This hot weather has been pretty tough on "Tootsie", our aging cocker spaniel.
She is approaching her 13th birthday.
We've had her since the puppy days and she has become a member of the family. I don't remember my dad ever pampering a dog. Hogs and cattle, (income producers) yes, but not dogs.
But Tootsie is different, I guess. She gets trims, baths, toe nail clip jobs and even goes to the vet for a shot when she is not feeling good.
I suppose the cocker spaniel is an affectionate dog, but the one I remember most years ago was "Thunder", a coon hound. You can guess how he got his name.
Thunder could outrun anything we ever hunted and be horribly vicious around wild animals. But to us armed hunters, he was the most gentle of animals.
We never owned him. Some neighbors asked us to "keep him" for a time. They returned several years later and much to our sorrow, claimed the animal. We never saw him again.
Would you believe . . .
Football at the NU stadium on August 23?
Yup, The Shrine Bowl.
Scimitar Shriners in Nebraska City have been making the rounds getting sponsors to help send youngsters to the game. John Ramsey, president of the club, said 75 members of the Senior High marching band and directors, plus approximately 100 athletes from Senior High and Nebraska City Lourdes will attend.
The Shrine Bowl project here is separate from the help given to the Tillman and Wenzl families, Ramsey pointed out.
Proceeds from the Shrine Bowl go to the crippled children's hospitals. A total of $634,000 has been given to the hospitals from the game in Lincoln over the past 10 seasons.
A five-car pileup in the Daytona 400 on TV the other day was a thriller to watch.
The cars were averaging 169 m.p.h., when the accident took place. And the lead car driven by one of the Yarboroughs was clocked at 183 m.p.h., at the time.
The cars and body metal were whirled around in an exciting pileup that resulted, amazingly enough, in no fires . . . no injuries . . . no fatalities.
And they say that most traffic fatalities occur at 35 m.p.h., and within a few miles from home.
I couldn't help but flip when Flip Wilson emceed the Johnny Carson show the other night.
He said "man, this is soul night." And what a night it was.
I stayed with it until about 11:30 after hearing that person with the white guitar, and the soul with the cracking voice who gave up ownership of Cadillacs because thieves liked 'em better. (He now owns a Rolls Royce).
But I like Flip and his stories about Rev. Leroy Jenkins. That's just plain good humor and entertainment.
The property-acquisition projects of the Otoe Wildlife and VFW clubs have stirred a great deal of interest.
Approximately $9,000 has been pledged to the Wildlife club to purchase the 61 - acre Ryder property west of town on No. 2. Another amount is needed to put the project on the road.
The VFW post, once located in a home above the former Norman's IGA on Central Avenue, is well on its way to establishing a club at the Sherwood Orchard.
Plans are to lease-purchase the home and adjacent parking and picnic grounds from Arthur Sackles and Ralph Straw, remodel the home and open as a club.
Sackles and Straw are now fruit merchants with well over 100 apple and mulberry trees and grape vines.
Sackles and Straw are now fruit merchants. They've got well over 100 apple, cherry and mulberry trees and a grape vineyard.
The post membership is enthused over the prospects and has approved acceptance of honorary members. That means anyone may apply for VFW mombership to use the club facilities.
Post meetings remain closed to all except eligible veterans, Commander Bill Rivett said.
The other day little Cory Orton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Orton, rapped on the kitchen door.
He didn't say much, but extended a hand to my wife with a gift, Cory's way of showing his friendship.
He smiled, but couldn't understand why my wife wouldn't accept the toad.
"Oh, well, women are funny," he must have thought.