Roy Exum
The frost has yet to get to my garden but as I collect orchids and onions for an October delivery it is downright chilly. Thank goodness for the afternoon sun as we prepare to plant our winter rye grass seed and wish for more rain. As is my monthly custom, there is an abundance of orchids and onions to deliver on this first day of October so let’s get going …
AN ORCHID to Dr. Mitch Mutter for being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from Blue Cross-Blue Shield. Mitch, who founded the Children’s Nutrition program in Haiti, has a servant’s heart indeed.
AN ONION to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who says if Republicans turn the House after the mid-term elections, she wishes to become the Ambassador to Italy at age 82. Please.
AN ORCHID to Chip Baker, unanimously chosen as chairman of the Hamilton County Commission. So you see, 11 people can all agree at the very start.
AN ORCHID to the MTSU football team, a 25-point underdog to nationally-ranked Miami, for thus far the biggest upset this season in college football. The Blue Raiders throttled the Hurricanes, 45-31, last Saturday. Now it comes out Miami paid Middle $1.5 million as an appearance guarantee. Ouch.
AN ONION to the “official” cause of Queen Elizabeth’s death. The death certificate of the 96-year-old reads, “Old age”.
AN ORCHID to those who choose to take part in the “Sober October” Challenge, a strictly voluntary way for folks to abstain from all alcohol for 31 days and self-evaluate one’s drinking habits. The craze now includes Dry January and Dry July.
AN ONION to the fact our armed services are struggling to meet their recruitment goals.
AN ORCHID for the chance for Hamilton County to buy 19 acres and the building of the Cigna property in East Brainerd. What a school that could be. They’ll vote on the $8 million project next week.
AN ONION to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla who wanted Americans punished who doubted the COVID vaccine. After all, Bourla has reportedly taken four doses himself. Now he’s had COVID twice in the last two months, according to news reports.
AN ORCHID to Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker who is fifth is this week’s mock Heisman voting. Ohio State’s CJ Stroud is the easy favorite right now, maybe because he bought all of his teammates $500 gift cards to buy fancy suits for when the Buckeyes stroll before games.
AN ONION to Vanderbilt Medical Center - A large group of Tennessee Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) Board of Directors, asking the organization to stop performing gender transition surgeries for minors.
AN ORCHID to the Coast Guard, which has now seized 28,500 pounds of marijuana and cocaine. The illegal narcotics would have an estimated street value of $475 million.
AN ONION to the news Jim “Pee Wee” Martin, the last member of the “Toccoa Originals”, has died at age 101. You may better remember his World War II Army outfit, as was portrayed in the HBO mini-series, “Band of Brothers.”
AN ORCHID to Governor Bill Lee for sending 1,200 National Guard troops to Florida as the state recovers from Hurricane Ian.
AN ONION to the New York Times and other liberal outlets who mock Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for asking President Biden for additional aid. This isn’t politics; this is millions of Americans who are now struggling.
AN ORCHID to the thrilling finish in the NL East between the Mets and the Braves. On Friday the Mets were one game ahead with the playoffs starting next weekend, but don’t fret, the runner-up in the race will be a ‘wild card’ in the playoffs.
AN ONION to China health officials who, when the first case of monkeypox was confirmed, sent out a warning to “avoid all skin-to-skin contact with foreigners.”
AN ORCHID to Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin who recently described the unique game-day atmosphere at a game in Oxford, “is more like a fun high school game on a college campus.”
AN ORCHID to evangelist Max Lucado, who tells us, “Now, you might not be facing a physical storm. The winds that buffet you might be the gales of disease, depression, or divorce. You may feel there is no switch that can be flipped to lift the darkness you find yourself in - be it anxiety, financial stress, or fear of the future. Rest assured; our God knows. He cares. And He is listening.”
royexum@aol.com