More erratic weather, reflecting some strange happenings about our hometown, moved in blowing us closer to Halloween and the season of holidays ahead.

Before telling you of some things I saw and people you know, let's finish our chat at T&E Paint and Supplies about employee Freddy Campbell. Freddy is a familiar face to many of you and has been doing paint and bodywork in the Carson Springs community for more years than most are old. He showed me the SEM Custom Fill machine for spray paint cans. You don't have to be a male to figure out how to get touchup paint. You women can drive on over and let Mark get the paint code off your car. He will find the hidden code and go to his computer to locate the color and its components. My paint color required eight components. The cans come pre-filled with propellant. They said that 90 percent of vehicle paint could be matched perfectly, in just a few minutes. Carl Masingale, a new employee since May, took the formula and blended the types and small amounts of paint in what ends up to be the plastic top for the can leaving a residue in it to remind you of the can's color content. Over the years past, they used a hand-pumper to fill cans but it is all automatic now thanks to the new technology purchased a couple months ago. So, presto the paint is in the spray can and Freddy can give you a few tips to touch up that door or bumper you just dented. One of the key employees and veterans is Jaynie Valentine. I discovered she is a sister to William Lancaster, who you've heard about last year in my column as the custom iron man and welder. She's been at T&E for 12 years.

I got interested in Freddy and found out he had been lured into the fascinating world of auto body and paint by a real pro, Ronnie Clevenger. His shop was near Campbell's home off Clevenger Cut-Off. Freddy's Dad was also Freddy, who retired from Magnavox and his Mom is the late Nancy Campbell, formerly of Michigan. Freddy's grandparents, Theodore and Beulah Campbell, lived in a rock house next to another familiar paint and body man, Gary Denton, who painted my Ford truck blue years ago. Freddy has two brothers and a sister. Eddie Campbell used to work for Swinton Crider. Kim McGaha lives in Parrottsville. Brother Dwayne works in Morristown for a manufacturer of food packaging. Freddy left home and married Kathy Grice and they have a son, Matthew, 24, who works at Eastman Chemicals in Kingsport. When Kathy popped into the store last week, I instantly recognized her as an employee of National Bank of Tennessee. Although Freddy has been working with T&E Paint, "on and off for five years," he does all types of vehicle painting and body repairs at their home where he has a small garage off Upper Rhinehart Road. Many years ago, as a young man he helped L.D. Ottinger and Jack Hill with vehicles for show and racing. I asked if he had gone to technical school to learn the trade but he picked it all up on his own, and at 52 loves the work and challenges of repairing your favorite car or truck that just got slammed. He also has been involved in Relay for Life fund raising, and enjoys collectible cards.

One of our readers called last week and said that I should take a look at an unusual fall decoration featuring a farmer along Industrial Road next to Strange's Custom Auto. Being one of the warm, sunny days, I drove to the business and talked with Janet Moss, who is secretary. She is also Tim Strange's sister. He opened the popular paint and body shop in 1982, and she left Farm Bureau in 2000 to go to work full time for Tim, who owns the business. The neighbor, Joy Brown, noted the display was beautiful, and so was the message. Janet created the display after being inspired several weeks ago. She usually does not build a display at her driveway next to the business. A motorist called and left a message for her: "Your praying man was such a blessing to me," she said. At night a single light behind the kneeling person illuminates the tall white cross above him. Although the person in the display wears overalls and a cap, Janet was not particularly trying to create a farmer. She said that later in the season she might change the display and use a Santa Claus outfit.

Tim and Janet, in case you wondered, as I did, are the children of Dexter and Betty Strange, who live on the other side of the business. His Dad, Jack, was a noted preacher who went about always wearing overalls. Betty's (Valentine) family lives near Warrensburg in Greene County, where Janet was driving last month and saw a similar display on a farm. That started her thinking. Husband, Rodney Moss, also liked the idea. He works for Norfolk Southern Railway, and they have a son, Logan, who is a freshman at Cocke County High School. I don't think Janet had any particular drive to create the display out of a show of good character and Christianity, but, as she said, "In these days and times we all need prayer." So there you have the story of the display, and I plan to drive by on a clear fall night to view it. When I left, I walked across the highway to see two women sitting on a porch swing. One of them was Mrs. Brown and the other, her sister, Judy Norwood. It didn't take long to learn that she is from the English Creek area and said they were "like sisters" to Tootie Breeden and Betty Williams, who we visited many months ago at the Sunset Gap thrift shop. Since that time, Tootie was diagnosed with colon cancer and had successful surgery, said Judy, their cousin.

By mid-week, with continued good weather, it seemed like a good day for some country style food so I went to the Farm Market for some beans and fried potatoes. Many folks were there such as Darius Webb, Don Ball, and Dean Ball. I sat down and looked over to see a distinguished gentleman wearing a black coat. It was attorney Roger Smith so we got in a conversation about dogs and law. Of course with recent articles about crime written by J.J. Stambaugh, Roger noted that he knew and had met his father, attorney Jim Stambaugh, several times in Cocke County Circuit Court during the 1960s. "I don't think Judge George Shepherd liked him," said Roger. I asked how his Jack Russell was doing and he is possessive as ever, even going to the law office. You may recall his name is "Ihop," and that is something he does well.

During the Kiwanis Club meeting last Tuesday, I asked attorney Jim McSween what all the sidewalk construction was in front of the East Broadway law office. I had seen Terry Stewart and his concrete crew at work. Jim explained that to make the law office more accessible, workers talk out the old walk that bumped into a step up to the door and made a solid concrete walkway from the city sidewalk to the floor level of his office. Thus, those in wheelchairs can easily enter.

Trying to find out more information about the Swine flu vaccination clinic at the Cocke County Health Dept. I dropped by to see Jana Chambers last Wednesday. She was working in Sevierville, but Emily Grooms told me about 400 people came in to get the shots. They were "sold out" for the free vaccinations. When I started to leave, Donnie Herndon walked in through a side door. You recall we talked about him in connection with Renner Trucking and how the two former county deputies had started the trucking business in the 1970s. Donnie said he still drives, working for Premier Transportation in Knoxville driving tourists. He also does maintenance for the health dept and was doing some window washing on a sunny day. He said he had already seen snow around Asheville during the recent cold snap that sent temperatures to freezing. It must have been the first frost of the year last Monday morning.