Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL There cometh wise men Not long ago, I found myself in the midst of one of life’s great treasures. It all came about because mama had her annu al physi cal that required her to fast. Mama doesn’t do well when she doesn’t eat - she mm' -ijk Ronda Rich Dixie Divas gets “swimmy headed.” So, she had her blood work done and with enough time remaining before her ‘ appointment, we headed out for breakfast. It was there at the res taurant that I found those jewels in the form of several men who were gray with age and deeply wrinkled with time. They sat at a long table Semi-ole-time lioos' today's Halloween You’ve heard the sto ries from the ole timers about how hard they had it. “Yeah, we had to walk through three feet of snow, up a mountain, with no shoes on, just to get to school... yes, those were the good ole days.” . 'V Len Robbins Columnist airpub@planttel.net Usually, I let them recount the “good ole days” without reminding them that they grew up in South Georgia, where there are no moun tains and it’s snowed twice in the last 50 years. Now that I’m a semi-ole timer, I find myself reliving my past as a child. And like the ole timers I scoffed at, I find that my recollections are tinted by rose-colored nostalgia. That’s my mortgage bank. Finding the right mortgage banker is just as important as Finding the right home. At Fairfield Financial, get the convenience of using online services and the confidence of working with trusted local professionals. You can apply online, communicate by phone, and meet face to face with a knowledgeable loan officer. You will feel much more comfortable discussing your finances, your future, and your personal preferences with someone you can depend on. FAIRFIELD FINANCIAL A Subsidiary of Security Bank www.MyFairfleldMortgage.com We do the work. You take the credit. with half-eaten biscuits and steaming cups of coffee in their midst. And they talked. Goodness gracious, how they talked. Many of their words drifted over to our table so I smiled as I heard what all they had to say. They talked long of the political world. “Politics will ruin the best man,” one opined while the other nod ded and grunted in agree ment. Then they talked of wives, strong-willed women who rule their husbands apparently with an iron fist, of religion - what the Methodists do as opposed to what the Baptists do - and how the country is in need of a new, better fertilizer. “Gotta do something,” one grumbled. “Erosion and developers are ruinin’ the land.” “If you ain’t got good land, you ain’t got nothin’ worth havin’,” another offered. For For instance, the Halloweens of my youth seem to shine in comparison to what they have today. First of all, we celebrated Halloween on Halloween - October 31. It didn’t matter what day of the week the 31st fell on, that’s when we had Halloween. We also actually went to people’s houses and knocked on their doors - even people we didn’t know. That was part of the fun. You didn’t know what you were going to get, or who you were going to see. Some people you would catch totally unprepared for Halloween. “Trick or Treat!” Some guy with a “Welcome Back Kotter” t-shirt and no pants on would answer the door with a Pabst in his hand, oblivious that this was a holiday to little kids throughout the free world. He’d then scurry about, stumble a few times, and every problem that we as a nation have, they had a solution. Now there’s a brain trust, I thought to myself, judging there to be several hundred years of experience sitting at the laminate table. I looked over at them and smiled in appreciation, noting the deep brown age spots that covered their faces. I shook my head in won derment, thinking, “If we could only bottle that wis dom and the common sense that spouts from that table, what a better world we’d have.” Across the South every morning, without fail, men just like those escape the monotony of retirement life and march off to have break fast together. They validate each other and appreciate their own insights. Some are veterans of wars that See RICH, page 6AI come back with an assort ment of odd items to place in our waiting bags. My friends got cans of tuna, my sister a bottle of Brut after-shave, and I got a used CB radio. Then there were always the geeks who would hand out fruit - apples and pears or perhaps a kiwi. The older kids would roll their house later that night for their clueless transgressions. This past Halloween was the first where our young est child, our three-year-old son, could somewhat under stand what was going on - essentially, he was getting free candy. I was excited for him, but also for me - another oppor tunity to relive Halloween vicariously through the kids. But what we’ve found in recent years, and this differs from my youthful remem brances, was that nobody was home. We went to place after place and everyone was gone with their lights out. Perry 1208 Washington Street (478) 722-7165 Warner Robins 1198 S Houston Lake Road (478) 953-7400 849 Warren Dr. (Hwy 96) (478)722-7183 ' m AH loans subject so credit approval. OPINION Adoption can have varying effects on child’s personality QUESTION: Are adopted children more likely to be rebellious than chil dren born to biological parents? If so, are there any steps I can take to pre vent or ease the conflict? My husband and I are thinking about adopting a toddler and the question has me wor ried. DR. DOBSON: Every child is different and adopted kids are no exception. They come in all sorts of packages. Some boys and girls who were abused or unloved prior to the adoption will react to those painful experiences in some way .... usually negatively. Others, even those who were not mistreated, will struggle with identity problems and wonder why their “real” mothers and fathers didn’t want them. They may be driven to find their bio logical parents during or after adolescence to learn more about their heritage and families of origin. I must emphasize, however, that many adopted kids do not go through any of these When I was a kid, every body was home. And if they weren’t, we banged on their door until somebody came, or we just took whatever was in their carport. We went to every house we could. Back then, it wasn’t strangers giving out candy once a year you had to worry about, it was the guy who gave out candy year-round. Obviously, times have changed. But times always change. The Halloween I knew is different from the ones my parents knew, and that my children know now. Thirty years from now, they’ll probably be talking wistfully about how their childhood was more inno cent, more fun, even better, than the present. The days they’ll recount will still be the “good ole days.” They’ll just be differ ent from mine. Specializing In The “best Steaks In Town” • 20 OZ. E>one In Ribeye _ * • 9 OZ. Pilet Mig non • Id" oz* New York Strip • Ye oz Prime Rib Pull Service Bar Lunch: II AM - 2 PM Monday - Friday 54658 LETTERI From page 4A Social Security by coming out in favor of the misnamed “Fair Tax”? This race could be determined by senior citizens worried about our financial security and well being. Most of us vote, Rick! Frank W. Gadbois, Warner Robins it 111 I air outside, Fresh Air by EcoQuest 1 ' 1 keeps indoor air fresh and clean smelling day and night. Collectively known as SynAirG™, these processes work together synergistically to eliminate smoke and odors as well as kill bacteria, mold and mildew in unoccupied areas. Call NOW for a FREE trial offer! l ike Clean water, fresh air is Independent Distributor essential to our well being. Now, Elton & Vemeaze Tucker having the fresh air you want is (478) 923-6187 8188 as easy as pressing a button when (478)923-4111 * it’s Fresh Air by Eco Quest™ www.TryFfcshAir.com/eltontucker ON THE SQUARE •Stealc •Seafood •Pasta •Puli Service E>ar *IOO% Black Angus, freshly cut by hand. SOy Carroll Street ( across from old courthouse - Downtown Perry) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007 ♦ Dr. James Dobson Focus on the Family I hope you won’t be reluctant to adopt that child because some special problems might - but probably won’t - develop. Every child has his or her own particular challenges. Every child can be difficult to raise. Every child requires all the creative energy and talent a parent can muster. But every child is also worth the effort, and there is no higher calling than to do that job excellently. Let me add one more thought. I knew See DOBSON, page 6A FRESH AIR PURIFIERS There's nothing quite like walking outside and taking a deep breath of fresh, clean air after a thunderstorm. Wouldn't you like to be able to step back inside and enjoy that same fresh air all the time? We would like to introduce you to Fresh Air by EcbQuest: By duplicating the same processes nature uses to clean the » « . » r. /? T\A I • I • n / It | LONC-Hg E| Burgers i H .Sslads K Soups Sandwiches Past as 3orambled 1 Dogs | homemade ft Cl-h Jll j personal crises. They take root where they are replanted and never give a thought to the ques tions that trouble some of their peers. As with so many other behavioral issues, the critical fac tors are the particular temperament of the child and how he or she is handled by the parents. B&B Clock Repair Antique to Modern 26 Years Experience Factory Warranty Howard Miller BOBTHREN Warner Robins, 954-5300 Dinner: 5 PM - 10 PM Tuesday - Friday Saturday 5 PM - 10 PM 5A 55715 154336 155888