Food for Seniors day was Thursday, Aug. 25.

I ran into a few people who said the Sheriff’s luncheon was great.

Oh my, it’s so hot. My sister and her husband are coming for a visit in mid-September and I think they are not going to be happy campers. My sister really, really hates hot weather. We had talked about spending an afternoon in the French Market but if it’s like this, I think we’ll opt for the Aquarium or the D-Day Museum. Not outside!

These afternoon thunder showers are quite sensational. The dog and I ventured to the Belle River landing the other evening, thinking we could at least walk a little since the temperature had dropped below 90. The water in the spillway has fallen to the point where we can once again walk on the mud flats, but we hadn’t gone far when the sky got truly nasty and big strikes of lightning were flashing. I had an umbrella and wouldn’t have minded getting wet, but that lightning is pretty scary. So we headed for the car.

Once, some years ago (don’t remember exactly when), I was teaching in a room which had windows on two full sides so we had a good view of the yard. A storm came up, and since this was a science class, we all practiced counting 1001, 1002, 1003 (then divide by five) – every time we saw a flash of lightning until we heard the thunder. We’d just said 1001 and there was a huge bang, blue squiggly lights jiggled across the ceiling, some of the glass panes broke and bells in the hallway, which hadn’t been used in years, started ringing. It was a truly awesome science lesson on how to gauge the distance of a lighting strike!

Ever since I read in the Teche News about that police dog who died of heat prostration while chasing some guys through a cane field, I’m much more cognizant of my own dog’s health. She’s overweight to begin with and that black fur soaks up the heat. So we don’t go far from cooling water these days.

I happened to see the Baton Rouge Advocate today and was delighted to see a story about Louis Zamperini appearing at a school in Baton Rouge. I just finished reading “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand – all about Zamperini and his experiences in WWII. I didn’t realize the man was still alive. Age alone is amazing, but what that man lived through AND the fact that he is still alive is astounding.

I am still filled with indignation after reading Mr. Bienvenu’s “Pense Donc” column last week about the new ‘entitlement,’ free cell phones for the poor. I have a cell phone for which I buy minutes – no contract – and use it for quick, on the go calls. I buy $50 worth of minutes and those last me over three months, some times less, occasionally more. No caller ID, no call waiting. I consider my cell phone extra, not a necessity. I have one because I almost always drive alone and my daughters told me it wasn’t safe unless I had a way to call for help. I’ve only had one emergency in which my cell phone came in handy, but it sure was nice to be able to call for help when I had a flat tire at 11 p.m. out of town.

It‘s still a luxury item and I don’t begrudge paying for it, but I do resent paying for someone else’s free phone.

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lcooke9417@bellsouth.net.