Athens Now October 5, 2018

October 5th - October 18th, 2018

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

See Our Listings Inside this edition...

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Tina's Tales Hope is a Good Thing...

“Hope is a good thing… maybe the best of things; and no good thing ever dies.” This profound...

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Tourism

The 12th Annual Athens, Alabama, Storytelling Festival Is Almost Here!

By Ali Elizabeth Turner For the past 12 years, our dear town has been the site of one truly special event, the Storytelling Festival.

From its humble beginnings in 2006, it has grown to be one of the best in the country, and is unique in that Continued on page 15

The Red Caboose Café: A Little Bit Of Something For Everyone

Toe-tapping & Spooktacular October Awaits In Athens-Limestone AL...

Welcome October!

October is jam-packed with events including the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention...

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Cooking With Anna The Powerful Pumpkin...

Most people only think of pumpkins as Halloween decorations or a delicious pie during Thanksgiving...

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October 5 - October 18, 2018

By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Red Caboose owners Glenn and Melanie Leach

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In July of 2018, Melanie Leach launched into a whole new career: becoming the owner, along with her husband Glenn, of The Red Caboose Café in Elkmont, AL. A few months earlier, Melanie had come on board as a business partContinued on pages 17

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October 5 - October 18, 2018

Publisher’s Point

Help That Verily Helps

Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers D. A. Slinkard Lisa Philippart Lynne Hart Anna Hamilton Cayce Lee Rosemary Dewar Tina Cook Jerry Barksdale Joel Allen Wanda Campbell Roy Williams Janet Hunt

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3

When Steve and I lived in Mexico on the mission field, we literally saw the good, the bad, and the ugly, both from the standpoint of missionaries as well as “missionees.” (Yes, that is a real word, and it’s been around since the early ‘50s.) At the heart of the helping professions, whether it’s spiritual, medical, educational, financial, practical, protective, or psychological, is a minefield for both the givers and the receivers, and that is the “tendency for dependency.” Simply stated, those who have a true heart to help can, over time, come to enjoy and overly depend upon the fact that those they help have come to perpetually need them and/or their goods and services. Conversely, those in need come to enjoy the fact that the goods and/or services are perpetually available, irrespective of personal choices and lifestyle. Such a scenar-

io ultimately is not helpful or healthy for anyone.

Missionary think tanks have been working this problem for years, and some models have developed that are designed to break what could be argued is a twoway addiction. Three of the most successful have been Dream Centers, Teen Challenge, and the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, all of which are located throughout America and abroad. Their combined stated goals are to meet the immediate needs and then get to the “broken root” so the individual or family can become whole and productive in every regard.

Happily, a new example of “help that verily helps” is opening up in Nashville, and we have a companion endeavor here in Athens that is the brainchild of Pastor Tony Williams of Friendship Methodist. I am pleased to

showcase both as related in their end game and variant in their focus. The first is the project of country music legend Brad Paisley; his wife, actress Kimberly Williams; Belmont University, and other private donors. It is simply called The Store, and it looks as lovely as Sprouts.

The philosophy is that clients have an “account” for the space of a year, and in order to “shop” there, they have to be involved in other approved educational endeavors that can get them back on their feet as they implement what they learn.

There is a firm but brilliant biblical maxim that says, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat,” and that was applied to the upper class who were a part of America’s Jamestown in its founding. Entitlement can show up just as easily in the aristocracy as it can in those who are on assistance, and proven productivity is one of the

All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4 Tina's Tales . . . . . . . . . . 5 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . 6 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . 10 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Anna . . . . 13

cures. The model used for The Store is one that has had great success in other cities, and I would love to see something comparable come to our fair town.

Speaking of, what we have in the Athens Downtown core is a restaurant called the Washington Street Diner, located at 100 East Washington, right next to Mind Volt. The eatery is run by Friendship United Methodist church, and its purpose is two-fold. One is to get good eats at a fair price into the tummies of folks in Athens-Limestone County, and the other is to promote “earning-whilelearning” so that those who have received training can land jobs in other restaurants. This frees up their training slot for the next person, and a happy revolving door swings out into the community. Recently I heard Pastor Tony celebrate the fact that one of their graduates is now employed full-time at Terranova’s, located in the former location of LuVici’s. The best part is that “our loss, their gain” is exactly what the doctor ordered, and demonstrates that “the help that verily helps” is alive and well in Athens, AL. Isn’t this a grand place to live?

The Millennial Mind . . . . 14 Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

Cover Stories . . . . . . . . 15 & 17 Health & Fitness . . . . . . . 16 Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18 Jerry's Journal . . . . . . . 19 Dog Barker . . . . . . . . 20 Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Alternative Approcah . . . 22

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All Things Soldier

The Tale Of Ami And Andrew

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

Over the years, I have said several times that if someone is running for office, and the contest is between a veteran with combat experience and a non-veteran, most times I will lean in the direction of voting for the veteran. That is not hard and fast, but my findings have been that if someone has survived combat, the extra street smarts that come from making decisions that are literally life and death, with little time for debate, tend to show up as beneficial when making legislative decisions that can mean life or death for the republic. That seems to be the case in the US Congressional race in California between two men, Dr. Amerish (Ami) Bera, the current representative from the 7th District, who is being opposed by a former Marine combat veteran by the name of Andrew Grant.

Ami has had campaignrelated controversy that it appears he has not been able to control, nor of which he was aware when it was going on, allegedly. His father engaged in an illegal fundraising scheme

Andrew Grant

Ami Bera wherein friends and family members fronted thousands of dollars for Ami’s campaign, with

the promise to be repaid by Ami’s father, Babulal. The purpose was to do an end run around campaign finance regulations, and was successful in two of Ami’s elections before Babulal got caught, tried, convicted, sentenced, and incarcerated.

Here is what is troubling to me: Ami never went to see his dad in prison. Apparently

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they would talk on the phone, and that is good, but it makes me wonder if Ami was too worried about the optics to go have a face-to-face with his dad because of how it would look. The reasons given were that the health of Ami’s mom was too fragile, and that may be; yet, I have a hard time believing that there was no opportunity within the time of Babulal’s incarceration that Ami could not have seen him. It would be irresponsible to be dogmatic about their situation, but it does beg several questions that would make me nervous if I were a California voter. All told, Babulal illegally raised around $300,000 for Ami’s campaign.

By contrast, Andrew Grant is not only a Marine with combat experience, he is a Naval Academy graduate, an intel officer, and served

under John Bolton in the State Department. As far as varied military experience is concerned, he has been a reconnaissance commander of Marines, SEALS, and Scout Snipers; he has been a Navy diver; fought drugs with both the Marines as well as law enforcement in Southern California; worked with South Koreans and Aussies; served in the Middle East and Kosovo; and fought Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. He finished his time as a Marine officer in a Defense Intelligence Agency analyzing North Korea.

When Andrew finished his military service career, he became involved with a local company in California, worked his way up to executive level, and went on to become the CEO of a trade group. To me, from the standpoint of experience, service, focus, and scope, Andrew appears to be the better candidate. However, at the end of the day, I am just thankful that I have been made aware of a true officer and a gentleman, and irrespective of the outcome, I am glad these guys are facing off. What is troubling, though, is that as of this writing, Ami refuses to share the platform with, let alone debate, his opponent Andrew. To me, Ami’s silence is roaring, and I hope the voters of his district retire him so he can go look after his family.

October 5 - October 18, 2018

Tina's Tales

Hope is a Good Thing

by Tina Cook Director, Athens-Limestone County Family Resource Center

Many thanks to my fellow ALMA member, Freddy Leonard, for collaborating with me on this article. an event that will have great impact for so many; we need you! If you are someone with goods or services to offer, we need you, too! Whoever you are and wherever you fit into Convoy of Hope, we are asking you to take part in displaying that Athens-Limestone County is a community who shows up, cares, and gives lavishly. Even more than that, we want to make an extravagant impact for the Kingdom of God!

“Hope is a good thing…maybe the best of things; and no good thing ever dies.” This profound statement was made

by Andy DuFrense, the main character of the 1994 blockbuster movie The Shawshank Redemption. In the movie, he is serving a life sentence at the Shawshank State Penitentiary for two murders he did not commit. Eventually, he escapes by digging a tunnel under the prison; he worked long and hard to garner his freedom.

Though not a prison of guards and bars, there are many in our community who live a life of imprisonment.

It is a prison of poverty, of despair, and of hopelessness.

According to data collected in 2017 by the U.S. Census Bureau, 12.8 % of Limestone County residents live below the poverty level. This means that about 12,083 of our fellow residents struggle just to keep food on the table, clothes on their back, and to provide other necessities for themselves and their families.

In many cases, these types of socioeconomic hardships can lead to feelings of desperation, maybe even a feeling of worthless insignificance.

The Athens-Limestone County area is a tight-knit community that grasps the plight of the less fortunate amongst us. Many are actively making a difference in lives. The Athens-Limestone Ministerial Alliance, better known as ALMA, is a group of local pastors, ministers, and community leaders whose purpose is to promote unity in the Body of Christ and to meet spiritual and benevolent needs. Many in the community are not aware that ALMA created our local food bank,

(L-R) AHS students Klaryssa Melendrez & Jocelyn painting FRC's Windows for Awareness LCCI (Limestone County Churches Involved) which feeds our hungry and homeless residents.

Members of ALMA have a determined passion when it comes to living out the mission of our group. Almost two years ago, we decided to undertake a big event that would not only make a difference for one day but have a rippling effect long afterwards. We have been working toward the event day of November 3, 2018 ever since! The event is called Convoy of Hope Limestone County.* Early that morning hundreds of local volunteers, known for the day as the Convoy Kindness Crew, will serve thousands of Guests of Honor who will receive a hot meal, haircuts, family portraits, shoes, job services, health services, veterans services, free groceries, and more. There will be a kid’s zone for the young ones to enjoy and a prayer tent where folks can go for hope and encouragement. Also, if desired, people can be connected with a church near their home.

wants to make a difference in lives…or perhaps someone who needs to be encouraged and loved extravagantly? If so, then ALMA cordially invites you to be part of our Convoy Kindness Crew or a Convoy Guest of Honor! Or perhaps you are an individual or corporation who can make a monetary donation to help fund

Our lives are filled with moments that can transform, enlighten, heal, and unite. This event is an opportunity for our community to make many of those moments. It has the power to bind us together not as givers and receivers but rather as friends, neighbors, and fellow human beings working toward a common good. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the

world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

To volunteer or donate, please see the contact information below.

*Community Event What: Convoy of Hope Limestone County When: November 3, 2018 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Swan Creek Park 101 Hwy 31 South Athens, AL 35611 Contact Information ALMA PO Box 658 Athens, AL 35612 Phone: 256-232-6119 Email: office@athensnewlife.com Website: www.convoy.org/ limestonecounty

Are you a local resident who

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Calendar of Events 2018 Limestone-Morgan Walk to End Alzheimer's Oct 13

All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti at VVA Oct 15

Delano Park. 825 Gordon Dr SE in Decatur. Starting at 8:00AM with registration, ceremony and race at 9:00AM. Information and registration: ALZ.org

All-you-can-eat $7. Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad or coleslaw, dessert, and drink. Eat in or carry out. Lunch 11am-1pm. Dinner 5-7pm.

Entertainment during dinner. Call ahead for large carry-outs or for more info 256-431-3213. Proceeds fund scholarships for local students.

Music for Mission Concert: Matt Prater Oct 14

Fall Yard Sale/Bake Sale Fundraiser Oct 6

With Athens-Limestone Animal Shelter. 1701 U.S. Highway 72 W in Athens. 7:00AM-2:00PM benefiting the shelter. Take a tour of the shelter and take home a new family member too.

Jeep Show Oct 6

With Limestone County AL 4-H. Tractor Supply Company, 601 U.S. Highway 72 in Athens. 10:00AM-2:00PM with 3 categories: Muddiest Jeep, Custom Jeep, and Oldest Jeep. Entry is $10.00 per Jeep - cash only.

Community Yard Sale Oct 6

Athens-Limestone County Public Library. 603 South Jefferson Street in Athens. 8:00AM-12:00PM.

An Evening with NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison Oct 11

With the Rogersville Chamber of Commerce. Joe Wheeler State Park, 4403 McLean Drive in Rogersville, AL. 6:30PM-9:30PM. Tickets: $25. Ticket available by calling the Rogersville Chamber at 256-247-9449 or email Chamber@RogersvilleAlabama.com

4th Annual Car, Truck, & Bike Show Oct 13

Athens Sportsplex. US31 and Elm Street in Athens. 9:00AM3:00PM. Registration: $20 per vehicle. Food trucks and drink concessions, Kids' Dug Out Playground, DJ & music. For more info: 256-777-0606.

5th Annual Sharon Carter's Pink Lady Walk Oct 13

Jimmy Gill Park. 333 West Sanderfer Road in Athens. Starting at 9:30AM. For more information or to register: www.pinkladywalk. org or email pinkladywalk@gmail.com

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Event held at Revival, 305 West Washington Street in Athens.

4:00PM-6:00PM. Free, donation accepted for the Full Tummy Project to help feed Limestone County Children.

More information: FPCAthens.org or Julie McNeese 256-566-4013.

Social Media for Small Business Oct 16

Presented by Hope Davis Media at Athens-Limestone County Public Library. 603 South Jefferson Street in Athens. 5:30PM6:30PM. Hosted monthly and aimed at small businesses. These classes are free, but registration is required. You can register at www.bit.ly/ALCPL_SmallBusiness

Trail of Tears Conference & Symposium Oct 26-28

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Decatur, AL. Decatur Morgan County Tourism is proud to partner with the University of North Alabama, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association and Alabama Tourism Department to sponsor the 23rd annual Trail of Tears Conference and Symposium for the 1st time. Hosted by the Alabama chapter of the Trail of Tears Association (TOTA).

Registration is still available for the entire conference or for the Native American Genealogy Workshop scheduled for October 29th. Interested members of the public are invited to register and attend. The National Trail of Tears Conference and Symposium also will include history and information sessions, screenings of documentary films and receptions, and attendees will have the opportunity to tour nearby sites related to Cherokee history including Rhodes Ferry Park, Tuscumbia Landing and the University of North Alabama. Registration for the conference is $125 for Trail of Tears Association members and $175 for nonmembers and can be completed at www.nationaltota.com.

Convoy Of Hope Limestome County Community Event Nov 3

Swan Creek Park, 101 Hwy 31 South, Athens, AL. 10am. Rain or shine. Providing free groceries, hot lunch, health services, kids’ zone, nutrition education, family portraits, community services, veterans services, haircuts and more! While supplies last. All are welcome. No ID required.

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What Makes Ronnie Roll

The Traveler’s Gift And Harry Truman

by Ali Elizabeth Turner Some Mondays are days when it would be easy to be either “maudlin” or “muddling through,” but for everyone from “home executives” to corporate executives, to city executives, it is important to have a system to get back into a realm of the encouragement of oneself as well as others. Sometimes you don’t have a great deal of time to do so, and if you delay, things can begin to stack up on the inside. The Psalms record that “David encouraged himself in the Lord,” and the series we are currently exploring from the book The Traveler’s Gift, is so well-crafted that it isn’t completely necessary to read it in order. Last time, we talked about a fictional conversation with Ann Frank, and this time our “traveler” visits Harry Truman as he is weighing the decision to drop nuclear bombs on

Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Our hero, whose name is David Ponder, is privy to the agony that Truman went through when he wrestled with the decision to use a true “doomsday weapon” whose impact could not have been anticipated, either in its sheer awfulness nor the speed with which it brought World War II to an end.

Now, neither you, I, nor Mayor Ronnie are facing down anything as wrenching as what “Give-‘emhell” Harry ever did, but sometimes I know that for me it can feel that way.

One of the things that I appreciate about the fictional portrayal of the protagonist’s conversation with the president is that Harry responds, “I never give anybody hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.”

I sighed as I read that

statement, and determined to step up my own game as it pertains to being told hard truths that demand either a change of words or of action. Growing is

painful, not growing is fatal. Mayor Ronnie had gotten some bad news about a long-time friend who had been diagnosed with cancer, which was tough, and he and his department heads had gotten through the budget process, which is always a relief. The mayor mentioned that Truman’s most famous statement, “The buck stops here,” noting that he knew it applied to him as a man as well as a mayor. What is little known is that the origin of the phrase for which Truman became famous came as a result of a friend of Truman’s seeing it on the desk of a guy who was running a prison in Oklahoma. The friend asked the warden to see if a similar one could be made for Harry, and the rest, as they say, is history.

We moved on to topics that were much more

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light-hearted -- the fact that Fiddlers’ is here, soon to be followed by the Storytelling Festival from October 23-27. It is especially fun that we are getting to add to the festivities with the up-coming birthday party of our city.

There will be more on that soon. There is a group of Airstream campers who have paid for there to be water and electricity at the Sportsplex, and as of Monday, October 1, people had already claimed their spots in front of the main stage at Fiddlers’ by planting their camp chairs in front of Founders’ Hall. The “planters” are also keeping track of the claims they have “staked” by checking in on social media, a strategy that is new in this festival season. There was much to pray about and people to pray for, so we did, and then it was time for Ronnie to roll.

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Slinkard On Success

According To His Purpose

by D. A. Slinkard

D.A. Slinkard is the manager of the Athens Staples store Sometimes it is hard to have a positive attitude.

There are days it would be easier to be grumpy than to take the approach you know needs to be taken. I like to think of myself as a positive individual, but there are times when the negativity creeps into my way of thinking. What can I say? I am human just like everyone else, but I believe we can get a better hold of our attitudes if we make a conscious effort. I believe if a person wants to be positive or if they want to be negative it all comes from their focal point. Think positive and positive things happen, think negative and you will get negative results.

Recently, I found out my Crohn’s disease has pro-

gressed to the point my current medication, Lialda, is no longer a viable treatment option, and now I am about to begin treatments using Humira. I can tell you I am not excited about this one bit; honestly, it scares me because I fear becoming a science experiment. My doctor tells me that my chances of having another colon resection goes from the current 60% chance down to an 8% chance being on Humira. Talk about impacting your attitude; this has definitely had an impact on my entire world around me!

Despite the fears of being a walking science experiment, I think to Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love

God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Having gone through the battles I have faced with Crohn’s, I can honestly tell you it has brought me closer in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I have learned how to trust in Him more than at any point in my life, and my focal point for maintaining a positive attitude revolves around glorifying God. What would my testimony look like if I had a negative attitude? The more I trust in Christ, the more I notice my overall attitude, approach, and life all changing for the positive.

All of these changes have made me think about the motivations of life and how different people are motivated by different things.

Recently, I read Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

This put things in a different perspective for me in which I found a new motivation for doing things. On tasks that I may have had a negative approach to in the past, I suddenly found myself with a new positive perspective because I imagined myself doing the task for the Lord, not as if I was doing it for any other person. Talk about having an improvement in my attitude and approach! I can tell you when you start using scripture from the Bible, your life will begin to change.

I wonder how many times we put limits on God, and I must admit I have been guilty of limiting God

in the past. Maybe this sounds familiar to you as well? How many times do we confine God to a small box of what we think He can or cannot do, when if we would just get out of the way and allow God to move in our lives, how different our lives would be? I personally find inspiration from Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible,” and find myself questioning how many times I have doubted God when I should have put my faith in Him rather than my doubt.

This thought process brings me to the next scripture of Proverbs 16:3, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” How many times do we think we have to go it alone? How many times do we try to rely upon our own self and not trust upon the Lord to lead and direct our lives? Instead, I believe these scriptures combined with each other can make for one powerful story.

We talk about having a positive attitude. If we would take the time to dive into God’s presence and study His Word, we would find every bit of motivation we need. We just need to make a decision about what is and is not going to be important to us. I am a firm believer that if it is important to you, you will find a way.

If it is not important, you will make an excuse.

What is important in your life?

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Tourism

Toe-tapping & Spook-tacular October Awaits In Athens-Limestone AL

by Cayce Lee Social Media Specialist, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association Welcome October! October is jam-packed with events including the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention – or known locally as the Fiddlers Convention - from October 4-6 which brings the return of the Airstreamers to the festival. Over 50 silverclad bubbles of adventure travel return to Athens after a 10-12 year absence.

The Airstreamers will be hitting the community for sightseeing, including Belle Chevre Creamery in Elkmont; the Robotics Training Center in Tanner; Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives and the downtown Square in Athens; dominos, games, and fellowship at the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center’s meeting room – and of course the music, food, shopping, and fun of the Fiddlers Convention.

Athens State University will be hosting a series of Organ Concerts on October 8. Music for Mission will host a concert with Matt Prater on October 9. Night of the Bands at East Limestone High School is October 23. The Heroes and Star Wars Pop Concert comes to James Clemens High School on October 28. Plus lots of chances to enjoy music at local venues each weekend throughout Limestone County.

It’s time for screams and scares with the return of Doomsday at Dog Days in Ardmore, TN, and Lester Haunted Hospital in Lester Alabama each weekend.

The frightful sights will live in your nightmares each weekend in October.

For

less-scary,

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family-

Cross-Country Invitations and another chance to dine on Swamp John’s with Behind the Badge APD. October 17 hosts Straight Talk About Race at the Athens State Library. Shoot 4 Shelter with Downtown Rescue Mission takes over Limestone Hunting Preserve on October 19. October 20 sees the Fall-Out Car & Bike Show at Redstone Harley-Davidson and Rotary Casino Night at King B Farms in Ardmore, TN. Apple Annie Golf Tournament comes to Canebrake on October 26. October 28 is the 200th Anniversary of Athens First United Methodist Church.

Pickin', grinnin', and Storytellin' friendly options – the Haunt Walks are finishing their pre-sale ticket period for two-tours per night on Tuesday and Thursdays in October. Tickets are on sale now at the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center 100 North Beaty Street in Athens from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM MondayFriday.

The Athens Scarecrow Ball returns with decorated scarecrows and scenes scattered throughout the Historic Beaty District, Historic Downtown Business District in Athens, and surrounding areas. Families are encouraged to stroll and drive the area in search of the scarecrows prepared by local families and businesses.

Here are just a few of October’s additional events that you might enjoy: Come out for the Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby with Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful on October 6 as the adopted rubber ducks run the sluice for a variety of prizes. The Jeep Show with Limestone County 4-H happens at Trac-

tor Supply Company on October 6. Impact Weekend offering health screenings and other activities takeover the Lincoln-Pincham Center at the Trinity Complex on October 6. Savvy Women, Savvy Investors Seminar at Loft 1880 and Mission Possible: End Domestic Violence at Athens State’s McCandless Hall happen on October 9.

Round Island Creek Revival kicks off October 10. October 11 sees the Fore the Student Golf Tournament at Canebrake; Purple and Fit: Zumba on the Square; and An Evening with NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison come to town. October 12 is a fun day at the Limestone Coun-

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ty Event Center for Senior Fun Fest; Aim for Advocacy comes to the Limestone Hunting Preserve in Ardmore, AL; Dance with the Stars and Stripes with Forever Young Senior Veterans at Redstone Harley-Davidson in Greenbrier pack October 12. October 13 will be just as busy with the 4th Annual Car, Truck, and Bike Show at the Athens SportsPlex and the 5th Annual Sharon Carter’s Pink Lady Walk at Jimmy Gill Park. Grab a bite with the Vietnam Veterans Spaghetti Lunch and Dinner on the 15th of October. October 16 sees Cross-Country Teams coming to Athens for the Athens Bible School

October rounds out with the Athens Storytelling Festival from October 22 – 26, with an annual kickoff event, Local Tellers Night on Tuesday, October 23 under the tent in downtown Athens. The event continues with School Days for Tennessee Valley area schools and homeschoolers who pre-registered. Thursday, October 25 is the Storytelling Olio featuring each storyteller and the winner of the Local Tellers’ night.

Then the weekend of October 26 and 27 is jam-packed with laughs, oohs, awws and more fun as the storytellers take over the tents.

For details on these and other great events happening in Athens-Limestone Alabama for October and beyond, please visit VisitAthensAL. com or stop by the AthensLimestone Visitors Center 100 North Beaty Street in Athens from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday – Friday.

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Clean and Green

Shredding, Electronics Collection, Drug Take-Back Event In Athens – Nov 10

by Lynne Hart Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful We are constantly advised to protect our identity, and one way to do that is to shred documents that contain important personal information.

Not everyone has a paper shredder at home.

Even if they do, papers often accumulate to the point that it would take hours to get it all shredded using a small machine.

We are also encouraged to recycle our old or broken electronics; however, not everyone can get to the recycling center during the week.

There will also be a perfect opportunity to finally rid your cabinets of unused or outdated prescription and overthe-counter medications to be sure they never get into the wrong hands.

On Saturday, November 10, the Better Business Bureau, Athens-Limestone Recycling Center (a division of KALB), and the Athens Police Department are teaming up to help solve these problems. The event is provided free of charge (except for a $10 fee per TV set) and will be located at the Athens Middle School (the old high school) from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Volunteers will be ready to unload items so drivers won’t have to exit their vehicles.

Shredding Although there have been shredding op-

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at the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center during business hours.

Drug Take Back Accepted: Prescription or overthe-counter drugs, vitamins, patches, vet meds, and controlled substances.

Not Accepted: Liquids and needles Please remember that medicines portunities nearby, there hasn’t been one in Athens for some time.

Thanks to the Better Business Bureau, all residents will have the opportunity to bring up to 3 large boxes or bags of documents to be shred on site by a commercial shredding company. All shredded paper will then be recycled.

If you shred your own documents at home, it is important that you are aware the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center on Lucas Ferry Rd. accepts shredded paper.

You may leave the paper in a bag so it won’t create litter once you place it in the appropriate collection bin in front of the center.

Bags of shredded paper can also be dropped off at any of the community collection centers located throughout Limestone County. For a list of community collection center locations, visit our website and click the

medicines are not fully removed by wastewater treatment plants or septic systems; therefore, the safest method to dispose of medications is at a drug take back event where the drugs will be handled in a way that will keep the environment safe.

KALB and our recycling center are so pleased to partner with the Better Business Bureau and the Athens

Recycling tab for further information.

Electronics Often people are confused about what constitutes electronics when it comes to recycling.

Many people only think of computers and related equipment.

Anything that runs on batteries or has an electrical cord is considered electronics.

All items are accepted free of charge except TV Sets. There is a $10 fee per TV. So will we take printers? Yes. A broken toaster? Yes. A working VCR that no one uses?

Yes. A microwave oven?

Yes. Large appliances?

Yes, most of the time.

Please call the Recycling Center at 256-233-8746 before delivering large items.

If you can’t make it to this event, remember electronics are accepted Monday through Friday

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flushed down the toilet can pollute our waterways and contaminate our food and water supplies. Even at low levels, aquatic life can be harmed by medicines in the environment. Many

Police Department to bring these important services to our community. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.

Become a Fan

(256) 233-8728 KALBCares@gmail.com www.KALBCares.com October 5 - October 18, 2018

Cooking with Anna

The Powerful Pumpkin

by Anna Hamilton

Most people only think of pumpkins as Halloween decorations or a delicious pie during Thanksgiving. Large, round, orange canvases for us to carve scary faces. There is so much more to the humble pumpkin; it is packed with nutrition.

Pumpkin is a highly nutrient-dense food. It is rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. Let’s think about pumpkin in more ways than just sweet pumpkin pies and sugary pumpkin lattes. According to WebMD there are six health benefits to adding pumpkin to your diet.

Weight Loss: Pumpkin is rich in fiber. Fiber helps slow the digestion process which in return helps you feel fuller longer.

Pumpkin is very filling, but it’s super low in calories.

Sharp Vision: When you think of pumpkins you think of orange.

That brilliant orange color comes from beta-carotene. Betacarotene is converted to Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for eye health.

Better Immunity: The large shot of vitamin A not only helps your eyes but it also helps your body fight infections and viruses.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin is packed with nearly 20 percent of your daily dose of Vitamin C. Younger Looking Skin: Eating pumpkin can help you look younger; but you can also use the pulp as a great, all-natural face mask that exfoliates and soothes.

Lower Cancer Risk: Beta-carotene is great for your eyes and skin, but you know what else it is good for? Fighting cancer.

Research shows that people who eat a beta-carotene rich diet may have a lower risk of some types of cancer.

It May Help Treat Diabetes: In scientific tests, pumpkin has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance, and increase the amount of insulin the body produces.

So, how do you add pumpkin to your diet? Well, luckily pumpkin is delicious and can be used in so many more ways that sugarladen pumpkin desserts. This recipe sneaks pumpkin into another classic fall dish, chili. It doesn’t make the chili overly sweet or too “pumpkiny.” It just makes it super rich and delicious. I hope you try to include pumpkin in your dishes and add a great healthy food to your diet.

What You Need: 1 can tomato sauce (26 oz) 1 can diced tomatoes (27 oz) 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 lbs. lean ground beef 1 medium red onion, diced 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 can green chilies 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 can pumpkin puree (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING) Sour cream, chives and cheese for garnish

Directions:

Brown ground beef with chopped onions and cook until meat is cooked through and onions are soft. In slow cooker add cooked meat, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and rinsed black beans. Then add the bell peppers, chili powder, green chilies, and pumpkin puree and mix well. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chives.

This is the perfect dish on those cool autumn nights.

October 5 - October 18, 2018

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The Millennial Mind

This Great Stage Of Fools

by Rosemary Dewar Schemes eventually end, and when they do, it is never clean nor free from great sacrifices. One does not get to predict the amount of damage that will manifest. It may be possible to find reconciliation; however, that cannot protect from losses that are feared the most.

One can end up forfeiting what is held most dear without intending to. Everything has consequences that can either aid you or end you.

In Shakespeare’s King Lear, King Lear has diminished himself to a pawn piece in God’s game. Now, he wants to play God and have his three daughters play a game for him. Those who flatter him to his content will be rewarded with the kingdom he has. Two daughters win with vapid graces while the third daughter, Cordelia, is exiled for words that ring as true as love could. King Lear visits his two admiring daughters to find that their praises were as vacant as his retired throne. King Lear finally learns the meaning of Cordelia’s praises, and regains his fatherly relationship. Together they try to recover his throne. A neutral member of Lear’s court is captured and has his eyes gouged out. Lear and Cordelia lose to the other two daughters and are ordered to be put to death. The two daughters are discovered to be fawning over

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the same man outside of their marriages. Out of jealousy one daughter fatally poisons the other, and out of shame of discovery the remaining daughter dispatches herself. King Lear is rescued only to find Cordelia murdered. Out of escalating insanity, King Lear dies of a broken heart. He has lost everything; all for a game of sycophancy.

Most like to think they are one “more sinned against than sinning.”

That is where you discover the victimhood mentality.

It infects everything.

Redemption and resolution are not reached until others (usually the dearest to you) feel your pain.

Instead of confronting the bad behavior, people will pacify you against their better judgement. You may feel comforted and justified, but the result is pure vanity.

Within the play, a minor protagonist states that, “The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman.” A selfish request can become one’s undoing.

consequences that they didn’t count on. It has emboldened good and bad people to expose that very scheme. So long as liberty reigns, there will always be others ready to take the place of those who conspired their way out of favor.

In a moment of weakness when you don’t acknowledge your worth, it can easily be taken from you. The Bible’s story about two brothers, Jacob and Esau, is a lesson of how trickery may get you what you want, but not the way you intended. Jacob persuades Esau to trade his right to the family inheritance for food after nearly

starving from a hunting and gathering trip. Jacob then tricked his father in order to gain the inheritance. The words exchanged and the vows made cannot be undone.

Jacob makes an enemy of his brother, and Jacob himself is tricked many times in his life by his future in-laws and his children. Jacob and Esau’s families remain enemies, with losses that last for generations.

Our current society cannot be sustained by constant scheming. Another set of standards will replace it if we do not challenge ourselves to seek the purest forms of liberty and truth. We will

either pass on ethics and a fear of God to the next generation properly, without deceptions, or we will fall prey to those who just want to take our place in our moments of weakness.

Human frailty is always a constant. It has to checked, but it won’t be helped by a game of “who can play my biggest fan.” It’s no different than attempting to change the rules of decency for your own amusement and comfort. It can turn on you rapidly and without remorse. Keep the truth close, so close that it lives within, and it will keep you.

William Dyce, "King Lear and the Fool in the Storm" - Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

The way media rewards its loudest voices is dreadfully similar. Play by their rules and they’ll advance your reach, but call them out and users be damned. They will suspend you, or ban you. It figuratively gouges the eyes out of those who favor your content. This occurrence has had

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October 5 - October 18, 2018

Cover Story

The 12th Annual Athens, Alabama, Storytelling Festival Is Almost Here!

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

ours is the only one that each year makes a way for students to attend free of charge. That is because our legislators understand that while entertaining, the multi-award winning ‘tellers who come each year for the festival intentionally craft their tales to teach important life lessons. They just manage to be uproariously funny in the process! If all goes according to plan, for the first time this year there will be time during “School Days,” (the Wednesday-Thursday daytime event reserved for students in Athens-Limestone County) for contest-winning schoolkid ‘tellers to get up in front of their peers and have their “five minutes in the sun.” Who knows what career and longterm impact this could have?

Speaking for myself, more than just about any part of the festival, I have always enjoyed watching the reaction of the kids as they hear the tales!

There is another positive aspect of the Storytelling Festival that we can all celebrate, and that is the “bottom line” as it pertains to economic impact.

Wayne Kuykendall, one of the

founders of the festival told me that between what tourism industry people call “heads in beds,” vendor food purchased by attendees, ticket sales, restaurant meals served, and just “putting us on the map,” the financial impact on our community is close to $750,000.

For the 6th year, the annual Dan Williams Local Tellers’ Competition (formerly known as Amateur Night) is going to be on Tuesday night, October 23. The plan is to have ten local ‘tellers compete for the chance to be a part of the opening “Olio,” or “variety act or show.” In years gone by, winners have been folks like Athens City Councilman Frank Travis and Limestone County school teacher Barry Pugh. And in his day, Dan Williams was one of the best storytellers around.

The line-up for the 2018 festival includes some familiar faces and some newcomers.

Back again are Donald Davis, Carmen Deedy, and Bil Lepp.

Donald is considered the “elder statesman” of the storytelling world, and his people have lived in western North Carolina since 1781. He says, “I didn’t learn stories, I just absorbed them.” Carmen and Bil have

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been on such television shows as NPR’s All Things Considered and Comedy Central, respectively. Carmen is also the author of several children’s books which will be for sale at the Center for Lifelong Learning.

Tim Lowry is a nationally known ‘teller who lives in South Carolina and sports a seersucker suit reminiscent of lawyers of a by-gone era. He specializes in tales about American history, folktales, and personal stories. Tim has also performed at the Florence, AL, storytelling festival. Josh Goforth is a bluegrass, old time, and swing musician who started playing instruments at the age of five, and has appeared with Ricky Skaggs, Bryan Sutton, The Yonder Mountain String Band, and Open Road. Josh possesses the ability to pick up any number of instruments and just play them like a pro. Wayne Kuykendall met him at the Jonesboro festival and had the delight of hearing Josh tell stories about his beloved grandfather, whom Josh always called Peepaw. “I just knew we had to have him,”

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said Wayne.

The festival is going to be held once again at the Courthouse Square on the Marion Street side in a tent that accommodates 1500 people. The ‘tellers are scheduled so that it’s possible for all attendees to hear each one. There will be the usual accompanying festival/fair food, and our charming local restaurants will be ready to feed hungry festival goers. Also, if the weather is nippy, there will be heaters in the tent to keep your toes toasty, but do plan on dressing warmly.

Tickets for the weekend, referred to as “the whole shebang,” are $65 and can be ordered online. There are also tickets available for each day, as well as half days. For more information, go to www.ath-

ensstorytellingfestival.com, or call Wayne Kuykendall at (256) 232-0400. Come and celebrate a lovely fall in our beautiful corner of the world by supporting the Athens Storytelling Festival, which is described as “a small town in Alabama where, every year, travelers, and storytellers gather on the downtown thoroughfare to weave memories and magic into captivating stories for wide-eyed audiences. Where spectacular tales of mystery and adventure come to life. Where urban legends meet legendary heroes. Where we glimpse into the past and explore our shared history.

This is the Athens Storytelling Festival, where the audience lives the imaginary.” See you there!

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Health and Fitness

Interesting Facts About Our Endocrine System

by Janet Hunt

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

The endocrine system is a network of glands that secrete hormones to support bodily functions like growth and sexual development, metabolism, homeostasis, response to stimuli, and reproduction. Hormones can affect how we manage stress and even how our body breaks down food. The glands in this network include: hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, reproductive glands, pancreas, pineal and more.

Below is a little trivia about the endocrine system: • The terms “endocrine” and “endocrinology” did not come into regular use until the 1800s, but the study of endocrinology in China dates as far back as 200 BCE. • Hippocrates first diagnosed diabetes as an endocrine disorder. He tasted his patients’ urine to detect the sweetness.

YUCK!!!

• Organs that are not part of the endocrine sys-

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tem also produce and secrete hormones. For example, the stomach releases ghrelin, a hunger inducing hormone, and gastrin, a hormone that stimulates gastric acid secretion.

• Modern endocrinology got its start in the 1900s.

The scientific origin is attributed to a French physiologist, Claude Bernard, known chiefly for his discoveries concerning the role of the pancreas in digestion, the glycogenic function of the liver, and the regulation of the blood supply by the vasomotor nerves.

• The body makes around 30 different hormones.

• Endocrine glands’ secretion is precise and intricate. The effects may be combined with those

of the nervous system and immune system.

As you can see our body and its functions are very dependent on many precise steps and many hormones. We humans are

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playing very dangerous games when we make changes to our environment, our foods, the air we

breathe, etc. All these changes can affect our bodily functions and our overall quality of life.

October 5 - October 18, 2018

Cover Story

The Red Caboose Café: A Little Bit Of Something For Everyone

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

say from observation that it is fun to watch them interact with each other and everyone who comes in.

Whenever I deliver Athens Now, I am always greeted with a smile and a hug, and that legendary hospitality for which the South is so famous shows up in the food!

ner with Donna McCown, and then Donna realized that in order to spend more time with family, she was going to need to sell her part of the ownership in the café. It was a tough decision for Donna because she truly loved ‘the Caboose’, but one that has worked well for everyone involved.

Melanie has had tons of support from the community, Glenn and the rest of the family; here’s their story.

“We moved here five years ago from Oklahoma to be near family, and we would drive by this place. Somehow we felt ‘drawn’ to it, but didn’t really know why. Glenn had retired from his career with AT&T, and was now doing contract engineering for them with his team from home, and this opened up.

It was perfect,” she said.

Melanie had spent her career in several types of businesses. Her experience included lots of retail and lots of admin, and she was famous for her cooking, especially her baking. However, owning and running a restaurant was a whole new thing, and she got her “sea legs” in the months she and Donna were business partners. In addition, Melanie

So, what’s different this fall at the Red Caboose?

“We changed the hours to better serve the lunch

fries, it’s finished off with brown gravy, and you get to choose one of seven sides.

Many of the same signature burgers such as the Steve Pettus, the Hilltop, and the Lilly are still on the menu, and there is also a selection of healthy super salads. I had the Big Momma, which is your choice of fried or marinated grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, egg, cucumbers, shredded cheese, croutons, and your choice

Night Crew: Faye London (cook), Dee Dee Davis, Stacia Hill

was not on her own between the loyal Red Caboose staff and Glenn, and she’ll be the first to tell you that their success has been the result of a great team. “I knew that I had some ideas that I could bring to the restaurant, and I am having fun doing new things,” she said. I asked her, “Like what?” “Well, like cheesecake,” she said.

I looked over on the dessert board, and the cheesecake choices were leading the charge! There were lemon, lime, regular, and pumpkin pie cheesecakes. In addition, she loves to make cakes, pies, and cobblers.

However, here is one of my favorite things about Mela-

October 5 - October 18, 2018

nie -- she likes to teach and mentor, investing in the next generation. Her crew is like family to Glenn and her, and what mom doesn’t want to make sure that her daughter knows how to turn out a mean mud cake?

To that end, Melanie is teaching Heather Duke (and anyone else on staff who wants to learn) how to bake, and the result is not only great desserts, but Heather and the other single moms that are part of the “Café Crew” know that they have a support system in the form of the Leaches that goes beyond just earning a paycheck. “We want them to feel like family, and we want the same thing for our customers,” she said.

When Melanie first began to train her team, she gave the simple and time-honored principle of success: “Put yourself in the customer’s shoes.” The obvious ‘rest of the story’ is, “and treat them the way you want to be treated.” It’s working, and I can

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Day Crew: Heather Duke (manager) and Tina Haggermaker (cook)

and dinner crowd, and we only do breakfast on Saturday,” said Melanie. They are always closed on Sunday, and they have instituted Steak Night, when Glenn cooks. In addition to being “Glenn the Grillmaster,” he is known for his sausage gravy. Glenn also invented what Melanie likes to refer to as the “hamburger reimagined,” and they are calling it, “The Red Caboose.”

Bottom layer is Texas toast, then burger steak, then curly

of dressing. It was huge, satisfying, tender, tasty, and only cost me $7.99.

The Red Caboose Café is not confined to being a “Meat-and-Three,” “Southern comfort food,” steak house,” or “healthy fare,” it’s got some of it all, and they are able to pull it off well. Come and taste what I am talking about Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. They’ll be waiting with open hearts and arms!

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Learning As A Lifestyle

Learning Is Fun

by Wanda Campbell Center for Lifelong Learning - 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 - 256-233-8262 October kicks off one of our busiest months.

We have classes, events, rentals, and more. Check out our website – www. athens.edu/CLL - or call us at 256-233-8260.

Beginning Sign Language is starting Monday, October 8, at 6:00 p.m. at the Center for Lifelong Learning. Sign Language is a complex language. Using your hands and different facial expressions, you can have a complete conversation with someone who is deaf or hearing impaired. This class will begin with an introduction to the language by learning to sign and fingerspell. Before you know it, you will be signing phrases and expanding to complete sentences. Family rates are available.

Intermediate Sign Language also starts on Monday, October 8, at 7:15 p.m. at the Center for Lifelong Learning.

This class is a continuation of the Beginner class and emphasizes vocabulary and sentence structure using the American Sign Language.

On Thursday, October 11, we will kick off the Leadership Certificate Series: Discovering the Bold and Courageous Leader in You: Finding Strength of Nerve in Anxious Times, at the Center for Lifelong Learning. This series meets once a month, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for six months. The topics of the Leader-

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ship Certificate include: October 11: Imaginative Gridlock and the Spirit of Adventure; November 8: A Society in Regression; December 13: Data Junkyards and Data Junkies: The Fallacy of Expertise; January 10: Survival in a Hostile Environment: The Fallacy of Empathy; February 14: Autocracy versus Integrity: The Fallacies of Self; Take Five and April 11: Emotional Triangles, Crisis and Sabotage: The Keys to the Kingdom (conclude with Q&A Panel)

Intermediate Microsoft Excel is scheduled for Wednesday, October 31, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, in Waters Hall on the Athens State University campus. The intermediate class will cover Excel analysis through functions and the utilization

of charts and graphs. The course will also focus on the correct interpretation of the results and how to accurately summarize the data.

Join us at Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning for these and other fun learn-

ing opportunities. We are located at 121 South Marion Street in Athens, Alabama. For more information LIKE us on Facebook at Athens State University Center for Lifelong Learning or follow us on Instagram @CLLatAthensState.

The price of the Leadership Certificate is $125, which includes the book A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin Friedman, 6 sessions of networking and instruction, any pertinent handouts per session, and lunch.

Introduction to Blacksmith is scheduled Saturday, October 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 208 Commercial Drive, in Athens. Our instructors will guide you through the basic blacksmithing techniques of forging metal using tools to hammer, bend, and shape. Students will learn basic safety, fire instruction, tapering, bending, twisting, spreading, rolling, punching, and riveting. At the end of class, students will take home a plant hanger. All tools and equipment provided.

No previous experience is required. This is a very popular class and will fill up fast.

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October 5 - October 18, 2018

Jerry’s Journal

Shorty’s Captivity and Daring Escape

by Jerry R. Barksdale www.jerrybarksdale.com

I’m a dog and doggone proud of it. I was held in captivity by humans and against my will until I escaped. This is my story told to Jerry Barksdale, a real journalist.

I was born out of wedlock beneath a farmhouse near Elkmont, Alabama. I don’t know the date since dogs don’t have calendars – and don’t need them. Nor do I know my Daddy. I suspect that he was the basset hound that often chased rabbits through the neighborhood.

Mama was the prettiest, ugly, bulldog I ever saw. She was quite a looker. I have long ears and droopy eyes which I inherited from Daddy and very short legs which I got from Mama. I was a happy, well-adjusted pup. I have six siblings. All of us look the same, except for me. I’m the runt of the litter.

I didn’t have a name at the time. Dogs aren’t required to have a name. Nor do I have a birth certificate – don’t need one since I know who I am.

One day, Mama took us from the beneath the old house, and we ran and romped in the yard, played in the cow pasture and woodland, and lived a life of freedom. I was happy doing what a dog is born to do. I especially loved to chase cats, and Mama taught us later how to chase rabbits and squirrels and the mailman. But my favorite sport was chasing cyclists, joggers, and cars.

Now that was fun! I didn’t go to school, attend church, pay taxes, or work. I lay in the shade most of the time and took long, restful naps.

Later, I developed an interest in girl dogs and copulated regularly with them, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Boy! That was fun.

Big Daddy – he was our master – lived in the big house and wore overalls. He called me “hey dog,” which made me feel special. Later, he started calling me Shorty, I suppose because of my short legs. He let our little family live in the barn, which was warm in the winter time. When he whistled and hollered, “Heah, heah, heah!” fun was about to begin. We’d jump into the back of his old Chevy pick-up and he’d take us rabbit hunting. There is nothing tastier than fresh caught raw rabbit, except for seasoned road kills.

Occasionally, I ate pig poop, which is a delicacy. When we got fleas and ticks, Big Daddy knew exactly what to do. He poured a mixture of used motor oil and tractor fuel down our spine. You should've seen fleas and ticks jumping off and running for their lives! I loved Big Daddy, especially when he tugged my long ears.

Big Mama wore an apron and was always whistling and singing. She threw out table scraps for us to eat and even cooked cornbread for us and soaked it in water. Now, that was delicious but not as satisfying as road kill and pig poop. I loved Big Mama, too.

Like I said, I was a happy, well- adjusted dog living a dog’s life. Then one day my life changed. A huge black SUV came down the gravel road, kicking up a cloud of dust. We ran out and gave chase. Lil’ Sis who could catch a rabbit and bite a jogger, had no experience catching cars. She was crushed to death. Mama went over and sniffed her body and walked away, her tail drooped. I knew she was sad. The monster car stopped and a small woman

October 5 - October 18, 2018

fb.com/jerry.barksdale.7 got out and ran over to where Sis lay. “Poor pitiful little doggie,” she said and began crying. Big Daddy walked over to see what the commotion was about. He told her not to worry, that we had it coming to us. The woman saw me standing there with my little tail drooping. She stroked my head. That’s when I should have bit her hand off. She picked me up and began speaking baby babble.

“Ohhh, he’s so precious, isn’t he darling?” She nuzzled me, then kissed me on the mouth.

“Peew whew!” She jerked back. I guess she smelled pig poop on my breath.

The woman -- I called her Bad Woman – lived in a brickhouse in Athens that looked exactly like the dozens of houses that surrounded her. There was no pasture, no woodland, and no rabbits and squirrels to chase. I couldn’t run and play. She gave me a bath in a big white tub instead of letting me lick myself clean like Mama had taught me. She even brushed my teeth. Yuck! I had to pee on a pad and poop on command.

When I didn’t conform, she made me wear a diaper. Humiliating! She even made me sleep with her. Disgusting!

How would she feel if she had to sleep in the barn with my siblings? She dressed me in a sweater and sometimes pushed me down the sidewalk in a dog stroller. She locked me inside her house all day and made me watch “Animal Planet” and gave me a rubber bone to gnaw on. How crazy is that? Instead of feeding me road kill and an occasional helping of pig poop, she fed me horrible tasting stuff out of a sack. I couldn’t go outside and run and fornicate like a dog is

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supposed to do. She led me around on a leash like I was a slave. When I rode in her monster car, she strapped me in a dog seat. How demeaning! She tried to make me into something that I wasn’t.

She even entered me in a 5K foot race and made me chase after nothing -- no mailman, no jogger, no nothing. Now that is crazy.

Then one day I overhead her say she was going to clip my tail and ears. “No, doggoneit, no!” That’s when I rebelled.

She enrolled me in obedience school where a bad man made me walk on a treadmill and tried to squeeze all the dog out of me and make me into a human. I didn’t want to be a human. They argue and fight about skin color, which politician lies less, and constantly stoke discord between men and women, and even argue and fight about who is the true God. They work themselves into a lather and make war and kill each other. Dogs don’t do these things. We aren’t filled with guilt, greed, hate, jealously, and malice and, we don’t hold grudges.

I began acting out! I pooped on the neighbor’s lawnmower seat and peed on his geraniums. Whoa, doggie! Talk about upset. He shook his fist at Bad Woman and told her to keep me out of his yard.

He-he-he. I loved it. Then he yelled at me. “Get outta here! You ugly mongrel.”

That really hurt my feelings. I chewed the leg of Bad Woman’s expensive antique table. She sobbed and took pills and poured tall glasses of wine and began mumbling and babbling. “Why don’t he love me?”

I hatched a plan to escape this

hellish life. One day, while tethered outside, I chewed through the rope and ran like the wind. “Free! Free at last!” I was so happy -- and so free. I hummed,” Born free, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows…” Oh yeah, baby. I chased the neighbor’s cat, patrolled for girl dogs, but didnt’ see any. They were all in captivity, too.

Two men dressed in blue jumped out of a pick-up.

“There’s the little varmint.

Catch ‘im!” one yelled. My short legs were no match for the net. I was locked inside a cage and hauled to dog jail. No reading my rights, no lawyer, no nothing. Bad Woman never came to bail me out. I was scared. My cellmates kept disappearing. A Doberman said it was part of the “final solution.”

“What’s that?” I asked. “The needle dude -- the needle.”

He said it was a crime for dogs to be free. That really scared me. My only crime was wanting to act like a dog and not a human.

One day, I looked up and there stood Big Daddy in his overalls. He pointed at me and the jailer let me out. Oh, how happy I was! I rode in the back of his old pick-up to Elkmont where he turned me loose to run free. Mama and my siblings were overjoyed to see me. Before long I was chasing squirrels, rabbits, joggers, and cyclists, but not cars. I had learned my lesson. Big Mama cooked me cornbread. That night I scrunched up against Mama in the barn and slept like a rock, dreaming of cats, rabbits, and squirrels --- and, yes, girl dogs. “Free, free at last.”

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Dog Barker

A Journey With Osteosarcoma aka Bone Cancer

by Joel Allen Recently one of my Great Danes, Moose, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Poor guy came in one day, a few weeks ago, and it seemed that his foreleg was swollen at the joint.

Years ago, Moose’s aunt, Maggie, came down with this cancer, and it took her within six months after we found it. So in my experience with bone cancer, it is time sensitive. In Moose’s case I was thinking he had just twisted his leg. So I waited a week, and when the swelling did not subside, I immediately notified Athens Animal Hospital. A week after I had scheduled Moose to see Dr. Grant-

land, the swelling had increased. Dr. Grantland and vet tech Sally McNeal saw Moose and we all agreed it did not look good, especially when they tried to get a biopsy out of the lump. They were able to get something out of it. This was a Friday and by Monday, we had an answer which I already knew.

The following Thursday we scheduled Moose for amputation of his right front leg. Talk about a long day waiting for other results because Dr. Grantland had informed me that during the surgery, they would

x-ray Moose’s lungs to ensure that the cancer had not spread. I found that osteosarcoma, if not caught in time, will travel through the lymph nodes and throughout the body, and normally will travel straight to the lungs first.

Thankfully in Moose’s case it had not spread.

So, we all were relieved.

After Moose came out of surgery, Dr. Grantland and his crew decided that Moose would recover in one of the exam rooms over night because Moose fits his name, he is quite big. I laughed when they told me this because they did not have a crate big enough for him.

Friday morning Sally returned to the clinic and she said she heard a loud “WOOF!” come from where Moose was staying, and when he hobbled out and saw himself in the mirror she said he stopped and stared at himself. She said that he looked like he was thinking, “That’s not me.”

Dogs are amazing in how they react and think.

They have feelings and emotions like us. Don’t get me wrong, if there was a better way, I would have opted for it; but this was life or death given the cancer. That morning, I picked Moose up and he was practically running to me. These last two weeks, he has adapted well to being a “tripod.”

He was running the other day and I told him to slow down.

This week, he will start chemo treatments and will have a treatment once every three weeks.

I am having to pull from my emergency money, but I want to make sure that if any of the cancer were to survive we eradicate it completely. Life is full of surprises for us all, and we never know what will come next. In this case, we all believe we caught this early enough that Moose will live a long life.

Lastly, let me say this, if an odd lump appears in the joint of your dog, do not waste any time; get them to the vet immediately. If I had done this with Maggie, she might have been with us today. I cannot emphasize

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strongly enough that this type of cancer is so aggressive that it has a high mortality in dogs.

Now, in other news, my dog training family has increased, and we have opted for our name to become, “Well Mannered K9 Obedience Training.”

We will have three trainers now instead of just me. So, that means that we will be able to have more classes and different styles of training giving each and everyone’s needs. We are currently located on East Limestone Road at Paws and Whiskers Grooming. Our business cards will soon be updated too. My fellow partners are ABC Certified also. We are currently working on a website and will be expanding further as we get settled. For any questions we can be reached at our numbers, and please leave a message if there is no answer. No message means we will not return your call. This is because telemarketers are generating local numbers to call, and that is very irritating. Joel Allen 256-651-2211; Andrea Navarre-Percle 256-7242142; Chadleah Letson 256-998-4024.

“Remember to love your dogs because they love you. Maybe not the way you want them to, like chewing up your favorite shoes or what not, but that is just love chewing. Be thankful for the time you have with them always.”

Joel Allen 256-651-2211

October 5 - October 18, 2018

Mental Health Minute

Working Toward Positive Emotional Relationships

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

s

h

y s e

“Those who seek a better life, must first become a better person.”

- Jim Rohn

d ”Let’s look back several weeks ago to an article I twrote called “Unhealthy tRelational Patterns.” I epromised you a follow up article on how to break the cycle of harmsful relationship patterns yby focusing on improving positive connections. In between these two articles I shared nwith you the process of finding a mental health Ccounselor and what to eexpect from the counselaing experience. (I love tying concepts together tin a neat bow, which is swhat I am doing here!) rSo, let’s say you came eto me struggling with enegative emotional attachments, and were twondering what I could spossibly do or say to shelp you to improve yourself or your situation. The following are nsome examples of what aI might share with you -and the theories used.

rid of the blame. Stop asking yourself, “What is wrong with me?” or “Why did this happen?”

Instead, look at yourself as someone who hasn’t learned the lessons you were meant to learn yet.

You want to resolve conflicts, but you just need the right tools. So tell yourself that you acknowledge entering into difficult relationships that made you feel hurt, unworthy, or unnoticed.

Close your eyes and forgive yourself. Tell yourself you forgive and let it wash over you. Repeat as often as needed.

(Family Systems Therapy.) What is this unpleasant pattern that you keep sewing into your life? Relationship patterns are made up of consistent traits, characteristics, and symptoms.

So, take some time to write down the answers to such questions as: what do my relationships have in common, what were some warning signs that I see so clearly now, what behaviors did these relationships bring out in me? Now think about why you chose to enter these relationships.

Many of us long for a need to be met. Maybe our feelings were stirred in new and exciting ways. Our motives for connection can often be completely selfish. And a lot of times, we just enter into and stick with relationships that simply feel familiar… like a story we know so well.

Sometimes that’s okay, and other times it’s a reflection of a story that wasn’t good for us to be-

gin with. Understanding the pattern is the key to finding ways to break it.

What kind of relationship are you really hoping for? Can you describe it? What does it feel like? (Emotion Focused Therapy) Emotions are not the only important factors in our relationship lives, but they are the keys to who we are. So many of us are so caught up in the surface feelings of guilt, shame, or fear, that we are unwilling or unable to identify the underlying feelings. For example, you may have been in a bad relationship that left you feeling insecure, longing for comfort and respect. Peeling back those layers of hurt may help you to discover that what you are really searching for is

a relationship of peace.

Your quest for love may end up in the unlikeliest of places…an everyday dynamic of harmony that makes your relationship that safe place.

Once you have identified the emotions, and what you want to feel, you are ready to improve emotion regulation, to transform those emotions from maladaptive to adaptive (which is the next step for you and your therapist to take together.)

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.

to chalnLearning lenge the negative patterns you have formed throughout your life is the best place to start.

You can’t change your relationships without first examining who you are and what is keeping you from becoming who you want to be. And one of the best ways to begin that change is by forgiving yourself. (Forgiveness Therapy.) Let’s get

October 5 - October 18, 2018

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The Alternative Approach

Gall Bladder Issues

by Roy Williams

born with.

It seems that every time you turn around some one you know is having their gall bladder removed.

Gall bladder removal is as common as removing the appendix was 50 years ago. Why are so many people suffering from this disorder, and what can we do to reduce our risk and avoid this surgery?

When we eat, the food enters the small intestine.

When this happens, cholecystokinin, a hormone, is released which triggers the gall bladder, telling it to secrete the bile that is stored.

The bile secreted by the gall bladder aids in digestion by helping to break up fats that you have consumed. It also helps drain waste products out of the liver and into the duodenum, a portion of the small intestine.

Several things can impact the function of your gall bladder including excess amounts bile salts, cholesterol or fat and bilirubin, for example, which can cause the formation of gall stones. These crystallized stones can harden and deposit into the lining of the gall bladder.

These stones can become painful, cause blood in the urine, and even cause

Thurston Compound is so effective that many people, including my brother, takes one at the end of each meal. Robin was having terrible issues especially after eating salads. Many foods left him with heart burn and diarrhea, and heaven forbid he eat any fatty foods.

Robin says, “From the first time I started taking Thurston Compound at the end of each meal I have had no more issues.” pancreatitis, which if not treated can cause death.

Gall bladder symptoms A gall bladder attack happens as a result of the disruption of the digestive process due to excess buildup of bile. When a stone lodges in the bile duct you may become nauseated. It may be mild at first and may be worse after eating, but with time the symptoms will become worse.

Pain in the abdomen is another common symptom.

Inflammation in the upper right portion of the abdomen is normally the cause.

Pain in the right shoulder, bouts of vomiting, feeling bloated, heart burn, diarrhea, a fever, loss of appe-

tite, changes in urine, and chest pain are some other symptoms of a diseased gall bladder.

It is important to get an accurate diagnosis if you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Your doctor can do an x-ray to determine if you have stones or other disease of the gall bladder. Often it is necessary to have your gall bladder removed.

What to do if your gall bladder is removed Many people complain about pain, acid reflux, indigestion, gas, bloating, or diarrhea after having their gall bladder removed. It is important to remember that your gall bladder is there for a reason. It helps the liver dump toxins from your body, produces bile, helps break down food, neutralizes the acids that dissolve proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as they pass from the stomach to the small intestine.

Without your gall bladder, those very strong acids can pass into the small

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intestine causing a deterioration of the lining of the small and large intestine, which can leave you open to bacterial infection and even leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky gut can poison your blood steam and even cause death.

Have you ever been told that, “All disease begins in the digestive tract”?

There is a huge amount of truth to that statement.

So, maintaining a healthy digestive system is very important.

So, what should you do if you have already had your gall bladder removed. It is as simple as taking an allnatural supplement that simply does what your gall bladder was designed to do and that supplement is called Thurston Compound.

Thurston Compound was designed by our lab and it contains a digestive proprietary blend of Betain Hcl, Papain, Myco-zyme and Ox Bile. All of these ingredients work together to support the normal digestive system you were

Over the years, I have talked with hundreds of clients who all swear that just one of these little tablets taken at the end of each meal has changed their lives. Thurston Compound can be taken with any medication.

If you still have your gall bladder, you should consider supporting it with magnesium chloride.

Magnesium helps your body remove calcification in the body and may help prevent the formation of stones and bone spurs.

Avoiding fried foods may help prevent gall bladder disease. Remember, gall bladder disease was very rare until we started eating so much fat, especially the hydrogenated oils used to deep fry food.

To learn more, go by Herbs & More in Athens or NHC Herb Shop in Killen. Be sure to get the free CD called “MSM+C and Healing” while you are there.

Your friend in health, Roy P. Williams

October 5 - October 18, 2018

Mondays at 10am 1080 AM WKAC October 5 - October 18, 2018

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