Mrs. Wayne "Billie" Earith who operates the Small Town Cafe in Percival, Ia., says she enjoys her work and can put up with about any of the kidding from her customers.
She's been doing both for five years.
Billie opens the cafe at 6 a.m., and closes the door at 4 p.m. She has a steady stream of customers, but the coffee drinkers are the people who keep her on her toes.
We've called the cafe several times for rainfall reports generally handled by Mones Zach or Dean Handy.
We've never patronized the cafe, but, Billie, we accept your invitation and will do so soon.
Sam Kellogg, Jr., tried to get me over there one morning last summer and offered to buy my bacon and eggs breakfast. (Write that down, fellas.)
The customers have a lot of fun at their morning coffee sessions. "They wait until someone new comes in and then tell the same jokes over," Billie says.
They also kid her about the quality of the coffee, the quantity and who's going to pay. She has a sign on the counter "In God we trust -- others pay cash."
Well, they've got a new one to work on now — Larry Moyer. He's the new Scimitar Shrine president and there's a picture of him posted at the cafe.
Post this on the wall, fellas. Larry bought a round for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e the other night after the shrine election at the Elks.
Dottie Farris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Farris, 620 South Ninth Street, is a good-natured high-schooler who can tell you about a fairly common accident in homes involving pins or needles.
Dottie had surgery at St. Mary's to remove a needle lodged in her foot.
Every homemaker with a sewing machine will tell you how pins or needles are found in the carpeting, in chair upholstery or on steps.
Many pins the seamstress uses today are marked for safety. The round shiny headed pin is still available, but popular today are the pins with the brightly colored heads.
Needles lack that coloring to attract attention and as a result can be pretty painful when plunged into a foot.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Dottie, and get back on your feet soon.
Best wishes to Mike McCartan.
The Mike McCartan family will be moving soon to Independence, Mo., where Mike has accepted a position with Wishbone, the company that makes the popular salad dressings.
Mike has been with Morton House in Nebraska City for about 10 years. His wife, Peggy, and family, will be missed. They've been very active in the community.
Mike is presently exalted ruler of the Elks and has put a lot of emphasis on youth programs during his year.
A number of other employes at Morton House have been offered new positions with the Lipton company, but as yet no announcements have been made on job changes here.
Eston Ahrens was promoted to a position with Wishbone about two years ago and moved his family there.
Let's hear it for the mayor.
Last summer Ervin Rogers and I were among the spectators at a softball game at Steinhart park.
It was a hot, muggy summer evening. Cars drove past the ball field on the rock, dirt or dust road in the park.
A cloud of dust covered the spectators and the children on the ball field.
"Sure wish the town could finish that paving job around the park."
"Yeah, it's bad, isn't it?" Erv answered.
Well, Erv is back on the City council now and he's the mayor of the town and he hopes something can be done about finishing that paving job. (That ought to win anyone a lot of votes.)
One of the nicest improvements was made a couple a years ago when the parks department paved the street south of the main diamond.
That didn't change it from a drag strip, but it sure shut off the dust clouds.
Raising the family.
I'm an expert in most things but one of the little problems at which I am particularly good, is controlling the kids while we're going down the road.
How many times, mothers, can you count when the kids were fighting or shoving or picking at each other and you wanted to turn around and whack 'em all?
You know what would happen then: "What'd you hit me for? He (or she) started it!"
You can't win, moms, but you can learn from the King and Master of the house on the North 40.
— Give 'em licorice!
You don't believe that?
Okay, here's what you do: buy a sack of the long licorice, put a piece in your mouth and repeat this.
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If — Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?"
If that doesn't wrangle a smile out of your kids (and slobbers down their chins), call your pastor.