Sorting through the mess in my linen closet — sheets mixed together with worn-out bath towels and shower curtains — I was reminded of my grandmother's much smaller and neater closets of days gone by.

There was a preponderance of blankets and quilts, all handmade by various churchwomen's guilds at their twice-monthly meetings held in a Sunday school room where a quilting frame was set up.

Lovely quilts were made, of course, but even better was the opportunity this activity provided for the exchange of gossip! Who was seeing who, and which young church member was pregnant 'again?'

Once the railroad was extended into the area, it brought in workers from out of state. Many among the recent immigrants were sweet-talking Irishmen. They were quite a change from the stolid Pennsylvania Dutch locals, and the gossip often included the news that some of these recent pregnancies had taken place outside the bonds of wedlock.

One woman said, "There's been a LOT of changes since the railroad came through."

All of the adults were assumed to know what that meant, but even at the age of 12, I caught on.

I guess that was when I decided that when I grew up I would join all the clubs and organizations I could; after all, that was where the news was! Oh, well, nobody among the senior set here has been pregnant lately...

Like the common cold and tooth decay, foot problems are also always with us. Different ages experience different difficulties in this area. Geriatric problems focus on plantar neuroma or arthritic joints. These result from a lifetime of wear and tear on this most-neglected part of the body.

Plantar neuroma results when two metatarsal bones are abnormally positioned. Shoes squeeze the bones together and irritate the nerve endings, causing pain in the ball of the foot. For this ailment, a podiatrist will usually first try cortisone injections. If relief is not obtained, surgical removal of the nerve growth is possible.

As for arthritic joints, aside from the usual treatments, plastic replacements have sometimes been used. Nonetheless, actual foot surgery is best avoided whenever possible, so take good care of your feet. Always wear comfortable shoes.

As people age our bodies change, but it doesn't mean your feet have to hurt.

At the top of the Business page the other day, I read the usual headline about gas costing more than $4 a gallon. But don't despair; there was also a bit of good news on that page:

In a small article devoted to a plan by Wal-Mart to buy local produce, it was announced that Dr. Jeff Mullahey of the University of Florida won a watermelon-seed spitting contest at the Wal-Mart Super Center in Pace. The contest was held to honor an agreement with the Panhandle Fresh Marketing Association to carry produce grown by farmers within a 100-mile radius.

Mullahey won the contest with a record distance of 21 feet, 9 inches. Now, the question is, can we trust Wal-Mart as far as he can spit?

Just kidding...

Here's a clever definition:

Unabated — a mousetrap without cheese

The unkindest cut of all — "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." — Groucho Marx

See you next week!