“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds. Have no fear for atomic energy for none of them can stop the time. How long shell they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look. Some say it’s just a part of it we’ve got to fulfill the book. So, won’t you help to sing these songs of freedom cause all I ever hear is Redemption Song. Soldiers march their freedom out into the city streets and though it seems like a losing battle, there can be no retreat.”
Bob Marley & the Wailers
“You make me feel mighty real”
Sylvester
With the overwhelming support I received from the Rehabilitation staff at Northwest Hospital while there for two weeks recuperating from a total knee replacement, from family, friends and strangers. The visits, cards, flowers, edible fruit, homemade cookies, crabcakes and fruit baskets brightened my room and the entire fourth floor. The visitors were nonstop and helped in my recuperation as many of you like Rosa and Shorty Trusty walked the halls with me doing my physical therapy. A special thanks to my lifelong friend retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. James “Jimmy” Wood for referring me to Dr. Ron Delanois who performed the surgery, and for calling me from California while on Pop Pop duty to make certain the surgery was successful. Many of you asked why I chose Thanksgiving to have the surgery well like anything else you know when it’s time. I just knew I didn’t want to carry anything into 2018 that could be handled in 2017. That’s like our life, so often we carry illness, bad attitudes, anger and hate from year to year and it festers and leaves a bitter aftertaste in our lives.
“It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
Andy Williams
Damon and Tarsha Hughes hosted an open house Christmas day at their beautiful home. Guests arriving for brunch enjoyed a menu of shrimp and grits, French toast casserole, waffles, assorted meats, fruit and mimosas, later we dined on honey-glazed salmon stuffed with crabmeat, shrimp creole, meatballs and curried chicken salad.
Christmas dinner with Danny and Delle Henson is always a treat with Danny’s homemade eggnog being the highlight of the traditional bountiful meal prepared by three generations using the menus handed down by Delle’s mom Only and the Henson family.
“50 Shades of GRAY” was the theme for George Ray 50th birthday weekend celebration parties hosted in Canton on Friday night and a Sunday Brunch on Sunday at the Anthem House in Locust Point had guests marveling at the magnificent of the evening and the brunch as the sipped specialty cocktails and munched on exquisite morsels. Guests travelled from California, North Carolina, Virginia and New York to be a part of the celebration.
Happy birthday Murnell Cooper, Dr. Charlene Cooper Boston, Nykidra Robinson, Stacey Queen, Ann Branch, Mayor Sheila Dixon and Larry Satterfield.
Tomorrow will come and girl I can’t wait it’s our anniversary. The first thing I’ll do is run straight to you it our anniversary” Toni! Tony! Tone! Happy anniversary Jeremy and Carol Rose
Sending violets to AFRO photographer Dr. A Lois De Laine on receiving the Howard L Cornish Community service award at the 33rd Dr. Martin Luther King Scholarship breakfast at Morgan State University.
Herb and Deanna Brown are excited about the December graduation of granddaughter Kasey Brown Jones.
The year that was… 2017, was a year wrought with pain, suffering and senseless murders. It was also a year of victory, change and redemption. Politically we saw Alabama and Virginia voters take a stand in major elections with Virginia electing Justin Fairfax as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia with major support from my daughter Lisa Lee Packer, Governor Wilder and Corey Booker. Locally we saw a spike in the murder rate including the death of Detective Sean Suiter, leaving us in disbelief and questioning our city’s leadership. We’ve seen the death of friends like Carl Smith, Leonard Clay son of Barber Lenny Clay, RB Jones and Verna Fry mother of Erica Cryor. We also saw the birth of Shana and Rich Maccone’s first son and grandson of Debbie and Arthur Allen’s who entered this world at 10lbs 1oz. We watched the sun eclipsed the earth and saw the building of Morning Star’s new home in Woodlawn. We hope the Ravens will go into the Super Bowl and are hopeful “a change’s gonna come.” 2017 brought the “good, the bad and the ugly”. Entering 2018, think what you can leave in 2017 that didn’t enrich your life. Remember life is not a dress rehearsal to be lived and enjoyed later it is now.
Happy New Year!
In 1788 Scottish poet, Robert Burns wrote the poem “Auld Lang Syne” concerning old friends and the memories they created together and apart. As you read the original poem let us remember old friends, good friends create and new memories as we prepare to enter 2018.
“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne. We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you’ll buy your pint cup, and surely I’ll buy mine! And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine; but we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine; but seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne. And there’s a hand my trusty friend, And give us a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.”
Valerie and the Friday Night Bunch
Aleuta Continua
(the struggle continues)