Back in good ol' Tennessee after a chilly week in Florida. This is my first trip to Florida that I didn't go to the beach! I heard someone say," When it's cold in Florida, it's REALLY COLD."  They were right.
As I said last week, this was not a beach trip, but a friendship trip.
One day we visited Marie Craighead from Lebanon at her winter home near Tampa. She is the recent widow of Rev. Billy Craighead with whom I worked at Donelson Heights Methodist Church. She took us to lunch at Sweet Tomato in Tampa which featured a soup bar, vegetable bar, pasta bar,  fruit and dessert bars. Everything was yummy. Since Marie's son is mayor in Lebanon, she suggested that town getting a Sweet Tomato restaurant.  Hope so! 
I was disappointed that we didn't get to visit my Jewish friend, Hannah, in West Palm Beach. She had fallen and was not up to having lunch with us.  At 93, another visit with her is rare.
Forgot to mention that one of my plane-mates was a young lady named Heather Bain who was born in Smithville. She said that her first-grade teacher was Jan Thomas, who is also now a teacher at Smithville Elementary School. Small world!
I didn't get back in time to attend the Head Start policy committee in Cookeville. I usually ride with Charles Robinson. Of course, the main issue was the budget cuts at the federal level which will affect all the Head Start centers.  Our headstart on Kimberly Drive has an enrollment of 74 children. I think the director, Dorothy Pippin, has submitted a plan to not affect services or child enrollment.  Incidentally, Head Start is now accepting applications for next year's enrollment. Call Kathy at 597-5168.
God smiled on me the day after I returned home. I looked out the window and it had snowed which meant the schools were closed. Didn't have to take Kiana or Taylan to headstart and knew that the schools wouldn't be calling me to sub. So I had a chance to catch up on housework, laundry and other necessary items.
But I did get home to help my sister celebrate her birthday with our family. The family enjoyed homemade soup, cake and ice cream.
Hope you tuned into the mini Bible series on the History Channel last Sunday night. This drama made the Bible come alive.  It's especially good for elementary children to view and understand.
Get-well wishes to Heather Theriaque who was hospitalized last week but is now home.
Sympathy to the families of Darcie Cantrell and Zack Judkins.
Don't forget to wear something green next Sunday, March 17., and celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Most of us have an Irish descent.
HUMOROUS ONE LINERS:  Don't let your worries get the best of you; remember Moses started out as a basket case.  Amen.