Yakety Yak Yakety Yak

That Yakety Yak Song Was Great
I loved that Yakety Yak song when I was young.  I had that 45 record by the Coasters in the late 50's and I swear I wore it out playing it so much.  I loved it then and loved it later too and was still singing it in the 70's.   When my kids were young, I'd dance around and sing "Take out those papers and the trash, or you don't get no spending cash".  They, of course, thought I'd gone bonkers singing and dancing like a big baboon.  Then I'd go to a later verse, and sing "bring in the dog, and take out the cat - yakety yak".  That's when I'd convince them I'd lost it.

When I first initiated this blog, I wanted to call it Yakety Yak, but there was already a blog with  a very similar name, so they wouldn't let me use just Yakety Yak.  I thought about "blab, blab, blab" but that was not very sophisticated and I thought Greenview really needed a  more spiffy name for their blog ...  thus I came up with "yagottaknowthisaboutthat" for the name.  I thought it was more sophisticated but in thinking about it later, it is kind of a silly name for a blog and next to impossible to remember .... I still think Yakety Yak would have been better.  Maybe I'll do another blog of some sorts and call it Yakety Yak Yakety Yak...that's not the same as just one Yakety Yak.  But I'm at a loss on what I'd put in a second blog.  It's hard enough finding enough mind power to storytell on one blog.  Greenview is a rather boring town....and not a whole heck of a lot goes on in the old town.  I don't make up things to tell you....I just elaborate a lot on a rather "sweet nothin thing".

A question many people ask is why would people want to live in a small town.  I guess I could list several reasons:

• School system is usually good in small towns.
• People know each other (not as much as it used to be though).
• The crime rate is not as high as a large city/town. 
• People help each other out in sickness, death, crisis.
• People smile and wave and will speak to you.
• Taxes are cheaper (ha ha not in Menard County they aren't)
• Community involvement for events. 
• Healthier living.

That's just a few reasons.  In our town's case and the impact it had on my life, I consider myself coming from humble beginnings in a small town and I was able to make something out of myself with the education and support I had as a youngster growing up here.  It made a difference.  When I think about others growing up here, this town raised some very successful citizens, who went out into the big world and made a name for themselves in the business world.  Some that I recall from the last 50 years:  1.  Several very successful farmers/owner operators;  2.  Oil company executive; 3.  At least 4 or 5 successful bank officials; 4.  Seed operation owners; 5.  Insurance Executive; 6.  Catepillar Executive and Author; 7.  Horse Farm Owner; 8.  Horse Trainer/Stabler; 9.  Golf Course Owner/Operator.

That's just a few and there are more....too many to list.  Small town living can be beneficial to one's life and lifestyle, while there can be drawbacks that's for sure.  The biggest drawback is the shopping element! You can't buy an elegant dress or a nice casual good grade outfit or a pair of good shoes or a room full of new furniture in this town or even in the county, so a trip somewhere is necessary.  But I can easily buy good meat from a farmer, fresh vegetables from a local outside market or get it free from neighbors.  And if I have an emergency or am in need, I can call a number of friends and neighbors....not always the case in a larger town/city.  And if you want to go fishing for a few fish, there are always ponds around the town where the fish grow large.

A famous music composer and conductor, Burt Bacharach, once said: "A small town is a place where there's no place to go where you shouldn't."  And best of all is the song written by a young man named Justin Moore who is from a small Arkansas town.  The song is called "Small Town USA".  Listen to it by clicking on the link.....it might make your small town day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86iz1Qqnu4I

Old Tyme Pictures - County/Area Related

I doubt that a lot of you know that a long ago ancestor of mine rode as an honor guard at Abraham Lincoln's funeral, so our family has always been interested in Abraham Lincoln and his funeral.  The following shows some of the funeral related pictures I have.

Both of the State House, Springfield draped in Mourning

for Lincoln's funeral 1865

Persons lined up outside the Springfield Courthouse

to view the body May 4, 1865

Pictures of Lincoln's train car and engine during his funeral  procession in 1865.  His train left Washington April 21.  Willie's coffin was also aboard (he died in 1862 at age 11 in the White House) so he could be buried in Springfield.

Lincoln's Illinois Train Schedule

Lincoln's Hearse

Lincoln's Home draped in Mourning 1865

Lincoln body viewing in City Hall, New York

This is an engraving rather than a picture and was in

Harper's Weekly on May 6, 1865

Harper's Weekly May 6, 1865

The Lincoln Edition

Abraham Lincoln's First Tomb, Springfield, IL

Greenviewanites should be proud of the fact that

the 16th president of the United States once roamed

the lands of Menard County Illinois.  He surveyed

places in the Greenview area and lived just a short

distance away.  I have devoted this issue to Abraham

Lincoln in hopes that the readers could become more

knowledgeable about his death.

Due to the length of the picture display, I have elected to forego the typical daily posting items.  I'm sorry I was so late this morning, but the picture uploading took longer than I thought.  I hope you have enjoyed a look at the past this morning.  The past is gone and never can be recovered.  So much history is not documented and that is a true fault.  The unknown can't be restored and, a historian can only guess.  Chronological records of events have huge gaps where history was not documented.  I once again say to all, document your own life's history while you can.  No one else knows your complete life. 

Life in this small town of Greenview goes on, and it will for as long as the town exists.  This may be forever, but hopefully, as long as I am a part of it and able, I will continue to keep it in your life.  I remain your friend......