Escalante Chit Chat - I Li - Everyone is hoping for a January thaw but so far no luck; Thell Barney has ordered a warm rain but then what would we do with all that mud? Billie Davis was bragging about having no ice on his horse water trough, we knew those horses were hot blooded but that sounded a trifle extreme, he finally admitted having one of those heating gadgets in the trough. The cattle situation is no better, in ordinary years there are places without snow under the trees, but this year the snow has blown everywhere and they have no place to lay except on it, then they freeze down and do not have strength to get up, so freeze to death, of course starving hastens the end. Jed Smith is back home from the Page hospital after having his appendix removed, he is getting along ok. Lillian Coleman is home from the Panguitch hospital after double surgery. She says she feels better than she has for three years but seeing the work that needs doing and she is not supposed to do is quite nerve wracking. Gwen Lyman went to Page for tests and found she is with the majority of American people and has an ulcer, but with diet and medication should live to a ripe old age. Harvey List on found some stray sox and tried to blame them on various people, even making enormous bets as to who the owner was but no one will take the blame, so if you lost your sox contact Harvey. The oil rig up North Creek has been plugged and the equipment is in the process of being moved to the Upper Valley. Lorin and Meletta Cottam have been married fifty years ; their wedding date is Jan. 16, 1918. Due to weather conditions, their state of health, and the wide area their family covers, they decided to celebrate In June when everyone could get together. Tr ?ir son Byron and family came irom Spring-ville to fix things so they would be all right for several days and took them back to Springville for a visit. Wilford and Koleen Griffin got word that son Wilford Kent AMN has completed his basic training at the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and has been sent to the Keesler Air Frce Base in Biloxi, Mississippi and is being schooled in Communication Electronics He likes it fine, has gained weight and 's quite contented Dee Haws, hundal Lyman and Mohr Christensen went to Ka-nab to a meeting. Ivan and Nelda Willis are home from a short visit in Csn Diego with daughter Maureen Dean and family Blke and Gurena Robinson spent some time up north with fafltff members, when they returned they were visited by Mr. and Mrs. Mont Heap from Wyoming, he is the fellow who trained Blake's and Billie's race horses. A Valley Finance meeting was held the weekend, Reed and Faun Thompson came from Cedar City and the Don Swapps from Kanab. Orilla Cowles Is a proud grandmother; she had the privilege of going through the St. George temple with three of her grandsons, Ronnie and Stanley Stowe and Dennis Cowles. It was the first time for Dennis and Stanley who have gone through school together and will go Into the mission home together, their testimonials will be Jan. 21 in the North ward Sacrament meeting. Others accompanying the group were Lucile Cowles, going for the first time, and Bn. Vernon Spencer and wife Kula. Sylvan and Sylvia Graf and Andrew Spencer Joined them at the temple and they saw Billie Barker there. Dee Haws and Gyde Spencer had business in Panguitch. So did Nell and Theo Barker. Dee Haws met the bus In Panguitch and brought daughter Jeanie Mclnelly home for a break in her beauty school training. Ronald Mecham and wife were here from Cedar City. Ward Dotson of Miners-vllle was a house guest at the Bill Griffin home. Their dau ghter Nici was home. Dicey Coombs Is out of the hospital but will stay in the Provo area until she is recovered from her surgery. Frank and Idella Imlay went to Filmore to visit family members. Our boys played the Valiey team here and won, the game was well attended and both teams showed excellent training. There was quite a crowd from Valley, not only the cheering section but parents and townspeople as well, we noticed Jim Haws and family, also folks from the neighboring towns Season tickets for the ball games can be purchased from Marjie Spencer. A Stake MIA Leadership meeting was held here In the North ward Sunday. The North ward held their conference in Sacrament meeting with talks by the stake presidency, Chase Shurtz, Reeves Baker and Ma-len Mecham, Helen Shurtz represented the Relief Society, Retha Shurtz the YLMIA. Dix ie Shakespeare the Primary. Dewey Willis t.. Sund i School, and Earl Jolley the YMMlA Each talked briefly and Geraldine Liston sang accompanied by Areola Gates The South ward had as speak ers James Munson, Alton Shakespear and Marion Clark, Merlene Thurber played a pi uno solo DUP meeting as held at the home of Nethella Woolsi-y ( continued inside ) ESCALANTE (continued with 16 Daughters present, we had a good meeting and enjoyable visit. Nethella had a newspaper clipping sent to her by LaVerd Larson of Gunnison, she got it from some Inlaws In California who had clipped it from a newspaper from New England. The town was Fitchburg, Mass. and told that Elder Wade E. Griffin, a native of Escalante, Utah had been transfered from Canada to labor In that area. RelaUves here got word of the death of a former resident, Theresa Lis ton Durfey who passed away in Richfield and waa burled In Wayne county. Dale Wilson came home for the weekend with a classy four passenger plane and took friends riding. Erma Gates called her father, Mike Schow for his 82nd birthday anniversary, he is in Salt Lake City and feeling fine. Don Kelly flew to Salt Lake on business, Sandra Lyman had business there also. Judy Kellv took the kids to Pangultch for dental appointments. The BUI Boyles have a new car. Carmen Sedwicks Is here giving a sewing class. Wilmer Baker and family are back from Idaho, his wife and two kids will stay here while he goes to California for a month's schooling. McKay and La Fay e Bailey had business in Richfield. The Doug Haycocks have moved to Monroe, and he is going to Salt Lake for some special schooling. Helen Shurtz got a phone call to come to Pangultch and get her father-in-law Ray who had been in St. George since holiday time, he came that far with Mr. Daly. He did not bring his luggage but came to have Helen nurse him over a cold and see if he could help out with the cattle situation. Champ Church completed the painting of the North ward chapel celling and walls, and they have a new clock placed so the speaker can keep track of the time. Basket ball is in season and we should support the boys, if thev could play a ball game without that horrid noise.