Fort Scott Tribune: Columns: Marilyn Miller

Program pays respect to veterans in a unique way (05/15/12)
This story will begin with a trip down memory lane. It begins back in 1941. Yes, that is when FDR was president of the United States. The country hadn't recovered from the Great Depression and our country was really hurting. And then arrived the day of Dec. ...

Some memorable old phrases you might recognize (05/09/12)
This was sent to me by a friend. A LICK AND A PROMISE "I'll just give this a lick and a promise," my mother said as she quickly mopped up a spill on the floor without moving any of the furniture. "What is that supposed to mean," I asked as in my young mind I envisioned someone licking the floor with his or her tongue...

Life as a city dweller (05/01/12)
The chapter in our lives known as "moving" has finally come to an end, and I for one am very grateful. As of last Friday, April 20, the movers moved us into Marshfield, Wis., in about five or six hours. We are now what is known as "city dwellers." I wouldn't recommend to anyone waiting as long as we did to finally decide to move. ...

The final days in the Holy Land (04/17/12)
When we went to the old City, we went through the Jaffa Gate and came out at the Dung Gate. Other attractions included the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Before going in, we had to remove our shoes and leave everything outside, and we also had to wear dresses. This Mosque can be identified by its black dome...

History lessons continue on trip to Jerusalem (04/10/12)
As our tour of Jerusalem continued, so did our history lessons. As the first of the many disasters which overwhelmed the holy places, in 614 A.D. the Persian Army, having conquered Jerusalem, sacked and demolished the churches and bore away the Cross itself into Persia...

More adventures in Israel (04/03/12)
Continuing on through Tiberius, there was found in the Sea of Galilee a boat from the time of Jesus; people called it the Jesus Boat. We took a ride on a boat that was a replica of the Jesus Boat. So many things happened on the Sea of Galilee during the time of Jesus, making it a very moving experience. It was absolutely awesome...

The trip of a lifetime in Israel (03/27/12)
In 1999 we had the trip of a lifetime. Bob's brother John, who was a Presbyterian pastor at that time, asked us if we would like to go on a tour to Israel. He had led several of these tours over the years and thought we might like to join the tour, as he would be retiring soon and didn't know at that time if he would be leading any more tours...

Moving reveals forgotten treasures (03/20/12)
The move is on ('scuse the pun). Again we had help from our son Rob and wife Catheryn. Bobkat arrived on Friday afternoon and left on Sunday afternoon. We went out for a fish fry at Laura's Café in Pittsville on Friday evening. From there 'til they left we worked ourselves silly...

The countdown to the move continues (03/13/12)
The countdown is just about a month and we will be moving into our new apartment. in Marshfield. I do believe I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My problem is trying to maneuver around the house, it is almost like a tunnel, what with the mountain of boxes that are beginning to pile up all over the house. The walls are bare, the shelves are bare, in fact it doesn't really look like our house anymore...

Moving reaffirms that home is where the heart is (03/05/12)
As I was sitting in the front room today and looking around at the inside of Ironquill, it was so different from before I started dismantling it. And it finally dawned on me that it isn't a house or place that makes it our home, but what we put in it: Things, treasures, antiques and just plain stuff. All of the things that we put in it was a part of us...

Pass it on: Things my parents taught me (02/29/12)
As I continue to pack for our upcoming move to Marshfield, I have trouble sitting down and doing my weekly column. So this is what I came up with, it was sent to me by an email friend. Hope you all get a good belly laugh; I did. Things I Owe My Parents...

Sorting papers easier than parting with cherished baseball caps (02/21/12)
As we continue to downsize our things in anticipation of our move in April, Bob has taken on the job of all of the folders, pictures, letters and anything else that inhabits our files. And let me tell you, that file was so full, it was hard to get the drawers open...

Feeling blessed this Valentine's Day (02/07/12)
It's that time of the year, Valentine's Day, and it is time to wish my "sweetie" a "Happy Valentine's Day." I can't ever remember not receiving and giving him one each year. You would think after all these years the cards wouldn't be so mushy, but they are...

Long string of company cars remembered (01/31/12)
It's time to bring the "car series" to a finish. It's been a lot of fun remembering all of the cars over the years. Next was a 1962 Chevy Corvair and a 1964 Corvair and a 1966 Chevy. Over a period of years, the Western Insurance Company provided Bob with company cars...

Remembering friends' cars, especially a little Crosley (01/24/12)
In remembering past cars we have had, I began remembering some other cars that belonged to friends. Back in the late 40s, after the World War II, many returning veterans went to school on the G.I. Bill. Many of them came to Fort Scott and went to our junior college, which at that time was in the high school building. Our town was abuzz with returning vets. A friend of ours, Bobby Jack Gregg, was one of those veterans...

Remembering the many cars owned during a lifetime (01/17/12)
Last week I forgot to mention that our next vehicle was a "brand spankin' new Chevy" panel bread truck, and we paid $1,500 for it. But it wasn't long before Bob realized that he wasn't a "born" salesman (or, for that matter, any kind of a salesman), so he sold the new panel truck and we headed back to Fort Scott with our "over the hill" '37 Chevy car. It wasn't long before it "gave up the ghost" and died...

Folder found during cleanup holds auto history (01/10/12)
The other day Bob was cleaning out his desk drawers and was actually parting with some "treasures." He came across a folder that he had put all of the receipts of the cars that we have had over the years. I found them quite interesting and thought you all might enjoy them too...

Cleaning closets and drawers takes one down memory lane (01/04/12)
As I continue to clean out closets, cupboards, boxes, the sun porch, pictures on the wall and all sorts of places where I have stashed away my many treasures, memories come flooding back of the woven stitches of that tapestry that becomes a crazy quilt of our lives. So many stitches, so many colors, some have become faded, some are quite worn, but it still remains what our lives have become. There is a strong family bond that binds us all together in many ways...

Christmas is soon, and so is move to Marshfield (12/20/11)
The Christmas season has arrived in all its glory. But it doesn't seem possible that a week from today we will be celebrating Jesus' birthday. The time seems to fly by. I have been playing my Christmas records off and on each day. They really get a person in the Christmas spirit. I even found an old Elvis Presley Christmas record. I had forgotten what a nice voice he had...

Christmas greetings 2011 (12/13/11)
Christmas is such a special time of year to reflect back over the past year and truly thank God for His bountiful blessings. We have survived another year without any major setbacks. We have both arrived in our lives to the age of 80 and 81 and still have our mental facilities and, so far, can walk around without any help. Now, let me tell you folks, that is a big plus...

More deer hunting, but only one deer found (11/29/11)
The second day of deer season arrived, and all of the hunters again trekked back to the woods to their tree houses. But the deer refused to cooperate. In fact, the does were probably bedded down in their doe beds, and the bucks were tired of chasing them, and hardly any deer were seen...

Last deer season opening weekend at Ironquill a special time (11/22/11)
Another opening weekend of the deer season. This was a very memorable and even sad weekend. After 47 years, it was the very last time we would all be spending the deer season together at Ironquill. Bob's brother John, who lives on Hilton Head, S.C., was the first to arrive on Thursday. He brought us a peck of Pink Lady apples (yummy)...

Dinners, school programs fill Veterans Day (11/15/11)
I was going to get back to the Big Band Era, but decided to write about Veterans Day. It has been a busy week. On Thursday, we attended a free chicken dinner in honor of all veterans at a supper club called Pinecrest on the other side of Pittsvllle...

The farm is sold, finally -- time to pack for new phase of life (11/07/11)
It's a "done deal." Hallelujah! We sold our house and 40 acres. We had just about given up for the winter when, low and behold, a neighbor down the road called and said he was interested. We made an appointment for a couple of days later, so many things had to fall into place before it could all come together. But within about an hour and half, we had signed the papers. It will be final in about 30 days. God is good...

Photo of pool demolition brings back fond memories (11/02/11)
I was going to run another series on the big band era, but after seeing the picture of the swimming pool on the front page of The Fort Scott Tribune, it brought back so many memories that I decided to write about the pool. More about the big band next week...

Big band era 'big deal' to many from 1936 to 1945 (10/25/11)
And the big band era plays on. The "Readers Digest" pamphlet continues . . . It began in 1936 and came to an end in 1945. All in all, there were 37 famous bands and 120 top tunes during that time. Huge ballrooms, often lavishly designed, were an essential part of the big band era. Two of the most famous were the Aragon and the Trianon in Chicago, Ill...

Big band nostalgia (10/18/11)
As you all might know, I am a big fan of the big (great) band era. I have an album of big band music, and as I was playing it this weekend, I noticed a leaflet in the album telling all about how the big bands started. The following column was taken from this leaflet by "Readers Digest."...

Black walnuts and chunks of ice a childhood treat (10/11/11)
It is still the summer of 1938, school is out and it is glorious. I am wandering around looking for something to do when I hear my Mama holler and say, "Marilyn, would you like some black walnuts to crack and eat?" Boy would I. I love those dudes. Black walnuts have a hard green hull on them, and they have to turn brown and black and get real soft and mushy, then begin to dry, before you can hull them. ...

Childhood games hard on shoes and feet (10/04/11)
As Paul Harvey would say, "and now for the rest of the story." On that path of 1938, I told you that there were three things that almost always destroys kids' shoes, the second one being taking an old tin can and placing your shoe very carefully right in the middle of the can and stomping down on it. (Of course, doing this with both shoes.) And now the fun would begin...

Depression era memories not all bad (09/27/11)
As I sit in my favorite recliner in the living roomthinking about what I will write for my column this week, I find myself going down that road that at one time or another we all travel. It is Memory Lane. As I take this road I finally find myself in the year of 1938. I am in the second grade. We live on the east side of Fort Scott on Hill Street...

Familiar phrases have a source (09/20/11)
There is an old hotel/pub in Marble Arch, London, which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial, of course) to be hung. The horse drawn dray carting the prisoner was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like "one last drink."...

Sidewalk sales still an addiction (09/13/11)
It's time I come clean and admit I have an addiction. Some people are addicted to booze, drugs and gambling (there are lots of addictions). Folks, mine is garage sales. As you know, we are in the process of trying to sell our house, which means that for the past few months I have been cleaning out closets, rooms, drawers, every place I can think of to begin downsizing, so that if we ever do sell our house, it won't be such a big job at the last minute...

Labor Day weekend a most wonderful time (09/07/11)
It doesn't seem possible that it is Labor Day weekend, but several tell-tale signs have crept in that fall is arriving. The trees are beginning to turn, the birds are beginning their arrangements for flying south for the winter. The days are getting shorter and the nights longer. There is a crispness in the air. There is a feeling in the air that only fall can give...

Remembering how times have changed (08/30/11)
I received the following email from a friend. After some of the comments, I will give my own comment. Comments made in the year of 1955. l. I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $10. (That was back in the early years of our marriage, and we were in a great recession. And yes, that is what we spent a week for groceries. We had a budget, and $10 was all we had.)...

Marilyn Miller
The Old Grey Mare

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