Remembering a Special Someone

While reminiscing, my daughter, Jon Marie, said she had two special memories of a special someone, that someone being Donnie Kinsey, the young man who became a great cowboy and that I wrote about in my previous entry.

Like all of us, Jon Marie said she had many memories of Donnie, but two remembrances stood out the most. One special memory is of Jon Marie, her brother Jimmy, and Donnie raising orphan calves on the bottle in the horse barns and pens beside the Cracker Barrell at Hilltop Lakes back in the late  1970's. (Note: My last child, a son, Robert Lee Powell-- aka "Bobby" --was born in 1975 at Madisonville, Texas, after we had lived several years at Hilltop Lakes.)

A huge cattle spread, Granada Ranch, was just up the road, and sometimes a mama cow would not take her calf, or would have twin calves, but would only take one, or the cow would die giving birth to the calf. When that would happen, the ranch foreman would give my kids the calves to raise on the bottle.

The baby calves were a special attraction for many a city kid visiting Hilltop who loved being allowed to hold the milk bottle while the baby calf nursed from it. Jon Marie and Jimmy liked having the calves, especially since wanna-be-a-cowboy Donnie Kinsey was always available to help, and Donnie made everything more fun. 

 About three years older than Jon Marie, Donnie liked all animals, but horses and cattle best. Like my own kids, Donnie enjoyed country living, being in the great outdoors and a part of nature.

 Donnie taught most of the calves to lead and made big pets out of them. I have photographs of Donnie and my kids feeding the baby calves with a bottle as well as brushing and leading the calves. I remember one heifer calf named Princess, and she was treated like one. I think the calves enjoyed the kids as much as the kids enjoyed the calves. Raising the calves was a good lesson in responsibilty.

Jon Marie and Donnie have always been special friends. They both loved riding and took out many a trailride together. It wouldn't be a stretch to say they were sweet on each other, but they really never dated, as Donnie was three years older. Each knew the other was someone special to them, almost family, in fact.

When it was time for Jon Marie to graduate from High School, she wanted to ask Donnie, her special friend, to be her date for Senior Prom. At that point, however, Donnie had been out of school for a while and wasn't living the school life anymore. Donnie had a job and was living in the real world now. Jon Marie thought he would say No, so instead, she asked Jon Whitney from Cranfills Gap to be her prom date. 

Jon Whitney was a classmate and running buddy of Jon Marie's cousin, Robbie Wooten. Jon Marie spent several weeks each summer visiting her Aunt Sue and cousins Robbie and Amy, in Cranfills Gap and was acquainted with many of the Gap young people.

One friend and classmate of Robbie's, Doug Hunter-- a handsome George Strait lookalike-- in particular had a crush on Jon Marie. It was fun to run around the Gap with Robbie and his buddies Justin Tergerson, Jon Whitney, and Doug Hunter, and whoever else happened to drop by.

Some of the Gap boys even came to visit Jon Marie and our family at Hilltop Lakes.  Robbie is my nephew, my sister Sue's son, and he and my son Jimmy were always close, as Robbie is just six months older. Robbie and his buddies liked to play golf at the Hilltop Lakes Golf Course.

A favorite memory we all have is of Jon Whitney, when they went to the Golf Pro Shop, the man asked Jon his name three times, and three times Jon said, "JON!" Finally, the man said what is your FULL name, and then Jon said Jon Whitney. We teased Jon for years about having just ONE NAME----JON!!!!

Jon Whitney was very pleased to accompany Jon Marie to her prom, though Donnie Kinsey had been her first choice. Jon wore a white John Travolta-style suit and his vest matched Jon Marie's turqoise dress.  They were quite the attractive couple and had a really good time.

Jon Marie will be talking to Donnie Kinsey sometime soon. Though their paths went separate ways, they kept up with what was happening in each other's lives. I know it will be a time for special memories for both of them. You never forget the dear old friend who was someone special to you, who meant a lot to you,especially in your childhood days. They will have a lot of happy memories to talk about when reminiscing about the good old days.  

"I Want To Be a Cowboy!"

 Hilltop Lakes Resort City in the 1970's  was a unique place where folks could buy a lot, or even a house and a lot, and then enjoy all the amenities of being a property owner.  Located centrally and about the same distance from both  Dallas and Houston and just off Interstate 45, Hilltop Lakes has been a top vacation spot from the early 1960's to the present.

 Hilltop Lakes has a Texas-shaped swimming pool, a nice restaurant and lodge, an awesome golf course, beautiful lakes for fishing, boating, and swimming, a patio for showing outdoor movies, and hundreds of deer everywhere. It is still a great place to visit, take vacations, or live.

When my husband Noah Powell, my daughter Jon Marie, my son Jimmy, and I moved to Hilltop Lakes in 1970, it was officially to run the Quarter Horse Races and train Quarter Horses year round at the racetrack. We ended up running the Riding Stables and taking out Trail Rides and putting on Hayrides, too. We managed all the horse barns and pastures and handled anything that had to do with horses at Hillltop. 

 I ran the Cracker Barrell, a gameroom full of old nickel pinballs lining the walls and green-plush-topped twenty-five-cents-a game pool tables in the middle.  Back then, folks dropped their little four and five-year-old kids off at the Cracker Barrell --with a handful of change-- to stay all day and play games, knowing they would be watched and be safe. In that day and age, Hilltop Lakes was a wonderful place to visit and to live. Many of these youngsters loved to spend the day playing with my little son, Bobby Powell, born in 1975 at Madisonville, Texas, who stayed with me at the Cracker Barrell.

With four or even five trail rides going out in one day in the spring, summer, and fall, Noah and I stayed busy leading the rides. In the peak summer season, we always hired  teenage boys or girls to lead the hourlong trailride as it wound through the woods and by the picturesque lakes. Our trailride leaders either had their own horses or would ride one of ours and were usually good riders who had a lot of experience with horses. 

One summer day, someone really special came into our lives. I remember it happening this way:    

 I noticed a handsome little boy who looked to be about twelve years old hanging around the Cracker Barrell. This kid had lots of dark curly hair and was very polite. I realized he especially seemed to like the trailride horses, petting them and picking grass for them to eat. Between trailrides, the fifteen or twenty trailride horses were kept in a big corral, still saddled, but with their bridles removed, so they could have access to all the fresh water they might want on those hot summer days.

You could tell this skinny little kid really liked horses. After the third day of hanging around and sizing up the horses and the way things were done, this kid came up to Noah and me and introduced himself. I will never forget what he said:   "Hi, my name is Donnie Kinsey. I just moved here from Houston, and I want to be a cowboy! And I want a job taking out the trailrides!"

Laughing, but liking his looks and polite manner, Noah and I looked at each other, both of us thinking-- due to his size-- he wasn't old enough to be hired to take out trailrides. Donnie told us he was older than he looked, so Noah asked him if he had ever ridden a horse. He replied with a firm No, but he knew he could ride a horse-- It didn't look that hard! 

So we went outside to the corral where one of the rent horses, a blazefaced bay gelding with four white feet, was tied to the fence. This particular horse was named Dynamite, and there was a reason he was named Dynamite. If you got him away from the rest of the horses, he could be difficult to ride. He would rear up a little bit and keep rearing up until he was back with the other horses, usually scaring his rider half to death.  Only an experienced rider was ever put on Dynamite.

Noah looked at Donnie and said, "This horse is named Dynamite. Untie him, get on him,  ride him down to the racetrack, and ride him back. If you can do that, I might just hire you!"  Donnie untied Dynamite, hopped on him, and started kicking him to get him to move. Dynamite moved off a little way, then, as usual, began his rearing up, trying to come back to the barn and the rest of the horses.

However, Donnie was not having any of that and instinctively pulled Dynamite's head so he would keep going in a circle-- just as an experienced rider would have done. For a full five minutes, Dynamite tried to have his way, but Donnie wouldn't let him. Finally Dynamite gave up, and Donnie rode him down to the track and back without a problem, pulled up in front of us, and jumped off.

"Well, do I have the job or not?" he asked.  Noah said, "How old are you?"  Donnie answered back, "I'm older than I look!" We all laughed, and Noah told him he was hired. Donnie WAS older than he looked, and he turned out to be one of our best trailride leaders as well as a wonderful, dear friend to our children and to us.

Donnie fulfilled his dream of being a cowboy. He has been foreman and ranch manager for some of the biggest ranches in the country and even managed a big ranch in a foreign country. He is an expert on cattle and horses. It was a great honor that Donnie always gave the credit (or the blame, as his family put it!) for his becoming a cowboy to Noah Powell, his ideal cowboy, and to me, Dorothy Powell, his ideal cowgirl, all those many years ago.

Time passed, and things changed. I moved back to Waco in 1985, and had not seen Donnie until about three years ago, when old-time horsetrader and dear friend Alton Thornton called me one night. Alton said some man said he knows you, and this man looks like Tom Selleck. ( Just by that, I knew it had to be Donnie, as he made a very handsome man and could be Tom Selleck's double!) Alton said this man wants your phone number, that you and Noah Powell are the reason he is a cowboy!

And that is how Donnie Kinsey came back into my life again. I kept up with Donnie and knew he and his family had moved back to the Bryan area, but hadn't heard much lately. I knew his daughter, Brianna, loved horses, too-- just like her daddy did as a kid--  and that she was a cowgirl, just like Donnie was a cowboy.  I knew that Donnie kept and rode good horses and still lived the cowboy life. 

A few days ago, my friend in Bryan called and said she had news about Donnie. Her daughter, Tina, who went to school with Donnie and my kids, had just gotten word that Donnie has cancer. It had started in his kidneys and apparently is now inhis blood. The classmate who told Tina was asking that Donnie be put on all their prayer lists, so it doesn't sound good for Donnie.

 Donnie is about  46 or so years old now. All of us who know and love him are praying for that skinny little kid we remember, who is a natural horseman and who became the great cowboy he wanted to be.  I know I will never forget the privilege of having such a wonderful kid who made such a wonderful man calling me Friend.     

Update:     My oldest son Jimmy Powell and his little son, Noah E. Powell ( named for Jimmy's cowboy daddy), went to visit Donnie not long ago. Donnie was very upbeat, with a courageous and positive attitude of savoring every moment and living every day the very best you can. And that was always what the boy Donnie and the man Donnie were all about anyway.

Donnie had the bad kidney removed and is undergoing radiation. As I understand it, the cancer that started in the kidney is now in the bone marrow. Nadell, Donnie's mother and my dear friend of many years, had the same thing a few years ago, but hers was detected early on. Nadell had the kidney removed and is doing fine.  

Recently, a childhood friend of Donnie's also visited with him. John Bullard Johnson, who now lives in Oregon but grew up with all the Hilltop Lakes gang, said Donnie told him he was going to fight this thing with all the power that he, the Lord God, and the Great Spirit of the Cherokee Nation could muster! Donnie, never forget that many, many people love you and our prayers are with you.

A Special Blessing for you, Donnie:                  

The Lord bless and keep you and make His face to shine upon you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and grant you Peace.

With much love, always, from your second mother, Dorothy, and your second family, the Powells. 

  

BABY SNAKES!!!

After being bitten recently by a copperhead snake, now every time my daughter-in-law Esther goes outside her house, she keeps a garden hoe handy. She is in much better health, though still recovering from a snakebite that happened on May 31st, 2008. My oldest son, Jimmy--who is a prankster like his cowboy father--likes to tease his beloved Esther by telling her not to worry about what happened to the snake, as it surely died from biting her!

One day last week, Esther was in their double garage, which has a large storage shed attached. She was cleaning out these buildings, as my three granddaughters wanted the shed fixed up as a large playroom or small apartment for them, with airconditioning, heating, and so on. For a long time, no one had  lived in the house way out in the country--a beautiful place with huge old oak trees and lots of shade-- that they had bought last fall, so a lot of cleaning up is still required.   

I  have jokingly informed the girls they need to fix it up nice, so that when Mamma (Me!) comes to visit, she will have her own private little place to stay.  Not really, of course, as I love staying in the big house with all the family. The three girls and one little boy always have a jigsaw puzzle laid out or some project going on. The girls and I usually do some cooking, making candy or a special dessert.  The oldest girl, September, is quite a cook already. I have taught her how to make my famous vanilla fudge and my candied pecans.

Jimmy heard Esther calling him to "Come a'running!", and when he got there, she had killed a baby copperhead in one of the buildings. About that time, Jimmy and Esther both realized there were a LOT of baby copperheads, squirming all around on the cement floor! To say the least, not one of those baby snakes survived Esther's hoe and Jimmy's shovel.

 I read on the Internet that copperhead snake babies are born alive, and as many as eighteen snakes can be born. They don't get any special care from Mama or Daddy Copperhead. Once born, they are on their own, catching their own mice, lizards, and insects and usually hanging out together until they are older.

The baby copperhead is a greyish-tannish  snake with faint markings like the adult copperhead, but sporting a distinctive sulfurish-yellow-colored tail. Like the adult, the baby copperhead snake blends in with the leaves or ground and does not retreat but "freezes" when in danger, so you can be right beside one and never even know it.

Apparently, Daddy and Mama Copperhead have decided to make Esther and Jimmy's home THEIR home. I told Jimmy the best thing he could do would be to have a lot of cats who would catch all the mice and lizards, thus removing the snakes' source of food. Also, a cat would alert you to a snake's presence. A dog who gets along good with cats would be nice, too, as a dog would bark at a snake and let you know it is there. (They had a puppy, but she went up to the highway and was run over by a car.)

I have always kept a lot of cats and never had any rats at the horse barn or the house. The few field mice that come up don't last long under all those watchful eyes. I would be willing to part with a few of my good mousers, if Jimmy and Esther want any of them.  With two new litters of the cutest kittens , I will soon be needing  to find good homes for some of them. 

 Maybe the girls can help me name them the next time they come up.  We could call them "Mouser, "Snaker," and "Hunter",  and hope they live up to their name. Just so the girls don't name one "Copperhead!"  

SNAKE!!!!

About two weeks ago, my daughter-in-law Esther was cleaning out the flower beds at the front of the house near Bryan, in Brazos County, that she and my son Jimmy bought last Thanksgiving. My grandson --her little son-- two-year-old Noah, was playing beside her.

As Esther reached to pick up some of the old plant growth from winter, something bit her on the hand, right at the side of her pinkie finger. Seeing a grayish snake hanging to the side of her hand, Esther flung it away and realized she had been painfully bitten.      

Esther, a very calm and level-headed person, knew Jimmy was at work at Nucor Steel, a full hour or more away, so she called her sister Ginger for help. Thankfully, Ginger was home in Normangee and came to the rescue, rushing Esther to St. Joseph's Emergency Room in Bryan and taking care of little Noah.

 Esther had called Jimmy, and he was on his way to the hospital.  By the time Jimmy got there, Esther's hand was swollen and blood tests determined the snake that had bitten her was poisonous. Esther became very ill from the snakebite, stayed three days in the hospital, and had severe swelling and several rounds of anti-venom before she was well enough to come home. 

Two weeks later, Esther is doing better, but still not feeling all that well. All of us still shudder when we think about how close a call it was for Esther, and that little Noah had been right beside the snake, too, and neither one of them knew it.  

Leon County, Madison County, and Brazos County have always had their share of poisonous snakes, most commonly the copperhead snake. More than likely, that is the type of snake that bit Esther, as the young copperhead is a grayish snake with a yellowish tail. (Somehow, I don't think Esther was really trying to see what was the color of the tail of the snake that bit her!) 

If copperhead snakes can't get away from danger, they "freeze", and as long as you don't get too close or grab them, they remain motionless, and most people never know they're there. The copperhead doesn't slither away immediately, as most snakes do. Perhaps they think since they were there first, YOU should be the one to leave. I know one thing, I won't argue with them over space--they can have it!

In the early 1970's, my husband and I and our two children---(Bobby wasn't born yet!)--- moved to Hilltop Lakes, Texas, a resort city, to run the Racetrack and manage the Horse Barns. For almost twenty years, Hilltop Lakes hosted Quarter Horse races, officially sanctioned by the American Quarter Horse Association. Even though the track had a very short pull-up turn, it was one of the best places to run Quarter Horses in Texas, and we saw many racing legends, both horse and human, right there at Hilltop.  

Noah Powell, my husband, had ridden as a jockey at Hilltop Lakes and won quite a few races. A Hilltop Lakes Quarter Horse Race Meet had been the destination of our first real date away from home. Noah had also raced there when he was a racehorse trainer, so it was a dream-come-true to be able to live there and run the track. At that point in our lives, we lived and breathed horses.

 Time proved Hilltop was a wonderful place for our kids to grow up, as well as a wonderful place to live.  We ended up also running the Hilltop Lakes Riding Stables, Hay Rides, and the Cracker Barrell Gameroom. For several years, we had a small family grocery store --Powell Grocery--located in part of the Cracker Barrell, of which I was Owner/Operator.  

Being cowboys and cowgirls with a passion for horses, we rode almost every day at the Hilltop Lakes Rodeo Arena. One evening after riding,  I rode Snip-- one of our most gentle and trusted horses-- into the hallway of one of the big twenty-five-stall covered horse barns.Riding in front of me in the saddle was my little son, Jimmy, then about three or four years old.

 I usually rode up to the door of the tackroom, slid Jimmy or Jon Marie, my daughter--both very good riders for their age--off onto the ground beside the horse before I dismounted. Just as I started to let Jimmy slide to the ground, good old gentle Snip began having a fit and rearing up, putting my head into the rafters.

 Looking down, I saw a huge copperhead snake, coiled and  ready to strike, right where Jimmy would have landed! Reining Snip away, we galloped back to the arena and told Noah, who came and killed the snake, which had not moved at all. My son, Jimmy, is now forty, and I still thank Snip--dead these many years--for watching out for us that day.

In the early 1980's, I ran our little grocery store and Noah was head honcho for TIPCO, an Oklahoma City-based oil company. We still ran the Horse Rides and I was usually the one that fed all the rent horses. One evening, I was feeding, and in the hallway of the big barn was a motionless copperhead snake, coiled, with his head up about six inches in the air. I walked all around the snake for several minutes, peering closely, but there was not a sign of life---not even a flicker of an eyelid!

Figuring that Noah's oilfield crew was playing another practical joke on me, I wondered how in the world those guys got that "dead" snake to keep it's head up like that! Laughing, I decided to throw the feedbucket at the "dead" snake. When the bucket hit it, that "dead" snake came alive! I ran one way--screaming at the top of my lungs-- and the snake--not "dead" at all-- ran the other way!

It is funny now, but could have been deadly, due to my ignorance, as I got stupidly close to a snake I thought was "dead!"  I now have a lot of respect for the copperhead snake which "freezes" when in danger. I bet that snake had a real story to tell, too!  

You Got It!

I am ceasing and desisting from writing anything else that is negative about Cranfills Gap, the school or the town. The main reason is that it has caused a rift between my sister and me--whom I love dearly, but do not agree with on a very few things in this life. I don't want to risk alienating her further, so we have agreed to disagree, but still be sisters!

All my sister Sue Lee has ever wanted was that the school stay open and be as it was years ago, which can be accomplished by just following the law. With tender loving care and everyone being very aware of small town issues (Like low enrollment), the Cranfills Gap school will not only survive but flourish. If the law is followed, that will happen. Tender Loving Care within the law for everyone should be the rule. (That's also a good rule for the town!)

I still think a lot of Mr. Scott as an administrator and wish him luck wherever he may go. It's too bad that he--like many others--did not acknowledge problems and controversy and then work with both factions to find a resolution.

Mr Scott has not addressed the false allegations and harmful rumours still being made against my sister or the personal attacks still being made on me and my family that have kept this controversy going. When I am attacked or my family is attacked, I have always responded. I have never faced injustice without fighting back, and NO ONE---not one person---ever tells me what to say, do, or think!

Sweeping problems under the rug--moving on without solving the problems or at least trying to--doesn't make the problems go away. The problems are still there, just swept under the rug--leaving everyone like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand.

Mr Scott and others have never acknowledged that it takes two dissenting views to keep controversy going and apparently wants to blame one side only. And every one is entitled to their own opinions and views, even if they may be right or wrong.

Life is tough. Stuff happens. The one given is that we will all survive, perhaps not in the way we originally planned, but we will survive. The Gap school has teetered in the danger zone of low enrollment for years.

The lesson to be learned from all this is simple: Follow the law and treat people right, and good things will happen--for the school and for the town.

Which is what we all really want, including me.

My Statement on Mr. Scott's Statement

What a statement Mr. Scott makes in the most recent issue of the Clifton Record!  James Scott, soon to be former 2007/2008 Superintendent of the Cranfills Gap School District, says about his resignation that he thinks "harm" and "revenge" played a part in the current problems of the Cranfills Gap school.  

I believe "harm" and "revenge" did play a part in the current woes of the Gap school;  however, Mr. Scott--like so many others in Cranfills Gap-- fails to mention that the "harm" and "revenge" were done in 2007 by former Superintendent Carla Sigler. 

Apparently, Mr. Scott thinks that "harm" and "revenge" did not play any part in what happened to 2007 Valedictorian Kaitlan Head, who just happens to be my niece.

Apparently, Mr. Scott thinks that "harm" and "revenge" are now playing a part in the current troubles. 

 Apparently, Mr. Scott does not believe that actions have consequences.

 Apparently Mr. Scott does not believe that one should be held accountable for one's actions.

 Apparently, Mr. Scott --like many others in Cranfills Gap--does not believe that the actions of Carla Sigler played any part in the current woes of the Gap school.

Apparently, Mr. Scott--like many others--won't even mention Carla Sigler's name or assign her any blame when talking about the current controversy and the serious rift and bitter division in the school and the community.

Apparently, Mr. Scott--like many others--won't admit that low enrollment is what may close the Gap school.  The only person responsible for low enrollment is Carla Sigler. 

 All those students that left did not leave because of the "harm" and "revenge" Carla Sigler did to Kaitlan Head to hurt Sue Lee. Though what Carla Sigler did to Kaitlan Head for "harm" and "revenge" was shameful and despicable, all those students had left before that happened.  All those students were already gone the way of the wind when Carla Sigler decided to get "revenge" on Sue Lee by "harm" to Kaitlan Head.  Those students did not leave because of Kaitlan Head or Sue Lee. Those students left because of Carla Sigler, never to return.  

Accountability is not the same as "harm" and "revenge". I believe God will get you for actions of "harm" and "revenge". Apparently-- and thankfully--God is doing a fine job of holding those accountable that need to be held accountable for their actions of "harm" and "revenge", so that no one has to resort to "harm" and "revenge" as Carla Sigler did. 

Thank you, Lord!

P>S> You can read Mr. Scott's Letter of Resignation online just as I did by Googling Clifton Record and read the article entitled Gap Supt Resigns.  

  

 

  

GAP CONTROVERSY CONTINUES

The following Letter to the Editor appeared in the June 4th, 2008 issue of the Bosque County News. My letter is a response to the May 28th, 2008 Letter to the Editor written by Katie Rose Glenn. Katie, a Cranfills Gap alumni who recently married and is expecting her first child soon, did the Cranfills Gap graduation ceremony slideshow of the Class of 2008.

Katie is heavily involved in the Gap school and the town and is the daughter of Jeff and Laura Rose (Whom I have written about on this blog). Katie is also older sister to Janie Rose, who graduated this year. Katie is also the niece of Kathie and David Witte and kin to Janet Cox (All of whom I have written about on this blog, too!)

Katie's letter said to stand up for the Gap school and town and blamed any troubles Cranfills Gap might be having on the media and citizens bickering and congregating at the gas station, as well as on ridiculous reports and ridiculous behavior in the past year.

I disagree with Katie as to why Cranfills Gap school and the town of Cranfill's Gap are having all these problems, so I wrote an answer to Katie's letter. My response to her letter appears below:

Bosque County News

Letter to the Editor

"GAP CONTROVERSY CONTINUES"

In her letter, "Stand up for the Gap", (May 28, 2008), Katie Glenn blames the current woes of Cranfills Gap on everyone but the correct culprit, the 500-pound gorilla in the room that no one will talk about, former 2006/2007 Cranfills Gap Superintendent Carla Sigler.

Bitter division in the community and low school enrollment can be laid squarely at the feet of Carla Sigler. Her policies of nepotism, discrimination, favoritism, and malicious retaliation, as well as her failure to handle school and teacher issues, drove many students away from the Gap school, never to return.

Sigler returned to Alaska in 2007, but comes back to the Gap to visit friends. Her influence is still widespread. The school board, the school, and the town itself are full of Sigler supporters who deny she had any detrimental effect at all.

An end to the controversy is a truly worthy goal to strive for. That may never happen, however, because, as one Sigler supporter down at the local feedstore bluntly put it, "Too much has happened. It will never be over!"

NOTE: I wrote this Letter to the Editor before Carla Sigler came to town and gave the Gap High School Graduation speech. I had no idea when I wrote the letter that Sigler's speech about monkeys and her words to live by would fit in with my letter (Gorilla!) so well.

Thus, I leave you with these wonderful words of wisdom from the infamous Carla Sigler herself :

"BANANA? BANANA? POOP? POOP?

Congratulations, Cranfills Gap Seniors!

Congratulations, Cranfills Gap Seniors! I attended the Cranfills Gap High School graduation ceremony yesterday and wish to congratulate each and every senior on their acomplishment.

Especial congratulations go to Miss Ashley Thiele, who, even though she lost her father, Marvin Thiele, to cancer not long ago, was the Valedictorian of the 2007/2008 graduates of Cranfills Gap. Wonderful job, Ashley! Your father would have been extremely proud of you. We are all extremely proud of you. I know you will be a success in whatever you undertake. You will be a fabulous nurse!

 My niece Kaitlan Head was the Valedictorian of the 2006/2007 graduating class of Cranfills Gap, but Kaitlan was illegally and maliciously banned last year from her own graduation ceremony by corrupt and vindictive Former Gap Superintendent Carla Sigler and derelict and incompetent Cranfills Gap School Board members Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Ray Sorrels.

 Kaitlan and Ashley grew up together and have been best friends for many years, playing together, studying together, and helping each other excel in school. I believe they had a positive effect on each other, especially when the going got tough in their lives. These two young ladies were there for each other, as loyal and true friends should be. 

 Former Cranfills Gap Superintendent Carla Sigler was the Guest Speaker at the graduation ceremony, but it doesn't matter what Carla Sigler wore or didn't wear, what Carla Sigler did or didn't do, or what Carla Sigler said or didn't say. The graduation was not about Carla Sigler---it was about the kids, the graduating seniors.  

So, again, I say "Congratulations, Cranfills Gap Seniors!"  May God bless and keep each and every one of you on a safe and exciting path on the Journey of Life that lies ahead of you. May you exceed your potential and achieve all your goals.

 May you find happiness, peace, and contentment as you travel the road that lies ahead, as well as security, accomplishment, and using in full the unique talents God has given each of you. May you  strive to be the best you  can be, every day of the Journey.

May you love much, laugh often, and live well. Grab the brass ring and hold on tight!  Appreciate every moment you are given, and don't waste a second of it.  LIFE IS GRAND!!!!!!! 

Wishing you the best! You truly are Champions!!!  Congratulations, Cranfills Gap Seniors!