TLC #83: Dec. 7, 2005
Dear Hearts &
Gentle People:
Here's wishing you
the most wonderful holidays ever - and much joy in the New Year too. I wanted to
get a note off before I get too busy to write and you get too busy to
read.
The old hometown is
dressed for Christmas - lighted wreaths on the period streetlamps, and we
had the lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree and the Festival of Lights Parade
last week. Biggest ever...and it was cold. At this moment it is 10 degrees and
snowing. Does that make you homesick? (No, I didn't think so.)
We have a new car
dealership - Bentz GMC. They unveiled the new Dodge Lucerne last night to a
great deal of local interest. Also there is going to be a new hotel, renting
rooms upstairs over the old Hix-later-Cox-building. More news on that as the
opening gets closer.
You must have heard
on the news that Ike was involved in an accident in Baghdad. In order to avoid a
head-on crash, the driver of a military vehicle swerved, which caused the
vehicle to overturn. Three Congressmen, including Ike, were inside. One was
injured, one was not, and Ike was shaken up. He was sore and bruised, I
understand, but is at home now resting and healing.
Here is the complete
wire story:
Two congressmen injured when vehicle overturns in
Iraq
BAGHDAD,
Iraq (AP) =97 A military vehicle carrying three congressmen overturned on
the way to the Baghdad airport, injuring two
of them, the U.S. Embassy said Sunday.
Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., was
airlifted to a military hospital in
Germany for an MRI on his neck,
and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., was sent to a
Baghdad hospital for
evaluation, said Rep. Jim Marshall, D-Ga., who was
also in the vehicle but was not hurt.
Murphy is ``bumped and bruised,
but in good spirits,'' his chief of staff, Susan Mosychuck, said Sunday. He will return home from
Germany as soon as he's cleared
by doctors, she said.
Skelton spokeswoman Lara Battles
said she believed Skelton was also doing well. She declined to comment further.
The politicians were riding in a
convoy that was driving in the middle of the road, a common practice used by the
military in Iraq to deter oncoming
motorists. Shortly after dark, an oncoming tanker truck refused to yield, the
embassy said in a statement.
``Then all of a sudden brakes get
slammed on. Then we hit something and go off the side of the road and tip
over,'' Marshall told The Macon
(Ga.) Telegraph by phone
from Baghdad.
Marshall said that as the
vehicle toppled over, he held onto Skelton, who has limited use of his arms due
to childhood polio. The embassy said the driver's quick reaction ``probably
averted disaster.''
The delegation had traveled to
Afghanistan for Thanksgiving with
the troops and then on to Baghdad to meet with troops
there.
Wally Hulver
'55 sent along news from Connie Beretta '55 Pulley:
I am happy to report that last Sunday night, I survived a
heart attack. A stent was inserted to open one area of blockage, and the
results indicate there was minimal damage.
Can=92t bend, lift anything over 5#, or drive for 2 weeks. Will be out of
work for 3 weeks unless the doctor determines otherwise. My computer is upstairs and I am allowed only one trip per day.
Keep those emails coming and I will
return each & everyone of
them.
And speaking of Wally, he sent a photo of a recent
gift from B&L Bank to our 4-Life Center. You may view it and other
recents photos at our web site.
And so, until 2006, I bid you farewell and happy
holidays!
Your devoted scribe,
Susan
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