"KATE SMITH." The mention of her name still evokes a warm feeling of nostalgia in the hearts of millions who are old enough recall Kate and her thrilling renditions of popular ballads -- and her powerful, outgoing personality and infectious laughter. Her autographed publicity photo shown here is a prized part of my radio memorabilia collection.

An untiring patriot, Kate Smith was honored by every President from Roosevelt, who called her an "American treasure", to Reagan, who gave her the highest civilian award in the nation, the Medal of Freedom. During the Second World War, she was personally credited with selling six hundred million dollars in Defense Bonds. Do you have any idea of what $ 600,000,000 was in the early 1940's?

Kate was called the "First Lady of Song" or "America's Southern Songbird" by her peers. Voted one of the three most beloved and important women of her time, Kate Smith was the very embodiment of the American spirit and an inspiration to millions everywhere. Her popularity and her music transcended a half century, all the way from vaudeville to soft rock. She introduced over six hundred popular songs. Yes, you read correctly -- 600 popular songs! More than twenty of her records were million sellers -- back in a culture when selling a million records really meant something.

As a true pioneer in both radio and television, her importance as a public personality is unsurpassed in the annals of broadcasting history. She is undeniably an American original! Can you believe that Kate Smith was more powerful as leader, entertainer, and spokesperson for all America than any one since including Ophra Winfrey, Sen. Hillary Clinton, or Condalisa Rice. Hard to believe, but it's very true.

Kate had been making records since 1926 but was discovered in 1930 by Columbia Records vice president Ted Collins, who became her partner and manager who developed her public career which included her radio programs. Kate was an immediate success on radio and she soon broke the record for the number of continous performances at the legendary Palace Theatre.

She soon had the most popular radio variety program, The Kate Smith Hour, which aired weekly from 1937-45. At the same time she had the No. 1 daytime radio show, the midday Kate Smith Speaks, a news and commentary program. Everyone listened to this show which she did with her agent, sidekick, and beloved friend, Ted Collins. She talked about issues before talk radio, gave the editorialized news, entertained and interviewed guests. In 1950 Kate entered television with a Monday-Friday afternoon variety show, The Kate Smith Hour (1950-54). It proved so popular that NBC gave her a prime-time show on Wednesday evenings, The Kate Smith Evening Hour. Her last TV series was CBS’s The Kate Smith Show, a weekly half-hour musical series in 1960.

Kate's biggest hits were River, Stay ’Way From My Door (1931), The Woodpecker Song (1940), The White Cliffs of Dover (1941), I Don’t Want to Walk Without You (1942), There Goes That Song Again (1944), Seems Like Old Times (1946), and Now Is the Hour (1947).

Her theme song was "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain," whose lyrics she helped write. Irving Berlin regarded the song she made most famous, "God Bless America," as his most important composition. In 1938 Kate predicted that the song would still be sung long after all of us are gone—and it surely will.

In the fifties and sixties, she began making LP albums, with such best sellers as Kate Smith at Carnegie Hall (1963), How Great Thou Art (1965), and America’s Favorites: Kate Smith/Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops (1967). You can hear the entire Kate Smith at Carnagie Hall on Norm's Radio. My prize collection of "mint" LP albums includes all of Kate Smith's albums from the 1950's and 1960's as well as many of her 78's and some of the sheet music that used to be on every piano. I also have a full collection of Guy Lombardo, Wayne King, and Fred Waring LP's. I'd be honored to send you a CD of some of them. All you need to do is send me your address and I'll get one off to you.

Kate was a regular part of the home I grew up in -- we had her receipe books, 78rpm records, sheet music, books, listened to her radio programs, and watched her television shows. Her photo was in all the magazines and on billboards endorsing various products as Michael Jordon or Tiger Woods are today.

Kate Smith has a passion for wood inboard boats. I knew that as a boy as I knew that Guy Lombardo was a champion speedboat driver and owner. Kate owned a 1929 Chris Craft and loved it. As I remember she had it on a lake in upstate New York and was photographed with it often. Restoration Hardware had one of the photos some five years ago AND I DIDN'T BUY IT? I found a great photograph on the Internet that was made possible by Kate's official web site and association. I have a link to it below.

Kate Smith had a voice you never forgot once you heard it. Be sure to click the audio above and listen to 30 minutes of her 1968 concert in Carnagie Hall. It will introduce the youngun's to a jewel they missed. And to those who know....? a wonderful moment of memory and maybe a tear or two.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on "religion?" Come to me! Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message Bible Navigator Press, Glen Eyrie, Colorado Springs, CO

THE PHRASE "LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE" IS ONE GREAT METAPHOR! Would you not agree?

The Scripture you've just read above has some wonderful words of Jesus. They are as comforting as one can find anywhere in the Bible. Jesus makes some powerful key suggestions -- "Walk with me." "Work with me."

That's how we get to know someone intimately. By walking and working we learn the heart and mind of the person we are doing it with and develop an intimate love.

And, then that beautiful phrase -- "learn the unforced rhythms of grace." That's one powerful phrase! "The unforced rhythms of grace."

When we've learned to do that we are definitley in a state of "going with the flow" -- knowing Who you have turned control of your life over to. Absolutely beautiful and something everyone should experience!

Fords "ran" in our family, so to speak. Dad even owned two Ford Mustangs after he retired. My father always drove Fords, that is, until they moved from northern Wisconsin to Florida. Then he bought a dinky little Opel, his last car.

My first two cars were a 1935 Ford convertible coupe, and a 1940 Ford two door sedan. As I said, Fords ran in our family; that is, until I went into the Army. While in Germany I was temporarily converted to a different stable and breed.

The first Ford I remember was the one my Dad bought the year I was born, a 1932 Ford coupe, with rumble seat. It was in the Ford owner's favorite color at that time, black; and it had wire-spoke wheels that were painted red. Whether the wheels were painted by Ford or by Dad I cannot say.

As I think about it, could it be possible that my father's 1932 Ford coupe was the "Little Deuce Coupe" that the Beach Boys made famous with their California singing during the Sixties?

I have two distinct memories of that car. The first is rather pleasant, and is a memory of sitting on the dirt floor of our garage washing those beautiful red wheels.

I was about four or five at the time. The wheels were probably cleaner before I started, but I thought it was great that Dad would let me help him clean the car. My wife now wishes that same desire for car cleanliness would strike me, at least occasionally.

The other distinct memory of the 1932 Ford has to do with that wonderful invention, the rumble seat. Old car buffs that have restored models such as that 1932 Ford must take great pride in their vehicles as they drive the local homecoming queen down the main street. Seated on the upper edge of the back of the rumble seat, they wave their smiling way down the parade route.

However, not since my childhood, have I seen the rumble seat used as my father said it was intended; he claimed the rumble seat was for transporting children—specifically my older sister and I—no matter what the weather. If you have ever lived in Wisconsin, you know the only two seasons officially observed there are winter, and the Fourth of July.

Weekly we traveled from the north side of Milwaukee to Bay View on the south side. The reason? My uncle, aunt, and cousins lived there and we made the trek for our weekly reunion. I have fond memories of those visits, especially the part where we were inside a warm house, eating and playing together. But, the trip to the warm house was a killer.

There was no such thing as too cold, as far as Dad was concerned. He was one of those hardy men who delivered milk every day of the year. After all, the cows had to be milked every day, and children needed to drink their milk every day.

He felt that his children were as capable of getting about in the bitter Wisconsin winter as he was. It never seemed to occur to him that his first work-related transportation, his horse drawn wagon, was covered. Later, his truck was covered too, and the truck even had a heater.

I never saw a rumble seat with a heater.

What my sister and I got was two woolen paper mill blankets. These blankets were very scratchy and provided adequate warmth when used indoors on a bed. Dad seemed to think there was not significant enough difference between rumble seats and beds to warrant argument over the warmth element.

Fortunately, for me, I had a kind sister, nine years older than me. She always made sure that I was bundled up with her in the rumble seat, with as much of us covered as was possible.

I suppose that Dad never drove over 25 miles per hour. However, when you consider what we know today about wind-chill factors, and take into account that Dad considered ten degrees below zero balmy weather in Wisconsin, you can guess that the ten mile trip from one end of Milwaukee to the other was no pleasure outing.

I have often wondered if the tendency for my ears, hands, feet and other body parts, to begin to feel first, very hot, and then completely numb after being in the relatively mild southeastern winters, has anything to do with those sub-zero trips through Milwaukee in the rumble seat of Dad's 1932 Ford.

I'm sure that Dad would certainly say, "NO!"

Rumble seats may bring memories of picnic outings with the warm summer breeze gently mussing one's hair to some; but those folks never lived in Wisconsin, and, they never knew my Dad.

But, hey, I'm not complaining. In fact, I sort of wish Dad's last car had not been that dinky Opel, but could have been like that 1932 black Ford coupe with the rumble seat and red spoke wheels. "Little Deuce Coupe," you know what I mean. -Harvey Nowland

1 to change the light bulb and to post to the mail list that the light bulb has been changed

14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently

7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs

27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs

53 to flame the spell checkers

41 to correct spelling/grammar flames

6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" or "Light bulb" or "Light Bulb" or "light BULB"

another 6 to condemn those 6 as anal-retentive

156 to write to the list administrator about the light bulb discussion and its inappropriateness to this mail list

109 to post that this list is not about light bulbs and to please take this email exchange to litebulb

203 to demand that cross posting to grammar, spelling and illumination about changing light bulbs be stopped

111 to defend the posting to this list saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this mail list 306 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty

27 to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs

14 to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and to post the corrected URLs

3 to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant to this list which makes light bulbs relevant to this list

33 to link all posts to date, then quote them including all headers and footers and then add "Me too"

12 to post to the list that they are unsubscribing because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy.

19 to quote the "Me toos" to say "Me three"

4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQ

44 to ask what is "FAQ"

4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago on "that other list"?"

143 to ask "what's 'the other list'?"

853 to pose the question -- "Should light bulbs be changed?"

Yesterday was "Mothering Day." We honored mothers – not for having the most children, the youngest child, the mother who traveled the furthest, or the mother who rinsed the most cloth diapers in the toilet. Yup, that’s what it’s called. We gave roses to all of them, even to those Moms who are waiting for us to finish our race.

Thank you, Nancy Henning Plunkett, for being my wife of 44 years. It was a winding road of joy and fulfillment. And as you and I raised our three boys, you remained a true and loving wife to a guy that couldn’t have done it without your spiritual depth, many skills, wisdom, endurance, humor, trust, and love for us all. You were a great partner, a loving Mom and a model for any traditional family. We "seized" a lot of days together before you had to leave.

Nancy was the key ingredient in the establishment of a loving and permanent relationship with Mary Osgood Plunkett, who is now my wife of one year and one month. You know the story even if you are an infrequent reader of Ramblin's. And what a wonderful mother, grandmother, partner, friend, and wife Mary is. We have a lot of days to sieze ahead. I'm so blessed by her love and commitment to me, my sons, family, the Lord and life itself.

My mother, Maude Elsie Plunkett, celebrated her 99th birthday last February. And celebrated it with an astonishing degree of control in her life. Up until four years ago she lived alone, took care of her own affairs, and kept the house up in her inimitable German Pennsylvania Dutch way – and that goes for cabinet drawers too. In 1981, when I invited her to live in the home we had just vacated, I felt it would be a good way to give her some temporary help while she decided what she wanted to do. With six children she was thinking about spending a couple of months with each and doing a round robin every year.

Mom was 75 at the time she moved to Atlanta and a mile from us, and that was 24 years ago. Incredibly, she has now lived in Atlanta, Georgia as long as she lived in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin where she raised six Plunkett children on Cedar Street. My sister Judy is now living with Mom and giving assistance as her sight has failed some and had recovered from a broken hip just over a year ago -- slipped off her chair as she was settling in to listen to Rush Limbaugh.

She enjoys Paul Harvey and is a regular viewer of PBS and C-Span – and would NEVER miss seeing Brit Hume’s news hour on FOX Don’t call her at 8:00 pm because you’ll be interrupting Bill O’Riley. But what she enjoys most are programs that honor the Lord and she has her favorites.

Maude Plunkett still wakes up in the middle of the night and breaks into song – singing the old hymns that gave her strength and comfort and praying with intercession for others she knows are being tested and tried in the cauldron of life. She has been what we used to call a “Prayer Warrior!” And she has not stopped at 99.

All those Bible study classes for the neighborhood children on Cedar Street built in us a love and respect for God. Don’t know about the Shaws and the Grants, and the – can’t remember them now, but I can testify to what it did for me having a godly mother.

Mom has been in a hospital five times in her life – to give birth to four of her six children and for the broken hip a year ago! Can you believe that! Yea, I was born at home in Chicago just off Clark Street and not too far from Moody Bible Institute where Mom and Dad attended in the 1920's.

My brother Robert, retired Social Service State of Washington, pastors a small Baptist church in Othello – out in the eastern desert of the state. Last year he hooked up his computer with his RCA wireless and interviewed Mom using the house sound so everyone could hear his conversation with her. The congregation loved hearing the voice and comments of 98-year-old Maude Elsie. She sang one of her special hymns from her repetoire. She still has a wonderful voice that was trained well years ago and continually used to sing praises to the Lord.

A couple of months ago, we spent some time looking at old photos from 50 to 80 years ago. Mom was able to identify every person and gave us some great stories from the past and we were able to mark the photos for future generations should the Lord tarry and recorded the time on video. It was incredible to experience.

I know that I speak for my brothers and sisters: Meredith Moody in Mequon,, WI; David Melanchthon, really living with the Lord -- he moved April 1 2004; Joanne Elaine, Flagstaff, AZ; Robert McKay, Othello, WA; and Judith Elaine, now living with Mom and helping her each day when I write, "Thanks MOM. No one could have done it like you!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Our scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and are worried. We are OK. Only one of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Chad when it happened. Oh yeah, please call Chad's mother and tell her he’s OK. He can't write because of the cast.

I got to ride in one of the search and rescue jeeps. It was sure neat. We never would have found him in the dark if it hadn't been for the lightning. Scoutmaster Walt got mad at Chad for going on a hike alone without telling anyone. Chad said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him. Did you know that if you put gas on a fire, the gas can blows up? The wet wood still didn't burn, but one of the tents did. Also, some of our clothes. John is going to look weird until his hair grows back.

We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Walt gets the car fixed. It wasn't his fault about the wreck. The brakes worked OK when we left. Scoutmaster Walt said that a car that old you have to expect something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance. We all think it's a neat car. He doesn't care if we get it dirty, and if it's hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the fenders! It gets pretty hot with 10 people in a car. He used to let us take turns riding in the trailer until the highway patrolman stopped and talked to us. Scoutmaster Walt is a neat guy. Don't worry, he’s a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Terry how to drive on the mountain roads where there isn't any traffic. All we ever see up there are logging trucks.

This morning us guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out in the lake. Scoutmaster Walt wouldn't let me go with them cause I still can't swim, and Chad was afraid he would sink because of his cast, so he let us take the canoe across the lake. It was great. You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood. Scoutmaster Walt isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about us having no life jackets.

He’s gotta spend a lot of time working on the car so we’re trying not to cause him any trouble. Guess what? We’ve all passed our first aid merit badges. When Dave dove in the lake and cut his arm, we got to see how a tourniquet works.

Wade and I threw up, but Scoutmaster Walt said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. He said they got sick that way with the food they ate in prison. I'm so glad he got out and became our scoutmaster. He said he sure figured out how to get things done better while he was doing his time. I have to go now. We’re going to town to mail our letters and buy bullets. Don't worry about anything. We are so fine!

Love, Johnny

WE GUARANTEE YOU CAN SET ALL YOUR CLOCKS BY IT'S ACCURACY -- EVEN YOUR ATOMIC CLOCKS AND CELL PHONES! It will give you information from the time zone your computer is set on.