We Are Community for the week of Sept 5th, 2022, by Joyce Steiner

We Are Community 113

JoAnn Johnson passed away on Friday.  She was a well-loved part of our community. There will be a gathering of family and friends at the PCCC on Friday September 9th from 5-7 pm.  Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

It’s Labor Day weekend.  This is summers’ last hurrah.  Fall is now here.  School has started and some leaves are already turning-probably due to lack of rain.  Labor Day gives us so many choices of places to go and things to do.  I have always kept pretty close to home.  When growing up, we always went to Nauvoo because we had relatives there.  When we started the antique store, we went to Argyle.  Just the name “Argyle” meant great things.  There were 150 dealers under the pine trees.  There were gas engines, tractors, food and so much more.  The traffic was backed up to Tennessee just trying to get into “Argyle”.  Things change.

This year, I checked out Argyle and then went to Colchester.  Colchester is completely covered with dealers and yard sales.  The park is full of dealers and food.  Worked in two dinners in the food tent.  Both were great and very reasonable.  The Colchester UMC served backed chicken with many sides on Friday evening and the  Argyle Bible church served barbeque sandwiches with sides for $7.50 and $8 respectively.  Good food for good causes.  Also got to see the parade.

Colchester has great entertainment in the pavilion in the park.  Got to see the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra on Sunday.  So much talent!

Had a lot of customers at my store on Saturday afternoon.  Suspect some of them were from the Colchester celebration.  Thanks for stopping by.

Attended the Louderman Auction on Thursday and got some things for the store.  Also buying privately so the store is packed.  So is the van for that matter.  However, that did not stop me from checking out the flea market booths and buying some stoneware!

Living Faith UMC is selling mums to raise money for the roof.  If you would like one or more you can email livingfaith@adam.net and tell them how many you would like.  They are $15 for large sized mums.  You may pick them up and pay for them at the church.  Delivery time will be given later.  Last day to order is Sunday the 18th.  Some church members will also be taking orders.

Still mulling this one over though it happened yesterday.  As I have been a widow for a very long time, I  go most places by myself.  Usually there is someone I know there.  At the food tent in Colchester, I looked around and saw a former classmate of mine so asked if I could sit down.  We had a nice discussion until a photographer came by.  He quickly slid away from me and explained “we were not together”.    I am not sure how that situation should have been handled, but I do know that was not it.  Can’t decide whether to see the humor in the situation or to be hurt.

The next time you find yourself sitting by a “little old gray-haired lady”, or a bald gentleman or an impressionable teen or any other human being, try to think before you act or speak.  Be kind to everyone you meet.  A smile and a kind word just might make someone’s day.  And quite possibly it will improve your day too.

Posted in Plymouth News