The torrential rains continue. It was a costly situation for the cafe last night when the electricity went out across Kosse during our Friday night catfish rush. Obviously it is something undesired, but when I think of the electric company repairmen who are forced to spend their Friday evening in a flood repairing an electric outage, my sacrifice pales.
The woes for Marlin continue. The Texas Youth Commission facility is being closed. Click for article. It will eventually be converted into an adult prison, although the length of transitional closure is unknown. Anyway, the people are out of a job.
June 22, 2007
I have had to neglect the Kosse Blog the past few days due to other demands. This unfortunately will be the case for the next few weeks. As mentioned before, we are trying to spend as much time as possible with Mother during her difficult final days.
Summer has officially arrived and the weather is appropriately muggy and hot. I received the cafe electric bill and it was actually less than I was expecting.
This website has been in operation for one year now and has had 30,415 total page views.
The Kosse First United Methodist Church is having a big garage sale this Friday and Saturday beginning each day at 8:00 a.m. It will be held under their pavilion, so the predicted rain should have little effect on it.
There is a reception slated for next Friday to honor Christine Kelly for her retirement from the Farmer's State Bank in Kosse. She has been in banking for fifty years and is now taking a much-deserved break. She is always pleasant to deal with and an elegant lady. We wish her the best.
I noticed the Perfect Pear Consignment store is moving to Groesbeck. While they will be missed, this undoubtedly offers them a better opportunity for business. We wish them well. As one business departs, another soon arrives in the form of the Feed Trough Farm & Ranch store. It is beginning to take shape in the former downtown hardware store. I remember in the 1980's there was the Co-op Feed Store located a couple of doors down from the Feed Trough location and was run by Earl Wilson and Robert O'Neal. There has not been a downtown feed store in Kosse since I owned one in the rear portion of the grocery store. Having been raised in the city, I never was able to attain an affinity for the feed business. I tried to learn as much as possible about the industry but it simply was not my cup of tea. On the other hand, I truly enjoy owning restaurants. I suppose my interest in feeding my own stomach outweighs that of feeding the stomachs of various forms of local livestock.
June 16, 2007
Meadowcreek Park is the scene of another large equestrian event this weekend. According to Stacy who heard it from Chicken who heard it from a customer, I heard there are 150 participants at this particular event. While unable to verify the exact veracity of this now fourth- hand information, suffice it to say we had a very busy day Friday at the cafe, and many of the hopefully-satisfied customers were here for the horse show. Hats off for the umpteenth time to the Lindsey's.
We are trying to see my mother as often as possible in her twilight days, so will be going to Lake Jackson tomorrow. She is under hospice care and made to feel as comfortable as possible. I saw her last weekend at my brother John's house in Groesbeck and she was very lucid. Mother was surrounded by three of her children, her favorite nephew, some in-law's, and a freshly-cooked order of chicken tenders from Buck's Pizza. She was extremely happy.
June 15, 2007
I received a very informative e-mail from Karen Partin yesterday regarding recent and future events in Kosse. She said that Kosse Feeds has now closed and in a couple of months the Feedtrough feed store will open in the former downtown hardware store building. It will be under the ownership of Debra Burton and Teresa Denman. I will publish the remainder of her e-mail verbatim.
Kosse 5K News We had 76 participants in the 5K Kosse Greyhound Run/Walk. Lots of local winners I will have their times and names at a later date for you. All proceeds will go to the park. We had lots of out of town folks. Our furtherest traveled was from Santa Fe Texas. Our oldest contender was Catherine Swinea from Kosse she is 87.
We had a great fishing derby as well with 30 participants. The park is on its last phase of the tpwd grant , we are waiting on construction of the restrooms. We plan on having the 4th of July fireworks there on the 4th,at dark. We will be putting up our donation boxes as always. If anyone would like to set up a booth they need to call me at 422-0368 or 375-2207 at the mule.
Winners at parade: Best Over All- Kosse 4-H Best Float- First United Methodist Church Best Utility Vehicle- Raelynn Swinea Best Decorated Bike- Sara Lloyd Best Decorated Horse- Don Burleson Best Dressed Cowboy- Pat Jones Best Dressed Cowgirl- Haylee Suttle Best Vintage Award- Harley Leazer (1947 Ford N tractor)
Thanks to the judges, Joe McKee,Sharon McKee, Walter Lloyd,Sammy Cook, Diane Fraley, Ed Fraleh & Jay -Jay. Public Announcer was Krystal Nicholas, and award giver Chelsea Pettigrew.
June 14, 2007
Looks as if the rain is on the verge of returning. There is a 60% chance of rain over the next four days. Even though we almost got washed away a couple weeks ago, I would imagine another round of moisture would help the local agrarian efforts.
Natasha Garcie and Susan Brown received their bachelor degrees in recent graduation ceremonies at one of my alma maters, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. I don't believe I know Susan, but Natasha is the daughter of Bill Garcie and Carolyn Bennett of Kosse. I thoroughly enjoyed my years at Sam Houston, or Sam as it is known to the students. There were many memorable moments during that era of the late 70's, but I best refrain from relating them so as to protect the guilty.
June 11, 2007
Homecoming 2007 is history. It proved to be a resounding success and was enjoyed by all. There was a large crowd at the street dance and rodeo, and the parade was a winner. There was a horse show at the Lindsey's Meadowcreek Park and the charms of Kosse were exposed to hundreds of out-of-towners. I am attempting to get a list of winners and the various events and hope to post them on the Kosse Courier page of this website in the next day or two.
Former Secretary of State General Colin Powell was the guest on yesterday's "Meet the Press". Click for episode. It was interesting when he said he is advising Barack Obama on foreign policy matters, and then made the statement he would endorse the person he felt would make the best president, even if that person was not a Republican. While he made it clear he would never run for elective office, I personally think Colin Powell would make a better president than any of the current leading candidates. If George Bush had taken his advice on Iraq we would not be in the current debacle.
June 9, 2007
Homecoming 2007 is here. There are almost too many activities available for the time allotted. My favorite is the parade. Hopefully the 30% chance of rain in the forecast will bypass Kosse.
My mother received another bit of bad health news, and the prognosis is not good. Her liver cancer has spread within her abdominal area and there is no treatment available. She will be in a hospice situation for her remaining days.
I saw the Lauderdale's in the cafe tonight. Rainey told me her fiance, Mike Wheal of England, is slated to move to the United States. I also had a short conversation with John Wesley. I remember the first time I met him was soon after we purchased the grocery store. In all honesty I wasn't sure what to think, as I did not know him well enough to discern whether his comments were serious or not. As I got to know him better I realized he simply possesses a very dry and quick wit. I came to see he was the type of person who, if he saw me walking for exercise on the side of the road would act like he was going to run over me, but if I was in any type of trouble on the side of the road would be the first to stop and offer assistance. Being of strange mind myself, I came to appreciate his humor.
June 7, 2007
The Kosse business community continues to be a powerhouse for growth. The May, 2007 sales tax disbursements have been made and Kosse has more than doubled the amount from May, 2006. Click for article. According to the article, "The City of Kosse shows sizable increases in both categories, recipient of $3,246.20, compared to last year’s May check, which amounted to $1,525.76. Year-to-date is up to $12,683.62, compared to $7,685.74 at this time last year." Amazing results for an amazing town.
A man tried to jump into the Pope Benedict XVI’s popemobile today, but was overpowered by bodyguards and hauled to the ground. Click for video.
Three weeks ago President Bush named Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute for the newly-created position of Iraq War Czar. Click for article. Today it is being revealed that Lute has been skeptical for months of Bush's surge plan. Click for article. Being a Libertarian by nature, I have been railing against the folly of Bush's war for years, as can be seen by reading this blog. I truly believe this will be the legacy of the Bush 43 administration, and historians will see this era as very divisive and harmful to American interests worldwide.
June 6, 2007
Today is the 63rd anniversary of D-Day. Click for website. The number of Americans who actually lived through World War II is quickly shrinking and with it the personal impact of this era. My mother was born in 1923 so she grew up during the eras of Prohibition, the Great Depression and World War II. That was a tough two decades.
Kosse Homecoming 2007 is almost upon us. This weekend promises to see a large influx of humanity to the Wonderland of Texas. The forecast calls for highs in the low 90's with a 20% chance of rain each day. Hopefully the 80% chance of clear weather will materialize.
Last night's Republican presidential candidates debate was quite entertaining. My favorite moment was when the moderator asked the candidates how they would utilize George W. Bush as an ex-President. Colorado Congressman Tancredo said White House aide Karl Rove once told him "never darken the door of the White House." The congressman said he'd tell George W. Bush the same thing. Click for article. The claws are out.
