Just a note about Clyde Day 1999. The weather was beautiful and most pleasant for a group picnic in the woods. Approximately 25-30 people turned out for the Clyde Day celebration -- we almost had more food than we had tables to put it on. Lots of food and drinks were left over to be taken back home. The huge Clyde Day sign donated by John Wise was very impressive against the pine trees where it was hung. Actually, Clyde Day was not held exactly at Clyde due to "snafu" support from the military. Clyde Day was held down the road at the Wise Cemetery because of less weeds and overgrowth of vegetation and perhaps small varmints. Someone at the fort "forgot" to prepare Clyde for a visit from the public -- no one bothered to cut the bushes down. Perhaps the same group who almost "forgot" to send out the official permission letter? The Wise Cemetery area seems to have been mowed more recently and had a more "safe" area on which to celebrate. We took advantage of the more open space and had our party anyway. Buddy Sullivan gave a nice talk about the Clyde area of Bryan County and told us about the new book everyone is expecting about December 1st. The only media to make an appearance was the newspaper from Richmond Hill. He aimed his digital camera at our tables laden with food and other goodies, perhaps taking a picture or maybe just adjusting his focus. If a picture sporting lots of home cooked and store bought foods appear in the Richmond Hill newspaper next week, we will know for certain if he actually snapped a picture or not. WTOC-TV's offer to do a feature presentation about Clyde never materialized -- too many other competing activities taking place on "paved roads" perhaps? Some people took wrong turns and wound up in Tattnall County before they realized the errors of their trip but we saved food for them and made them welcome when they finally got there. Carolyn Jarrard was a real trouper during the event and kept everything going on schedule and with precision. We hardly noticed when the dining canopy that we had set up earlier fell down in a puff of wind; we never did get the food underneath it anyway. The other two unopened "dining canopies" go back to Walmart tomorrow for refunds. The concept was good, but the reality of serving food under these tents was rather disappointing. Some people showed up, not quite sure they had arrived. They sorta expected a rerun of 1994 -- with high school bands, programs, arts & crafts, vendors, and Confederate reenactments. They soon settled down and felt at home with mounds of food balancing on their knees and cups of cold drinks on the ground next to their ankles. Email acquaintances showed up -- putting "faces" to their email titles. Lots of sharing of family information took place -- everyone left with the name of at least one more "Kuz'n" they had never met before. On a scale of 1 - 10, the day was perfect! Those who missed it, for whatever reason, missed out on a real memory. I, again realize, it really doesn't take much to make humans happy -- good food, cold drinks, smiling faces, and caring people with a common bond and a shared past. God smiled on Clyde last Sunday, and all of our ancestors celebrated with us in spirit. Next year come and catch the spirit -- the problems and excuses you left at home will seem much less significant when you get back home. I promise! Alfred Chassereau