Champions were happy to end last week with burns’ Night on Saturday and to start the new week with the KC Chifs putting on their CHAMPIONS t-shirts after the big game with the Buffalo Bills.
                       On Saturday Robert Burns (January 25, 1759–July 21, 1796) was remembered for sayings like “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” and “O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us!” not to mention “Should old acquaintance be forgot?” We Champions remember well our many old acquaintances and speak of them often around the same old wood stove where we once visited with them. On Wednesday the talk was of the trio of singers that included Champions Harley Krider, Larry Wrinkles and Punk (Eldridge) Hicks. There may be a recording of them somewhere. Everyone who remembers them says they were wonderful. Arthur Porter taught them their sweet harmonies and in later years when he was ailing, these fellows went to see him and ang for him again. We miss Harley who passed away just after his 78th birthday back in 2023. Larry is still over in the east end of the county aggravating Teresa. Wes Lambert came for a spell on Wednesday and said as far as he knew Punk was in a nursing home out in Oregon somewhere. Wes also reported that Charlie Lambert was doing ok. Veronica had brought him to Champion a couple of weeks before. But back to Burns’ Night, “We’ll drink a cup of kindness yet for Auld Lang Syne.”
                        A favorite part of the exciting football game was the first few seconds after it was all over. Seeing rivals embracing each other, consoling and celebrating each other with love and respect is heartening. Some of them may be friends, may have been on the same team together at some point or alumni of the same school or got to know each other by reputation. That they leave the frenzied aggression of the game behind when the final whistle blows reminds fans that they are all players–gladiators. The smiles, relief and resignation mixed with the crown noise and confetti seemed to have them all unified. Examples of this kind of genuine sportsmanship could serve us well in our social and political arenas. It is nice to see somewhere, even for just a few seconds on our televisions.
                      Vanzant’s Jam was a doozy on Thursday, much enhanced by Kelly Hines. He shared advanced notice of the HOBA festival coming up in June. He played an excellent rendition of “An Old Spinning Wheel” on the banjo. He has also shared the love of bluegrass with Cheyenne Mcintoshes’ music students at Skyline School. He and Alan Strickland, Tyler Chatham, Gene Collins and Sharry Lovan, all better known as Stringed Union make the visit to Skyline every year. Sharry grew up in a gospel music family and once said that they had sun in every little church in this whole part of the world. She has a a glamorous chef job at an elegant hunting resort while being a doting grandmother, a motorcycle enthusiast and at the same time dealing with significant health issues. She is another of the strong Champion women who keeps things going. Her Champion friends wish her well and speedy recovery. There were fifteen in the music circle at Vanzant that night and a score or more soaking up the music on the sidelines. The six o’clock potluck is a family dinner every week with everyone’s favorite dishes and the joy of sitting at the table with friends. Everyone is welcome. With all the mayhem and suffering going on all around the world, joy is a precious commodity. One says, “Defiant joy is not only necessary, it’s also the only flavor of joy available.” Manufacture you on flavor of joy if you can. Love and gratitude are the big watch words in Champion–Looking on the Bright Side!

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