Memories of a Lifetime: 1986-1990

For some reason my memory of the 1986-1990 period in my life is drawing a blank for the most part. Anyone with memories of what happened in Pineville-Alexandria during these years are welcome to comment.

1986 – Halley’s comet appeared in 1986 and won’t reappear till the year 2061. It had last appeared before 1986 in 1911. IBM launches the first laptop computer 27 years ago. Smoking was banned on all public transportation, in the United States which had to be tough for smokers on coast to coast airplane flights. The nicotine patch was invented in 1986. A Plymouth Colt could be purchased for $4,999. A gallon of gas only cost 89 cents. Average rent was $385 a month. Top Gun, Platoon and Crocodile Dundee were popular movies in 1986.

1987 – A Private First Class in the Army was earning $9,385.20 a year. When I joined the Army in 1962 a recruit earned $936 a year as a E-1. A gallon of gas was 89 cents, the same price as in 1986. The U.S. stock market crashed on October 19 with a 508 point drop. Fox Broadcasting made its debut 26 years ago. A seven-day Caribbean cruise cost $1195.

1988 – The price of a gallon of gasoline remained relatively stable, rising to only 91 cents, after being 89 cents the previous two years. Movie tickets were $3.50 and average rent was now $420. Yellowstone National Park had 250 separate fires in 1988 that destroyed 793,880 acres of the park, which was a third of the total acreage of the park. A Logitech mouse cost $89.99, while a Amiga 500 with a color monitor cost $849.

1989 – I had surgery in July of 1989 at Rapides Hospital. I would be off work for six weeks. I would then work from 1989-2004 at the Town Talk , while missing a total of one day of work and was in the hospital that day, after being admitted from emergency room, due to emergency room physician thinking I may had a blood clot, but it turned out to be a muscle tear. I think I got my work ethic from my dad who didn’t miss a day of work over a 40 year period.

That same month before the surgery I had gone to grocery store to get snacks to watch the 1989 All Star game. By the time I got back an earthquake had hit the San Francisco area and film was being shown of the players leaving the stadium with their families. Then we saw hours of coverage of the devastation in the area. Hard to believe 24 years have passed since that date.

Other big news in 1989 is that the Yugo cars went bankrupt. The Yugo is 39th on the list of worst cars in history. One feature was the rear window defroster, which kept your hands warm, while you pushed it. The car looked like it had been assembled at gunpoint. The article also has this to say about the Yugo:

The engines went ka-blooey, the electrical system — such as it was — would  sizzle, and things would just fall off.

1990 – I think this is the year my son Steve played football for the Pineville High School Rebels. He played end and endured practices from summer till the end of the season, but only played in the last game of the season, for only one play and the worst thing is that his mom had left the stadium, by the time he played in the game and I was at work, so no family member was there to see him in that one play. I still respect his work ethic to stick with it all season, even if he didn’t get to play but in that one play.

Gasoline had skyrocketed to $1.34 by 1990. Today gasoline is in the $3.25 range in our area. A Super Nintendo cost $159. Cabbage Patch Kids were $29.99. A six volt Batman car could be purchased for $199 and had a top speed of 3 MPH. A Smith Corona Daisy Wheel Typewriter could be purchased for $179, while a cellular car phone could be bought for $325.

Best Oldtime Radio Christmas Program

There are a lot of very funny old-time radio programs, but the best Christmas drama I have heard is “A Daddy For Christmas”. It is one of the most heartwarming Christmas shows ever and as far as I know, it has never been made into a television show.

If someone listens to this show and doesn’t tear up, then something is seriously wrong.

The show which was broadcast on December 15, 1948, on the Family Theater program may be 64 years old, but it will still touch the hearts of those, who celebrate Christmas today.

Bobby Driscoll who plays Stevie in the program had made his movie debut in 1943 at the age of 6 and went on to star in Disney movies. Driscoll acquired a drug habit in high school and died at the early age of 31.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Driscoll

The program lasts 24 minutes and 20 seconds.

http://www.dumb.com/oldtimeradio/listen/13690/Drama_Family_Theater/Family_Theater/481215_A_Daddy_For_Christma.html

S.H. Kress: Out of Business For 30 Years

This is the original S.H. Kress building built in the 20's or 30's before new building was built many years later on Third Street.

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were shopping at the S.H. Kress store in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana.

The original store was built on Third Street and would later be replaced by a new structure on the same street.

When we were kids, we did most of our Christmas shopping at stores like Kress where you could buy a lot of stuff with very little money.

The Christmas tree would have a lot of presents under it, but most of them would be from stores like Kress, Morgan and Lindsey and Ben Franklin.

One of my fondest memories is that of smelling the popcorn cooking in the popcorn machine in the store.

S.H. Kress stores became a center of controversy, when they refused to let blacks sit at their lunch counters and were sued numerous times for that refusal.

Part of growing up in central Louisiana were trips to the Kress store on Third Street in downtown Alexandria.

The first Kress store was opened in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania in 1887. Kress became a chain of 5-10-25 cent stores in 1896. Genesco purchased Kress in 1964 and 17 years later the company would no longer exist in the United States, and ceased operation in 1981. It missed by six years of surviving for 100 years.

Alexandria would see many other stores like Kress closed when their companies went out of business. Other chain stores that were located in Alexandria or Pineville including, W.T. Grant, Woolworth’s, Woolco, Ben Franklin, Morgan and Lindsey and many more that ended their presence in Alexandria or Pineville.

It has been thirty years now since Kress went out of the retail business. It was the same year that President Reagan took office on January 20 and would be shot in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley on March 30 of that year.

Other events that year include:

May 13 -

Pope John Paul II is shot and almost killed by a Turkish gunman inside Vatican City.

August 1 – MTV is launched.

October 6 – President of Egypt Anwar Sadat is assassinated during a parade.

December 28- Elizabeth Jordan Carr becomes the first test tube baby to be born and grew up to be a newspaper journalist.

Nostalgic Memories From the Past

These are just some of my memories of the good old days:

When the  ice man brought ice to place in your icebox.

When milkmen brought your milk to the house with cream at the top of the bottles.

When attic fans were the only way of getting any air in a house.

When we would walk on the Murray Street Bridge and see the Red River below, when there were missing slats.

When we were hot and didn’t think about it being hot because it was all we knew since nobody had air conditioners then.

When television shows didn’t come on  till 3:30 PM.  Howdy Doody and Pinky Lee started the telecast day on KALB-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana in the 50′s.

When we listened to old time radio shows like Dragnet and Breakfast Club on the radio, while my mom listened to her soap operas like Just Plain Bill, Stella Dallas, Lorenzo Jones and Guiding Light.

When people would go to local appliance store at night and watch television through the display window at Jimmie Walker’s Appliances on Main Street in Pineville.

When we would come home from school and watch our cowboy heroes in action.

When nativity scenes could be seen in public places before ACLU raised such a fuss, that you can’t find one in a mall today.

When stores like Penneys, Sears and Montgomery Ward were located in free standing stores, before the advent of the shopping centers and malls.

When kids would trick or treat until 10PM at night, filling grocery bags full of candy, with no special Halloween bags.

When families went to drive-in movies together, while teenagers would sneak a extra kid in the trunk, to avoid paying for them.

When theatergoers would throw tomatoes at the movie screen if they were upset with a bad movie.

When Larry McHale of KALB – TV was advertising cigarettes and started coughing, but regrouped and said “Just thinking of those other brands makes me cough.”

When eating TV dinners were more popular than fast food.

When McDonald’s had 15 cent hamburgers.

When you could get a haircut for less than a dollar.

When it cost a dime to see a movie.

When it cost a dime for a school lunch in 1950 at Pineville Elementary in Pineville, Louisiana.

When kids collected baseball cards and put them in bicycle spokes.

When families would go on picnics at the city park, letting the kids play on the playground equipment.

When going to stores we would see white and colored water fountains. One black man tried both kinds and said they tasted the same.

When we watched No Time For Sergeants three times in a row at the movie theater. (One of the funniest movies ever, with Don Knotts being a dexterity expert, that became discombobulated by Andy Griffith’s character.)

When we used to drink Hawaiian Punch and Delaware Punch.

When we used to pay a nickel for a 6 ounce coke out of a machine. Now they charge over a $1.50 for a 20 ounce coke, when in the old days a 24 ounce coke would cost 20 cents.

When we walked a mile to school everyday for the entire 12 years of elementary and high school.

When there was no middle school back in the 50′s.

When Gov. Earl K. Long of Louisiana gave free chickens to voters during a gubneratorial election.

When going fishing meant taking a cane pole and not a expensive rod and reel.

When I bought a $6.50 Nokona baseball glove for $6.00 when the hardware store owner found out I didn’t have enough money to pay the full price.

When we celebrated Christmas by running around with sparklers.

When we would see the miniature church on the city square in Alexandria every Christmas.

When Christmas music was played downtown during the Christmas season.

When we used to play marbles in school.

When playing with a yo-yo was cool.

When hula hoops were the hot fad.

When high school kids rode bikes to school instead of driving cars.

When familes went to church together.

When families actually ate dinner together at a table, instead of in front of the television.

When kids made money by delivering newspapers on bicycle.

When we drank grapefruit juice at breakfast even though we didn’t like it.

When we ate Wheat Chex at breakfast even though we didn’t like it.

When we used to get excited about another school year starting.

When we went to special Christmas Eve services on a cold night in December and watching Christmas movies on television when we got home.

When we had a train set over our bed as a kid.

When we took a trip in 1957 and saw the Howard Johnson restaurants with the orange roofs.

When we got together as a family to hear mother read from the Bible.

When we used to listen to records on the record player.

When homemade ice cream was better than any ice cream bought in a store.

When pizza was delivered to the house the first time.

When mom and pop stores went out of business because of Wal-Mart.

When there used to be neighborhood groceries scattered around in residential neighborhoods.

Yes, those truly were the good old days.

Old Time Radio Poll

The last old time radio show aired on September 30,1962. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar being the last old time radio shows to be broadcast.

The poll today breaks down by age groups of people who have heard old time radio shows either live from 1920′s till September 30, 1962 or media such as MP3 CD’s and downloads:

9 Year Old Tells Bible History in Nutshell

Nine year old Davis Burton tells what he learned after studying the Bible for a year and recaps in eight minutes some of the key events in the Bible.

It is amazing that he is able to relate what he learned, at such a young age, about the Bible. It also speaks highly of his comprehension of the Bible. His teachers had to teach him very well for him to remember Biblical events so well.

The following article tells more about Davis who attends the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ in Little Rock Arkansas:

http://www.christianchronicle.org/blog/2011/01/video-9-year-old-recaps-what-hes-learned-reading-the-bible/

Frank Sinatra: Nice And Easy – How Little It Matters

The great Frank Sinatra singing one of his up tempo songs Nice and Easy.

This is Frank Sinatra at his best singing one of his signature songs. The next video features Sinatra singing one of his lesser known songs but one of my favorites, How Little It Matters.

Sinatra singing a shortened version of  How Little We Know.

Neither of the songs included in this post were huge hits with How Little We Know reaching No.30 on the Billboard charts in 1956 while Nice and Easy topped out at No. 60 in 1960.

That doesn’t really matter to me since both songs are two of my favorite Sinatra songs. He recorded his first song in 1939 and was still singing into the 1990′s.

The following list names every song recorded by Sinatra and which year it was recorded:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Frank_Sinatra

Archive.org: Great Multimedia Website

Archive.org will keep a reader entertained for hours.

Archive.org is probably the best source for audio and video online this side of YouTube.  The home page for the website as I write this article has a link to an audio version of a Grateful Dead concert at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum at New Haven, Connecticut on May 11, 1981.

The concert is only one of 803,305 audio recordings at the website.  There are 2,214 old time radio related links to old time radio shows and magazines that were printed during the height of the popularity of old time radio.

One Roy Rogers episode has been downloaded 74,882 times showing that the website is available for downloading many of the old time radio shows we grew up with.

Old time radio fans will love looking at list after list of old time radio shows available for downloading including some of the more obscure shows which have very few episodes in existence.

The live music archive features 88,813 archives while the moving image archives total 451,934.

Avid readers will enjoy knowing that there are 2.694,639 texts including books and ebooks. The new Bookreader at the site includes Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin and is the example shown of how the Bookreader works.

http://blog.archive.org/2010/12/10/2685/

There is an audio version of some books but the one I listened to was not of the best quality and seemed to be a computer generated voice which probably would be tiring to listen to for an entire book.

Most readers may not enjoy the voice and instead opt to read the books without sound. For those that like the audio they should enjoy the feature that highlights the portion of the book being read by the voice.

The Mega Reader iPhone app provides access to the 1.8 million free books at archive.org so they each iPhone user can have their own personal reader.

Each volume of the Warren Report investigation of the assassination of  President John F. Kennedy is available to read.

The site is an excellent source of reading material for educators and students who are looking for books that are no longer copyrighted.

One word of caution: it could take hours just to look at what is available at archive.org. This website may have the most content of any website online and is worth going to the website to see for yourself what is available.

http://www.archive.org/

Martina McBride: O Holy Night (Acapella)

Martina McBride singing O Holy Night using her voice as a musical instrument showing you don’t need music when singing with her great voice.

Flash Mob Sings Hallelujah Chorus

Flash mob erupts in song singing the Hallelujah Chorus in mall food court in St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada.

It was another day for busy shoppers in an Ontario mall and as many shoppers ate in a food court a lady starts singing the Hallelujah Chorus while seemingly talking on a telephone and then more and more singers join in until a huge group sings their part of the Hallelujah Chorus.

Christmas and Lord’s Prayer Connection

This clip from the Amos and Andy television shows reminds us of the what the words in The Lord’s Prayer mean. The entire program can be found on YouTube but the most meaningful part starts at the 3:55 mark on the video.

The show was heard on old time radio before the television show debuted.

Alabama: Christmas in Dixie

Alabama was one of the best selling groups among all genres selling more albums than Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Chicago.

It doesn’t seem like it has been 28 years since Christmas in Dixie was released by Alabama in 1982. This is an audio only version and haven’t found a video of Alabama singing it.

This is one of those picture songs in that the lyrics paint a picture bringing images of Christmases past as we listen to the song.  Haven’t heard this song played so far this Christmas season on any radio stations playing Christmas music.

It is songs like this that made Alabama one of the best country music groups with 32 songs reaching No.1 from 1980 to 1993. They finished their farewell tour in 2004 and have been retired from the road since then.

GACTV.com describes how well Alabama sold albums:

With 65 million albums sold worldwide, they’re one of the 20 best-selling acts of all time. In the U.S. alone, Alabama has sold more albums than Eric Clapton or Bob Dylan. They’ve outsold veteran rock bands like Chicago, Journey, Foreigner, Boston and even The Doors. And Alabama is one of the five biggest-selling country acts and the best-selling country group of all time, with career album sales that surpass those of Willie Nelson and Reba McEntire. The band was named Recording Industry Association of America’s Country Group of the Century.

I can still remember them coming to Rapides Parish Coliseum before they were well known but don’t know if they appeared there after they achieved stardom.

That is problem for the coliseum. Musical stars today like large venues because the larger the arena the more profits for the singers and their employees. It would be interesting to know if any major stars have appeared there in the last few years.

However back in 1977 Elvis Presley actually had back to back shows there on successive nights even though the coliseum had a capacity in the neighborhood of 8,000 seats. About five months later Elvis died in Memphis.

Mel Torme: The Christmas Song

Mel Torme talking about and singing The Christmas Song on the Merv Griffin Show 25 years ago in 1985. Mel tells Merv Griffin that the song was written in 1945 while Wikipedia says it was written in 1944 so one of them has to be wrong.

Michael Buble singing The Christmas Song in this audio only version.

Martina McBride: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Martina McBride singing I’ll Be Home For Christmas.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas is a song that really meant a lot to me when I was in the Army in Hawaii for the Christmases of 1963, 1964 and 1965 four thousand miles from home in Pineville, Louisiana.

However playing the song in the barracks didn’t go over well since it reminded the other soldiers they would not be home for Christmas and they let me know in no uncertain terms not to play the song again.

There is a warm feeling to have a family together for Christmas and this song expresses that feeling.

The song was written in 1943 and is still popular 67 years later. Bing Crosby was the first to record the song and combined with his White Christmas which was first sung in public by Crosby in 1941 to make him well known for singing Christmas songs.

Since the song was written during wartime in 1943 it really hit home for soldiers stationed overseas.

Johnny Mathis: Sleigh Ride

Sleigh Ride is a song that is included on many Christmas albums but the word Christmas or any mention of Christmas is absent from the song.

For those wanting to sing along with the above video the lyrics are provided by All Christmas Lyrics.com

http://www.allchristmaslyrics.com/sleigh-ride-lyrics.htm

Still it is one of my favorite songs sang during the Christmas season. The Johnny Mathis version in my opinion is by the far the best of the many versions sung over the years.

The composer Leroy Anderson finished writing the music for the song in 1948 while the lyrics weren’t written until 1950 by Mitchell Parish.

The song is thought to be first recorded by the Andrews Sisters in 1950. Johnny Mathis didn’t record his popular version until 1958.

A book about Leroy Anderson written by Steve Metcalf makes this shocking statement which can be taken for what it is worth:

According to author Steve Metcalf in the book Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography [Praeger 2004], “‘Sleigh Ride’ … has been performed and recorded by a wider array of musical artists than any other piece in the history of Western music.”

Personally I would beg to differ but have no proof to back it up since I am sure there are other songs that have been recorded by more artists than Sleigh Ride.

The following article written about the 25 Christmas songs four years ago tells some interesting facts including the fact that Johnny Marks best known for writing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer also wrote two other songs in the Top 25 Christmas songs.

Those songs are Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and Holly, Jolly Christmas.

 

Bobby Vinton: Christmas Eve In My Hometown

Bobby Vinton singing Christmas Eve In My Hometown one of my favorite Christmas songs but it has not had the recognition it deserves in my opinion. Kate Smith recorded the song  back in the 50′s and sang it on Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby introducing her many years ago.

Kate Smith who was most famous for singing God Bless America sings Christmas Eve In My Hometown.

This song along with I’ll Be Home For Christmas conjure up thoughts of Christmases past during the 50′s and 60′s.

84th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

The 1924 Macy's Christmas Day Parade was later called the Thanksgiving Day Parade and this year's parade will the 84th annual parade despite the parade starting in 1924.

The 84th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade will be shown on NBC starting at 9AM EST and will conclude at 12PM EST and will be shown from 8AM CST till 11AM CST in the Central time zone.

The parade was suspended from 1942-1944 because the rubber and helium used for the balloons were needed for the war effort.

The 2010 parade will feature Jessica Simpson and Kanye West and many lesser known names. The official website gives history and the parade lineup tomorrow morning:

http://social.macys.com/parade2010/#/home
My dad was 10 years old when the first parade was held and will be 96 on Friday so he has been alive for the entire run of the parade.

Happy Thanksgiving to all readers of  Nostalgia and Now.

The parade is featured in Miracle On 34th Street and was the first major film in which Natalie Wood appeared. She was nine years old when the movie was released.

Diana Krall: So Nice

Diana Krall has been my favorite singer since she released her The Look of Love album in 2001 just one week after the 9/11 attacks. It was a soothing album at a time when Americans needed soothing music and not the usual rock and roll music of the time.

Krall sings So Nice at her Live in Rio concert in Rio de Janeiro in 2008. She is backed by some great musicians with Anthony Wilson on guitar, Jeff Hamilton on drums and John Clayton on bass. The orchestration is superb which has become a staple in her albums. In addition to her singing Diana Krall is also an excellent pianist.

She studied with pianist Jimmy Rowles who advised her to become a vocalist to enhance her piano artistry and now she has been recording since 1993 and won a Grammy for Best Female Vocalist for her album When I Look in Your Eyes in 2000.

Diana Krall singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas from her appearance on the Tonight Show on December 9, 2005. Her rendition of this song is by far the best I have heard.

She married singer Elvis Costello on December 6, 2003 and three years to the day she gave birth to twin sons on December 6, 2006.

If you listen to the following short clips of the songs from her The Look of Love album you will hear some of the most soothing music ever recorded from both the vocals and the orchestration.

http://www.amazon.com/Look-Love-Diana-Krall/dp/B00005N9CV

Lennon Sisters: Success Led to Tragedy

The Lennon Sisters singing on Lawrence Welk Show.

It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 57 years since the Lennon Sisters first appeared on the Lawrence Welk Show on Christmas Eve of 1955.

Who can forget the great harmony of their voices on Lawrence Welk Show and on their recordings? They were on Lawrence Welk Show for 13 years before embarking on their own path.

The oldest sister Dianne will be 73 in December while Janet who was the youngest Lennon Sister is now 66.

Their success attracted a stalker named Chet Young, who thought he could marry Peggy Lennon, if he could eliminate her dad William Lennon. He shot and killed William Lennon in a  golf course parking lot in 1969 and committed suicide two months later with the same gun.

This website gives much more information about the murder and about how Young stalked the family for five years before murdering their father.

http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/l/LennonSisters/WilliamLennon.htm

On a brighter note here are some videos of the Lennon Sisters singing over the years:

Lennon Sisters sing May You Always on the Lawrence Welk Show.

The Lennon Sisters singing Harbor Lights one of my favorite songs.

The Lennon Sisters singing Love This is My Song on the Hollywood Palace on December 5, 1967.

The Lennon Sisters and Osmond Brothers singing It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.

The Lennon Sisters were a wholesome influence during the turbulent 60′s when the music scene had turned into a haven for hippies getting high on drugs while listening to war protest songs with the decade ending in 1969 with Woodstock at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm at Bethel, New York.

Christmas Memories

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Christmas is a very happy time for most of us but it can be a very sad time for those who have lost loved ones. Those who have lost a husband or a wife dread the coming of another Christmas season without their spouse.

It is even worse for those who have lost a loved one during the same year and face their first Christmas without them there to share the Christmas experience.

Happy Christmas Memories

The most exciting part of Christmas starts for kids on Christmas Eve when they go to bed wondering what presents they will find under the tree the next morning.

My mother would read from the Home Life a Baptist publication before we could open our presents. She would have stayed up most of the night wrapping presents and filling stockings.

Christmas Specials and Movies

Watching Christmas specials on television were always a big part of our Christmases. We would watch the Bob Hope Christmas show, Andy Williams, Perry Como and other entertainers who had Christmas shows.

Natalie Wood and Maureen O'Hara pictured in a scene from Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie being nine when the movie was made..

We would watch the classic Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie Wood portraying the daughter of  Maureen O’Hara’s character. She was taught by her mother to not believe in Santa Claus.

White Christmas was released in 1954 and is will be shown six times on Christmas Eve on AMC.

Another favorite was White Christmas in which Bing Crosby sings the Irving Berlin classic song White Christmas. It also stars Rosemary Clooney and Danny Kaye. The film was released in 1954 and will be shown on AMC six times on Christmas Eve this year starting at 9 AM but no time zone was listed so assume it is 9 AM ET and 8 AM CT.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas Meaningful Song

It wasn’t easy listening to I’ll Be Home For Christmas during the Christmases of 1963, 1964 and 1965 since I was in Hawaii those three years and wouldn’t be home for Christmas until 1966 after returning home from Vietnam.

I played Christmas music on my record player in the barracks but it wasn’t well received by the other soldiers who also wouldn’t be home for Christmas.

When the Johnny Grant USO Show came to Schofield Barracks with Julie Newmar and Stefanie Powers and others the thing I remember most is that someone sang I’ll Be Home For Christmas which reminded me that I wasn’t going home for Christmas that year.

Other Christmas Memories

I remember the Christmas parties at Louisiana College for the faculty and their families in the cafeteria…the Christmas parades in Alexandria…Ethma Odum reading the The Littlest Angel on KALB TV…Town Talk Christmas parties…Santa Claus appearing in several different stores each Christmas…the $150 Town Talk Christmas bonus which Gannett brought to a screeching halt…the Christmas lights on buildings we could see on the back dock of the Monroe Morning World when we would take our breaks.

Going to the Christmas Festival in Natchitoches on a very rainy day and having a flat tire on way to Natchitoches and car overheating on way back from being in a long line of cars leaving Natchitoches after the parade….the miniature church on the square in middle of downtown Alexandria…the Christmas music being played over loudspeaker we could hear from the Town Talk.

The Christmas Eve Candlelight Services at Pineville Park Baptist Church and how the colder it was the more it felt like Christmas…Seeing the Living Christmas Tree program at Kingsville Baptist Church…hearing Bishop Charles Greco on KALB radio on Christmas Eve…the Christmas lights strung across Main Street in Pineville…the water tower in Alexandria covered with Christmas lights.

The KCS Christmas train parked on the train track by Louisiana College and the long wait in the brutally cold weather that night to board the train to see inside the train….65 snowless Christmases in Louisiana… Christmas caroling as we walked from house to house singing Christmas carols to people we knew and didn’t know and seeing living nativity scenes at churches.

We want to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Movie: A Christmas Visitor

A Christmas Visitor is one of the best Christmas movies I have seen this Christmas season and the story is about a family who hasn't observed Christmas for several years after their son and brother was killed in Operation Desert Storm.

A Christmas Visitor starts with a ceremony honoring the veterans of different wars the United States has been involved in and the military connection attracted my attention.

The film stars William Devane as the father, Meredith Baxter as the mother and Reagan Pasternak as the daughter.

If there was ever a movie for a family to watch together this is the one. The main reason is that this movie is about a family dealing with the loss of a son and finding out about it on Christmas Eve and refusing to observe Christmas for several years out of respect for their son who died in Operation Desert Storm.

I won’t go into detail telling the storyline about the movie except to say it is a movie about a family dealing with a myriad of problems and the events of that Christmas make it a very special Christmas.

There are reviews by movie viewers at the Imdb.com website that both praise the movie and others who say it is boring which it isn’t in my book.

It is worth seeing if it is shown again this Christmas season.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343531/