This is the age of abbreviations. Today, folks — mostly younger people — rely on shortened versions of words when they email and text.

For instance, LOL is symbolic for “lots of love” or “laughing out loud.” An extended version of LOL is LMBOROFL, or “laughing my b… off rolling on floor laughing.” FCOL stands for “for crying out loud” and FEAE means “forever and ever.” GT means, “good try” and CMIYC stands for “catch me if you can.”

There are literally hundreds more of these symbols and abbreviations scrambling into our world of vocabularies. A few more are:  FWIW, “for what it’s worth;” FYI is “for your information;” GBU equals “God bless you;” GFI is, “go for it;” GL means, “good luck;” and GTSY is “good to see you.”

These abbreviations have rushed into our digital vocabulary quicker than novelists can cast out irrelevant and misunderstood metaphors. Older folks like me are left at the station dock watching the train pull away. Then again, I suppose I am not supposed to know these contemporary slogans. And, that’s good because I would not want these present-day folks to adapt to sayings of my times like, “litard” for light wood and, “tirectly” for directly.

Sooner or later I am sure curriculums will include college degrees which will master these new and rapid influxes of abbreviations.

Now let’s take a look at some news from years gone by. In 1966, Atmore received a much-welcomed announcement from Masland Carpets. The Carlisle, Penn., firm revealed plans to build a $3.5 million carpet manufacturing plant here. A dozen sites were visited before Atmore was made their choice. And, what a great choice it was. Even today, the firm is one of our largest employers.

Another local plant made news here that year. Vanity Fair recruited additional employees, manufacturing a new line of ladies robes and loungewear apparel.

Those additional workers elevated the work force to 350.

Bud Mason’s Floral Gardens opened for business in 1966. The firm featured floral arrangements, pottery, china and crystal. That structure still stands on Highway 31 at the railroad overpass.

The L & N Railroad opened a crossing on north Presley Street, creating a popular route for shoppers into our shopping centers.

In 1954, Cliff Frazier was named the new manager of Stallworths Cash and Carry store. Longtime Atmore resident J. J. Sharpless celebrated his 91st birthday and everyone was overjoyed with the announcement of the construction of A. C. Moore Elementary School.

Square dancing was popular here in 1974. A local dancing club called the Escambia Squares trekked into neighboring counties, dancing their hearts out each weekend. Some of those squares were Chuck and Linda Laue, Jimmy and Earlene Biggs, Jack and Catherine Edmund, Raymond and Dianne Jerkins, Ray and

Myrna Hodgen, Vickie and Jamie Black, Chary and Marie Backwater, Joel and Louise Day and Daphne Sims. Lamar Fillingim was a popular square dance caller back then.

Some of those avid dancers were members of the National Square Dance Convention and often made trips to these conventions.

For those of you who have offered me suggestions and ideas for future columns, I want you to know I have not forgotten them. I will eventually include them in my columns as my research concludes. There must be six or eight of them right now and I will get them included, I promise you. I am particularly interested in a story given to me by my good friend Ed Ray about how all the available men in a Coffee County town were absorbed into military service during the war days.

Another story of interest is about Paul Crawford, the multi-talented musician son of “Mrs.” Crawford, our long-time pianist and organist at First Baptist. Paul captured success in New Orleans as a Dixieland trombone player and later as historian in Dixieland jazz music.

We are nearing the end of our Pink Lady stories. We have one more male participant to tell you about next week, but this week we want to introduce a new lady who is relatively new to our community. She is Missy Tschida, the wife of Tom Tschida. This couple chose Atmore as their new home in May 2012. After spending a lifetime in Minnesota, this couple elected to make Atmore their permanent home.

The former owner of a driving school, Missie is is adept at reading, interior design, jewelry designing and gardening. Moreover, she is particularly talented at writing. In fact, she has written a couple of interesting articles for local publication. Highly articulate, she has adapted to our “southern way of life” and blended in beautifully. She and Tom attend First Assembly of God Church. In addition to service with the Pink Lady organization, she volunteers with other community organizations. So, we say, “welcome” Missie and Tom.” We are glad you chose Atmore as your new home.

You can email Lowell McGill at exam@frontiernet.net.