Beyond the South End

Sonny’s Sunshine Corner

 

Sonny, Butchie, Nanci, and I wish all of you out there a very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2013. If we don’t all fall off a cliff financially, it could indeed be a very good year. At least I got a slight raise in my SS check beginning in January. Wonder of wonders, my car will be paid off in April, so that will help too. Things are looking up down here in Georgia. I hope the same can be said for all my loyal readers and my family and friends up north.

Again I thank all of you for your continued support of this column. There was a gain of 1,353 this month and it now stands at 22,360 and climbing.  Hopefully, I can predict a readership of 30,000 by this time next year.

I want to thank those of you who have inquired about my book, The South End, this holiday season. One of you got the book for Christmas and wrote me a thumbs up review. If I continue to have no more problems with this computer, I hope to have at least the first draft done this year for my new book. Now if I can remember how to use a flash drive so I can save what I’ve already written, that will be a big help.

By the way, as to the computer, one area that seems to be a problem is one of the email addresses I’ve had for as long as I’ve been a member of the computer community. It has become unmanageable because of so much spam ending up there. Therefore, I will be changing that address in the near future. I will tell you all what the new address is as soon as it’s changed. You can still reach me here at southendstories@aol.com.

This month, Ted’s column involves the predictions he made about city government and other areas in the year 1987. There is quite a lot of history involved and you may remember some of what he mentioned. Kendall Merriam’s column will also continue in the New Year.

I will also continue to include news from the Thomaston Public Library because they send me material quite often. As I’ve said before, I can no longer continue to include all the library news in the area or all the benefit affairs. They do take too much time away from other things I want to do here and you can also get that information in local papers. However, if any organization, library, and the like would like to send me specific information they would like included on this blog space, please send it to the email address above.

This blog space has evolved into one with a more national and international flavor. I have readers from all over the world now. The blogs most read are those pertaining to Maine, its history, and what Maine has to offer. Therefore, I will try to continue bringing that information to those out there who are looking for it. I always strive to show Maine in its best light, hoping to bring more people into our beloved state to experience what we’ve known since birth.

I’m not sure what stories I will bring to you this month. Let that be a surprise, O.K. All right, I really don’t have any ideas right now, but I’m working on it. I promise.

A sad note in my own family this month. You will remember that I lost my “twin” cousin, Diane Hilton O’Connor on Thanksgiving last year. Unfortunately, her big sister and my cousin, Cynthia Wass, passed away early on Christmas morning of this year. My cousin Mary Sue Weeks is now the only one left of those sisters. Cynthia was the mother of Keith Wass, owner of Wasses’ Wagon, who many of you will know. We will miss Cynthia.

My hope for the family for 2013 is no more deaths, but only happy times. I will attend the wedding of my great-niece, Danielle Sylvester, in July. It will be a happy time and I look forward to it. I wish all of you the best in the year to come.