Be thankful, mindful of others

As we prepare to give thanks for our blessings this week (hopefully we do it every day!), let us all be aware that the holidays are often a difficult time of year for many.

There are those who are suffering financial hardships. Those who may be alone for the first time at the holidays. And there are people suffering from severe illnesses, mental or physical, who wonder if this could be the last holiday season they spend with their families.

More important than the turkey, the trimmings, the Christmas tree or the gifts are the people. During the frenetic pace of holiday parties and school and church programs, let’s not lose our awareness of those around us who may be suffering.

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Please allow me to correct an error from a story I ran last Sunday. Vicki Morehead suffered a severe stroke in October, and has no health insurance. She is unable to work, or to be alone for any length of time. Her friend and boss, Tom Adams at Victorian Sample, along with some other friends, hosted a wine and cheese reception this past week to raise funds for her medical care.

I incorrectly stated in the story that Vicki is receiving treatment at UT Southwestern. Her daughter, Hanna Morehead Phillips, contacted me to let me know Vicki is actually being treated in a research program with the Texas Woman’s University at the Stroke Center in Dallas.

“The people there are wonderful, and doing a great thing for Mom,” Phillips said.

Hanna, her father and brother all appreciate the community support Vicki has received. She has a long road ahead, but prayer support is appreciated.

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Here’s something pretty awesome — the winter 2008 issue of “O, The Oprah Magazine” has a page on Hable Construction! In the event you missed it, our own exp featured sisters Katharine Hable Sweeney and Susan Hable Smith, who are the proud owners/founders of Hable Construction, a textile/design company in New York City. The business was named in honor of their grandfather’s road construction business of the early 1900s.

The sisters recently purchased and refurbished a downtown building on Beaton Street, and much of their mail order business is done from there.

The page from “O” talks about “Where I’m From” and Katharine mentions several local downtown businesses in the national magazine. Along with a map of Corsicana downtown, she mentions five local shops, complete with telephone numbers, photos of cool finds, and a description of each one.

My favorite quote on the page is, “The Two Doors Down Coffee House is in an old factory building, and they preserved a lot of the original details,” Katharine said. “The buttermilk pie is so good, it’ll blow your hair off.”

Green’s Western Wear, Merchants Antique Mall, Victorian Sample and Canterbury Court also received plugs in the article. I love the part where Katharine talks about Peaches at Green’s, and how long she and her sister have been buying boots there.

If you haven’t seen the article, pick up a copy of “O” at a newsstand, and check it out! Here’s hoping to see the Hable girls in the Can during the holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

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Deanna Brown is a Daily Sun staff writer and editor of “exp ...” Her column appears on Sundays. She may be reached by e-mail at deanna@corsicanadailysun.com.