Happy Thanksgiving!

The time of year is once again upon us when Americans of all races, religions, and political persuasions gather to give thanks for all the blessings bestowed upon them for the previous year.   And despite the drought and other troubles we’ve had this year, there is still plenty to be thankful for.  We only have to stop and consider all the good things in our lives to realize what they are.

Thanksgiving is also a holiday for getting together with loved ones to feast upon dishes we generally ignore for the rest of the year—roasted turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin, pecan, or mincemeat pie.  Does anyone actually ever eat any of these dishes on a regular basis?  Yet on this one day they are somehow perfect for the occasion.

If we’re not careful, we may leave the table stuffed and groaning to collapse on the couch or recliner to watch the Dallas Cowboys do their annual Thanksgiving thing—that is, if we’re in Texas.  One interesting feature of American life I learned while living on the east coast is that the time of day Thanksgiving Dinner is served depends on the part of the country you live in.

Growing up in Roscoe, I always correctly understood dinner to mean the noontime meal and supper the evening meal, whereas in Baltimore, where I lived for seventeen years, lunch is the noontime meal and “dinner” is the evening meal.  So, eating Thanksgiving Dinner implies one time here and another time there. 

In my experience, some fudging occurs on time in both places but in opposite directions.  In Texas, Thanksgiving Dinner is often not during the noon hour but a little bit later, one to one-thirty or so, possibly because of the extra time it takes to prepare.  In Baltimore, on the other hand, it is generally a little earlier than the usual “dinner,” possibly so that guests can leave not too long after it gets dark. 

That’s my experience anyway.  Your mileage may vary.

Anyway, this year the Cowboys are playing the Miami Dolphins, who after a slow start have blown out their last three opponents—and with the Cowboys good one week and bad the next, anything can happen.  It should be interesting to watch. 

And if you’re a college football fan, you won’t want to miss the Texas A&M vs. Texas game, which starts at seven.  The Aggies and Longhorns have been playing one another on Thanksgiving Day for 118 years now, but the Aggies are leaving the Big 12 Conference, so this is the last scheduled game for this storied rivalry, at least for the foreseeable future.  It should also be a good one. 

But no matter how you spend the holiday, here’s wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!

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TRASH PICKUP ON FRIDAY THIS WEEK

City Manager Cody Thompson wants to remind everyone that trash trucks will not be operating on Thanksgiving Day but will instead pick up trash on Friday.  Please inform those who might not be aware of this change in the normal schedule.

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COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON COURTHOUSE REPAIRS AND NEW JAIL

The Nolan County Commissioners’ Court will hold public hearings on a proposed bond to finance needed courthouse repairs as well as a new jail facility.  

As most people already know, a 2000-pound granite slab on the outer wall of the courthouse recently fell to the ground.  Luckily, no one was harmed, but a subsequent inspection of the other slabs reveals a problem in the way they were secured—or more correctly, not secured—back when the courthouse was built, and now all of them need to be re-secured before they are safe again.  There has also been talk for some time of the need for a new jail. 

If you want to learn the details or express your views on either or both proposals, make sure to attend one of the public hearings, which will take place at the following dates and locations:

    Precinct 1 – Roscoe Community Center – Monday, November 28, 7:00pm
    Precinct 2 – Nolan County Coliseum Annex – Thursday, December 8, 7:00pm
    Precinct 3 – Nolan Community Center – Monday, December 5, 7:00pm
    Precinct 3 – Blackwell City Hall – Tuesday, December 6, 7:00pm
    Precinct 4 – Maryneal Community Center – Thursday, December 1, 7:00pm

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WHEEL COMES OFF FOR PLOWBOTS AT REGIONAL MEET

The Plowbots, Roscoe Collegiate High School’s robotics team, ran into some hard luck when the wheel came off their robot, Mantis, during competition at the Texas-New Mexico Regional BEST Robotics Meet in Garland last weekend. 

They came home with no trophies this time, but the fact remains that they were the best in this area by winning the Big Country Hub Meet the week before. They deserve hearty congratulations for all their outstanding achievements this year and best wishes for better luck next year!

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WEATHER REPORT

The first freeze of the year came last Thursday morning.  The temperature dropped to 30° at Avenger Field and to 29° at Lyndall Underwood’s on the western edge of town and stayed below freezing for two or three hours.  Either way, it was cold enough to kill my peppers, okra, and most of my tomatoes—although the three plants on the east end of my garden are still alive and producing. 

The weekend was warmer but overcast, followed by a cooler Monday and Tuesday with thick fog,  drizzle, and temperatures in the forties and low fifties.  There was enough precipitation to get the sidewalks wet, but that was it—maybe a tenth of an inch. 

Today is clear and sunny, and it should be a beautiful day for Thanksgiving and Friday with highs of around seventy.  There is a chance of showers Friday night as a front blows in, followed by a cool, breezy weekend with highs in only the fifties.  

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FIVE FROM THE PLOWBOY BAND MAKE ALL DISTRICT

The following members of the Plowboy Band have made All District: Jamie Benitez, Juan Solis Garcia, Jovanah Guzman, Shirley Sanchez, and Brandon Stevenson.  They will take part in a performance on January 20th in Sweetwater.

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† LEANDRA SAAVEDRA

Leandra Saavedra, 68, died Saturday, November 19, at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene. Holy Mass of Christian Burial is being held at 11 a.m. today at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, and interment at Roscoe Cemetery will immediately follow.