Andrew Jackson was born in 1948.

Be sure to call these two birthday boys to wish them a happy day.

We stopped by Middle Creek Ranch, close to Austin, Saturday to celebrate Dr. O.B. Jackson’s birthday.

O.B. furnished a steak dinner for eight with the assistance of Sherrie Jackson who came all the way from Florida to celebrate New Year’s Eve and O.B.’s birthday.

O.B.’s brother Andrew brought his loyal companion, Nonya, and with them came K.R. Wood aka Camp Cookie. Mark King also spent the evening with us and brought his friend Cindy — it was great fun for everyone.

O.B., Mark, Andrew and Billy are all high school buds who’ve remained good friends all these years.

We had fun!!!!

Following are some scenes around the ranch taken Thursday. The first is a picture of a life-sized statue of Frederic Reminfton’s famous “The Bronc Buster” with the flags unfurled above.

New Year’s Eve was a grand event for us this year.

Patty and Woody of Rising Star were their usual, gracious selves as they welcomed 40-plus guests for a catered, steak dinner followed by dancing to the music of the River Rats Review, a newly formed group from the Austin area.

A good time was had by all.

The River Rats Review is the result of two bands from the Austin area coming together as one.

It debuted New Year’s Eve in Rising Star at the Four Bar W West Ranch with a rich, full sound puncuated by beautiful harmony.

The six players entertained a group of more than 40 through midnight and a couple of hours into 2009 with music from the 50s, 60s, 70s and later. They mixed their genre through country western, rock and roll and some really good blues. They played Elvis, The Beatles, Carl Perkins, ZZ Top and a bunch of others.

Woody, the party’s host, joined the group on several songs on the drums throughout the night. He sat in on the final song and wowed everyone with a rocking drum solo.

We really loved this group and we’re hoping to hear them play again soon.

I stumbled across a quote I once read. I liked it well enough to write it down but must offer apologies to its author because I didn’t make a note of his or her name.

As I look at it today, I think of Julia and Bill Jacks in Van Alstyne. I’ll bet everyone reading this knows someone to whom this applies: “Peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.”

Bill’s illnesses have kept him from attending services for some time and that has worsened. Until illness overtook him a few years ago, he was helping out at church whenever his skills fit the need.

It never surprised me to run by the church to drop something off or pick something up and find him in his coveralls with a hammer or saw in his hand and always with a big smile.

Julia also has been a servant in a variety of areas in our church. I’ve watched this beautiful couple, the past 20 years, enjoy their lives, their friends, their church and family. Bill played many years in a local country western band.

Thank God for those wonderful people in our lives who set such fine examples for the rest of us.

Last week, when Billy’s long-time friend Chuck Corder retired from Southwest Airlines, we got to see first hand what happens when an airline pilot retires. Chuck and his wife Cheryl have been my husband’s close friends since they lived next to one another in south Plano almost 30 years ago. They became my friends when we married.

We were excited when Billy got the call from Cheryl that we were invited to participate in the festivities. It meant we would join 17 of Chuck and Cheryl’s family and friends as passengers on Chuck’s final, Southwest Airlines flight as Captain. We had no idea what to expect but it was an experience we’ll never forget.

Federal aviation regulations mandate an airline pilot’s retirement at age 60. Since Chuck’s birthday was Tuesday, Dec. 4, Monday was the last day he could legally fly as pilot for a common airline carrier, although he can still fly for private charter companies.

We met Chuck in the waiting area at Love Field for gate No. 7 about 90 minutes before our scheduled flight to Amarillo. Chuck was in his dark blue pilot’s uniform set off with captain’s bars. It was clear that Chuck was the star for the day by the way so many people stopped to shake his hand.

Finally it was time to board, and for the first time in our lives, we got to pre-board. The attendant at the microphone asked for the crowd’s indulgence as the pilot’s family went in to take their seats. It was explained that this would be a special flight because their pilot would be taking his final flight before retiring.

Our group took seats closest to the pilot’s cabin. We wanted our pilot to hear us cheering which we did on take offs, landings and every time we heard his voice on the intercom. The flight itself was fairly uneventful. It was a beautiful day for flying.

When we left the Amarillo terminal, turning back to the runway to head to Dallas, the airport fire engines formed a water arch over our plane to honor our retiring pilot. The same thing happened in Dallas as our plane taxied from the runway to the terminal.

It was great fun watching Chuck get the rock-star treatment from Southwest Airlines and there was more in store. When passengers deplaned, our group waited to go last and then we lined the corridor just outside the aircraft door joining Southwest personnel and others who knew Chuck who were already there. When Chuck finally emerged, there was applause all around. Everyone wanted to shake his hand and let him know how special he is.

The forced retirement of our country’s pilots is a hot issue today. During a time the demand for airline pilots is not being met, the sense in forcing experience out of the workplace when they don’t want to go seems like a waste and the consumer will likely pay, at least through inconveniences.

In January, after a fight that’s lasted more than 40 years, the Federal Aviation Administration said it will propose to raise the mandatory retirement age for U.S. commercial pilots from 60 to 65. It was considered a huge victory for pilots.

“Speaking before pilots and aviation experts at the National Press Club, FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey said that the agency plans to propose adopting the new International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard that allows one pilot to be up to age 65 provided the other pilot is under age 60. The international standard became effective last year.” reported Seniorjournal.com.

But, so far, there’s not been much progress on the battle to make the change and pilot’s, like Chuck Corder, are being forced out. Also, airlines and their consumers are loosing veteran pilots with years of experience. The growing shortage of pilots is placing pressure on airlines as baby boomer pilots are forced out while fewer young people are coming in.

With salaries and benefits in decline for airline pilots and U.S. carriers also strugggle againt strong competition for young recruits from the military and from overseas airlines. It seems inequitable that the international rules allow pilots, age 60 to 65, to fly into U.S. airports as long as one on the pilots is younger than 60 but U.S. pilots are not allowed the same privilege.

Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination have led the charge from a grassroots level to see change in a rule that’s been in place for 47 years. Paul D. Emens, chairman and founder of APAAD says the rule was the result of a labor dispute and it’s long past time for the rule to be revised. Forty-seven years ago was the beginning of the jet age and much has changed since that time.

Attempts were made in 2006 to make changes in the age 60 rule through legislation but it never came to a vote. In 2007, new legislation (S.65) has already been created with Senators Inhofe (R), Lieberman (D), Stevens (R) and Feingold (D) as the lead sponsors.