February 8, 2010
CHAMPION—February 8, 2010
Champion is one of those places that makes sport of the weather. It doesn’t matter how cold or snowy or muddy or wet or hot or dry or windy it gets in Champion, there is liable to be someone around who can make a joke about it. Jackie Coonts said that the snow was probably going to get axel deep on a Ferris wheel. He had several other thoughts on just about how deep he reckoned the snow might get but the Ferris wheel one was the most printable. He was still in good spirits after having had a birthday on Sunday and while did not say just how old he was, he said that when he was a kid going to the Dogwood School (The New East Dogwood School) over on C Highway, he walked to school and got there first to build a fire in the stove. It was a big wood stove like the one at Henson’s Store around which this yarn was spun. He said he got there early one morning when it was about zero degrees out and filled the stove full of pine knots and paper. The whole thing was glowing red including the stovepipe when the teacher got there. He said it was a wonder he didn’t burn the school down. For the fire lighting service the school paid him a silver dollar every month. In those days students would get a silver dollar at the end of the school year if they had perfect attendance. Jackie collected seven of those. Roy Brown, who now lives over at Mansfield, collected eight of them. Somebody said those silver dollars might be pretty valuable now on account of being so old. Jackie did not say just how old he is but Champions expect somewhere past fifty. Jackie asked if you fed cows snow would they give milkshakes?
A note came from Judith Parsons responding to the Champion birthday wishes and talking about the quilt she won a couple of years ago, “I would love to tell Ms. Violet Melton what a wonderful quilt she made, and how lucky I was to have won it. We have really enjoyed it, and our guests have enjoyed it very much for its beauty and warmth.” The Melton family was doubtlessly well represented at the big doughnut fry party at the home of Larry Hicks on Friday. This annual event has been going on for some time and is a chance for friends and neighbors to get together to get better acquainted and to enjoy the hospitality of a good neighbor. Larry has been a good neighbor to the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department over the years and chances are good that the tomato on your burger at the Annual Skyline VFD Picnic came from Larry’s garden. Or it well could have come from Alvin and Beverly Barnhart’s garden. It is so often the case that people who are good gardeners are people who like to share. One of the very best things that Champion has going for it as a community is its neighbors. Champions are thinking a big juicy homegrown tomato would be pretty good about now. The next good planting day for above ground crops will be on the 16th according to Linda’s Almanac from over at the Plant Place in Norwood. Some are ready to get their hands dirty already.
News has come that Elizabeth Johnston has a cast on her leg all the way to up above the knee in treatment for her broken ankle. She is spending some time with her parents, Kaye and Richard Johnston, up in Marshfield while she recuperates. She has had visits from family, friends and co-workers all wishing her well and a speedy recovery. Kaye and Richard always try to make it down to Skyline for the Chili Supper. Maybe Elizabeth will be up for the trip by March 6th. The Auxiliary ladies had a good productive meeting on the second and plans are in full swing for another fine evening of good food, good music, good fellowship and a good break from the cabin fever that will be fairly pervasive in the area if the weather doesn’t settle down a little. Champions do not complain about the weather and they always have a good time at the Skyline Chili Supper.
Champions can remember when there was no phone service in these parts at all. It was in the late 1990’s before the party lines that were the technology of the area finally gave way to the new buried fiber optic lines that are in place now. The fiber optic lines can carry the broadband internet and Champions are excited about the possibility of having their internet speed enhanced. It would be very much faster so that when a certain college student/dairy farmer has his accounting homework done and gets ready to submit it on line, he will not get kicked off and have to start all over. The high-speed internet is already available over in Champion East, but others are on the waiting list. A representative of the CenturyLink people said that priority is determined by demand, so those interested in the service can contact them at 1-800-201-4099 and it may just happen that Champion will be able to join the 21st century before too much of it has slipped away.
Some Champions have been enjoying the sight of the Common Flicker, which the bird book says is common in open country near large trees. They are jay-sized woodpeckers with brown back, no white on wings, and a black breast crescent. Champions have seen them around before but were wondering if they stayed all year or if they were migrants. Robbins, bluebirds and cardinals seem to be around all year so maybe these Common Flickers are too. The big migration problem has seemed to be with the GetGOIN people. As they performed their migration of the e-mail accounts to the new platform there were all kinds of little glitches and hitches and customer service people were putting in some long hours. One of these hardworking people is Kimberly Mayfield. She is the granddaughter of long time Champions Lee and Maggie Cooley. Lee (Theodore) was a World War I Veteran who grew up in Champion. He has one surviving sister who is Frances Southerland, wife of Wayne Southerland. Maggie (Martha) Cooley who is 89 now, still lives in the area and subscribes to three local papers. So, Ms. Cooley, if you are reading this, your granddaughter is a lovely person. She has a pleasant way of explaining complicated technological things to people who might think that microchips are just the small ones in the bottom of the bag. Kimberly said that the internet provider had decided to move the e-mail accounts to an outfit that had better control of the Spam! Technology is Champion! Just look in on www.championnews.us for proof. Several mentioned that they had heard Lonnie Krider and Wayne Anderson on the radio two mornings in a row last week on the new public radio station out of Cabool, 88.1 on the FM dial. Champion!
The Chinese New Year will commence on St. Valentine’s Day this year. It will be the Year of the Tiger and it is generally thought that it is a fortuitous time for acts of courage. Describe such acts at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO. 65717 or at Champion News. Sweethearts are urged to courageously step up on the porch at Henson’s Store and spring for that box of chocolate covered cherries for your Valentine. Sing “Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you,” to the right person and know that romance is a big deal in Champion where they’re looking on the bright side!
