Whoever controls the language wins the battle.  The minute both sides began arguing the 'assault weapon' solution we had lost!  ???  'Assault' weapon?  Assault is illegal in this country.  It is also an emotional word.  It also is not a descriptive word that defines and narrows the definition of the word 'weapon' or 'gun'.  What does it mean?  In other words it just means 'weapon' - or, more to the point 'Bad Gun'.

Note to my friends: I have an 'assault rolling pin' and a couple of 'assault frying pans' if you need them.

The Mason-Dixon Ball was SO much fun! Just checking out the beautiful ballgowns would have made it enjoyable!  But I actually danced! (The Virginia Reel) And the gentlemen looked so nice in their Tuxes and uniforms...  Many thanks to Debra Brown for posting the "How To in a Hoop Skirt" in the Ladies' Room.  VBG!  For photo goodness: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.422840741080200.99256.277930292237913&type=3

Just read "Memoirs of a Loose Cannon" (one of the most aptly named books I've read). 

For anyone who has lived all or part of these times (it begins in the 20's), this is not a fast read. You are plunged into a world where all senses are alert, and need to be. Life is rough, but fulfilling - and a great part of the fulfillment is due to the adventure, and, yes, danger then. Humor reflects life; the jokes that begin many chapters are from rough and ready - and certainly not "politically correct" - times.

Branick's observations, on sea and land, are not only spot on, they are poetically descriptive. Pieces of maritime history, as seen through his microcosm are fascinating.

This is a man's memoir of a man's world from before our unisex times. http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Loose-Cannon-ebook/dp/B006QWD53K

West Union Fest 125

The Town of West Union, West Virginia
County Seat of Doddridge County
Incorporated July 20, 1881
125 years - and COUNTING!!!

The Party ~ July 22, 2006 ~ “Lions and Tigers and Bears - OH MY!!!!!!!”

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

July 22nd, from 8 to 8 ~ This little Town is going to CELEBRATE!!

On the 22nd of July - We are going to close off Main Street and PARTY –

Pony Rides, Bands, Entertainment ~

Stock up early for your Christmas presents - there will be local crafts, arts, honey, jams, quilts, purses, carvings, cheeses, paintings, pottery, marbles, famous WV blown glassware, jewelry, chainsaw carvings and demonstrations, candles ~ Also fresh produce at our Farmer’s Market

Commemorative items will be available:
· Limited Edition Commemorative Coins
· Framed West Union Historical Photo Reproductions
· DVD’s and CD’s of the Town and County History
· Ephraim Bee Postage Stamps and Lapel Pins
· Books, Books, Books
· Postcards

Grab a Hot Dog and a SnoCone, order a picnic lunch - or eat at one of our Fine Restaurants ~

Major Attractions:· Walking Tour of West Union’s Stately Historic Section, including the Doddridge County Historical Museum, the Doddridge County Courthouse, the Stuart Mansion, The old Opera House, the Wall of Honor, and the Stagecoach stop
· Be guided by our costumed docents or choose the Self-Guided Tour
· Commemorative Amateur "Ham" radio station WU8WV will be on the air issuing a special QSL card and certificate of contact during the event.
· Guiness Book of Records registered attempt to establish a new World’s Record for the Largest Family Tree Chart
· Ride a horse-drawn wagon down our RailTrail (Or by bicycle or Shuttle-bus) (Smithburg Depot Museum will also be open for this special day and Parking and shuttle-bus service will be provided at Pennsboro and North Bend Park as well)
· Meet the Ghost of Ephraim Bee
· Watch the Civil War Re-Enactors
· Keep an eye peeled for celebrities - Many of our Native Sons / Daughters are coming back...
· As evening draws near, join our marshmallow roast and sing-along


Come-as-you-are or come in costume and enter our contest ~

West Union, WV ~ We love our history - that's why we're still making it!

Trying to Cancel PeoplePC Account

Anyone else out there had a problem canceling an account with PeoplePC??

I am going through a Nightmare...

My husband died the first of the year. I sat down with all my accounts and tried to decide where I could save a penny. PeoplePC is only $10.95/month - but $131.40/year is a help when money is tight and I didn't need it, so I picked up the telephone as per their instructions for cancelling...

Very nice man answered. He was little 'hard-sell' but appeared to be professional and caring. Talked me into suspending the account for a couple of months to see 'how things were going to go'. Unfortunately, I did not write down who I talked to.

3 months later, the charge is on my credit card bill again. I let it go a month, then called to cancel. Unfortunately, I did not write down who I talked to again.

So I called this morning - my first day off from a new job - the first chance I've had to call. Spoke to 'Frankie' who told me I would have to call back next week as my account was in 'transition' and he could not access it. Seems they are updating their billing software. I told him that I was on a new job and only had today off as the office was closed for the holiday. I would not get a chance to call back next week. He advised me to 'just keep trying' then. I asked for his supervisor. 'Kathie' picked up the telephone and advised me that 'Frankie' was absolutely correct. Nothing could be done but that I must call back next week. I asked if they could not make a bring-up and address it after their 'transition' was over - as the transition was certainly nothing to do with me or my schedule. She advised that it was to do with me as it involved my account. I asked for her supervisor and 'Gabrielle' picked up the telephone after another wait.

Now, Frankie and Kathy were civil and polite. They were simply not into customer service. Gabrielle was another breed of cat. Supercilious, arrogant, and ready to put me in my place immediately. I was not to get a word in edgewise as she talked (no, yelled) over me. She advised me that if next week was inconvenient for me then I could just call at my convenience, but that billing would continue until I made a proper telephone call at a time when they could reasonably access my records.

Who else has had a problem with these people? I'm considering this a breach of contract as the agreement was that I could call to cancel service at any time that I needed to cancel.

Any suggestions?

Née McColl Excitement

Life has become SO exciting for me - All of a sudden my book is real - I mean REAL!! VBG! Total strangers - many with my name of McColl - so 'cousin-strangers'? - have emailed and called about it) I DO hope they are ordering it LOL)

One of my sisters is as excited about it as I am. Oddly, one seems to have always taken it for granted that I would publish - and one is in her own world.

I am driving myself crazy checking the Amazon.com sales rank daily. I won't get an accounting from my publisher until the end of November. I KNOW the Amazon.com sales rank does not tell me how many books are sold - but I keep worrying with it, thinking there is a key if I could only do the correct charting of it. LOL The sales rank has been everywhere from "None" to "33,058" (which tells me that I was 33,057 under Harry Potter on that day. hahahaha)

My Book: Née McColl is PUBLISHED!

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Woo - Hoo!!!!  My book was only published last week and it is on Amazon.com already!! Here's the Press Release (Can you believe it????? (VBG!)

West Union, WV – “Née McColl” by Frances McColl Stewart, published by iUniverse, Inc. has now been listed on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.
"They arrived at the battlefield at dusk. The shooting was becoming more sporadic as it was difficult for soldiers to aim through the heavy smoke at twilight. The three of them picked up as many injured soldiers as they could and stacked them in the buckboard for transport back to the Old House. Furniture was moved out of the living room and the wounded were made as comfortable as possible on palettes on the floor. When Sherman’s scouts came through, they declared the Old House to be a hospital. It seems that in the dark, poor Lucy was picking up Union soldiers as well as our Rebs, and once daylight hit, simple Christianity won out. We children were savage enough to be thrilled to have the bloodstains of that long ago time permanently embedded in the wooden floors."

“Née McColl” brings alive the cultural heritage of being a South Carolina McColl.

Poverty, Rationing, Education, Grits, and Rapists, as seen through a child’s eyes will make you relive those bittersweet, simpler days following WW II.

A member of Mensa’s Webheads, Frances’ personal websites have gathered much recognition in different fields: N-etiquette.com is a primer on Internet Etiquette, West Union-WV.com is an interactive community site, and McColl-Name.com is a genealogical site.

Frances currently lives in the “precipitous hills” of West (by God) Virginia with her husband, Bud – and SeaDog.

Hobbies include quilting, genealogy, Fortean mysteries – and the Family Quote of the Year Contest.

Available from Ingram Book Group, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com,
and from iUniverse, Inc.ISBN: 0-595-34026-1 - Publication Date: Aug-2005History
/ General - Price: $14.95 - Size: 6 x 9 - 147 PagesTo order call 1-800-AUTHORS