By Bobby Tingle

 

Megan Tingle, my daughter-in-law, teaches elementary students at Bridge City Elementary School. Jonathan, her husband, and I were on a rare father and son outing Saturday when he received a text message.

He actually laughed out loud when he saw it. Seems she sent him a video of a blow up Santa, one of those yard thingies people decorate with. It was in my house when we got home. It was actually kind of cute. But she took it to school Monday. It is for a school program this week. Therefore I cannot describe it for you. If you are able to attend the program then you can see how cute it is yourself. Of course, the kids will probably steal the show.

How does a twenty something elementary teacher get that many first graders on a stage singing the same song with coordinated choreography? She seems sane enough, after next week she may not be. There are far too many items on the agenda.

The program is Thursday. Then we have a family gathering to have Christmas with our five grandchildren.

Friday we have a rehearsal dinner for a wedding. The wedding is Saturday.

Sunday most of them go home.

Monday we are back at work.

In the past ten days, my bride and I have attended a banquet and a town hall meeting. A week after Christmas our daughter will bring two of our grandchildren to live with us for a week. Apparently her sister, who just got married, will be with her. Her new husband will be going to boot camp soon so he can’t come.

Who scheduled all these activities?

My bride made the Toy Coffee tour with Orange Leader Editor Dawn Burleigh. Dawn and I attended the first town hall meeting on the Lamar State College – Orange campus and our spouses joined us this week at the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet.

It all started the week of Thanksgiving as we cooked enough to feed five thousand when only twelve showed up to eat while getting ready for Black Friday. In between we had to fit in the Egg Bowl, the annual Mississippi State versus University of Mississippi rivalry football game.

It would get a little complicated if I explained why the Egg Bowl is important to us. But I am sure you can relate because either you have your own rivalry game to watch or someone near and dear to you inflicts one on you. Rivalry games take a lot of energy since they often involve hollering at the television and writhing in pain on the floor when things don’t go your way. For Mississippi State fans it sometimes involves ringing a cowbell, which is only necessary if you are not on the floor in pain.

We will get a respite after the out of town wedding company leaves next week, but only until part of them return the following week.

How do folks handle all this and deal with the hazards of Harvey?

Gary Stelly of KOGT was the emcee at the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce banquet this week. To open the proceedings he singled out folks attending and tested their knowledge of recent events. His first victim was Dr. Stephen Patterson, Superintendent of Orangefield ISD. Patterson came close with his answer and was awarded a two-inch square block of drywall. He insisted on an autographed copy. All of Stelly’s subsequent victims received the same prize, autographed of course.

Stelly was inspired by progress earlier in the day toward restoration of his Harvey flooded home. He was the beneficiary of installed drywall.

Apparently, humor help get us through.

I better quit complaining and just enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.