A bright, sunny Christmas Eve had the wide veranda full of Tennessee Champions, descendants of the late Lonnie and Fae Krider, and their friends and neighbors and one of Fae’s brothers.  JoAnn Lawrence brought her guitar to share some tunes.  She has good memories of Lonnie as does David Richardson who came down to the Bright Side on his motorcycle. He borrowed The General’s guitar to sing “Mary Did you Know” and “Where’s the Line to See Jesus.”  He knows many, many songs and shares them freely. Inside the store, Ethel Leach had brought a glorious German chocolate cake for Christmas treat.  The General furnished the ice cream, appropriating the treat as an early celebration of his own birthday on the 31st.  Bob Leach still likes Gene Autry songs and still will not sell the mandolin/banjo he does not play, nor will he give it away or loan it.  Happy New Year anyway, Bob.

A mountain of mail addressed to Santa from children claiming to have been good or saying they had tried to be good make for a sweet read.  They offer to help him with his deliveries and promise cookies and treats under the tree.  Among those letters are some precious requests and observations: “I don’t need much, but my Dad could use a new guitar.”  “I just want to have good family time and for no one to be sick.”  And “Thank you, Santa, for reminding us to be good and for making so many people happy.”

We end the year singing the birthday song to The General and start the new year singing to Arne Coon and Jan Liebert who reminds us “YOLO!” That is to say you only live once.  Champion granddaughter Kabella Clark shares her birthday with a gifted guitar master Leland Isley down in Austin, Texas and with Skyline’s prekindergarten teacher Jess Hartley on January 2nd.   Champion Jacob A. Coon over in North Carolina has a birthday on January 3rd.  That is also the big day for Rachel Barry at Jean’s Healthway in Ava where lunch is always a gourmet delight.  Swedish activist Greta Thunberg also celebrates on January 3rd.  The 4th is for sweet Sami McCleary and for Lee Ray over in Almartha.  An invitation went out to Lee Ray for the Champion Friendsgiving event on December 6th, but he did not make it.  Alas!  Maybe he will come over to the Historic Emporium for a cupcake on New Year’s Day.   Skyline’s second grader Amelia Johnson celebrates on January the 5th, and the 6th is for Skyline fourth grader Lane Alfaro and for Skyline’s much appreciated maintenance engineer Bud Watkins.  Felix the Farmer way out west of Ava will probably have a big celebration.  A few years ago, he said that he planned to be an everything-ologist when he grew up.   Skyline third grader Wylee Wangsgard will party on the 7th.   Happy birthday from your friends in Champion who hope you prosper in good health and that sometimes you have the opportunity to experience the joy of helping someone else along the way.

 Robert Fergusson was a Scottish poet (1750-1774).  Despite a short life, his career was highly influential, especially through its impact on Robert Burns who gave us “Auld Lang Sign.”  A hope for the new year is to remember those old acquaintances and renew the ones we can.  Fergusson delighted in those days between Christmas Day and the first Monday in January–the “Daft Days.”  Those days are all about merrymaking, feasting, music and dancing.  The year ahead may be full of things we cannot fathom now.  Not all of them will be great, but a lot will be wonderful. We have enjoyed some spectacular sunsets during these Daft Days.  We endeavor to persevere and to savor joy and beauty in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Facebook