everyone under control, which is like trying to herd cats.  Here’s how the meal went:  “Mom!  He’s got more to drink than me!”  Its okay, you can have more.  “Mom! I don’t want salad!”  You eat salad all the time.  “Mom!  I want McDonald’s!”  We are not going to McDonald’s.  “Mom, he still has more to drink than me!”  Then don’t drink so fast!  “Mom!  These kids are embarrassing me!” (This earned my oldest son the “look”).

Wouldn’t you pay somebody just to be able to take a nap every afternoon?  Yeah, me too.  I wish my granddaughter felt that way.  My daughter, Natalie, is in the middle of her two-week special training with the National Guard, so I’ve got my granddaughter, Sabria, during that time. 

June 8-10 was my first trip to St. Louis.  I went with some friends Friday June 8 to see the Cardinals play the Cleveland Indians. There were 42,098 in attendance. One of the cool things for the guitarist in me was that the Indians’ Catcher/First Baseman is named Carlos Santana! I was disappointed when his name was announced that he didn’t play “Black Magic Woman” or “Oye Como Va” (Ha)! I thought the least they could do is play some guitar Santana while the player Santana was entering the game.