Probably the most unrestrained White House reception in history followed the inauguration ceremonies of President Jackson on March 4, 1829. The mansion had been thrown open to the throng of people who had come to the city to see their hero sworn into office. The dignity of the occasion disappeared under the rabble, a mob of "boys, Negroes, women and children, scrabbling, fighting, romping." The damage of several thousand dollars was done in the crush to get at the refreshments. . It finally became necessary to carry out the punch and food in tubs and buckets to supply the crowd estimated at 20,000 persons. It was such a scene of confusion that people were climbing out windows and even the President escaped through the kitchen. Other dinners were described as brilliant, elegant etc. One such recollection was given by Jessie Benton, daughter of Senator Thomas Benton. " The whole stately house adorned and ready--great wood fires in every room, immense numbers of wax lights everywhere, stands of camellias and laurentia banked row upon row. After going through this silent waiting fairy-land, we were taken to the state dining room where the georgeous supper table shaped like a horseshoe, covered with every good and glittering thing French skill could devise, and at either end a monster salmon in waves of meat jelly." When the President retired to the Hermitage a steady stream of visitors began anew. When a regiment of Texas volunteers 900 strong arrived to pay their respects to the General, sheep, beeves, and chickens from the plantation were hastily prepared for the unexpected guests, in such quantity that every fireplace on the plantation was pressed into service and a wagonload of bread had to be purchased in Nashville as the Hermitage ovens could not bake that much bread on short notice. According to White House Historians Jackson served a 1400 pound wheel of cheese at one party that was said to be consumed in two hours. ____________________________________________________________ It seems that CHEESE wheels were pretty common back in those days.

My deepest sympathies, Eva. My great Aunt marion is still living. She was 97 in October. She lives by herself out in the country in a 3 story house. The only bathroom is upstairs, the washer and dryer are in the basement. She still mows her own lawn every week all Summer. Her drivers license expired with her birthday last year but, she passed the eye exam and it was renewed for another 4 years. Her mind is as sharp as ever and she's not shy about sharing her opinion. She's a real pistol and I hope I can age as well as she has. Ron

It is WAY too early in the morning for me to look at any of those "People of Walmart" photos! This posting is funny. The droopies: Proof that God is not a woman.

An older lady was lonely and decided that she needed a pet to keep her company. So off to the pet shop she went. Forlornly, she searched. Nothing seemed to catch her interest, except this one ugly frog. As she walked by the barrel he was in, he looked up and winked at her! He whispered, "I'm lonely, too. Buy me, and you won't be sorry." The old lady figured what the heck, as she hadn't found anything else. So, she bought the frog and went to her car. Driving down the road the frog whispered to her, "Kiss me, and you won't be sorry." So, the old lady figured what the heck, and kissed the frog. Immediately the frog turned into an absolutely gorgeous, sexy young prince. Then the prince kissed her back, and you know what the old lady turned into? The first motel she could find. (She's old, not dead!) *********************************************************** Mildred was a 93 year-old woman who was particularly despondent over the recent death of her husband, Earl. She decided that she would just kill herself and join him in death. Thinking that it would be best to get it over with quickly, Mildred took out Earl's old Army pistol and made the decision to shoot herself in the heart, since it was so badly broken in the first place. Not wanting to miss the vital organ and become a vegetable and a burden to someone, she called her doctor's office to inquire as to just exactly where the heart was located. "On a woman," the doctor said, "your heart would be just below your left breast." Later that night, Mildred was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her knee. *********************************************************** Have you heard about the guys who drove their pickup truck into a lumberyard? One of them walked in the office and said, "We need some four-by-twos." "You mean two-by-fours, don't you?" the clerk said. "Let me go check," replied the man, and he went back to the truck. "Yeah, I meant two-by-fours," he said, returning a few moments later. "Alright. How long do you need them?" The customer paused for a minute to think and then finally said, "I'd better go check." After awhile he returned to the office and said, "A long time. We're building a house."