THIS AND THAT * Legendary singer/songwriter Mac Davis passed away on September 29th, and although I knew he wrote such great hits like “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” “Don’t Cry Daddy,” and “Whoever Finds This, I Love You,” I did not know that he wrote the lyrics to my favorite Elvis song, “In The Ghetto.” If you want to listen to some great music, check him out. His music will live on! * Yes, it is finally October! That means all the cobwebs and dust in my house are now Halloween decorations! * People who were born in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s have lived in seven, six or five decades, two centuries, two millennia and had the best music, the coolest cars, drivein theaters, soda fountains and plenty of happy summer days.

* Hey, who remembers watching American Bandstand AND Soul Train? “I like the song because it has a good beat!” * Read this and wanted to pass it along…In March of this year there was a Friday the 13th, a full moon, and we turned the clocks ahead all in one weekend. On October 31st, Halloween is on a Saturday, there will be a full moon that night, and we will turn the clocks back an hour.

THIS AND THAT * Hey, Charlie Brown, I hope I look as good as you do when I turn 70! Charlie and the Peanuts gang will officially observe their 70th anniversary this weekend! The launch date for the daily comic strip by Charles Schulz began on October 2nd, 1950 with the Sunday edition out in the newspapers on January 6th, 1952. We could learn a thing or two from that comic strip.

HAPPY TENTH ANNIVERSARY! To Sadie and Chase: Happy Tenth Anniversary! I can still picture you two dancing at your wedding. You're better than the best, I'm lucky just to linger in your light, Cooler then the flip side of my pillow, that's right.

* I have to admit I did enjoy wearing my hoodies and sweatshirts last week. We all know I love fall, but the really cold and wet part of the season can hold off for another week or two or three! I want an autumn where the leaves on the trees turn orange and yellow before slowly drifting to the ground and the nights are just cool enough that you need to wear a hoodie or sweater when you are at Tiger Stadium cheering on the football team. I want it so we have evenings sitting on the front porch with a cup of hot cocoa or tea warming your hands as you enjoy a brilliant sunset. Then it can be cool brisk weather until after Thanksgiving to get us in the mood for Christmas. Just so you know, I always put my fall weather order in every year, so let’s see what we get this season.

* For those who read my column and know any of my favorite ‘80s singer Rick Astley’s songs, you will get a kick out of this. I know I did….“Rick Astley for President because he will never give you up, never let you down, never gonna run around or desert you. He will never make you cry, never say goodbye, never tell a lie or hurt you!” And for those who don’t know him or his songs, those are the lyrics to one of his songs I like the most!

RED SKELTON’S PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Every Tuesday before the Rooks County Commission meeting, everyone present stands up and recites the “Pledge of Allegiance.” A simple thing really, but it reaffirms my belief that there is hope for our country. I printed Red Skelton’s Pledge of Allegiance in my editorial years ago, and thought it was time to do it again… “I—me, an individual, a committee of one, pledge—to dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity, allegiance—my love, and my devotion, to the flag—our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom wherever she waves, there’s respect, because your loyalty has given her dignity that shouts—Freedom is everybody’s job, of the United—that means that we have all come together, States of America—individual communities that have united into 50 great states—50 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose—all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose—and that’s love for country, and to the republic—a state with sovereign powers invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern—and government is the people, and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people, for which it stands, one nation under God—meaning so blessed by God, indivisible—incapable of being divided, with liberty—which is freedom, the right of power to live one’s own life without threat, fear or some sort of retaliation, and justice—the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others, for all—which means, boys and girls, it’s just as much your country as it is mine.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Wishing all of the students, teachers and staff a wonderful and safe school year! T’was the night before school starts and all through the house Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The backpacks were hung by the front door with care In hopes that the morning soon would be there.

THIS AND THAT * Yes, I have a homemade emergency COVID kit in my purse and one in my car. I took a quart ziplock bag and filled it with at least two paper masks, two sets of gloves, a handkerchief bandana and a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

THIS AND THAT * With the Rooks County Free Fair going to just a 4-H Fair this year due to COVID-19, I wanted to give a nod to the many notable musicians, entertainers, athletes and political figures who were part of this special organization. Here are just some people who are on the 4-H list: former president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, First Ladies Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis and Pat Nixon, astronaut Alan Shepherd, athletes Johnny Bench, Reggie White, Herschel Walker and Archie Manning, actors Julia Roberts, Sissy Spacek and Tom Wopat, musicians Luke Bryan, Johnny Cash, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Vince Gil, Glen Campbell, Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, Roy Rogers and Jermaine Jackson, and Robert A.