Many folks living in and near the Warda area have family ties of Wendish descent. The Wendish museum and heritage society in Serbin is changing things up a bit this year. Although there won’t be a Wendish Fest as we’ve come to know and love, there will be an “Almost Wendish Fest.”

C.S. Lewis taught that one of the most helpful reading strategies is to “wear” an author. Sounds weird right? Basically, what he meant was that you don’t have to share an author’s worldview to read and enjoy them. But you do have to try that worldview on. Therefore, when I read Plato I try my best to try on the view of an Athenian Platonist. When I read an atheist like Christopher Hitchens I try and wear his worldview as well even though I personally find it repugnant. I don’t have to feel comfortable doing it. But if I would benefit from them I must endeavor to see the world as they see it. I think this is a great word for us today especially in our cancel culture. We tend to read, looking for a fight. The second we see one, we will close the book, crumple the note, or throw the paper in the bin. I think this is a desperately sad mistake because if we never consider things from another point of view then how will we ever grow? And for that matter, how will we ever criticize? In order to criticize anything we must first state the other person’s ideas in such a way that they would say “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” How can we ever do that if we don’t endeavor to understand them first?

I’m trying my hand at a project that my hand was not made to do, and it gets more challenging by the peso. I’m making some local friends what I thought would be a small, simple, quick gift just for my own amusement, and it has turned into a task beyond my expertise, which isn’t very far.

La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath reports on the following incidents his department resonded to during the week of Aug. 30 through Sept.

The Round Top Rifle Hall Monday Night Burgers have resumed. There will be halfcapacity seating indoors downstairs, and the full outdoor pavilion will be available with social distancing rules in effect. All meals will be served in to-go containers.

Giddings Times & News • Joseph Kalani Quadrelli, 20 of Lincoln, was rushed to an area hospital with serious injuries after his pickup crashed into a tree that fell onto his truck on Sept. 3 at 2:48 p.m.

While the sheriff was putting the finishing touches on preparations for the first ever hanging in Maverick County on Sep. 18, 1891, four devious schoolboys came up with a clever plan to watch the private execution in person.

My dad turned 80 last week. We had a party for him at my brother’s house Saturday, where we sat in lawn chairs under some big oaks as the sun set, ate boiled shrimp six feet apart from each other, played some dominos and laughed about the great goat chase that spanned the previous two days.

Even during a pandemic, it’s best to not mess with Texas. Texas Department of Transportation officials noticed more personal protective equipment -- face masks, wipes and gloves -- on the side of roads and highways, so they called in the big guns for a new round of “Don’t mess with Texas” commercials.

I have written often about my late husband’s fascination with gadgets … especially those new on the market. Back in the late 90’s, I planned to surprise him one Christmas with a “TomTom.” It was a new navigation system for your car and highly advertised. It promised to take the place of maps which were always tearing apart at the seams. I say planned to surprise him because this was before we began paying bills online and he saw the order on Mastercard. At least he tried to act surprised. And the gadget did make a hit.