Boy has strange urge to vacuum
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Let me put it this way. Kyle got his first vacuum at age 1. He dressed up as a Dirt Devil for Halloween at 2. And, as a former teacher recalls, he was vacuuming during school recess instead of going outside to play at 6.
Kyle’s vacuum obsession has even drawn the attention of CBS News, which did a feature story on him. In that interview, Kyle said that some people like baseball better than football. He said he likes vacuums ‘better than everything.’
Did I mention this child has 165 new and used vacuum cleaners in his collection? He rotates around and uses almost all of them while vacuuming his house up to five times a day.
While this might seem like a mother’s dream, it’s not so popular with Kyle’s older sister, Michelle. During the CBS interview, Michelle sounded off by saying, ‘He’s constantly vacuuming. That’s all I hear. It’s always loud in my house.’
His sister then asked the question most of us are probably asking right now, ‘I’m just like why, why, why, why, why, why? I don’t understand.’
As you might expect, Kyle makes some spare change by vacuuming the houses of some of his neighbors. He can also repair vacuums and has a vast knowledge of the history of vacuum cleaners.
So when will Kyle’s parents say enough is enough? Apparently not anytime soon.
‘When I go off to college, my parents say they’re gonna have a big vacuum sale,’ said Kyle.
I realize it takes all types of people to make the world go round. And some folks probably look at Kyle and think he’s one unique individual.
I look at Kyle and think he’s a child in need of intense therapy. He’s past unique. He’s just plain weird.
As for other news of the odd, strange and curious nature, most of us have probably heard by now that Barry Bonds has broken Hank Aaron’s long-standing home run record. There will be no shortage of memorabilia to commemorate the occasion at baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Among the items collected to place in the Hall of Fame display was dirt from the home plate area. Personally, if I’m touring the Hall of Fame, I’m not going to be too interested in seeing a pile of dirt. This is just a tad bit overboard.
Other items collected include: Bonds’ batting helmet, a baseball signed by the umpiring crew, the balls and strikes indicator used by the home plate umpire, the score sheet used by the San Francisco announcer, and lineup cards from each team.
The only thing missing is the syringe Bonds used before the game. OK, that’s mean.
Inn at Harvest Farms has new owners
Freddie and Diane Morton have found new owners for their popular gathering place, the Inn at Harvest Farms. Those owners are Ron and Angela Gribble, who will make operating the facility a family affair.
‘Everybody is excited about it opening back up and I think they will do well,’ said Diane. ‘They are very personable, very outgoing people.’
And they are also ready to get to work. The Gribbles are expected to close on the inn Monday morning and they have a customer coming Monday afternoon to plan a reception.
When I talked to Angela on Friday, she said the early emphasis is not going to be on the bed-and-breakfast aspect. Rather, she said the plan is to re-establish the inn as a place for special occasions.
‘We’re going to focus on weddings, anniversaries, showers and birthday parties,’ said Angela. ‘We’re also going to be making it into a beauty shop and day spa.’
Angela said the beauty shop will be in the separate outbuilding and it will be open during the week. It will also be handy for putting the finishing touches on brides moments before they walk down the aisle.
Angela said her oldest daughter, Whitney, will graduate from Georgia Career Institute on Aug. 20 and she will operate the shop full time. Angela’s mother, a longtime hair stylist in Manchester, will also work there.
I think it’s great the inn is getting back on its feet. I remember a few years ago when Harvest Farms was in its prime, it seemed like there was a wedding there every weekend. Perhaps those days can return. As Angela says, it seems like it was meant to be.
‘We went to buy tomatoes across the street when we saw the ‘For Sale By Owner’ sign,’ said Angela. ‘It’s like this was destiny.’
I hope to have more information on this next week.
North Chancery Street losing residential feel
One thing sticks out when traveling North Chancery Street toward Wal-Mart. The street is flooded with real estate signs urging people to buy what is zoned as commercial property.
As single lots, I don’t see this property as very attractive. After all, the track record of converting an old house into a thriving business is not good.
But the prospects are intriguing when considering that almost an entire side of the street is for sale from Cleaners Express to Wal-Mart. If the property is bought together, it could make a suitable retail development.
Campbell Realty is the listing agent for three of those houses and co-owner Donna Campbell says the retail prospects are promising.
‘The hope is that the road is going to widen,’ said Donna. ‘And the property is really priced well in comparison to what’s on the market.’
Donna says she has side-by-side property that’s priced together at $198,500. Another lot is priced by itself at $135,000.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the next few years holds for N. Chancery. I think it’s days of being a residential area are coming to an end.
Morton’s Horticulture is not closing
Ernest Morton stopped by the office and asked me to clarify last week’s story about Morton’s Horticulture. So I will do that now.
Ernest says he has in fact closed his plant division on Smithville Highway, which was the nursery sales yard. However, he wants to stress that the horticulture division will remain open.
Ernest says Morton’s will continue to sell all its quality greenhouse and nursery supplies. That is not going to change. The only thing that will close is the nursery sales yard.
Employment help is here for seniors
If you’re over 55 and in need of a job, the National Council on Aging has opened an office inside the Senior Center to lend you a hand.
The office is being operated by Jerry Davis, who has been on the job about a month. The federally funded program is fairly straightforward and I’ll try to explain it in the simplest terms possible.
Those who are accepted into the program will be given on-the-job training at a non-profit agency or a business around town. The employee will be paid minimum wage while they learn their new job skills and be limited to 20 hours a week. After the training is complete, the employee can then leave the program and find employment using their new skills.
‘The ultimate goal is unsubsidized employment,’ said Jerry. ‘It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved and it’s rare for that to happen. The business gets free labor and the employee gets to learn a new job skill.’
The National Council on Aging dates back to the 1960s and the organization has gone through many changes. It has endured because it has proven to be a valuable program and I think local seniors looking for work would be wise to take advantage of it.
Obviously, the job is not a long-term solution because it only pays minimum wage and Jerry is aware of that.
‘It’s not a real living wage, but it’s a stepping stone to getting them back in the workforce,’ said Jerry. ‘The goal is to get them a skill and into the private sector where they can earn a better wage.’
Bill Christians is one person involved in the program and he was hard at work last week at the Senior Center. He is employed there doing janitorial and maintenance work.
‘If I see something that needs to be done, I do it,’ said Bill. ‘I just go, go, go.’
At 73, Bill is a sparkplug. He says he still dances and roller skates and hasn’t been in the hospital since 1951.
To find out more about this program, call Jerry at 474-5566.
That’s all folks
Along with the heat and the summer drought, the number of new businesses also seems to have dried up. Call me with business news at 473-2191.