Cow Shots, 2017 the Year of Trump and other travesties

       Aunt Ina was rooted in Benton Tennessee on 64 between Cleveland and Murphy North Carolina. I will get to that story soon about the Hokes Bluff basketball team and a halftime shot from Mid Court yesterday at the Towns County Ga Battle of the states; a good metaphor for this year of Trump.

      But it was not all a travesty. On the whole a hopeful 64th year for me with early elderly aches that somedays are getting my close to low ambularity long time before I should be having these kind of troubles giving all the walking and bicycle riding Ive done in better days.

    Had a little something almost every month in Stevie World to look forward to in 2017 if you leave that bastard Trump out of the Equation.

     In January had a good day in Rome Ga, two good days. Went over to hear Patrick Powell talk about his book Blood at the Root at Berry and then back again a couple weeks later to hear Kate Campbell in concert. Had a Schroeders Deli Hoagie Carmichael on both occasions.

   I got newly elected DeKalb County School Supe Jason Barnett on NPR 1a program to talk about his experience of 16 years at Momma alma mater and the matter of DACA. And we were ratified in December with the Two one hour segments on NPR This American Life about nearby Albertville Alabama and Immigration. Marshall County's Will Ainsworth LT gov candidate and tight with Marco Rubio has some explaining to do if he continues to call himself a Christian and I intend to give him as many opportunities to do so this coming year.

     In May went to Easley SC to see my nephew Andrew Graduate from High School. He's a fine young man and Karen Ellers brought her new husband Jerry to his graduation luncheon though she did sabotage my table's conversation and Lynn Arve will tell you as much.

   I ate some Bridges BBQ on that trip.

   Attended some good Sacred Harp singing including a first at Dutton which I think I wrote up somewhere on this blog.

    Highlight of my year was the Truett Celebration in Hayesville. See my blog of late October, early November on that one.

    And then Andy's Wedding Nov 4 was unforgettable. After a series of deliberations late August after they had been notified the first of the year the Deacons at Collinsville Baptist reversed course and allowed me on the property of the church where my Mother was baptized for the first time in ten years for Andy's wedding to Melissa Layow. She did justice to the corset and her Momma and Kyle from Michigan were proud, Fez was proud, her Dad and Andy's Dad and I chatted while Melissa took an hour down by the creek for pictures and the honorable Russell Sam Beene, screenplay collaborators were in the wedding party to honor our fellow founding member of the Collinsville film society and there is a picture on facebook to prove we were there and there was a back up Italian Cream Cake and it was just wonderful.

     Thanksgiving and Christmas trips to the Upstate were memorable and great fun with my brother's newly minted grandsons who turn 3 and five this year. Last Friday I just missed Furman President David Shi by about two minutes at Furman Judson on Main Bookstore by the Westin South Main Greenville SC. Went back Tuesday and got a History of Alabama for Martha and the Collinsville Historical Association.

    Basketball has kicked in and Ive seen two Christmas tourneys in two states in two days.

   As for that sonuvabitch Donald Trump--see Huntsville Alabama ralley for Luther Strange, see what Norm Ornstein had to say on Cspan at the Miami Dade book festival. I'm with the honest conservative Ornstein on that one, and Garry Wills and Marilynne Robinson so I am in good company.

      Got a good reading list for the new year. Have gone deeper in the word with new late year considerations on the Communion of the Saints, Momma, Dorothy Day and Teresa of Lieux and did a good job with the Hallelujah Chorus annual end of service sing at FBC Easley SC.

   So 2018, I'm ready as I'll ever be.

A list of Billys

  My Dad is the Number One Billy but I was thinking lately of all the Billy I can name.

   This is a fun blog. I may change the numeration the ranking and add some here and there. Feel free to contact me if you have any nominations.

   New entries Jan 22 23

   More Newbies May 23

    Billy Ball, Billy Beane, Billy Amick, Billy Barlow. Last two are Clemson baseball players, Beane is with the Yankees and Billy Ball a commentator from Eastern NC on State Lines PBS of NC.

   

    Billy Fanning, marriage counselour Ware shoals SC

   

     Billy Dunlap basketball ref for Furman and Wofford on this day. Carter Whitt may not play transfer from Wake Forest. Discussed Billy Donigan with David Holley himself couple weeks ago at Furman basketball game and talked to John Baker about it.

  Wofford up 8 nothing early at Wofford on ESPNU already turned over four times.

  Billy Alderbridge. Pearl Harbor Day. Heard about him last week on Ga NPR Two Way Street. More on Billy later  Latest Billy to cross my Path

   Billy Donegan: One year Furman netter but made his mark. A Few years ago I asked the Furman Legend, Coach Scarpa if he could remember the one year notable from 74. He said how could anybody forget Billy Donigan. He was there with a cousin whose Name I will remember soon. Beat the number three player as a freshman and never could understand why he couldn't start the next match as Number Three

  Billy Savoy: Does anybody know him

   update May 27, 2022. Billy Savoy was mentioned on the Roar, the voice of Clemson athletics whereupon one host immediately called him Bobby Savoy of the Natural.

    Billy Allen is a recent home schooled grad of Western NC who for a while lived in the home of George W. Truett in Hayesville. I met Billy in 2017

   Billy Barlow, great baseball name along with Max Caden home run hitter both of Clemson Tigers 2022 edition. Barlow a pitcher

   Billy Liuzzo LSU athletic communications with LSU was on Finebaum last week when the Saban Jimbo poop hit the fan.

  And then there is Billy Napier of Furman who played with Gaffney's Donnie Littlejohn; Napier the head coach at U Florida.

  Billy White Shoes Johnson

  Billy Paultz

  Number Ten Billy Whitfield. Native of Texas Tech, a Deacon and up there with Undle Fremont in low key delivery of great jokes. Sly in a good way and loves his Hubel telescopes.

   Billy Dupree, updated entry of July 28, 2018. Dupree has two sisters Kay Kay and Serena. In February 2006 Kay Kay comes in the Collinsville on a Friday and asks to borrow two dollars to print something out. Susan Weaver wouldn't loan it best I remember and I didn't have it on me. Kay Kay had teased me for 14 years or so since I was her Substitute teacher in elementary and High School. I said something about her wig and from that Librarian Jennifer Wilkins banned me for life. What a Travesty. I will never forget Billy and the sisters.

   Billy Sunday Birt

   Billy Preston

   Free Drop Billy (June 12 update) 2018 Derby and Preakness also ran to Justify but one of the best names in race history

   Billy Hawkins a casualty of the Battle of Chicamauga

   Billy Shears

   Billy the Kid

  Little Billy Cal Chastain

  Billy D. Fox

   Billy Idol

  Billy Jack

   Billy Donigan

    Billy Sunday

   Billy Graham

   Billie Jean King

   Billie Holiday

   Billy Bob

   Billie Jo McAlister.....You know her, she jumped off the Tallahatchee Bridge June 3 or a few days earlier, The third was just another dreary dusty delta day

  Billy Martin

  Billy Crystal

   Uncle Billy Sherman

  Charming Billy, the Alice McDermott creation

   Billy Dean Blanton

Billy Bolin

  Billy Thompson

Billy Lewis of Slabtown



 

   I'm just startin. Do you know a Billy?