This is one of those weeks when I've been busy doing stuff that's necessary, but not fun. In a word that means I've been doing a lot of newspaper paperwork stuff. Other than not being fun, the other downside to that is trying to come up with something to write about this week.

Actually, the first thing I have to do is apologize.

Last week I misidentified Joyce Walsh as Ruth Walsh when telling the story about her skiing to and from school while growing up in South Dakota. Ruth Walsh was her husband, Bill's mother. I know they're not the same person, but when Ruth Walsh's name got stuck in my brain I was lost.

Is this what's known as a senior moment? Seems like I'm having more of them.

Mrs. Walsh, Joyce, called to point out my error. Ever so gracious, she accepted my apologies (and they were multiple). As she pointed out, growing up in South Dakota, skiing across snow-packed trails to and from school made her a "tough Norwegian" so a little mistake in the newspaper wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

Another phone call came into the office last week from a friend in a far off place.

Jane Cooper Crippen called from Texas as she was renewing her subscription. Jane called to say how much she enjoyed keeping up with what's going on here.

"I just feel a connection to Kennett," Jane said. She pointed out that she and her late husband were here for seven years, which was one of their longer stays during Wallace's career as a hospital administrator.

"We established a lot of friendships there and the kids grew up in school there," she added.

Jane also updated me on her hobby. She works several tournaments each year as a volunteer for the Professional Golf Association. For years she has worked as an official scorekeeper, walking with one group of professional golfers during the round recording their score on each hole. In fact, I think the last time I actually saw Jane was at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis.

She regularly works anywhere from six to eight tournaments a year, usually at least three in the spring and three in the fall.

Jane was quite the avid golfer when she lived here and played in several tournaments herself. She doesn't play nearly as often now. She and her new husband are more into fishing at the moment. Although, she has threatened to buy him a set of golf clubs when he retires.

Another long-distance communicatin received last week came from California.

Cindy Hine, the other pride and joy of Joan and Harry Bazzell, has sent along an update on her son, David's, swimming career.

David, affectionately if no longer appropriately known in family circles as "Little David," is attracting the attention of some big name colleges as a possible scholar-athlete for their own swimming programs. Hopefully, we'll be able to announce a signing in the near future.

Vivian Helton, the DDD's unofficial but much appreciated historian, sent along a copy of page 3 from the Tuesday, September 30, 1952 edition of the DD (remeber the Daily "D" came along a few years later.

What caught Mrs. Helton's eye was a story about the midnight blooming cereus. Mrs. Robert Terry, a resident over on Fourth Street here, was the proud owner of the plant which started to bloom around 7 p.m. each evening. By ten o'clock it was in full bloom until about midnight when it started to slowly close up.

There was another story on that page which caught my eye as well.

Caruthersville was getting set to host what was billed as "The largest American Legion Fair since World War II" at Legion Park there.

The large fair was expected to attract people from a four state region - Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.

The reason that story caught my eye was because I don't think that particular celebration exists any longer. Obviuously it was a big event, "Mayor D.W. Byrd issued a proclamation .... asking thgat all businesses in the city close at noon Thursday, October 2 until 5 p.m. so that the largest number of Caruthersville citizens could attend the fair and show their appreciation to the American Legion for holding the event in Caruthersville."

The celebration was to run for five days and was to be the largest since the 1945 fair when President Harry Truman made an appearance.

Whatever happened to the American Legion Fair in Caruthersville? If anyone can shed any light on that I would be interested in learning a little more about the fair.

A little shorter than normal this week. I'm already working trying to help Santa Claus with some last minute suggestions for a few of our area folks.