FRIVOLOUS AND FUN LONE STAR REDHATTERS THE MAD HATTER

Transcription

1 December 2004 Volume 1, Issue 6 FRIVOLOUS AND FUN LONE STAR REDHATTERS THE MAD HATTER Season s Greetings Ya ll Inside this issue: Get Together Members Discussions Spotlight Member Well, needless to say the turnout for our December Hoot was again dismal. We did welcome in a new member, Roe Ann Stubbs. She is a great addition to our little group. Roe Ann, Connie and myself, had a super time at Bambino Huey s. The food was very good and the two bottles of wine were even better. I gave Roe Ann her membership cards and she is working on a royal name for her name tag. She wants it to be very special. So we wait with baited breathe. We discussed membership and talked over the fact that Connie has a hard time getting some of the members to even respond to her s. We had made our regular monthly Hoots on the first Wednesday of each month. We decided that we wanted to change the meeting day to the second Saturday of each month. Our next Hoot will be held on January 8th and Bawdsey Manor at 12:30 p.m. Connie will be sending out the reminder on that meeting as it comes closer to the date. We are going to be working on the calendar for I will let each of you know when I will be taking pictures for the calendar. We also discussed that we needed a permit to hold our blanket and coat drive. As we get more members, we will hold events and have the right permits. I would still like to ask for each one of you send me a baby picture of yourself for the newsletter. I have received Connie s but I would like to have all of them when you can send it to me. I wish you all a happy holiday season and be safe. Janis Corner Take a moment to reflect on Christmas past. The chill in the air, decorations and most of all family. The best Christmas I had were with my children when they were still little enough to believe in Santa. Staying up late after the kids were all tucked in and dreaming of the next morning. Putting together toys and arranging them under the tree so that the kids would have no doubt that Santa had been there. Have a safe holiday and make memories that you can reflect upon in years to come. Queen Janis

2 Christmas Party was a Holiday Hoot The Christmas party was held on December 4th at Queen Janis home. The turnout was great. Along with Ron and myself, Bob and Pat Gallahar, Linda and Mike Bray, Connie and Buster Smoot, Roe Ann and Larry Stubbs, Stacey and Chase Knudson, Natalie Long and Sylvia Lora. We played a rousing game of Pictionary. Some of the drawings were outstanding. I really don t know how anyone guessed correctly with the handicapped artists we had. It was so much fun though. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. We broke off into four teams and played Celebrity. Again, fun was had by all. We really showed our age with some of the answers. We played a game called Fact or Crap It came down to sudden death between Chase and Pat. After 8 additional questions, they were still tied. At that point I gave them each a prize. We also had a contest where each guest guessed how many lights and ornaments were on the tree. There were 116 total and Pat Gallahar won the prize with a guess of 118. Way to go Pat!!!! There was plenty of food and drink. We laughed so hard that cheeks were hurting the next day. We got a lot of compliments on the party. We must do this again.!!!!

3 Spotlight Member Connie Smoot Who is Connie Smoot? Constance Kay Taylor was born in San Antonio Texas. She graduated from Edison High School in C.E.U. credits in personnel, international business and computer and management classes. Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs, Colorado in Married to husband, Buster Smoot, for 46 years, they have one son, Steve. Steve is married to Charlene and have daughter Amber. (Connie and Buster s granddaughter.) Connie worked for CO- LUMBIA 300 for 40 years. Starting in 1964 as executive secretary and working her way up to Vice President of International Sales. Connie retired in October 2003 and worked part-time until July of Connie is a current member of Women s International Bowling Congress. She was recognized in the San Antonio Bowling Hall of Fame in February 1999 and Traveling Classic Bowling Association Hall of Fame, May She has bowled in local leagues and won three city championships: Team 1984, Doubles, 1990, Team From Buster Smoot: Connie has been a wonderful wife and friend for forty-six years. That is a long time to put up with me. Can you remember where you were that many years ago? Connie is a straight forward person, so if you don t want an honest opinion, never ask her. Connie is also a person that loves animals. I m not sure where I come into the mix. Ha! Now that Connie has retired, Trey, our four year old Shih- Tzu, takes most of her time. He has her right where he wants her, and she loves it. I have always thought one reason we had such a strong marriage was our ability to communicate. This could be attributed to the fact that we eat out most of the time and you have the opportunity to talk to one another when you sit across the table from one another. Connie never picked up on cooking, although during the holidays she can set a pretty good table. I had to share Connie with Columbia for over 40 years and sometimes she had to travel extensively, making it pretty lonely for me. I m really glad she is now retired and we can spend more time together. We have the very good fortune to live very close to our only son, Steve, so we are able to visit with him, our daughterin-law, Charlene and granddaughter, Amber very often. In fact, Connie picks Amber up from school every Thursday and Friday. I think she really looks forward to that special time. Connie really enjoys her Red Hat group and I am glad to see she is making additional friends. She has always needed her space, and this group seems to fit the need very well.

4 Connie Smoot continued Longtime Friend Linda Bray: Getting to know you!!!!..reminds me of a song??? I can already hear Connie break into song.. I am quite fortunate to know someone like Connie Smoot...my how time passes..yes it s been over 20 years...we have traveled many miles and had ever so many good times together..the most outstanding feature about Connie is that great warm and understanding smile.. bright and shining..classy lady all the way..you just want to be around her.. Her passion for the game of bowling was one to be noticed. We shared many great tournaments together as partners...win or lose, it was still those great times together. She has always been there for me as a standin sub also. I am sure that she is missed at Columbia Industries since her retirement this year. Her hard work and personal sacrifices may now be producing the rewards she had only hoped for. She is most deserving of the giving and considerate profile that she portrays everyday. I think that the word tolerant is a true expression of her. She respects other peoples beliefs and feels that everyone is entitled to their own approach to life. I think that she enjoys stimulating conversations and exchange of viewpoints, thus known as the Duchess of Wonder, that title is most fitting for her. So there ya go Duchess, I will always cherish our friendship and look forward to many more years of being your friend. Friend Janis: I have only known Connie for a few years, but what I know of her, I love. She has the qualities of a grand woman. I love being around Connie. She makes me feel good about myself. She has a way about her that makes a person feel like when you talk to her, you are the only person in the world at that moment. I love her sense of humor. She is quick witted and you never know when something funny is going to come out of her mouth. I value her friendship and look forward to many years of friendship to come. You ve heard the phrase, beauty is only skin deep they weren t speaking of Connie. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Your friend forever, Janis Dream to dream.getting to know you has been a great experience.

5 OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU! Let s send out special thoughts and prayers for Reese Anderson Stubbs, (Roe Ann s grandson) who just turned a year old November 20. Reese has had serious health complications since birth. He has had various surgeries already and faces several more in the future. Roe Ann says to meet Reese you would never know the issues he has faced. I d like to ask for continuous prayers for my daughter in law Joy. As you know Joy is pregnant and has Lupus. She was recently diagnosed with Diabetes. We are hoping the diabetes will go away after the birth. My mother and dad are still having problems. Mother has peripheral neuopathy and is taking therapy now for strength and balance. My dad cannot get his strength back since the surgery and has fallen several times because of the medicine he is taking for his three broken vertebrae in his back. I d like to send out special prayers to our troops who put their lives on the line everyday to protect and serve us. If there is anyone you want to send prayers and special thoughts out to, please contact Connie Smoot. Connie will make sure that the word gets out to everyone. Prayers are powerful. Just remember, you are not alone. Remember his birthday. The real reason we celebrate Christmas. When my kids were very young, when we would say grace before our Christmas feast, in their sweet angelic voices, my children would close the prayer with, Happy Birthday, baby Jesus. Let us not forget!!! Live each day to the fullest. Enjoy life and make memories wherever you go. Be thankful for all the things that you have and cherish all the friends that are in your life. Remember, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that s why they call it the present