“Let the words of my mouth be acceptable to you o’ Lord.” Psalm 19: 14

The fans from many schools last week drove to the Lamar Community Building to cheer for and watch their school’s boys and girls basketball teams. As a student, then as a teacher-pep club sponsor, it was one of the highlights of the school year to attend the holiday tournament. As a family, and as a fan, it was and is often the final chance to do last minute Christmas shopping. For us now in Weisbrod, we are just so thankful that we can see the players on the television as they compete. One evening, I was so pleased to see the announcer gave some school youth a chance to help announce the game. I was so glad and proud for our Gage Gibbs of Eads-Haswell that he had the chance to cover the game. He is an Eads sixth grade student. I was also pleased to see Coach Sara Crawford being interviewed after a Kit Carson girls ball game.

Our former Eads student, RosaLinda Zamarippa of Chivington-Lamar, came last week with another nice lady with lots of presents of many sizes at noontime. Rosalinda is the president of the Lamar Cornerstone Resource Center. Those noon-day gifts made the day more special. Apparently, this group works to serve many age groups from various walks of life. I remember last year we all received red, green, and white plaid soft blankets.

Brenda Stoker showed me beautiful photos of her teenage granddaughter, Bently Stoker, who has been a dancer in the Amarillo, Texas, ballet for years. Now that she is older, she gets more difficult dance assignments. This year she was “Clara.” There were four days and nights of performances.

Jeanne Sorensen and I received wonderful gifts of chocolate-covered pecans. They were heavy in a metal can with the label, “Doris Lessenden and visitors.” If you come to visit me, you may need to remind me about the candy because I will be so glad to see you. Our benefactors, Ted and Barb Abrams, live in one of the Carolinas. He was one of my star science fair students. I asked Jeanne what her connection with Ted was, and she said they rode the same school bus.

Bill Yohee called last week to greet me from Tucson, Arizona. After he worked in Eads out of the courthouse for a year or so, he really liked the people and places he visited here in Eads. He asked about many friends, and was sad to hear of the deaths of some friends.

Bill and Charlotte Woelk are some of the dearest, kindest friends anyone can have. I and my families do treasure them. I wish we had a “Good Neighbor Award” in Kiowa County. They would certainly be the first I would write a nomination for!

We are so happy. Brenda Leon came back this week. She is still healing, and we can know when she is trudging in the cast boot! But she is so fun, and has such happy ideas for us. She could use help though. We do miss her assistant, Linda (Adamson) Hopkins, who retired.

The Trinity Lutheran church family enjoyed the traditional “birthday cake for Jesus” with punch and treats Sunday before and after church, along with opening their gifts from under the Christmas tree.

So many people around southeast Colorado do such kind things for others. One example is the vibrant red and white Santa stockings which held sacks of candy and nuts that the Chamber of Commerce made which were given to us by a gracious lady who doesn’t want to be named, but whose parents names are Cardon and Joyce Berry. The man behind her handed her a $20 bill to help pay for the bill for our kids. Wasn’t that sweet and kind?

People have wondered the past few weeks why there were so many school buses parked around down town Eads. The answer is that the schools from surrounding towns often call the Plains Theatre to reserve a morning or afternoon to watch a movie in our lovely Theatre.

I just went out in the hall to look for Miss Dafphine. She comes all the way from Las Animas, but she was gone, and so was Debra Hall from La Junta, who comes before 5:00 a.m.