December 01, 2017

December 1st - December 14th, 2017

AthensNowal.com E-MAIL: info@athensnowal.com ADVERTISING: Ali Elizabeth: 256-468-9425

See Our Listings Inside this edition...

Pages 25 - 32

Jerry's Journal Discovered Letters from Vietnam...

It was Wednesday, January 11, 1967.

Specialist 4 Paul A. Lauziere, age 20, a cryptographer/ messenger with 121st Signal Company, 1st Infantry Division, hunkered inside his...

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Special Feature

Limestone Health Facility Spotlight On Jeanette Carden

By Ali Elizabeth Turner Jeanette Carden was born at home in Escambia County on April 6, 1940, and their family Continued on page 15

Home Sweet Home Pet Sitting: We Are There When You Can’t Be

Holiday Events...

Athens State Community Band Christmas Concert Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m., Athens State University gym...

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Clean And Green Environmental Jeopardy: Information To Tuck Away...

Leigh Patterson and I get excited when our fundraisers are behind us and we can look forward to...

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Jennifer Lord began to call Athens home back in 2001, and like those of us who are transplants, her love affair with this town has only gotten more intense over the years. She came here by way of Atlanta, where she earned her undergrad degree

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

Publisher’s Point

The Season Of Light

Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers Janet Hunt D. A. Slinkard Holly Hollman Paul Foreman Lisa Philippart Lynne Hart Rosemary Dewar Wanda Campbell Jerry Barksdale Cindy Bridges Paige Figueroa

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3 All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . 6 Jerry's Journal . . . . . . . . . . . 7 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 Special Feature . . . . . . . . . 10 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Cindy . . . . 13 The Millennial Mind . . . . . 14 Cover Stories . . . . . . 15 & 17 Health and Fitness . . . . . . 16 Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18 Dog Barker . . . . . . . . . . 20

This is the time of year when even the most cynical among us talk about miracles without apology. It is the season whose unifying theme for Jews, Christians and Messianics is divine light that guides, illuminates, comforts, and defies tyranny. With Hanukkah starting on December 12, it seems fitting to tell the story of an inner light that was nearly extinguished, and as of this week is burning afresh in the heart of a centenarian and his senior citizen nephew.

This inward menorah, this light of love and the miraculous reunion that occurred between a Holocaust survivor and his nephew is dear beyond words, and a fitting way to usher in the Season of Light.

Eliahu Pietruszka, 102 years old, fled Poland at the age of 24, believing his entire family had perished in the camps.

While it was true that he lost both of his parents and one brother who had a twin, one of the twins whose name was Vovik had survived, and believed that Eliahu had perished. Vovik had escaped from a Siberian work camp. Eliahu moved to Israel in 1949, one year after that nation was “born in a day,” and now lives there in a retirement home. Vovik passed away in 2011,

Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Medical Point . . . . . . . . 22 Foreman's Forum . . . . . . . . 23

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having lived the rest of his life in Russia as a construction worker, and had a son, André, who is now 66. Through the relentless search by André; a mutual cousin named Hagit Weinstein Mikanovsky, as well as Eliahu’s grandson, Shakar; and facilitated by the Yad Vashem database of Holocaust survivors, along with an online video of Eliahu’s 100th birthday, dots were connected and puzzle pieces came together. At last, Eliahu and André were able to meet for the first time. The video of that family restoration is truly touching, and then to have them meet with other surviving family members who had been previously unknown to each other is nearly unbearably wonderful.

Visibly choked up, Eliahu said, “It makes me so happy that at least one remnant remains from my brother, and that is his son. After so many years I have been granted the privilege to meet him.”

Debbie Berman, a Yad Vashem official who came to the reunion, felt that same sense of privilege and awe, and commented, “I feel like we are kind of touching a piece of history.”

I have visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum which is located in Jerusalem, and whose painstaking commitment to find as many survivors as possible is part of this miracle. As difficult and sobering as it is to be reminded of one of the darkest periods

in the history of man, one leaves there with a strange resiliency and resolve to live life well, to take nothing for granted, and to refuse to succumb to fear. I hope I get a chance to go back someday, because my life changed in that building.

I guess another way of putting it is that light was meant to be stronger than darkness, if we let it. And let us burn brightly within during the holidays and beyond, no matter what darkness threatens to snuff us out.

Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

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All Things Soldier

The Semper Fi Approach To Spiritual Fitness

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

For several years Athens Now has discussed the spiritual assault on our troops through examples of the restriction of their religious liberties in such places as the United States Air Force Academy, the removal of Bibles from MWR (Morale, Welfare Recreation) hotel nightstands, the forbidding of praying in Jesus’ name, and the oxymoronic ordination of “atheist chaplains.”

Research indicates that spiritual fitness plays a key

General Robert B. Neller

There is good news, though, of a pushback that unsurprisingly has the Marines running point on the op.

General Robert B. Neller, who is the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, had the following to say to his “Leathernecks”: “Fitness is a vital part of being a United States Marine. Although we all understand the importance

On November 27, he made it clear that an aspect of spiritual fitness has to do with resolving differences and coming to the place where they will lay down their lives for each other on the battlefield. He also said that in his 34-year career he had never seen a Marine refuse to participate when a chaplain uttered some of the most comforting words on earth: “Let us pray.” He also had this to say:

of being physically fit, it is also important to remember the other three aspects of overall fitness: spiritual, mental, and social. All of these aspects are essential to the well-being of each individual Marine and Sailor, and our Corps as a whole…

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green

role in resiliency, in our ability to grow, develop, recover, heal, and adapt.

Regardless of individual philosophy or beliefs, spiritual well-being makes us better warriors and people of character capable of making good choices on and off duty…

By attending to spiritual fitness with the same rig-

or given to physical, social and mental fitness, Marines and Sailors can become and remain the honorable warriors and model citizens our Nation expects…”

“We set aside all of those differences to go forward and be willing to die for the very people that we love, for the nation, the Constitution and the flag that we honor,” said Green. “That’s the unique thing.”

What? Where is Mikey Weinstein (not to be confused with the nefarious Harvey) when you need him to be a whistleblower or watchdog protecting our troops from religion, which Marx calls the “opiate of the masses”? Well, predictably, Mikey didn’t stay silent for long. His response to the General was:

Green had been called upon to address leaders from all of the branches to clarify the concept of spiritual fitness, with the great irony being that at the end of the day, spiritual things, be they fitness or anything else, just can’t be clarified through the use of one’s noggin. However, he did say this:

“This is nothing more than a Trojan Horse for fundamentalist Christians to proselytize to a captive audience.”

“Well, if you believe in God, yeah, we’re talking about that. But we’re really talking about that spirit regardless of where we come from.

The point that Mikey is missing is that General Neller has an endgame that is steadfastly secular: “Spiritual well-being makes us better warriors and people of character capable of making good choices on and off duty.” He didn’t say how, he just said that it does, and Mikey has no leverage because it is up to the individual to figure out what that means for him or her.

We truly understand that’s an opportunity to dedicate ourselves to the soldier, sailor, airmen, Marine, Coast Guardsmen, National Guardsmen to our left and to our right – to say, ‘If you’re down on the battlefield, I’m coming to get you,’” he said.

The Marine’s most senior enlisted leader, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green is part of the pushback.

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That, ladies and gentlemen is what it means to be Semper Fidelis, always faithful, and if the Corps has anything to do with it, no one is going to take that away from our Leathernecks or any other service member, ever.

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Calendar of Events Premier Women's Organization & Food Pantry First Saturday of Each Month

also offer prepaid tickets to eat all you want of Chili, Beverages will be furnished and dessert. Proceeds will help with projects around the church. This year there will be a $5 entrance fee to cover prizes and awards. Tickets can be purchased by calling 256-980-4978.

Prayer • Elderly Assistance • Feed The Hungry Clothes • Scholarships • Empowering Women Volunteers Wanted & Needed Call for Details -256.233.5995 Meeting Time: First Saturday of Each Month at 1:30pm Food pantry open now. wewoa.org • E-Mail: wew5995@gmail.com

Eli's Block Party Letters to Santa Drive Dec 5th - 19th

SilverSneaker™ Stability class Every Thursday

11:30am – 12:15pm. This class will meet every Thursday at East Limestone Senior Center at 25820 Nick Davis Rd. SilverSneaker™ Stability is a group exercise class designed specifically to keep participants “safe on their feet”. This class will include standing and walking exercises that will be beneficial in decreasing the risk of falling. Chairs are encouraged for warm-up and cool-down only. Donations for the class are accepted. For additional information, call Janet at 256-614-3530 or email at jhunt9155@gmail.com.

Holiday Sip and Shop Dec 10th

We have a collection goal of 10,000 letters to be part of the Macy's Department Store "Believe" Campaign. Macy's will donate $1.00 to Make-A-Wish for every letter collected. Drop off letters at Lowe's of Athens (1109 U.S. Highway 72E in Athens), The Center for Lifelong Learning (121 South Marion Street in Athens), and the Athens News Courier (410 West Green Street in Athens).

Limestone County Commission's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Dec 7th

On the east side of the Limestone County Courthouse (Marion Street in Athens) starting at 5:00PM with Master of Ceremony Jamie and Gloria Cooper of ZTV. Athens High School Choir will perform plus Mother Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus will be there too. Ornaments from area students will adorn the tree.

Sippin' Cider Festival Dec 9th

Holiday Sip and Shop will have hot apple cider, hot chocolate or favorite punch! 17915 W. Elm St., Athens.

This event is open to the public & free admission from 2pm - 6pm!

5PM to 8PM (tentative) in downtown Athens, around the square. Sample and vote on your favorite cider, while shopping and enjoying store specials.

Christmas Open House Dec 2nd

The Red Caboose Cafe. 25483 Railroad Street in Elkmont.

11:00AM-3:00PM food specials and entries for every $10.00 spent for chances to win to prizes.

Lighting of the Ardmore Veterans Memorial Dec 2nd

30163-30199 1st Ave W in Ardmore, beside the railroad overpass.

5:00PM with a program presented by Veterans Burial Brigade of Athens. Everyone is invited to bring and hang an ornament in memory or honor of their veteran(s). Rain date: Dec 4th at 5:00PM prior to parade.

2nd Annual Chili Cook Off Dec 3rd

Full Gospel Tabernacle. 17470 Seven Mile Post Road in the Oakland Community west of Athens. 1:00PM-4:00PM. ​We will Page 6

7th Annual Bells of Christmas Holiday Home Tour Dec 10th

Hosted by Athens Ladies Civitan. Sunday, December 10, 1-5 p.m. Tickets will go on sale Friday, November 17 at Crawford’s Gifts, Pimentos, Pam’s Home Furnishings, Class Act Hair Salon, First National Bank (Hwy 72) and Kathleen’s Corner Hair Salon. On the tour will be homes of Mary Nelle Clem, Jim and Sherry Johnson (former home of Steve Hill), Mary Winn and Melvin and Vicki Workman. Also on the tour will be a portion of The Warten Bed and Breakfast (former home of Jimmy and Kitty Greenhaw) and Little Pink Houses (a farm house rental and Southern produce market). Caterers for the event are Food Fite, C & A Catering, Sweet Thymes, and Honeysuckle Café.

Proceeds support programs for special needs children and adult of Limestone County. Tickets $15 in advance , $20 at the door.

For information, call Carolyn Stair at 256-658-1985 or Carol Malone at 256-777-2918.

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

Jerry’s Journal

Discovered Letters from Vietnam

by Jerry Barksdale

www.jerrybarksdale.com It was Wednesday, January 11, 1967.

Specialist 4 Paul A. Lauziere, age 20, a cryptographer/messenger with 121st Signal Company, 1st Infantry Division, hunkered inside his tent at base camp in Dian, South Vietnam, and wrote a letter to a total stranger 9,000 miles away in Athens, Alabama. He was lonely and needed a pen pal.

message, and asked the Commander about a return ride. “That’s your problem, son. I’ve got 200 other men to worry about.” Paul set out on a one week walking and hitch-hiking journey through dangerous country, armed with an M-14 and three clips of ammo.

He longed for home, the sweetest word in the English language … “Well

fb.com/jerry.barksdale.7 sports, and her favorite love - marching with the Golden Eagles Band as a Majorette.

Patriotism and love of country also tugged at her heart strings. "I tear up when I hear the National Anthem," she recently told me. Someone wrote long ago about soldiers, "You can lock him out of your house but not out of your heart. You can take

plied. "I must say that you are a very attractive blonde and I know you must have a wonderful personality or you wouldn't be writing me,” he said. "They call me Frenchy because I speak French.

Please send more pictures. Oh, I am glad your school is trying to raise blood for us over here but I tell you a little secret, they would rather have beer and liquor

Earlier, after receiving a “Dear John letter,” he had gone to Red Cross in Siagon where there was a pen-pal box.

He pulled out a name. It was Miss Sally Johnson, a 16-year-old sophomore at Athens High School.

"I would like very much to be pen pals with you," he wrote.

"Believe me I need the mail. You never get enough in this place. I have 17,280 hours left in Vietnam which makes it 104 days before I leave the country and go back to the world, as they say."

Lauziere, a native of Lewiston, Maine, had been in Vietnam 9 months living dangerously and counting the days. When atmospheric conditions prevented him from sending coded messages, he had to personally deliver them. His worst days were during the first time. He landed at an LZ, delivered the

Spc 4 Paul A. Lauziere and his pen-pal from 1967, Athens' own Sally Marks

Sally, when I get a letter from a girl,” he wrote, “it makes me happy. Make me happy, okay?” He requested her photo, asked her age and what she liked to do.

Sally, the daughter of Philip and June Bowers Johnson was a busy young lady. Her life was filled with sorority activities, band practice, singing, running track,

December 1 - December 14, 2017

him off your mailing list but not off your mind."

Just ten days earlier, Athens became the first high school in the nation to sponsor a blood drive for troops in Vietnam. They collected 557 pints. Sally answered Paul's letter, told him about her singing, and in particular the blood drive. She also included her photo.

Two weeks later Paul re-

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than blood.” And “good food,” he added.

Sally replied in early February, telling him that miniskirts were in style.

Paul immediately wrote back.

“One day after college, I'll get married.

At least I hope so. So the fad around the states are [sic] miniskirts. Boy, I can't wait to get back there and see for myself."

He said he was going to

Japan on February 26 for R & R. "I can't wait to get there and take my first hot shower and hot shave in 11 months and also not to be worried about being shot at all the time. Please write back as soon as you can.

Love, Paul."

Again, Sally replied and Paul answered. "I'm leaving for Japan in three days." he wrote. "I'd love to have a letter from you when I get back on the 26th of February.

I can't hardly wait to be there. There is only one thing wrong about the whole thing.

I have to come back to this place. I will have about 52 days left in Vietnam when I do get back. That's not too bad I guess."

He concluded, “You make me feel special. Keep on writing.

Love, Paul."

Paul returned from Japan and was happy to find Sally's letter waiting for him. On March 5 at 2 a.m. he replied telling her about the beauty of Japan and friendly people. "Next month I will be home by the end of the month. I hope that you will still write me because I like to keep you as a pen pal." He told her he might drive to Alabama and see her once he is stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

The letters were written 50 years ago, the last one on April 15, when Continued on Page 19

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What Makes Ronnie Roll

“Pilgrim’s Progress”

by Ali Elizabeth Turner It was Mayor Ronnie’s first day back at work after surgery, and I had to admit I was a bit worried that he would hit the ground runnin’ like he always does and try to do too much, too soon. However, he is an adult and knows his own limits.

So, laying my wellintentioned misgivings aside, it was time to hear about all the progress being made with regard to our most famous blighted property, none other than the former site of the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken processing plant.

The mayor started our time together with celebrating the fact that over 300 condemned properties, which had formerly been havens for hustlers and drugs, had been legally torn down after due process.

“And, almost 90% of the demolition costs have been paid by the property owners,” he said. He went on to tell about a time around 5 years ago when he was taken by some legal and land development professionals from our area out to Pilgrim’s Progress, and who bluntly said to him, “This is the

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cost another $500,000 for demolition and to bring every aspect of the property back to a place where one can “sow and mow.“

most blighted piece of property in our county.”

Mayor Ronnie knew it was time to get going with solving what was going to be a complex problem, and “got after it.” The City of Athens had to track down the Point of Contact for Pilgrim’s Pride, and finally found him in South America because the company had been sold to a foreign corporation.

From that point on, Mayor Ronnie would begin each conversation he had with the Pilgrim’s Pride folks with the phrase, “You need to write this off and donate it to the City of Ath-

ens,” setting forth the hope that they could see the benefit in being immortalized as the “Patrons of the Park.” They weren’t having it.

In 2014, Mayor Ronnie was selected by Design Alabama to make a presentation regarding the challenges of dealing with an abandoned, blighted commercial property, which in turn caught the attention of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Their involvement helped put our “Pilgrim’s Plight” on the map, and other cities in Alabama, as well other states, who

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were facing a similar problem, reached out to Mayor Ronnie for coaching.

The mayor put together an offer to purchase the property for $500, 000, and at first, Pilgrim’s Pride wasn’t having that, either. However, after nearly five years of negotiations, we now have an agreement for a purchase price of $550,000. “It has been a long process, a good process, and we have a great opportunity for a development,” he said.

He then added, “I think this is going to be one of the best projects we have ever done.” It will

So, what are the plans for “sowing and mowing”? Well, we have private investors who are interested in developing the area in part for multi-use applications, including shops, high-end residential units, restaurants, and more. If it goes through, it will be our own version of Bridge Street, and it will help us to fend off our neighbors’ endeavors to absorb us.

Pilgrim’s Pride has the potential to be one of the best gifts we can give ourselves as we prepare for the future.

I asked the mayor, “Do you think we are growing well?” I certainly know what it’s like to see developments spring up quickly, which result in fostering chaos. He thought for a moment and said, “I really do think we are.”

The next day Mayor Ronnie would get his surgical staples removed, and I grimaced as we began to pray. Then it was time for Ronnie to roll, and I resisted the temptation to remind him that “Slow and steady wins the race.” The man was clearly happy to be back in the saddle, even if he was going to have to ease into it, and most grateful for all the support sent his way by the folks of our city.

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Slinkard On Success

Stop Wishing Your Life Away

by D. A. Slinkard

D.A. Slinkard is the manager of the Athens Staples store It is hard to believe the end of 2017 is nearing and 2018 is fast approaching. I was recently speaking with my father-in-law, Denny Urhahn, about how quickly life goes by. He made a comment about how oftentimes we wish away our life before it happens, and it all made sense. He pointed out that as kids, we wish we were a teenager, we wish we were sixteen so we could drive around town. Then we wish we were eighteen and considered an adult, then it is twenty-one. Next, is wishing we could retire and then when we reach retirement age, we go back to wishing we were young.

Now, this does not happen to everyone, but I would say this occurs with most people. We always think that life is going to be better when X happens or when I am X years old, I will be able to do this. The truth is we cannot sit around waiting for life to happen to us or for us because life just does not work like that. We lie to ourselves that when we reach a certain age we will start doing the things we know we should be doing, but the truth is we do not have the necessary discipline to do so.

We go about wishing for things to happen in our life. We get so caughtup in our dreams that we fail to realize how

to make those dreams turn into realities. I want you to think about any invention that man has ever created, and I want to point out that even it started as a wish. Someone out there wished there was an invention to solve XYZ problem, but instead of just wishing upon it, they actually went out and made it happen.

many people, but we need to reflect upon how some achieve greater success than others. I do not believe they are luckier than other people and that is why they have success. I have found the harder I work, the luckier I get. It is about hard work. I hear jealous people say another person’s success is because of their last name.

We have to take advantage of every step of our lives and in doing so, we must stop wishing away our lives. We need to take the time to realize what it is that we want, what steps we need to take to achieve it, give ourselves a time frame for it, and then start taking massive action towards achieving our wish. Doing these steps is how we are going to turn those wishes into realities.

Well, if having the “right’ last name is going to bring you success, then why not head down to the courthouse and legally change yours? Sounds silly to do so, right? Yet we have people make that excuse every day because they do not have that right last name. Probably my favorite excuse for others’ success is because of who they knew.

Why is this a problem?

How many times do we reach our limits and we need others to help us get better? Parents do this with their kids all of the

I understand that going from wishing life would happen to making life happen is difficult for

December 1 - December 14, 2017

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time, and we need to understand that using our resources to help obtain success is not necessarily a bad thing.

Whatever in life you are wanting to achieve success in comes down to one simple step you must take. It is not about wishing success or hoping success … not at all. The one step we must take is to decide. We must make a conscious effort proclaiming exactly what it is we will do. When we get stuck on our wishes it is because we have not fully committed to our dreams. With anyone that has success in life, you will find a certain level of

belief in their own ability. Anyone stuck on the sidelines of their wishes is someone who is not committed 100% to the task at hand.

You must decide you are going to be a success.

You must decide you are not willing to accept failure as an option.

You must decide you are going to do “Whatever It Takes” (W.I.T.) to obtain success. Most importantly, you must decide you are going to leave the wishing and hoping for those who will not succeed while you do what you must to achieve your success.

Go be great!

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Special Feature

Holiday Events

by Holly Hollman

● Athens State Community Band Christmas Concert Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m., Athens State University gym Enjoy a free holiday concert by the band. A reception hosted by the Athens State University Alumni Association will follow in the gym. The reception will include a visit from Santa. Parents are encouraged to bring their children and cameras to make their own photos.

made by students and hear performances by the schools’ various choirs and bands. ● Athens High School JROTC Jingle Bell Jog 5K Saturday, Dec. 2, 6:45 a.m., Athens High.

The race will begin and end behind Athens High School. Don your funniest Christmas costume and lace up your shoes

mas Party Tuesday, Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friendship United Methodist Held for the clients in the Mental Health program.

Please RSVP to Lynne Hart at 256-233-8000.

(Media, if you would like to cover this, please call Lynne first. It is my understanding the clients cannot be filmed or photographed, but there is a

through Downtown Athens Hosted by Trustmark Bank, this beloved tradition will bring thousands of spectators to Athens to see floats, horses, fire trucks, marching bands, vintage vehicles and more. This year’s theme is Winter Wonderland, and the grand marshal is Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson. Route is Athens High, west on

● Holiday Soiree for the Athens-Limestone Public Library Foundation Friday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m., home of Monya and Mitch Claborn at 1808 Lindsay Lane South Tickets are limited and are $75; get tickets at the library or online at ALCPLFoundation.org ● Athens North Pole Stroll Dec 1-30, daily until 9 p.m., Big Spring Memorial Park Stroll amid decorated trees and Christmas scenes by the duck pond.

Each tree has its own theme. This is a free community Christmas event hosted by Tourism, Lowe’s, City of Athens, and Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful. Santa plans to visit on Dec. 16. ● One Athens Christmas Showcase Friday, Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m., Athens Middle School Hosted by the Athens City Schools Fine Arts Department. See art

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for a flat and fast USATF Certified 5K Course (AL13063JD). Race will be chip timed. In addition to race awards, will be an award for best costume; cost is $28. Register here: https://runsignup.com/ Race/AL/ Athens/ AthensHighSchoolJROTCJingleBel lJog5K ● Learn - to - Read Christmas Dinner Monday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m., Rodgers Center at First Presbyterian Cost is $10. Please RSVP by emailing learntoreadcouncil@gmail.com. ● Ladies Civitan Christ-

program that will include police, firefighters, Mayor's office, and church members, that you could get footage of.) ● Limestone County Christmas Tree Lighting Thursday, Dec. 7, at 5 p.m., Courthouse lawn Music by the Athens High Choir. See ornaments designed by the city and county schools. This is held prior to the kickoff of the annual Christmas Parade. ● Trustmark Athens Christmas Parade Thursday, Dec. 7, 6 p.m., Athens High School and

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Hobbs Street, around The Square, and south on Jefferson Street to Hometown Grocery. ● Birdie Thornton Center Christmas Program Friday, Dec. 8, at 11:30 a.m. at the center Enjoy a meal and program offered by the clients of the center. They enjoy giving the community this Christmas present. ● Sippin' Cider Saturday, Dec. 9, 5-8 p.m., Downtown Athens Finish your Christmas shopping while enjoying cider, music, store specials, and crafts. The par-

ticipating merchants will compete for your vote for the best cider concoction. High Cotton Arts will have snacks, music, and a craft as part of the Sippin' Cider event. This overall event is hosted by Athens Main Street. ● Annual Bells of Christmas Holiday Home Tour Sunday, Dec. 10, 1-5 p.m., various Athens homes This event is sponsored by the Athens-Ladies Civitan and offers ticketholders the opportunity to see prominent and historic homes decorated for Christmas. Cost is $20 in advance and $25 day of tour. Proceeds benefit the special needs population of Limestone County.

Tickets available at Pimento’s, Pam’s Home Furniture, Osborne’s Jewelers, Kathleen’s Hair Salon, First Nation Bank, Crawford’s, and Class Act Hair Salon. ● Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park Christmas Tree Lighting and Gift GiveAway Monday, Dec. 11, at 5 p.m., at the park Feel the joy of Christmas as children whose families need a little help from Santa receive gifts, including random drawings for a bicycle.

Santa will dance on the tables and lead the children in singing. This event is supported by the Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park Committee, Athens Fire and Rescue, Athens Police and Mayor’s Office as well as local merchants, and this year, the East Limestone Band.

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Clean and Green

Environmental Jeopardy: Information To Tuck Away

by Lynne Hart Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Leigh Patterson and I get excited when our fundraisers are behind us and we can look forward to the month of November.

Each year, Leigh and I follow the 4-H Agent Assistant into every 5th and 6th grade classroom in the Limestone County Schools. This year, we had the honor of visiting a homeschool group as well! Our responsibility is to provide the presentation at each 4-H Club meeting.

For the past few years, Leigh and I have had great fun playing Environmental Jeopardy with each class. The competitive nature of the game keeps their attention and, we believe, makes a bigger impact than simply sharing information with the students. Each class is divided into three teams. Each team tries to outscore the others to receive an Environmental Jeopardy Genius certificate and bragging rights!

We have presented to nearly 50 classes this November!

When we enter the 6th grade classrooms, the students remember us as the “Jeopardy Ladies”!

They are excited to play the game, but a bit disappointed when they realize the questions are different from those in the previous year’s version!

Before we begin, I explain that I am not there to tell them what they must or must not do.

These children are grow-

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This winning team played Environmental Jeopardy against classmates at Blue Springs Elementary School.

They are proudly showing off their Environmental Jeopardy Geniuses certificate. Congratulations! ing up and must learn to sort information to make their own decisions. I tell them I am there simply to provide information, which they can tuck into their brains and pull out later when decisions must be made regarding their impact on the environment. Here is an example of just that: By a show of hands (which I can’t see, so be honest), how many of you believe it is OK to toss an apple core to the side of the road? It is natural and biodegradable. When asked, the majority of students raised their hands.

For many years, I was unsure of the answer until we began inviting wildlife experts to our Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO.

There I saw several raptors injured due to encounters with vehicles.

How can an apple core cause a meat-eating raptor to tangle with a vehicle?

The food at the edge of the road attracts rodents and other furry critters out into the open. Raptors see it as their chance to catch dinner. They swoop down to catch the critter and out in front of an oncoming vehicle. I saw a few that had lost a wing, another with a blind eye, and there are many I will never see because they didn’t survive. I wonder how many of those appleeating critters encountered their own demise after being drawn so close to the road.

I then explain to the stu-

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dents that having this new information will help them make future decisions about tossing food along roadsides.

They may still decide to do it, but they will have to base their decision on all the facts they know. That is exactly the purpose of the Jeopardy game.

We may have finished our trek to the county schools, but we can look forward to our visit to all 5th and 6th

grade classrooms in the city schools in March.

We certainly hope we impact these students in a way that will make them more thoughtful citizens.

As a Native American proverb says, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Let’s ponder that, shall we?

Become a Fan

(256) 233-8728 KALBCares@gmail.com www.KALBCares.com December 1 - December 14, 2017

Cooking with Cindy

Chocolate Silk Pie

by Cindy Bridges

When I was a little girl, my mother used to make this pie and I thought it was the best thing ever. I made this several times for a dessert when I owned a deli, and my customers loved it. It is rich, velvety, and smooth pie for any occasion and simple to make. This pie is a winner!

Chocolate Silk Pie What You Need: 1 single 9-inch pre-baked pie crust 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces 1 c. butter, softened 1 c. sugar 4 eggs ½ tsp. vanilla

Directions: 1. Bake pie shell. Let cool completely.

2. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Set aside and let cool.

3. Beat butter with mixer on high speed until creamy and light in color. Add sugar and continue beating until smooth and creamy.

4. Add eggs one at a time and beat on medium high speed 3 – 5 minutes after each egg.

5. Add chocolate and mix until fully incorporated.

Add vanilla.

6. Pour into pre-baked pie shell and chill for at least 2 hours.

7. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

December 1 - December 14, 2017

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The Millennial Mind

No Man’s Land

by Rosemary Dewar Men have been presented in the most unfavorable and distasteful light in the past few months. Scores of men cast out of social favor in the realms of politics and cultural entertainment. Within the whirlwind of the accusations, there seems to be no man innocent of the allegations. Culture has no problem determining what male behavior is most unbecoming.

However, it does have a great problem defining what men ought to be.

Without the traditional roles for which men are created, e.g., provision, leadership and self-sacrifice, the use for men is unceremoniously snuffed out.

When one reads in The Washington Post: “And in this broken system, anyone who isn’t with us is against us. Particularly, and especially, men,” the chance for the social redemption of men is near zero.

different, what would be the benefit in allowing them to switch at will? Not much. Should a woman decide to live her life in a more masculine way, does that mean she is devolving because of toxic masculinity?

These contentions are pointless. They are the evidence of a moral and intellectual wasteland, a no man’s land. It’s a true manifestation of utopia.

Men have a purpose and are of noble worth to society. They are the husbands who protect their wives. They are the fathers who provide for their children. They are the leaders who sacrifice for their communities.

Any man or woman who would dare to spitefully discount the worth of men is responsible for the squandering of humanity at large.

The Judeo-Christian worldview presents esteemed men as humble leaders, loyal husbands, and caring fathers. Any deviation from the given prescription for honorable manhood was a direct grievance to God. Such men were met with scorn and ruin.

The premise of a successful sexual relationship was exclusively defined by marriage.

Instead of being intimate with every viable counterpart, a man was to commit himself to a woman in marriage. In a consensual exchange for companionship and physical protection the two agreed to forsake adultery. There is nothing controversial about this premise unless one or both break their loyalty. In reference to this structure, it is hard to conjure a better situation

for women and a society.

Such traditions are frowned upon in our current culture, yet we wonder why our society is in quite an unraveled state.

I do not see how men and women can reach their full potential without acknowledging one another’s unique fortés. Once culture reconciles the honorable roles of womanhood and manhood, it has a higher probability of succeeding.

Should culture continue its wholesale tearing down of the standards to which men and women are to hold themselves, the more we will see them torn apart by one another’s vying for selffocused pleasure. The consequences of such recklessness will create greater societal terrors.

Psychologist Carl Jung stated that, “The healthy

man does not torture others -- generally it is the tortured who turn into torturers.” When in the pursuit of unbridled pleasure, mankind is usually living in a hell of his own making. There should be no shock when the things that can hurt you the most actually do.

Men hold a heftier weight of responsibility when it comes to leading a family or leading a community. Compromising the standard for temporary pleasure, fame, or power will have detrimental consequences on society that will take more time to correct than it took to utilize for any advancement. If the aim is to purposefully create a societal disadvantage, dismantle the standard for manhood.

Or when in The Guardian they assert that, “Perhaps it’s an extreme version of masculinity that has always been with us in a culture that gives men more power and privilege.” Attributing ill behavior to only one sex is in itself sexist.

Observing that certain behaviors are more apparent in one gender demands the acknowledgement that there are fundamental differences between the sexes.

If the sexes are indeed

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

The Limestone Health Facility Spotlight On Jeanette Carden

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

doc was the attending physician. Her daddy was a farmer, and her mom stayed at home.

Jeanette was the oldest of four girls and a boy, and there was a creek on their property called Little Escambia Creek where they would cool off in the summer.

“Sometimes we got to go to the beach,” she said. The name of the nearest town was Flomaton, AL, a name made up by locals that was “Fl” for Florida, “Ma” for Alabama, and “Ton” for town. The town had previously been given other names, and this last one stuck.

Jeanette got her degree

in math from Montevallo, and for several years, she was a senior systems engineer for Monsanto.

This was back in the day when computers took up whole rooms. She designed systems, wrote programs and code, and was described by her coworkers as “The Queen of the ‘If Statement.’”

That was her way of thinking outside of the box, asking “if-then” questions to come up with new ideas.

Jeanette had two sons, one whom she recently lost to pancreatic cancer.

She has two grandchildren—a boy who is now 30, and a girl who is six.

They are the joy of her life.

We talked about favor-

ites, and started with colors. Most residents will fire off the first color that comes to their minds as their favorite, but Jeanette had to really think.

She finally chose yellow, purple and green.

Her favorite foods to cook are candied sweet potatoes, as well as her own individual version of Chicken Kiev. She also loves to bake and make desserts, and her specialties are chocolate pecan pie and carrot cake.

Favorite food to eat?

“Dressing.”

Favorite musician?

Elvis. Jeanette is a HUGE Elvis fan.

Favorite movie?

“Gone With The Wind,” and she especially likes the fact that it is long.

Favorite actor and actress? Tom Selleck and Sela Ward.

Favorite scripture?

Matthew 7:12, more commonly known as the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Favorite author? Mary Higgins Clark.

Favorite President?

If she had been old enough to vote, it would have been JFK. She really liked Reagan and George W. Bush as well.

The biggest change in her lifetime? 9/11, and the day the Chal-

December 1 - December 14, 2017

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lenger exploded.

Jeanette is very happy with the care she receives at Limestone Health Facility, and is especially grateful for the treatment she gets for her feet. As a diabetic, it doesn’t take much for feet to get into real trouble quickly, and the medical staff has worked hard to get her feet back in good shape.

Jeanette likes the vegetable medleys cooked up by the kitchen, including green beans and sweet potato casserole. She says that the pies, cakes and cookies are great as well.

Her advice to young people? “Follow the Golden Rule. You can never go wrong with that.” Sound advice from Jeanette Carden.

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Health and Fitness

Holiday Stress Or Holiday Blues

by Janet Hunt

Janet Hunt is a Certified Personal Trainer and can be reached at 256-614-3530 to schedule an appointment.

Exercise may help! Research has shown that certain levels of physical activity can positively affect mental health – stress, depression, anxiety.

People with higher levels of fitness are capable of handling stress more effectively than those who are less fit. Cardiovascular exercise is the activity that benefits stress reduction the most.

Cardiovascular exercise (often referred to as cardio) is any exercise that raises your heart rate.

This usually involves using the large muscles in your body – walking, running, biking, skating, etc.

The antidepressant action is one of the most commonly accepted psychological benefits of exercise. Studies have shown that exercise can reduce stress more effectively than antidepressant

Page 16

drugs. Both cardiovascular and resistance exercise seem to be equally effective. Both a onetime exercise session and long term programs have positive results. However, greater improvement is seen after several weeks of regular exercise. Both men and women show the positive effect of exercise on depression.

Research also shows a reduction of anxiety with exercise. Even short bursts (5 minutes) of cardiovascular exercise stimulate anti-anxiety effects. Again, regular training offers the greatest benefits. .

So to reduce your Holiday Stress, reduce your Holiday Blues, and burn the extra holiday calories – exercise! If you need a little help getting started, join some activity programs that are available or consult with a personal trainer.

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

Cover Story

Home Sweet Home Pet Sitting: We Are There When You Can’t Be

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

in social work from Georgia State University, and she earned her MSW degree from the University of Alabama. Jennifer worked for a few years as a case worker for DHR, and has always enjoyed serving the community.

Jennifer says, “God gave me a heart for animals and I always rescued them, even as a kid in New Jersey.” Interestingly, that love for animals and having a sense of their level of distress served her well in her chosen field.

She was one of the few social workers who proactively assessed her case not only from what she was observing regarding her human clients, but always made a point of looking at how the animals in the situation were being treated. “Animal cruelty often goes with abuse,” she said, and she would do what she could to help the endangered pets, too.

Over time, Jennifer has given back to our community in a number of ways.

She worked with Hospice for three years. She faced the unusual challenge of working with inmates at the Limestone County Men’s Correctional Facility who were battling HIV/AIDS. She is also a breast cancer survivor, having been diagnosed in October of 2015, only a year after she married. Her last surgery was in May of 2017, and she is cancer free. The great changes in her life led her to start Home Sweet Home Pet Sitting so she could be a stay-at-home mom for her 12-year-old stepson. This is a role she never thought she would get a chance to fill and is enjoying immensely.

Life is grand, full of purpose and adventure for their family, and as people of

faith, they are most grateful for all their blessings in this holiday season.

Jennifer has been blessed to have rescue dogs and cats in

ing a business where she gets to express her love for animals and be there for her stepson for Jennifer is “livin’ the dream.”

Blaine Hicks

her own home, and made me laugh as she told me about her 17-year-old who “talks” and acts as though he is a grumpy old man. He will make his specific dog sounds, and she imitates those sounds back to him while she tenderly tells him, “You don’t get to be grumpy.” She also volunteers for the Madison Animal Rescue Foundation, as well as Pet Peace of Mind program, a service that cares for pets while their human family members are in hospice.

Although some might find it a bit unorthodox, all of the skills Jennifer has gained over the years, combined with her experiences in social work, hospice, and at the correctional facility have been things she has been able to draw upon to give outstanding customer care for animal and human clients.

Her determination to beat breast cancer permanently has served to give her focus as well as an understanding of the need to do work that one genuinely loves. Build-

December 1 - December 14, 2017

Jennifer actually began her business informally back in 2005, where she would care for the pets of friends and neighbors while they were away on vacation, visiting friends and family, or they simply needed extra help with their pets. “When pets are able to stay in their own home, they are much less stressed,” she said. She will feed, water and walk all the pets in the house, and will change kitty litter boxes.

She will also water plants, dispense meds, and tend to human needs such as picking up the mail and sweeping the porch so it doesn’t appear that the homeowners are gone. Most importantly, Jennifer will spend at least 2530 minutes with the animals each visit so they have that crucial human contact during the day while their pet parents are unavailable. She is currently pursuing certification in pet CPR and First Aid, and expects to be finished with her requirements by the beginning of 2018.

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People who truly love their pets often have everything they need materially and probably more than enough.

So, for the pet lovers in your life, a great gift this season would be to give a gift certificate from Home Sweet Home Pet Sitting so Jennifer

can be there for those precious pets when their loved ones can’t.

To contact Jennifer Lord of Home Sweet Home Pet Sitting, you can call her at 256-651-8977, or email her at jenniferlovespetsitting@ gmail.com

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Learning As A Lifestyle

Ties That Bind

by Wanda Campbell Center for Lifelong Learning - 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 - 256-233-8262 It is not often that I get to sit in a room full of relatives while they tell stories about my parents.

This Thanksgiving, it was particularly nice to have my Aunt My, Mom’s younger sister, visiting from Florida.

She remembers all the good stories about growing up with my mother.

Like most young kids, Mom was special for kissing my boo-boos and making fudge. And, like most teen-agers, I felt that Mom just did not understand. It is only as an adult that we can come to respect all that our parents do for us growing up, and if you are lucky enough to have an Aunt My, you can see your parents as individuals.

Marshall P. Duke wrote an article in the New York Times called “This Life: The Stories that Bind Us” in March 2017.

He and Robyn Fisvush conducted research asking 20 questions about

family history.

They used their particular questions because respondents could not have learned the family history first-hand, they had to learn the information another way.

He said “higher scores on the scale were associated with higher levels of self-esteem, an internal locus of control (a belief in one’s own capacity to control what happens to him or her), better family functioning, lower levels of anxiety, fewer behavioral problems, and better chances for good outcomes if a child faces educational or emotional/ behavioral difficulties.”

He also said that the family history was relevant because “some people have to talk and some have to listen. The stories need to be told over and over, and the times of sitting together need to occur over many years to get the best results.”

One of my most treasured possessions is a record-

ing of Mom’s brothers and sisters telling stories about their childhood. We were lucky to have a family member who could video tape the group telling the stories. We also had another person who added old photos of the person who was talking.

It is quite the treasure.

If the technology scares you off, you can always write your family history. To begin, you can interview and record family members talking. To make the stories interesting, look for world events that happened at the time of your story. You can produce an entire book using Word. To get your family history published, you could contact some of the self-publishing services. No matter what you write, your family will appreciate your book, even if you copy it into a notebook.

Learning about family is like learning about history. Never stop learning.

The Do You Know Scale Please answer the following questions by circling ''Y" for "yes" or "N" for "no." Even if you know the information we are asking about, you don't need to write it down. We just wish to know if you know the information. + Do you know how your parents met? + Do you know where your mother grew up? + Do you know where your father grew up? + Do you know where some of your grandparents grew up? + Do you know where some of your grandparents met? + Do you know where your parents were married? + Do you know what went on when you were being born? + Do you know the source of your name? + Do you know some things about what happened when your brothers or sisters were being born? + Do you know which person in your f amily you look most like? + Do you know which person in t he f amily you act most like? + Do you know some of the illnesses and injuries that your parents experienced when t hey were younger? + Do you know some of the lessons that your parents learned from good or bad experiences? + Do you know some things that happened to your mom or dad when t hey were in school? + Do you know the national background of your f amily (such as English, German, Russian, etc)? + Do you know some of the jobs that your parents had when they were young? + Do you know some awards that your parents received when they were young? + Do you know the names of the schools that your mom went to? + Do you know the names of the schools that your dad went to? + Do you know about a relative whose fa ce« froze" in a grumpy position because he or she did not smile enough?

Score: Total number answered Y.

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

Jerry’s Journal (continued from page 7)

Discovered Letters from Vietnam

by Jerry Barksdale

Paul was leaving Vietnam. "I will be waiting for your letter," he wrote. "It felt good this morning when I turned in my flak vest, ammo and M-16. And it will feel good getting on that plane home. I hate to leave my buddies... but I can't wait to see my family and drive my own car. I think I could really get to like you."

Then he added, "I already like you."

Sally had no further contact with Paul. She didn't know if he was dead or alive. Her life went on. She graduated from Athens High in 1969, was a Majorette at Florence State and received her Master’s degree at Memphis State.

Following marriage and divorce, she returned to Athens, became active in the community and retired as Limestone County Victim Service Officer in 2013. She hadn't thought of Paul in years. Then one day while cleaning her closet she found her Athens High scrapbook along with nine letters in a box. "They were all in the closet together," she said.

Old memories, clouded by 50 years, rushed in. Was Paul alive? she wondered.

Finally, she sent a message to Paul Lauziere in Maine. "Are you the Paul that had a pen pal from Athens, Alabama, in 1967? If so, I'm that person." He replied. "I only had one." Sally called him. A soft-spoken man, he said when he got home he was a "real mess" and couldn't find a job.

After swapping missed calls, I finally got Paul on my black, flip top cell phone. He had enlisted in the Army at age 18, went through basic training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey; Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Gordon; then to Vietnam. After leaving Vietnam, he was ordered to Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was transferred to 3rd Army at 333 Signal Company and assigned to the communication center for the 18th Airborne Division as a cryptographer.

Following the Army, Paul went to work at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland for approximately 8 months as a cryptographer. He never ventured down to Alabama to meet his pen pal. “I came back to Maine and was a hermit for three years. Did nothing,” he told me. “I got up in the morning and went to the woods.

Just walked around. It

December 1 - December 14, 2017

felt comfortable.” While working on his B.S. at Thomas College, he met Helene – “the love of my life.” They married 42 years ago and have a daughter, Anne Sauceir (36) and John Lauziere (39).

Paul retired from the post office after 35 years. “I have PTSD and still under treatment,” he said.

He is also taking treatment for cancer.

Sally, married to David Marks for 29 years, chuckles when she thinks about some of the things she wrote as a sophomore.

She doesn't remember who put her name and address in the Red Cross pen-pal box. Too many years have passed. Sally is a member of the Alabama Veterans Museum and continues to show her patriotism and community spirit. She is a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Athens-Limestone Tourism Associa-

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tion and Spirit of Athens volunteer. She was an actress in Poke Sallet for years and can always be counted on where veterans are concerned.

Back in the "Sixties" when some young people were burning our flag, others were fighting under its banner in Vietnam.

And, on the homefront, there were Sally Johnsons offering them hope and encouragement. Sally purchased a memorial brick for Paul and is gifting his letters to the Alabama Veterans Museum.

Sally and David decided to take a fall trip to Maine, see the foliage, and visit Paul. She talked to Paul.

“He didn’t say come up. I think he may have been a little skeptical,” she said.

They flew to Boston, rented a car and drove to Lewiston, Maine, and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn where they agreed to meet. Sally was nervous. How would his wife, Helene react?

What would they talk about?

“Out stepped Paul, we hugged. Helene got out of the car and we hugged.” So far so good. Paul invited them to lunch; David and Sally followed behind in their car. At lunch, Paul, who is a man of few words said, “I didn’t have any idea what you looked like.”

Later, he took them to their War Memorial where his name is chiseled on the monument, his Shriner’s Temple, and gave her a Vietnam Challenge Coin. Paul also took them to dinner. As Sally and David were preparing to depart the next morning, Paul walked over to Sally’s side of the car and said, “You don’t know what you’ve done for me.” Everyone got out of their car and hugged goodbye. “I’m coming to Alabama,” Paul said.

“Come ahead,” Sally replied.

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Dog Barker

“Skin” In The Game

by Paige Figueroa

It has been quite amusing every month trying to blend informative, humorous experiences and facts into reading material. I'm not taking sides on this subject; however, I do want to express myself as someone who has stood knee-deep in fur and hair.

My question to you is: How do you keep cool when the thermometer gets up into the high '90s, or keep warm when the temperatures in Alabama get below 40 degrees; what is comfortable? Through the years, I have seen “dreadlocks” on dogs coming in for grooming, especially on non-shedding breeds.

There are two different

kinds of hair or fur to be maintained on these dogs that mat up. Whether there are fleas or not, their skin itches; then to comfort themselves, they lick and scratch and rub themselves.

Maintenance on a dog’s skin and hair is very important. When a dog does not get enough attention paid to their grooming, they are just like us; they'll start scratching and itching all over.

When a dog’s hair is matted, what happens is that the skin will start to break down and underneath that matted hair, you'll find infections and wounds. Disgusting as it sounds, I and other groomers have shaved dogs down and found maggots underneath all that matted hair. Yes, I

said maggots!

Regular grooming of the skin and hair is very important in all breeds of dogs; in fact, even the hairless ones need a bath or wipe down. All breeds need to be maintained, or they can be a host for fleas and ticks which can invade your home. They can be spread from one animal to another and throughout neighborhood yards that back up to each other. Just remember that hair needs to be maintained properly. Oh yeah, I have even run into mites several times and had to bathe in Dawn. Creepy feeling.

Hair is an environment.

Think about it. Dogs that have extremely dense coats are Pyrenees, Collies, Huskies, Malamutes, and Chows.

Those are just a few breeds that have undercoats and guard hair to protect against Arctic cold. We also see this in dogs with wolf-like characteristics. So let's put it this way...Go to the Swiss Alps or the Himalayas, strip down to your underdrawers and expect to be comfortable in a blizzard…you have another thing coming!

So, reverse that analogy.

You are an Arctic furbearing dog surviving in the Deep South with our sweltering summers, high humidity, and high heat index of Alabama; your hair is so dense; sitting in the sun makes your tongue hang out and the pads of your feet sweat. I would be begging, if I were a dog, "Cut my hair. Brush out

my undercoat.”

What does hot hair feel like? Not bad hair when you get out of bed in the morning. I'll tell you what hot hair feels like – it is being in a permanent state of menopause and hot flashes. If you men don't understand that, then ask your wife or your mama.

So, let's try to sum all of this up and simply talk hair and fur. Schnauzers, Maltese, and Bichons have non-shedding coats. As a responsible pet owner, it is wise to research the breed not only for temperament and energy, but your purpose. Ask yourself what you are willing to do to maintain the comfort of your animal in the Alabama weather.

So many of the shorthair breeds shed. I've actually clipped a few down not for their comfort, but because of shedding. Some of those breeds are Corgis, Pugs, and the Feist breeds. For your information, there are now de-shedding products. Also, there are hand mitts and baby wipes that can help.

Remember this, if you question your pet’s comfort, put on your long johns, mittens, scarf, and heavy coat in July and go outside in the Alabama sun. Then, you'll be packing up and moving to Alaska to keep those Arctic breeds comfortable. Oh, and by the way, I'm too old to do those big dogs, so I don't need money. This is 30 years of experience and compassion speaking.

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December 1 - December 14, 2017

Mental Health Minute

Still There

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

“It may seem pointless, but you should always talk to us - we're still in there.”

- (Harry Urban, someone who has lived with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis for 7 years)

In my last article, we discussed the most recent statistics and facts concerning the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, and recognition of November as National Alzheimer’s Awareness month. Today, I would like to share with you the more personal and emotional aspects of Alzheimer’s, from my perspective as a mental health clinician, having worked in nursing homes for over 8 years.

1.Be educated about the disease. The more you know about Alzheimer’s, the more you can understand and empathize with your loved one.

2.Develop routines and schedules. While most of us do better with agendas anyway, those with Alzheimer’s will appreciate knowing what happens when and where. Writing out a calendar of activities weekly can reduce confusion and frustration.

4.Non-verbals are now truly important. Do not be condescending or express heightened emotion. I am asking you to stop treating your loved one like a child! It is embarrassing for both of you. Use a calm voice and warm tone. Keep eye contact and smile. This can help your loved one stay at ease and know that you are someone familiar, even if she doesn’t recognize or remember exactly who you are.

It always made me sad when someone with Alzheimer’s wanted me to be their daughter, simply because I was nice to her.

5.Use names and relationships in conversations. “Hi Mom, it’s your daughter, Lisa. I’ve missed you.” Your loved one won’t have to struggle to remember who she is or who you are. This helps to create a comfortable atmosphere and allows your loved one to focus all their mental energy on the conversation.

who she is right now.

6.Meet your loved one in the now. Please don’t try to change your loved one back into the person they used to be. It’s okay to grieve the loss of the one you knew, and then love

8.Use every method of communication. Experiment to determine effective ways to connect with your loved one…art, music, singing, and reading may open that door to

7.Don’t assume that mental challenges translate into physical challenges.

As tempting as it might be to do everything for your loved one, it is important for her to do as many things as possible by and for herself. You may either need to ask if help is needed or start the activity.

who she once was. Even a simple touch on the arm can help communicate that she is loved.

9.We all remember emotions. Your loved one will remember how she felt even after she forgets the actual event. So, your words and actions matter!

10. And lastly, it can be hard to watch a loved one change before your eyes. Remember that she is not changing, but the disease is progressing.

When someone is diagnosed with dementia, it is

devastating to the loved one as well as the family members and friends.

Hold on to who you know she was before the diagnosis, and take advantage of the time you have together.

Until next time…Lisa Lisa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who divides her time between her own private practice in Huntsville and providing personal counseling services at Athens State University.

3.Don’t argue or criticize!

This is a big one. The person with Alzheimer’s will become upset, and you will become frustrated. Please be willing to let most things go. “Join the journey.”

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Medical Point

Coughing? Bring A Healthy Dose Of “Sick Etiquette� To Work When the common cold hits, sharing is not caring courtesy BrandPoint content

(BPT) - Being considerate of others when you're sick is one of the first steps to good sick etiquette.

For example, you may think you're going to score points for showing up at work despite feeling under the weather. However, if you were to run this by an etiquette expert like Diane Gottsman, she would probably tell you the reverse is true.

"A recent survey found that half of Americans feel anxious about getting sick when others cough around them," Gottsman says. "So when you cough, your co-workers are likely going to be thinking of themselves and may not sympathize with you."

That's why Gottsman says the best thing you can do is steer clear of the office. If working remotely isn't an option, it is best to take a sick day.

"When you're sick, it's so important to take precautions to keep your germs from infecting others, which should always include staying home from work or other activities until symptoms have subsided," says Gottsman. "I understand that sometimes life seems too busy to get sick or a workplace may not offer enough paid time off. So staying home and putting work on the back burner until you're well is not an option for everyone. Still, productivity will decline when you are sick and you may

prolong your illness by overexerting yourself."

With that, Gottsman says the name of the game is keeping those germs to yourself. Don't be afraid to be demonstrative about that so you send a clear signal that you care and you don't want to infect anyone - it will put your friends and colleagues at ease. Here are Gottsman's sick etiquette tips: Telecommute: If it is physically possible for you to complete a day's work at home, that is probably the second most ideal solution to taking a sick day. If that's not a typical arrangement at your place of employment, though, frame it as being beneficial to your boss and

your fellow employees.

For example: "I understand we have this important deadline coming up, which is why I would prefer not to spread this bug to others. What if I worked on the project from my home office today instead of coming in?

If you sent me the call-in information, I could still join the conference call later. Of course, if you need anything at all, I'm just a phone call or email away."

Touch no one: If a friend moves in for a hug or a handshake, kindly warn them that you are recovering from a cold and would prefer to "play it safe" before extending your hand or leaning in for a hug.

Keep a sickness arsenal: Keep your desk well stocked to help you treat your symptoms and keep common areas germ-free. For your kit, consider items like tissues, disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer, as well as relief for sick symptoms, like pain relievers and a cough syrup like Robitussin.

Avoid shared surfaces: Cold viruses can survive several hours on surfaces, transferring easily to your colleagues. Germs can be hard to contain and avoid, but you can do your part by wiping down shared areas like a table or chair with a disinfecting wipe when you are finished using them.

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Cover your mouth wisely: Coughs and sneezes give germs and viruses a nice little vehicle to get around and infect others nearby.

When you must cough or sneeze, use a tissue or cough into your arm or elbow - never your hand, because the hands help spread the germs around. When using a tissue, promptly dispose of it and sanitize your hands.

Minimize coughing: When people hear someone cough in a crowded space, 26 percent feel annoyed, and 46 percent feel anxious about getting sick themselves, according to a recent online survey conducted by the Harris Poll. Keeping the medicine cabinet stocked with a powerful cough reliever is one effective way to suppress your cough. One product Gottsman recommends is Robitussin 12 Hour Cough Relief, because the long-lasting formula gets you through the whole work day by providing soothing relief from the hacking coughing. (You'll also be much quieter, which is a bonus.)

It's not always possible or practical to stay home for several days when you come down with a cold, but practicing good sick etiquette can help keep viruses from spreading to those around you.

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Foreman’s Forum

NYC Terrorist, What Would You Do?

by Paul Foreman The recent terrorist attack in New York City, made me really stop and think. My son, Alan is here visiting from Texas. He was watching the news coverage of the event and asked me, “Dad, what should a legally armed citizen do when he or she suddenly witnesses such a horrible attack on innocent people taking place?”

There are a lot of things that go through a person’s mind when witnessing something tragic happen right before their eyes. Is the average person really that de-sensitized just because they see so much violence on TV and in the movies? Many people will be so shocked by what they see, they just freeze in place and literally do nothing. Their brain shuts down upon experiencing an event that is totally terrorizing. In one of my past articles, I told of how my brother, his wife and I along with my wife, witnessed a horrible motorcycle wreck. The victim was very seriously injured. They just kind of stood there staring while I climbed up the steep hillside and rendered first aid. I had the advantage of training and experience in such situations. At the time, with the experience of over twenty years as a deputy sheriff, my mind was not shocked by seeing the wreck. Instead, because of experience, I already knew what needed to be done.

In the New York City attack, hundreds of tourists either froze in place or ran for their lives. Upon seeing a pickup truck driven by a deranged coward, they had no training, or experience about what to do. But,

a New York City Police officer already knew exactly what to do and he did it without hesitation. The bad guy was shot, by a good guy with a gun, as he fled the scene. He was stopped before he could hurt or kill more innocent citizens.

Now the million dollar question. As a legally armed citizen, what would or should you do? Under the laws of

your local jurisdiction, what can a citizen legally do?

The now popular phrase comes to my mind, “When seconds count, the cops are only minutes away.”

In an open public area, one of the first things an armed citizen needs to worry about is being mistaken for the bad guy! Think about that for a moment. There are dozens of people being critically injured and killed, and here you stand with a gun in your hand. Especially with the police in New York City, you do NOT need them to see you standing there with

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a gun.

The time to do something is immediate. Many firearms classes and local law enforcement training teaches one to act quickly and aggressively. You will have microseconds to decide. Is the driver a terrorist? Or, is this an elderly person having some sort of medical issue and has lost control of the truck? Once you have

decided to take action, do it as aggressively as possible, and without hesitation.

The tactics you use will have a huge impact on the outcome. Remember, you are risking your life and the lives of other innocent citizens. Unless you have taken an oath like the U.S. President’s Secret Service, you must make your first priority your own life and that of your family. As a legally armed citizen, you are probably carrying a HANDGUN and NOT one of those mean, black killing machines like an AR15 or AK 47. If you

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were, the cops would probably already be there! And, I hope you are not depending on one of those little mouse guns that have become so popular. Oh, don’t get me wrong. In a close up, personal encounter with a bad guy trying to rob you, one of those little micro-pistols is definitely better than no gun. If the gun you have chosen to carry is so big and

County Florida, now living in Athens. Paul is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor. “As many of you may already know, due to my current battle with cancer, I am NOT doing firearms classes. Prayers are welcome. As for the classes, I have a gentleman whom I am referring people to, who is also an NRA certified Firearms Instructor.” Email

heavy, such as a full sized Glock 17 or a Colt 1911, you are probably going to find it gets left at home. If the gun is left at home, it is not going to do you, or anybody else you are trying to protect, much good.

me at: Captureman@PaulForeman.com

As for tactics to use in such a scenario as that which happened in New York City, there is way more than I can or could teach in an article such as this. Find a good Firearms Instructor and take as many classes as you can afford.

Paul Foreman is a retired deputy sheriff from Lee

Paul Foreman 256-431-6702 NRA Recruiter, Click here to join or renew: NRA protects your 2nd Amendment rights! https://membership. nrahq.org/forms/signup. asp?campaignid=XI029922 Check out my web page www.PaulForeman.com and Facebook! @ https:// www.facebook.com/ Paul-Foreman-NRACertified-Instructor822151851204560/

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