Monday night was another scary one for those of us here on Pinto Point in west Little Rock. It’s 11:30 p.m. and we’re still without power, but as best we can tell in the dark, there is no severe damage.
This will be the second time in 11 days for an extended loss of electrical power for those of us on the south side of the street. This time, though, our neighbors across the street are in the dark as well.
Thank God that we all apparently are OK, We know that some people were not as fortunate, in regard to damage to their homes and surroundings.
Nancy, Daisy (our Lhasa Apso) and I wound up in the closet when the tornado apparently was going over us. We had Ed Buckner of Channel 11 playing on 94.1 FM The Point on our battery-operated boombox, but we didn’t lose power until a few minutes later when Ed was telling us that powerful straight-line winds were blowing through downtown Little Rock.
Oh well, I hope the alarm goes off on my alarm clock in the morning.
First Presbyterian Church of North Little Rock’s downtown Argenta neighborhood is hosting an Easter egg hunt for all children 10-and-under at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 23, in the church courtyard.
No one has to be a member of the church and no recruiting will be done.
First Presbyterian Church is at 201 W. Fourth St. (corner of Fourth and Main) in North Little Rock. Call 501.374.7677 or go to argentapres.org for more information.
The prizes in the eggs will be peanut-free (because of allergies) and chocolate-free (because of melted messiness).
Residents of the Lansbrook neighborhood of North Little Rock will host a party at the corner of Lansbrook and Bethany from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 30.
Organizers Irene Sanders and Elsie Moore said a tent will be set up on the vacant lot at the corner. The party is designed to serve as both a belated “back to school” celebration and a “get acquainted” gathering for people who live in the neighborhood, Sanders said.
An inflatable jump house, music, basketball, pingpong and other games will be available at the party.
Food and drinks will be served.
North Little Rock police officer Tommy Norman and a female officer will speak with children about dangers and temptations they may face growing up and how their actions have consequences.
Sanders said children are the focus of the event, but anyone from the area is welcome.
Sanders noted that the committee is still accepting donations of hot dogs, hamburgers, bread and buns, fish, chicken, coleslaw, baked beans, chips, cookies, bread, pickles, cooking oil, soft drinks, water, juices, plates, forks, spoons, napkins, cups and large trash bags.
Anyone wanting to donate items or get information may call Sanders at 945-9661 or Elsie Moore at 945-4994.
We met two-thirds of our children, all of whom live in Texas, at the lake house owned by my wife and her siblings at Denby Point on Lake Ouachita for the Labor Day weekend.
Molly, 25, flew in Friday night. Megan, 22, and John Bucy drove up Saturday evening.
John is Molly’s boyfriend, but he and Megan work together at John’s business, the Texas Charter Schools Academic and Athletic Association, based in Austin. They had to get the group’s flag football season off to a good start at events in San Antonio and Dallas.
Our son, Patrick, soon to be 28, and his girlfriend, Sarah Riley, were scheduled to come up Friday, but he was involved in a weather-related traffic accident on Interstate 20, west of Fort Worth on Wednesday night, so his car was knocked out of commission.
Sunday was a busy day on the lake, but Nancy took the youngsters out for some tubing. They were all tired and sunburned by the end of the day, but we did manage a trip into the Shangri-La Resort marina to have lunch and some if their wonderful pie. I had lemon meringue, Nancy had pumpkin with Cool Whip and John and Molly split a piece of peanut butter. Megan settled for the crust. It’s a treat by itself, too.
The kids headed for the “games of skill” available at Oaklawn Park after we all had naps and supper, while we older folks stayed home and watched a movie (in between sessions like this out on the deck to watch the lake get calm and quiet after a busy day).
Monday morning meant early up and out for the kids heading back to Texas. Then I went back to bed while Nancy watched Bogie and Bacall in “Key largo.” She took in “To Have or Have Not” starring those two on Saturday.
We finally cleaned up and loaded the car at a leisurely pace in the afternoon while we listened to the St. Louis Caqrdinals come back against the Milwaukee Brewers, winning 8-6 behind the grand slam home run by catcher Yadier Molina.
It was a nice drive back from a great weekend, but as is often the case, we were glad to be home.
My dad turned 75 today (Sept. 1).
His hair is white and he had a pacemaker placed in his chest in May, but he’s still the strongest man I know. Or, as he told me during an argument we had a few years ago, “I can still take you out.” He was right when he said it and he still can.
Dad has been a diesel mechanic since he was 17, though he sold heavy equipment in Missouri for a few years in the mid-1970s. He has retired a couple of times in recent years. He closed his shop at Sweet Home about 10 years ago, but he continued to rent out his services as a shop foreman for others.
Then he tried retirement again a couple of years ago, but he kept getting offers from old customers to “just come by and help out.” When the doctor strongly suggested early this year that some dizzy spells he had while driving indicated that he needed a pacemaker to help his heart, Dad resisted for a while — he thought it might keep him from working. But a third round of dizziness convinced him the device was necessary, so he had to done.
In the process of “taking it easy” during recovery, Dad has increased his interest in auctions. He used to look for equipment and various tools by attending estate sales and similar events. Early this year he sold off his service truck and some of his tools at an auction, but came home with a new pickup and other tools. Now he helps a man who puts on auctions get ready for them.
When he’s at home, he spends his time in his workshop, on a riding lawn mower or out back “checking the garden.” He’s also learning to make stained glass.
Mom may have realized by now that he’s not really going to retire. Or maybe she just keeps giving him a list of things to do so he will keep working. He would have no idea what to do with himself if he had to just sit in his recliner.
The Dirty Dandies, the Fort Worth band led by my son, Patrick, played a set at the Aardvark near TCU in Fort Worth last week.
Here is a video of “Sarah Jane,” which Patrick wrote in 2009:
My dad, Woot Dougherty, had a pacemaker inserted May 25 to help smooth his heartbeat. It was performed by Dr. Kennedy at Baptist Health Medical Center’s Hickingbotham Outpatient Center in Little Rock.
He is 74 and always has been in excellent health. He’s been a diesel mechanic most of his life — a good one — except for a few years when he moved to Missouri and sold heavy equipment. He talks about not being as strong as he once was, but he’s still one of the strongest men I know.
He had experienced a couple of bouts of dizziness and fast heartbeats several months ago, but didn’t care for the prospects of having the pacemaker surgery. A recent recurrence of the symptoms helped him change his mind.
My brothers, Pat Dougherty of Carrollton, Texas, and Andy Dougherty of Marion, Ark., drove in for the surgery. My wife, Nancy, and I were there, as was Terry Sayers, the pastor at Pine Grove Baptist Church, where my parents are members. They were married in that church, near Sweet Home, nearly 57 years ago, though not by the youngster, Terry.
He did have to make a stop at Homer’s Cafe, on Roosevelt Road near Little Rock National Airport, on his way home from the hospital the next day.
Dad is doing better — his recovery at home has gone well. He said the pain was still there from the surgery for the first week or so, but he feels much better now. During his second week, He asked me to drive him down to the cemetery to check on a worker the church had hired to mow the grounds. When he pulled himself into the passenger side of his pickup, I chastised him for using the arm nearest the pacemaker, and he told me, “I’m not putting weight on it. I’m just using it for balance.” Sure, Dad.
We’ve all told him that even though his two weeks of “taking it easy” is over, he doesn’t need to rush into any heavy lifting or projects that require long periods in the sun.
When I call the house and ask my mom where Dad is, she’ll say, “He’s outside.” I’ll say, “It’s too hot for him to be outside,” and she’ll reply, “It’s OK. He’s just checking on the garden.” Whether that’s what he’s actually doing, she doesn’t know, but that’s what makes her feel better, so that’s what he tells her.
Mom has had trouble getting Dad to retire. After he closed his business, he continued to do projects for longtime customers. Maybe the pacemaker will get him to slow down some. On the other hand, maybe his continued activity is the reason he’s in good health at 74.
Weather often changes plans, regardless of the page on the calendar. In the spring, a picnic might be ruined by a sudden shower. Unbearable heat can force cancellation of outdoor plans in the summer.
This month, with Valentine’s Day falling on a Sunday, plans to send flowers to loved ones were affected by recent snowstorms and accompanying icy roads. Earlier that week, some businesses were closed and some florists likely were forced to call off deliveries. In my case, a delivery to my bride at the doctors’ office where she works scheduled for Friday, Feb. 12, had to have a backup plan for a home delivery either that day or Saturday, Feb. 13, because the forecast for more snow made the possibility real that the office would be closed. We don’t think much about the weather until it affects us personally.
Meanwhile, my family celebrates our second annual February Festival, with a gathering of our son, two daughters, one girlfriend, at least one boyfriend and possibly the other at my son’s house in Fort Worth. It also serves as a celebration of my birthday later this week and daughter Molly’s birthday in mid-March. We also throw in Valentine’s Day and a supper with two friends who also are former copy editors at the Star-Telegram in Fort Worth.
Our little festival was born in 2009 when we had to postpone a Christmas trip to Texas because of illness. What we discovered when we moved our Christmas celebration to February last year was the actual date of our family get-together didn’t matter. Yes, we exchange gifts, but the fact that we still were able to gather and enjoy each other was what seemed to matter the most.
So remember, our time with loved ones is fleeting. And have a very Frosty February Festival!
