It seems there may be a bit of a dispute brewing at the Liars Table at Maxine’s on

Main.

A usually reliable source tells me they overheard Willie DeLaRosa propounding he wants everyone to know that he is the founding father of the group, not Jim Edwards.  I have no idea what to believe.  After all, just remember these comments come from the regulars at the Liars Table!  By the way, if Willie is right, would that make him the founding liar?

Some people who don’t read this column regularly might think I am casting aspersions on this gathering of fine gentlemen and that I am calling their veracity into question. That could not be farther from the truth. It’s a name that jokingly got thrown out there one day and it stuck. We call our Wednesday afternoon ladies’ gathering at Baxter’s the “WINOS,” short for Women In Need Of Spirits. So, I was thinking about an appropriate acronym for the Liars Table. I came up with Lollygagging In A Restaurant Society. I am sure there are others. What do you think? Send me your suggestions.

A fond farewell

Terri Knop, owner of Baxters Restaurant, hosted a goodbye party on Sunday for Children’s Advocacy Center executive director Cheryl Gartner. She will leave for Northern California in early September. I couldn’t stay very long. People were pouring into Baxters as I was leaving.  Some people who were there to say goodbye to Cheryl included her board members, lots of folks from the group Bikers Against Child Abuse, a number of the people she works with part time at Baxter’s, people she works with at the Children’s Protection Service and tons of friends.

The number of people at the gathering is a testament to how highly she is regarded in Bastrop. Good luck, Cheryl. Thank you for the great work you have done here. You will be missed.

Mount Rose 124th anniversary

Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Bastrop celebrated its 124th anniversary last Sunday. Rev. R. D. Smith has been the pastor of Mount Rose for 24 of those years. Brother Jason Trigg was master of ceremonies.  Rev. Smith introduced Rev. M. C. Walker, pastor of East 19th Street Baptist Church in Austin, who gave an inspired sermon to the large number of us gathered there.

We were treated to hymns by the Mount Rose Senior Choir, which Rev. Smith described as “the best choir in the United States” and the 19th Street Baptist Church, which he described as “the best choir in the universe.”  High praise, indeed, but I can’t quarrel with either description. They were both wonderful.

Sister Annette Hyder, chair of the celebration, made presentations to Deacon Clifton and Sister Marjorie Johnson for their years of service to the church. Rev. Smith later praised Sister Hyder for stepping up and organizing the event in short order.

Sister Gwen Smith, who is not only the wife of the pastor but also the accompanist for the Mount Rose choir, addressed the congregation to thank everyone who had done so much to put together the many details of the celebration.

Congratulations to Mount Rose for 124 years of ministering to our community. I always feel most welcome there when I attend a service.

Film commission gets going

If you are interested in the burgeoning film industry in the Bastrop area, then don’t miss the public forum on the newly formed Bastrop Film Commission at the Opera House on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 7-9 p.m.

Speakers will include film industry experts and local members who will explain the mission and development of the local film commission. Carol Pirie, deputy director and program manager for Film Friendly Texas, will be the main speaker for the evening.  The commission will also seek input from film resources already in Bastrop, such as Spiderwood Studios and Upstart.

Who knows, the next Sandra Bullock may be out there in our neighborhood just waiting to be discovered during the next film made here.

Speaking of films

Upstart, our independent film company, is holding an “Off Kilter Xmas Film Fest” on Dec. 12.  Carolyn Banks writes, “If you have an offbeat short about the Christmas holidays that’s less than 10 minutes long, please submit to (Carolyn) at 223 Riverwood Drive, Bastrop.”

Your check for the $15 entry fee should be made payable to Upstart and should include your contact information. Deadline for receipt of entries is Nov. 1.

Winning entries will be broadcast on Bastrop Community Access Television as well as showcased in the fest. DVD is the only format accepted.

Until next week

That’s all for now.  Until next week, be good to yourself.  Let me hear from you by email at  mooreaboutbastrop@yahoo.com so I can share the fun things that are going on around Bastrop.  Remember, “It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities” – Josiah Stamp.