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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
October 2014 Table of Contents Editor’s Notes
4
Quick Reads
6
Defying Gravity
8
Yard ‘n Garden
9
One man’s passion for the sky Family traditions
A Gracious Plenty
10
Boomerang Kids
12
Money Wi$e
15
Tinseltown Talks
16
Underground History
18
Medicare
22
In Every Life
23
Neighbors to the North
24
Social Security
28
Puzzles
29
Moving Free
30
October DVD Reviews
32
Off the Beaten Path
34
Pumpkin ice cream
When an adult child returns home Leave Something Behind: Part 4 Dawn Well’s “3-Hour Tour” A walk through Oakwood Cemetery Flu shots
What health information to trust Visit Canada’s craft center
Montgomery’s Oakwood Cemetery is part burial ground, part museum, and part archives, offering those who take the time to look a fascinating glimpse into the past. (Page 18)
Q&A: Part # 2
Adult children returning to live at home is almost a cliche’, but it’s no laughing matter for either party. Here are tips to help you and your child work through such times. (Page 12).
Asthma and exercise
Earning their keep
www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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Prime
MONTGOMERY
October 2014 Vol. 5, Issue 7
PUBLISHER Bob Corley, primemontgomery@gmail.com EDITOR Sandra Polizos, primeeditor@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Callie Corley, primemagdesign@gmail.com WRITERS Tom Ensey, Andrea Gross, Claire Yezbak Fadden, Ginny Gaines, Jake Roberts, Kittie Williams CONTRIBUTORS Niko Corley, Mark Glass, Mirabai Holland, Kylle’ McKinney, Bob Moos, Arlene Morris, Nick Thomas, Tom McLemore, Alan Wallace PHOTOGRAPHERS Irv Green, Bob Corley, Heath Stone, Stan Tew, Kittie Williams SALES Bob Corley • 334-202-0114, primemontgomery@gmail.com Wendy McFarland, • 334-652-9080 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Prime Montgomery 7956 Vaughn Road, #144 Montgomery, AL 36116 • 334-202-0114 www.primemontgomery.com ISSN 2152-9035
Prime Montgomery is a publication of The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC. Original content is copyright 2014 by The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC., all rights reserved, with replication of any portion prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed are those of contributing writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Polizos/ Corley Group, LLC. Prime Montgomery is published monthly except for the combined issue of December/January. Information in articles, departments, columns, and other content areas, as well as advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Prime Montgomery magazine. Items relating to health, finances, and legal issues are not offered as substitutes for the advice and consultation of health, financial, and legal professionals. Consult properly degreed and licensed professionals when dealing with financial, medical, emotional, or legal matters. We accept no liability for errors or omissions,
EDITOR’S NOTE For Halloween each year my brother was a skeleton and I was a gypsy. It never occurred to me to ask for a new costume. As reasonable parents of the 1950s my folks would have said no, thinking the idea frivolous. My childhood friends also wore the same costumes year after year, and there was great comfort in the certainty of Freddy’s feisty pirate, Molly’s stunning Cinderella, and Jimmy’s slim Superman (we encouraged him to gobble up a few more Wheaties before tackling the FBI’s Most Wanted.) Our costumes weren’t elaborate, but they fueled our imagination. The thrill of Trick-or-Treating around the neighborhood with classmates was only surpassed by the excitement of my school’s annual Halloween Carnival. Each class sponsored a different event — cake walks, fishing games, ring tosses, a haunted house. While room mothers roamed the halls selling dime caramel apples or penny candies, I searched up and down the school corridors for Mrs. McWhorter. Dressed as Old Mother Hubbard, she’d wink mischievously as she searched her deep pockets for a treat I was sure she’d saved just for me. After the carnival we dashed from house to house, ringing doorbells and daring neighborhood parents to recognize us behind our deep disguises. I was always disappointed when, handing out candies and homemade treats, they called us by name. How could they tell? Our parents never worried about the Trick-or-Treat loot we received until one year when a news story about razor blades in candied apples hit the airwaves. The incident happened in some far off place, like Chicago or New York, but the impact of that story forever changed the innocence of Halloween. While we didn’t expect razor blades in our Halloween treats, who knew what was going on in the kitchens behind our neighbors’ closed doors? We intentionally scared ourselves silly thinking of all the different and dangerous scenarios. By the time I outgrew the red skirt, green vest and peasant blouse from my gypsy life, and Vic had ripped his skeleton costume beyond repair, our parents said we’d outgrown Halloween. I might have resisted, but by then we’d moved into a different neighborhood, and my new school didn’t sponsor any special Halloween events. The pirates in this new subdivision weren’t as feisty, and I met no beautiful Cinderellas. There was an older Superman, but he was buff and intimidating. No Freddys, Mollys and Jimmys in this crowd. In the course of one short year I’d crossed the line from treater to treatee. Lucky for me I married a man who’d enjoyed the innocent fun of his family’s Halloween traditions as much as I had. We were determined our children would love the holiday as well, for the pure thrill of make-believe. Over the years we made lots of costumes for our two treaters, from an open shark’s mouth, to an astronaut complete with blinking lights, to Raggedy Ann, to a 1920s flapper, to the pointy-eared character Link, from the The Legend of Zelda video game. Our children loved our excitement at helping them become a different character for one night each year. Hopefully, they’ll instill that love of make-believe in their children. When October 31 rolls around, celebrate the holiday through a child’s perspective. Be there with your children or grands to share with them one of childhood’s most imaginative holidays. “Trick-or-Treat!”
Sandra Polizos, Editor 4
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
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QUICK READS
Memory Loss and High Blood Pressure A gradual decline in memory and cognitive function is one of the lesser-known possible consequences of elevated blood pressure. There's no clear-cut cause of cognitive impairment – an early indication of dementia – but research strongly suggests that high blood pressure contributes to the risk. A study in Lancet Neurology says these findings suggest high blood pressure prematurely aged the brain by about seven years. Treating high blood pressure in those in middle age and the young elderly is thought to help prevent late-life cognitive decline and dementia. Those with high blood pressure need to be proactive about lowering their numbers, through lifestyle changes and/or medication, as early and consistently as possible. (Johns Hopkins Health Alert)
Never Too Late to Stop Smoking Seniors who quit smoking cut their risk of death by heart disease much more quickly than previously thought, a new study from University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Medicine says. Past estimates held that it takes smokers about 15 years after they quit to lower their risk of heart attack, heart failure or stroke to that enjoyed by people who never smoked, but a new examination of former smokers aged 65 and older found that many with a light-to-moderate smoking history can cut their risk in eight years or less. There are challenges in trying to quit smoking no matter what your age. For tips and strategies check out Clear Horizons: A Quit-Smoking Guide for People 50 and Older, developed by the National Cancer Institute at smokefree.gov.
Brisk Walking May Improve Parkinson’s Symptoms People with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease who regularly walk for exercise may improve their motor function, mood, tiredness, fitness and some aspects of thinking abilities, according to a study published in an online issue of Neurology®. The results of the study by the University of Iowa in Iowa City and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Iowa City suggest that walking may provide a safe and easily accessible way of improving the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and improve quality of life. 6
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Boost Aging Brain Power With a Mediterranean Diet A Mediterranean diet with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts seems to improve the brain power of older people better than advising them to follow a lowfat diet, indicates research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. A Mediterranean diet is characterized by the use of virgin olive oil as the main culinary fat; high consumption of fruits, nuts, and vegetables; moderate to high consumption of fish and seafood; low consumption of dairy products and red meat; and moderate intake of red wine.
Would You Benefit from Joint Replacement? Total joint replacement surgery is one of the most effective medical interventions available, in terms of improving quality of life. However, the procedure does carry some risks and isn’t successful in 100 percent of patients. A team of researchers in Canada found that people who gained the most benefit were those with the most pain and disability prior to surgery. Osteoporosis patients fared better than rheumatoid arthritis patients, as did those with few other troublesome joints or other health problems. (Arthritis & Rheumatism)
Increasing Coffee Consumption May Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk People who increased the amount of coffee they drank each day by more than one cup over a four-year period had a 11% lower risk for Type 2 diabetes than those who made no changes to their coffee consumption, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. In addition, the study found that those who decreased their coffee consumption by more than a cup per day increased their type 2 diabetes risk by 17%.
(Medical information in Quick Reads is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician.) 7 www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
Defying Gravity By Jake Roberts; photos by Bob Corley, Stan Tew, EAA
W
dangerous, but it’s hat highly intolerant of started mistakes.” with Tew’s first Lincoln Logs and homebuilt aircraft an Erector Set led won top honors in Stan Tew to build an his Division at the airplane. Southeast Regional “I always liked Fly-in in Evergreen, working with my AL. His longest trip hands,” he said, “and in that aircraft was tinkering with stuff.” to AirVenture, an The airplane Tew annual, international built wasn’t wireEAA-sponsored guided from the fly-in in Oshkosh, ground or flown by Wisconsin, an 800remote control, but mile journey, Tew capable of carrying recalled, at 60 to 80 two people aloft mph. and, more imporHis current tantly, getting them Top: Tew and his first home-built. Bottom: (L) Studying plans for his new plane under construcproject is a single-seat safely back on the tion, its aluminum tail visiblle in background. (R) B-17 coming to Montgomery Oct. 31. aluminum aircraft ground. member of Chapter 822 of the Excapable of speeds of “I grew up playing perimental Aircraft Association (EAA), 135 mph, but he’ll likely continue to with those types of construction sets,” a classification under which homebuilt enjoy the low-and-slow characteristics he said recently while working in his aircraft fall. The chapter’s home base is of his current plane. garage on airplane No. #2, concluding the Wetumpka airport. “I can fly around on a Sunday afterthat building a real airplane is a lot like “Why do people make puzzles?” he noon,” he says, “cruising at 60-70 miles working with those early toys. says when asked why he builds airplanes. per hour, one door open, waving at “It’s basically an extension of an “Why do they garden? Because there’s people.” He smiles. “I can even smell erector set,” he said, sura goal at the end. When hamburgers cooking.” rounded by shiny alumiyou see the flowers on the num sheets and girders table you say ‘yes, that’s stacked against the wall why I was outside diglike, well, like pieces of an ging in the cold ground in Erector Set. February.’” His first man-carrying But building and flyflying machine was an ing your own airplane is ultralight, purchased in markedly different from the 1980s. These are assembling puzzles or typically constructed of growing flowers. Tew, like metal tubing and fabric all pilots, recognizes this, and powered by a small and while it increases the engine, with speeds of 30 WWII-era B-17 bomber tour hosted consequences of shoddy to 50 mph. by EAA Chapter 822. workmanship, it also adds “I hung around with Danelly Field, Oct. 31-Nov. 2. Flights to the sense of accomplishother ultralight pilots,” he offered for a fee, with funds supportment when the project is complete and said. “Eventually, one of them started ing the B-17 tour and youth programs flying safely. A friend of his has a picture building an airplane. I went over to undertaken by EAA Chapter 822. For of an airplane in a tree. The caption his house, saw what he was doing, and more information contact Stan Tew, reads - “Be careful of your work; the thought, ‘I can do that.’ ” 334-312-7934, or go on-line to reserve consequences are grave.” And he did. a seat, www.b17.org. “Aviation,” said Tew, “is not inherently Tew, a private pilot for 18 years, is a 8
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
YARD ‘N GARDEN
Family Tradition By Tom McLemore
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y family had a tradition (or rather, mama did) of planting a tree when a child reached one year of age. I first thought of it as a ritual left over from the Dark Ages. Mama explained if a child lived for a year, there was a good chance it would survive many more years. She also planted a tree when daddy died. Mama planted a magnolia tree for me when I was one. Two years later she planted another for my one-year-old brother, Charles, so my tree was always two years older. We were still very young when she explained those were “our” trees. Charles' tree was planted in a spot where the water from the washing machine drained downhill. At first, with lots of warm water, his tree grew much better than mine, and for several years it flourished and outgrew my tree. “Our” trees were on opposite sides of the house. My spot was okay, and my tree did okay. As it turned out, my spot had more sunshine, and my tree finally caught up Tom McLemore (r) and brother Ch arles. and passed his tree! (Do you think I have a competitive nature?) “Our” two trees are long gone. They were in the way of a developer, and both were huge; much too large to move. A bulldozer got them when I was about 45 years old. But mama did well, and we both have very fond memories of “our” trees. You could say Charles and I planted about 8,000 oak trees for mama, but that's another story. Mama died in December, 2001. More than 70% of the trees we planted were still alive after five years. They got a lot of attention, and the property is protected by a conservation easement. No developer will ever get those trees. I must add, I really like developers, I just miss “my” tree. Tom McLemore is a Master Gardener and President of the Capital City Master Gardener Association. He and his brother Charles, a veterinarian and Master Gardener, live in Montgomery. For information on becoming a master gardener, visit the website, www. capcitymga.org or e-mail capcitymga@gmail.com. www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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A GRACIOUS PLENTY
Pumpkin Ice Cream! By Kittie Williams and Ginny Gaines
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his recipe is great in the fall when you’re looking for something to do with seasonally abundant pumpkins. It can be a Halloween treat you make with grandchildren, or served at an evening dessert gathering for those of us too old (in our Prime!) to Trick-or-Treat. Don’t let the “pumpkin” in Pumpkin Ice Cream scare you, as this creamy dessert is very flavorful and tasty. A butter or sugar cookie provides the perfect complement. This recipe is designed for an electric ice cream maker with a removable canister/cylinder that’s been put in the freezer for several hours prior to making the dessert. These devices are very simple; in fact, we know folks who keep the freezer containers out of sight – behind the frozen broccoli or butter peas – to avoid indulging their sweet tooth too often!
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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Pumpkin Ice Cream 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt (optional) 1/8 tsp ground cloves Preparation couldn’t be simpler, unless you drive to the grocery and buy a commercial brand which, as we all know, can’t hold a pumpkin candle to homemade. Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Step 2: Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Step 3: Empty into the frozen canister/cylinder. Step 4: Plug it in and turn it on. You can make it ahead of time and freeze. However, since many of these ice cream makers take just 20 minutes, you can begin the freezing process when you sit down to dinner. Enjoy a pumpkin (ice cream) filled Fall!
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FEATURE
Boomerang Kids
When Your Empty Nest Re-fills By Claire Yezbak Fadden
B
aby Boomer parents are confronting a new boom – the return of their adult children to the nest. The 1960s community of free spirits has spawned a generation of boomerang kids, those unable or unwilling to cut the parental tether. Census data show that during the recession years (2007-2009) the share of Americans living in multi-generational households increased more among adults, ages 25 to 34, than among any other age group. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, nearly onein-three parents say an adult child has moved back home in the past few years because of economic conditions. High student loan debt, low-paying or non-existent jobs, and the high cost of living lead the list of reasons. Whatever the motivation, empty nesters are increasingly finding their bedrooms (and their garages) full. As moms and dads, we’re delighted to be there for our kids -- both emotionally and financially – to help them over a rough patch. To make this temporary return to the nest work to everyone's satisfaction, however, it requires a bit of planning. If you’re wondering where to start, consider these suggestions. Great Expectations Before the first suitcase comes through the door or boxes are stored in your garage, discuss what each of you expects from this revised living arrangement. “You want this to be a purposeful decision, not just a casual arrangement,” says Texas-based financial advisor Derrick Kinney. “Ask your child why she’s come to live with you. Help her articulate to you what she truly needs. Maybe it’s guidance in helping finding a job, or your counsel on another area.” Dr. Susan Kuczmarski, Ed.D. agrees. “This is the time to step back and establish more of a peer-to-peer relationship with your adult children.View your adult child as a young adult, not a child,” says the author of “The Sacred Flight of the Teenager: A Parent’s Guide to Stepping Back and Letting Go” (Bookends Publishing). Have a family meeting to set clear expectations, write them down and have both sides sign it, suggests Kinney.
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“Then your child will thrive in developing independence, building confidence and will be equipped to move on. Put a timeframe on your agreement,” he adds. “Say: ‘This is for 90 days and then we’ll evaluate how well it’s working for both sides.’” What’s Their Plan? Discuss your child’s short and long-term goals. Does he want to start a career and save money, prepare for graduate school or take a break from everything? “Your child has moved back home because they don’t have any other options or their first choices didn‘t work out,” says Dr. Kuczmarski, the mother of three adult sons. “Help him develop a timetable to achieve his goal.” Part of that plan should include a jobhunting section. According to Dr. Kuczmarski, it’s possible your college graduate hasn’t learned how to look for a job the right way. “Don’t find him a job, but ask the questions . . . be a sounding board,” she advises. “Play the role of placement counselor and help him get over being uncomfortable about the job search. Give him leads to follow, encourage him to talk to peers about how they found their job. Remind him that inperson networking is one of the best ways to get the word out that you’re looking for work.” House Rules Having your adult child move back home requires adjustment on everyone’s part.You’ve gotten used to not planning dinner. Maybe your husband is fond of hanging around the house in his boxers. Whatever the reason for your child’s return, he will still have family obligations and household chores. Someone still has to take out the trash. To preserve family harmony, sanity and dignity, Dr. Kuczmarski suggests mutually generate and mutually agree upon a new set of rules. “Have your child pick a couple chores to be responsible for,” he says. “I encourage transcending gender – daughters can do car-related, yard-related or tool-related chores. Sons can cook, clean and do laundry.” Discuss whether she can have dates over for dinner. What’s
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the sleeping arrangement if she has a friend spend the night? If your boomerang child wants to be out all night, is he expected to phone or text home? Common courtesy and mutual respect will assist in the process of laying down house rules that put your mind at ease. Money, Money, Money. The most successful situations have set the financial boundaries in advance. Discuss the terms by which your son or daughter will live at home again, advises Kinney. “You don’t want to become the financial Pez dispenser for your children,” he says, “so that any time a handout is needed you automatically click cash out.” According to Kinney, in situations where a formal agreement hasn’t been reached, the outcome is typically frustrating and unpleasant. “Mom or dad feels taken advantage of and the relationship sours. Instead of bailing your child out, use this opportunity to develop a financial plan,” he says. “Through budgeting, he’ll learn how to pay down debt and avoid new debt.” Charging Rent? For some parents, the mere mention of charging rent draws outrage. Other parents feel that requiring rent – even a minimal amount – is needed preparation for living independently. According to the Pew Research Center, 48 percent of boomerang children have paid rent to their parents and nearly 90 percent say they help with household expenses. “Asking your children to pay money should be based on their situation,” Kinney says. “If they’re using this time to get back on their feet, perhaps it isn’t necessary to add an additional financial burden, but if your child hasn’t demonstrated responsibility, insisting on paying rent, even a small amount, may be a good idea.” Take Care of Yourself Boomerang kids returning to the nest can strain your nest egg. Adult children have decades to build their financial security, while you may be only a few years away from your retirement date. Ironically, if you are not careful, you could end up financially dependent on them. “It’s very important for parents not to run their home by guilt, but instead have guts,” says Kinney. “I see many clients who say to their kids: ‘OK come live with me.’ I encourage them to consider how that decision might negatively affect their lifestyle. Unlike when you’re a student, no one gives out loans for retirement.” www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014 13
“You’re not the only parents whose kid decided to move back home,” reminds Dr. Kuczmarski. “In addition to the financial consumption that increases, parents need to know it’s not forever. Go out on your weekly date. Get out of the house. Keep your friendships active.” Happy Horizons Whatever arrangement you and your adult child agree to, stick to it. Studies show when both sides hold to their agreements and continue to respect one another, there will be fewer problems. If things start to unravel, call a family meeting to discuss expectations and boundaries. “Understand your emotions – there will be times that you may think you’re being too hard,” says Kinney, “but in reality you’re helping to prepare your child to be a responsible adult.” Claire Yezbak Fadden is the mother of three millennial-generation sons. Follow her on Twitter@claireflaire.
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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
MONEYWI$E
Planning for the Inevitable T
hrough the years you have likely accumulated lots of stuff which now fills your home. Some of your possessions have clear economic value, while others have sentimental value for your family. With regard to estate planning, categorizing these as “financial assets” (those with purely economic value) and “legacy assets” (those with nostalgic value, regardless of their economic worth) can be helpful.You need a fair and rational Alan Wallace plan to disburse both types of assets to your heirs. There is also, in all likelihood, a third category of items you possess: These are the things that have little if any economic value, and while they have sentimental meaning for you, they have no emotional connection for your heirs. Examples may include: n Photos of people, places, events and things long ago with whom your heirs have no real connection. n Old books you have kept because of some personal connection – school books, class yearbooks, directories, etc. n Clothing worn on special occasions – your grandmother’s baptismal gown, your mother’s wedding dress, your letter sweater from high school. n Souvenirs & memorabilia from trips or events – the dried flower from your high school prom, cards from teenage sweethearts, the snow globe from your trip to Niagara Falls. As hard as it is for you to deal with this accumulation of stuff, leaving it to your heirs to sort out will create an additional burden for them. Here are some things that you can do, hard as it may be, that will help them and perhaps you, too. First, discuss with your children (and grandchildren if they are old enough) what interest they have in this stuff and what they think you should do with it. Many people of our generation have learned that our children have much less sentimental attachment to such items than we do. It is better for you to deal with items during your lifetime that they do not want rather than to dump it on them. Second, for those things that no one in your family wants after you are gone, determine what eco-
Part 4
nomic value they have. The Antiques Roadshow is a constant reminder that some items have economic value beyond what people realize.You do not want to destroy a valuable heirloom or give it away just because no one in the next generation of your family is interested.You may need professional help (appraisals) with some of this, but in other cases, simply finding it a good home (sell it/donate it/ pass it along to an individual) or pitching it is in order. Third, if your children live close enough by and are willing, let them help you sort through and decide on some items. This could provide an opportunity to pass along family stories that they will value later, even if they do not today. But if they seem uninterested, it is probably best not to press the issue. Fourth, carefully label and provide provenance for items that you keep for your heirs. This is particularly helpful with pictures. I have recently been going through old photos from my parents, some of which they inherited from their parents. Those which my Mother annotated provide much more pleasure today, and have much more value in the family archives, than those I have to guess at. Some, which are clearly labeled and 90-110 years old, are likely the only copies in existence, and I am providing copies to cous- The columnist’s maternal ins who want them. grandparents, his mother In my view, one of God’s greatest seated on her father’s knee. gifts is the ability to remember fondly the loving people and notable events of our past. It is a great compensation as people age. Possessions that trigger such memories have value for those with the connection to those people and events. Don’t be surprised or offended if your heirs, who lack the connection, do not share your emotional response. Alan Wallace, CFA, ChFC, CLU is a Senior Financial Advisor for Ronald Blue & Co.’s Montgomery office, www.ronblue. com/location-al. He can be reached at 334-270-5960, or by e-mail at alan.wallace@ronblue.com.
“One of God’s greatest gifts is the ability to remember fondly the loving people and notable events of our past.” www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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TINSELTOWN TALKS
Dawn Wells Shares Mary Ann’s Lessons for Life By Nick Thomas
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hat should have been “a three-hour tour” turned into a 50-year journey for Dawn Wells, who played castaway Mary Ann in the zany sitcom “Gilligan’s Island” that debuted on CBS in September, 1964. “I’m still talking and writing about the show and it continues to gain new fans,” said Wells from her home in Los Angeles. “If you’re a 10 year-old kid watching the show today, there’s not much to date it – a desert island is a desert island!” To celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary, Wells draws on her life’s experiences in a recently released book What Would Mary Ann Do?: A Guide to Life, co-written with Steve Stinson. “I wrote the book partly in response to fans over the years,” she says. “It’s amazing that so many people still appreciate Mary Ann’s sense of values.” While there are a few “Gilligan’s Island” stories in the book, the focus is on down-to-earth advice from Mary Ann – and Wells’ – perspective. “It was a fun, silly show that made you laugh and didn’t preach to the audience,” she says. “But there was an awful lot in the character of Mary Ann that kids could learn from today: she was fair, she pitched in to help, she had standards, she wasn’t worried about a $500 purse, and she would be your best friend you could trust. I think the world is a little confused on values these days.” Although the book’s advice is frequently directed towards girls and younger women, Wells says one chapter “Hey! Who’s That Old Gal in the Mirror” is aimed at
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a more mature crowd. “Sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and think ‘Really, I’m that age?’” said Wells, who turns 76 in October. “I don’t know where the years went, but I’m not obsessed with it,” she admitted. “As you get older, I think it’s important to keep a positive attitude about life. I know I have a million things I still want to accomplish! You just have to surround yourself with things that interest you. Even though there may be activities you can no longer enjoy, there are probably many that you can.” Back on the island, there were plenty of weekly adventures to interest the seven castaways during the three seasons the show aired. Wells says she got along
with all her fellow actors – even Tina Louise (Ginger), despite the rumors over the years that the two feuded – and was particularly close to Natalie Schaffer who played the wealthy socialite Mrs. Lovey Howell. “The character you saw her play was pretty much who she was in real life,” she recalled. “She really was a grande dame, very independent, with a great sense of humor.” Wells says Schafer handled her aging well and responded accordingly. “She had large ankles, so she almost always wore pants rather than dresses. In fact, she wore pants before they were ‘in’ for women. Her hands also showed signs of aging, so she usually wore gloves on the show. And her clothes were always colorful because that made her face look bright and cheery. So she was very conscious of her age, but I thought she handled it very smartly.” Beyond “Gilligan’s Island,” Dawn has appeared in over 150 TV shows and films, and starred in more than 60 theatrical productions, which continue to attract her. But acting, she says, was never her plan.
“I wanted to be a pediatric surgeon!” she said. “I went to Stephen’s College in Missouri but had problems with my knees since I was a little girl. So aside from archery and canoeing, I couldn’t do much PE. I took a theater course and my professor said I was so good that I should major in it.” After transferring to the University of Washington in Seattle as a theater major, Dawn was asked to enter the Miss America contest, and in 1959 run for Miss Nevada – her home state. “I thought it would be fun to get up in front of an audience and do a dramatic scene for the contest, but never thought I would win because I was so tiny and short,” she explained. “But I won! After graduating, I told myself I would give acting a chance for one year and if it was not successful, would go back to medicine.” She never returned to med school. Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, AL, with features, columns, and interviews in more than 400 magazines and newspapers.
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By Tom Ensey; photos by Bob Corley, Heath Stone (Stone Images Photography)
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ontgomery’s Oakwood Cemetery was once a gathering spot where those above ground went to visit those below. It’s a park-like place with its own neighborhoods of rich folks, not-so-rich folks, slaves, free blacks, Jews, Catholics and soldiers. However, Mary Ann Neeley, resident authority on the history of all things River Region, thinks of Oakwood not as a cemetery, but an open-air museum. “Think about what a cemetery is for,” she said. “We have epitaphs, which give us information about the people there. That makes it a history museum. We have art, and that makes it an art museum, with the statuary, the ornate fencing and the landscaping.”
The graveyard shift taking place here, she said, includes efforts to recreate the landscaping of the 1890s. “The red cedars are growing particularly well,” she said. “They are getting big!” Whether you’re a history buff or not, Oakwood is a cool place to visit, take pictures, admire the work of the masons and iron smiths who made the headstones and statues, and spend time with some of your neighbors who
Oakwood Cemetery Tour Oct. 4 & Nov. 1: 2 p.m. (2 hrs.) Conducted by historian Mary Ann Neeley. Bring bottled water. Wear seasonal clothing and comfortable shoes. For information or to register, call Old Alabama Town, 334-240-4500 Mary Ann Neeley 18
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Buried History:
Oakwood Cemetery
are no longer with us. American author F. Scott Fitzgerald was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army stationed at Camp Sheridan during the last days of World War I. He met and married local girl Zelda Sayre, who once wrote him a letter about trying to pry open the iron door to a mausoleum where a man was buried in a canoe. She was describing Lot 3, Square 33, of Oakwood Cemetery where Samuel Pippin Wreford had a mausoleum built into the side of a hill near the railroad track. He was buried in a cast-iron casket shaped like a canoe. The door is welded shut now, and Wreford’s bones – and presumably the canoe – are long gone. The oldest part of the cemetery is Scott’s Free Burying Ground, donated
by city fathers John Scott and Andrew Dexter as a place where any resident could claim a plot to forever rest. The first documented burial was Mrs. William H. Jones, the daughter of Rev. Stephen Pouncey. She was the first white person buried in what is called the Old Cemetery. Only a corner of her headstone remains in the northeast corner of Banks Mausoleum. Dexter’s wife Charlotte Morton Dexter is buried to the right of the entrance gate under a flat marker. Her son has a large marker next to her, an obelisk topped by either an acorn or an urn. It’s hard to tell. Acorns symbolized rebirth, because they grow into strong and everlasting oak trees, of which there are plenty in the graveyard. The biggest and oldest of these,
www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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Above: (l)Tall markers indicate the resting places of four male cousins who drowned in Sept. 1876. (r) The two Jewish sections of Oakwood were established in 1850 and 1885. Bottom: Some residents even interred the dog in their family plot.
near the top of the central hill, has completely engulfed an iron fence. Also in the cemetery are two of the oldest known graves of slaves - “Jim, remembered for his virtue” and the nameless “Good and faithful servant.” Perhaps the most distinctive graves in the cemetery are those of Mary and her Lambs, where Mary Walton Hill and her young children are buried. The imposing figure of Mary stands under a towering arch fashioned in Philadelphia. In 1983 vandals tied a rope around the statue’s neck, knocked the head off and skinned a knee. She has since been repaired. According to Neeley, Mary Hill got sick and died right after her baby was born. Two of her children had already died and two more followed. Some said they died of typhoid, some said scarlet fever, “but it was probably just a bug,” said Neeley. They are all buried together. “It’s a beautiful example of a mother looking over her children,” Neeley said, “as the mother of God looks over her children.” Nearby, in the Wiley family plot, is a small marker inscribed “Our little Babby, Trusted and True” - the family dog. There are two Jewish sections, the Land of Peace, established about 1850, and Eternal Rest, formed about 1885. In this section are four identical markers more than five feet 20 October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Signs of the Dead Cross with vines: Leaves and vines represent the promise of life through Christ. Angels: Carrying souls heavenward. Mourning figures: Exclusively female. Shaking hands: The connection between this life and the afterlife. Broken column: Life cut short; a pillar of the community. Urn: Symbol of the body, merely the container of the immortal soul.
tall memorializing four teenaged boys who drowned in late September, 1876. Five boys, all cousins, had boated over to the peninsula, Neeley said, and on the way back were horsing around and tipped the boat over. One managed to swim to safety, the others died. The funeral was one of the biggest held up to that time; the editor of the Montgomery Advertiser wrote of seeing the procession pass his window, more than 60 wagons, buggies and carriages and many more people on foot. “School didn’t start then until Oct. 1,” Neeley said. “They were high-spirited boys and this was probably their last fling before school started. It truly was their last fling.” The “watery grave” is a decorative marker of 14-year-old John Schockler. It’s inscribed with the tale of how he ignored the advice of his two good friends and drowned in the Alabama River in 1855. The boy’s father was a stonemason, and is presumed to have fashioned the marker, carved to resemble a bed with a pillow. When Graves of Confederate viewed from a certain angle, the covsoldiers who died in local ers look like waves. hospitals. The Confederate cemetery contains the graves of soldiers wounded in battle and shipped by rail to one of four hospitals in Montgomery during the war. Those who died were buried here, many from the Battles of Shiloh and Atlanta. There’s a Union presence as well, graves of occupying soldiers who died here in the late 1860s after the Civil War. The cemetery contains dozens of examples of funerary art, from weeping angels, to lambs, doves and cherubs on the graves of children, to broken trees, symbolizing lives cut short. Weeping willows, a popular symbol of mourning, adorn many of the headstones from the 19th century. The ironworks, some of which may have been manufactured locally, are ornate and beautifully wrought. There are also great crosses wrapped with vines, carved of Sylacauga marble, polished obelisks that look blue in certain light. Hank Williams and his wife, Audrey, are buried in the Oakwood Annex, with lyrics from his songs, a Hank and Audrey Williams’ cowboy hat and a guitar carved into have attracts thousands of country music fans to the the marble. At midnight, you might Oakwood Annex. even hear a midnight train whining low, and a lonesome whippoorwill. Almost 200 years of Montgomery history is preserved in Oakwood Cemetery, unusual in the Deep South, with whites, blacks, Catholics, Protestants and Jews interred together, forever. www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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MEDICARE
Flu: Nothing to Sneeze At By Bob Moos
A
“When you get your shot, you’ll protect not only yourself but also those around you.”
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bout 226,000 Americans will land in the hospital this year as a result of the flu and its complications, and 3,000 to 49,000 will die from flu-related illnesses. Adults 65 and older will account for 60 percent of the hospital stays and 90 percent of the deaths. As people age, their immune system typically weakens and their ability to ward off diseases declines. That puts older adults at increased risk of the flu. Moreover, the virus can cause complications for those already struggling with chronic health problems. As flu season approaches this fall, you’ll want to wash your hands and stay away from sick people to reduce the spread of germs. But as useful as those preventive steps are, an annual vaccination remains the best way to help protect yourself against the flu virus. You have several flu shot options. Besides the traditional flu vaccine that helps protect against three strains of the virus, there’s now a “quadrivalent” vaccine that helps protect against four strains. You can also choose a higher-dose vaccine specifically designed for older adults. By improving the production of antibodies in older patients, the higher dose can provide a stronger immune response and, hopefully, better protection against infection when you’re exposed to the flu virus. Talk to your doctor about which flu shot option is right for you. Now is a good time to get your vaccination. The vaccine will protect you within two weeks. The flu season typically begins in October, peaks in January or February and runs through May. If you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B, your flu shot won’t cost you anything, as long as your doctor, health clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge you more than Medicare pays. There’s no deductible or co-payment. The same is true for the higher-dose vaccine option. If you were vaccinated last year, you’ll
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
still need another shot this year, since your immunity to flu viruses wanes after a year. Also, the types of viruses usually change from season to season, so a new vaccine is made each year to fight that season’s most likely strains. Despite the higher risk that flu and its complications pose to older adults, the vaccination rate within this age group remains much lower than it should be. Only 65 percent of adults 65 and older are vaccinated each year, far short of the public health goal of 90 percent for this group. Why? Some older adults don’t understand that the flu can be serious and lifethreatening, so they don’t think a flu shot is worth their time and effort. Others resist annual vaccination because they believe it’s risky, even though decades of experience have shown flu shots to be safe and effective. If you’re concerned about a serious allergic reaction or some other medical condition that may make the flu vaccine unsafe for you, you should consult your doctor before a vaccination. Otherwise, it’s important to remember that you can’t get the flu from the flu shot. Side effects are rare. Most people notice nothing after their vaccination. A few may have sore muscles or a slight fever. But those side effects usually last just a day or two. No matter how healthy or youthful you may feel, don’t wait to be vaccinated. When you get your shot, you’ll protect not only yourself but also those around you. By avoiding the flu, you’ll avoid giving it to family and friends. Bob Moos is Southwest Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
IN EVERY LIFE
Evaluating Healthcare Information
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ast month’s issue included segments about online healthcare information. One piece cautioned against self-diagnosis based on online information, while another encouraged careful consideration of information presented in media, including advertisements. The vast amount of information available about health research is the foundation for these suggestions. Arlene Morris Anyone can post anything on the internet. Junk science is a term that denotes skewing of partial findings or presenting incomplete information in order to promote a personal position or sales that could bring personal gain. The danger is not only in spending money on products that may be worthless, but that could also harm your health. When reading snippets of abbreviated findings, how can you determine if those findings apply to your own health, or even if there is validity to what has been reported? Four critical areas to consider when evaluating such shortened reports of research and study findings are — source, credentials, sample characteristics, and strength of evidence.
1) Source Findings from research studies are more reputable if they have been evaluated by multiple experts, in addition to the research team. These findings are usually presented in professional journals for further scrutiny. They may then be presented on websites for specialty organizations (ending in .org), government websites (ending in .gov), or educational websites (ending in .edu). Note that commercial websites (ending in .com) are not the best online source, because the presenter may be biased toward the product being sold. 2) Credentials Do the credentials of the researchers or authors relate to the study being reported? Are similar findings presented by other reputable researchers, or is this the only finding of its kind? If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Go through the website to evaluate links to other reputable findings presented in professional journals or organizations. Determine if at some level, the author will sell books or other products based on the research findings (more likely to be biased). 3) Sample Usually, the larger the sample, the more generalizable the findings. Additionally, it is important to identify the characteristics of the people in the sample. In what ways were those in the sample similar to you? If everyone in the sample is of a similar geographic background, age, and had the same health conditions as you, it is more likely the findings will be applicable to you. 4) Strength of the evidence The most reliable findings combine and compare results from multiple studies to provide guidelines for practice. Results from randomized controlled trials (RTCs) increase the likelihood that outcomes are attributable to the treatment. Research findings from opinion surveys are not as strong as the types listed above. The weakest evidence is from opinions of one individual, even an expert, due to limitations of one person’s personal experiences. Respected healthcare research teams may present peerreviewed strong evidence, although the sample does not have exactly the same characteristics as you. That is where discussion with your healthcare provider is critical. Based on your individual health history, lifestyle, needs, and preferences, you and your healthcare provider can determine the possible risks or benefits of the product you have read about or seen advertised. Remember also that each product has the potential to interact with every other product used. Before making any changes in your healthcare practice, discuss findings you have read about or seen advertised with your healthcare professionals. Arlene H. Morris, EdD, RN, CNE, is Professor of Nursing, Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing, and Immediate Past President of the AL State Nurses Association. Reach her at amorris@aum.edu. www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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FEATURE
Hello and Bonjour in New Brunswick By Andrea Gross, photos by Irv Green
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wo rows of young men are standing before me, poised at crisp attention and perspiring heavily. The perspiration is understandable because, despite the 90-degree heat, the men are formally outfitted in white helmets and heavy red coats with high black collars. About 100 people are staring at us. I've been selected from among the onlookers to "inspect the guards," a ceremonial throwback to the 1800s when the British were settling North America. At that time Fredericton, now the capital of the
Canadian province of New Brunswick, was a refuge for Loyalists who remained true to the crown while many of their brethren championed an independent United States. The head cadet and I walk down the aisles, checking the troops. Their boots— polished. Their pants—pressed. Their jackets—neatly belted. "Satisfactory," I say. He nods and leads his men through a high-stepping series of formations. Then they strut off the green to the delight of the many tourists. www.TourismNewBrunswick.ca
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“Fredericton and the two surrounding counties have more craftspeople per capita than any other place in Canada.” Fredericton is awash with free and low-cost tourist-pleasing activities. In addition to the changing of the guards, the Historic Garrison District is filled with museums and old government buildings and surrounded by trendy restaurants and craft shops. In fact, Fredericton and the two surrounding counties have more craftspeople per capita than any other place in Canada. During the summer, free concerts are performed on the old military parade ground, and people can enjoy 50 miles of well-maintained walking trails that follow the banks of the St. John River. But for us the biggest attraction is King's Landing, a recreated Loyalist village. The village sports no power lines and no motor vehicles. Instead we find wagons with wooden wheels, women with hooped skirts and men with hoes and fiddles. As we wander through the 70-plus buildings that once belonged to settlers from the surrounding area, we speak with articulate and knowledgeable costumed interpreters—a woman quilting, a lad tending his horse, a man working at the sawmill. They tell us stories about the former owners of the various homes and workplaces. Two hundred miles to the north, life was very different. The French were also lured by the agriculturally-rich area, and by the mid-1600s they had
established communities in the region they called Acadia. In 1755, after years of increasingly hostile skirmishes between the two European powers, the British ordered the Acadians to pledge allegiance to the crown. The Acadians refused, and the British ordered them deported. Thousands lost their lives as they were herded onto small boats and forced out to sea. Others fled to the American colonies or other parts of Canada, hiding until it was safe to return to the rural areas of New Brunswick. There they eked out a living in Britishcontrolled territory. Today New Brunswick is the only Canadian province that is officially bilingual. People who live in the central and western parts of the province trace their heritage to England, while those in the north and east are fiercely French in their customs and language. As we proceed up the coast towards the Village Historique Acadien, which is the French counterpart to King’s Landing, the Acadian flag seems to be everywhere. It’s painted on the fronts of buildings, flies on poles in the yards of private homes, and hangs from ropes strung in front of gas stations. By the time we reach Caraquet, even the stop signs have changed to reflect the predominant population. Whereas in Fredericton the English word stop is www.primemontgomery.com | August 2014
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above the French arrét, in this part of New Brunswick the arrét precedes the stop. To visit the Village Historique Acadien is to time-travel through Acadian life from after the Deportation (Le Grand Dérangement) in the mid-1700s up to the mid1900s. As we did in Kings Landing, we make our way through the village—stopping at homes, sipping beer at the tavern, watching fish processing at the hatchery— while interpreters help us understand daily life in French Canada. It’s easy to see that life in Acadia was difficult. “Acadians started the day with the sun and ended with the sun,” says one woman, as she adjusts her apron and adds some vegetables to the stew cooking over the fire. “They had to work hard, but c’est la vie.” As is true on most of our trips, the more we learn, the more we want to know. But now we have to say farewell to New Brunswick—in two languages of course. Au revoir and good-bye.
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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Presented by Junior League of Montgomery
Holiday Market 26 t h A N N U A L
OCTOBER 16-18, 2014 Title Sponsor:
October 16-18, 2014 Montgomery Multiplex at Cramton Bowl Fashion Apparel & Accessories Jewelry • Gourmet Food Toys • Holiday & Home Decor Pictures with Santa • Fine Art Gifts and much more! Shop Over 120 Vendors Under One Roof! Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the community grant recipients of the Junior League of Montgomery.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY 9am - 9pm SATURDAY 9am - 5pm TICKETS Advance Tickets $5 Daily Admission $10 Military & Senior Citizens $5 Children 10 & under FREE *Presale and online tickets are ONLY available through 5pm, October 10th!
ADVANCE TICKET OUTLETS Junior League Office, Eastdale Mall, My Kid’s Attic, Barb’s on Mulberry, Stivers Ford, Gigi’s Cupcakes (Prattville & Montgomery) and Montgomery Visitor Center
Thursday: Join us for Holiday How To’s Sponsored by: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Half Price Ticket after 6pm with canned food donation! 1pm* - Holiday Home: Decorating Trends 2pm* - Holiday Giving: Donating What's Needed to Those Who Need It 3pm* - Holiday Entertaining: Throwing a Fabulous Holiday Party 4pm* - Holiday Market: How JLM Helps the Community *FREE with general admission ticket
Friday: Girls’ Night Out 6-9pm
Sponsored by: Stivers Ford Lincoln Mazda Make sure to get your GNO Discount Card • $10 Available from Stivers Ford and the Junior League Office
Cupcakes with Santa 5:30-6:30pm • $10
Saturday: Breakfast with Santa 10am • $15 Sponsored by: Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.
Pictures with Santa 12:30-5pm
October 15, 2014 6-9pm • $40/person • Cocktail Attire Montgomery’s Multiplex at Cramton Bowl Be ready to Sponsored by:
with Stivers Ford!
For More Information: Call 334-288-8816 Or Visit www.jlmontgomery.org www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Your Questions: Answered Part 2
Question: Does where Appeal Disability Report I live affect the amount of (Part 2) because it will give my Supplemental Security us more information about Income (SSI) benefits? you and help us in proAnswer: It might. First, cessing your appeal. To get where you live might afstarted, visit www.socialsecufect your benefit amount rity.gov/onlineservices. because some states add a supplement to the federal Question: What is the payment. If you live in your definition of disability for own place and pay your children filing for Suppleown food and shelter costs, Kylle’ McKinney mental Security Income regardless of whether you (SSI)? own or rent, you may get up to the Answer: Social Security has a maximum SSI amount payable in strict definition of disability for chilyour state.You also can get up to dren under the SSI program. A child the maximum if you live in someone who is under age 18 is considered else's household, as long as you pay disabled if he or she: n Has a physical or mental condition your food and shelter costs. If you (or a combination of conditions) live in someone else's household resulting in “marked and severe and don't pay your food and shelter functional limitations.” “Marked costs or pay only part of them, your and severe functional limitations” SSI benefit may be reduced by up to means that the condition very one–third of the SSI federal benefit seriously limits the child’s activirate. To learn more, read Supplementies; and tal Security Income (SSI) available at n The condition has lasted, or is www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. expected to last, at least one year or is expected to result in death. Question: My application for disability benefits was denied. What do I n To decide whether a child is disabled for SSI purposes, we look do if I disagree with the decision? at medical and other informaAnswer:You can appeal the tion (such as information from decision at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlischools, parents, and caregivers) neservices. This website is the startabout the child’s condition(s), and ing point to request a review of our we consider how the condition medical decision about your eligibility affects his or her daily activities. for disability benefits. There are two We consider questions such as: parts to this Internet Appeal process: 1: An Appeal Request Internet form; n What activities is the child not able to do or is limited in doand ing? 2: An Appeal Disability Report that gives us more information about n What kind of and how much extra help your condition. does the child need You can complete both forms to perform age-approonline. To appeal online, the only priate activities—for form you must submit is an Appeal example, special classes at Request Internet form (Part 1). Howschool, medical equipment? ever, we encourage you to submit an
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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Do the effects of treatment interfere with the child’s day-to-day activities? Read Benefits For Children With Disabilities, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs, for additional information on how we decide if a child under age 18 is disabled.
n
Question: I understand you must have limited resources to be eligible for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. What does this mean? Answer: To qualify for Extra Help in 2014, your resources must be limited to $13,440 for an individual or $26,860 for a married couple living together. Resources include the value of the things you own. Some examples are real estate (other than your primary residence); bank accounts, including checking, savings, and certificates of deposit; stocks; bonds, including United States Savings Bonds; mutual funds; Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA); and cash you have at home or anywhere else. To learn more about Extra Help, and to apply online, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov
GAMES Across 1 Forget where one put, as keys 7 Pedro's eye 10 Golf great Ballesteros 14 Crumbly Italian cheese 15 Lao Tzu's "path" 16 Slangy prefix meaning "ultra" 17 Computer storage medium 19 When repeated, island near Tahiti 20 Male sibs 21 Kadett automaker 22 Apple music players 23 Vintner's prefix 24 Quick-on-the-uptake type, in slang 26 Athenian walkway 28 Otherwise 29 Persian rulers 31 Irene of "Fame" 33 Used-up pencils 37 Carton-cushioning unit 40 Latin being 41 Latin love word 42 Muslim pilgrim's destination 43 Tombstone lawman Wyatt 45 Mischievous trick 46 Showy authority figure
51 Facebook notes, briefly 54 Put back to zero 55 Orator's place 56 Vivacity 57 Fitzgerald of jazz 58 Tense pre-deadline period ... or when to eat the ends of 17-, 24-, 37- and 46-Across? 60 Bedframe part 61 Notes after dos 62 Pop singer Spector who fronted a '60s girl group named for her 63 Alley prowlers 64 Function 65 Chuck who broke the sound barrier Down 1 Up-tempo Caribbean dance 2 River of Grenoble 3 Kids' imitation game 4 Vietnam neighbor 5 Part of USDA: Abbr. 6 Multiple Grammy-winning cellist 7 Catchall option in a survey question 8 They're related to the severity of the crimes 9 Caveman Alley
10 Summoned as a witness 11 Novel on a small screen, perhaps 12 "Falstaff" was his last opera 13 Wipe clean 18 Tax pro: Abbr. 22 Cyclades island 24 Nothing to write home about 25 Applaud 27 Feats like the Yankees' 1998, '99 and 2000 World Series wins 29 Opposite of NNW 30 6'3", 5'4", etc.: Abbr. 31 Close associates 32 Roadside assistance org. 34 Preparing to use, as a hose 35 Tampa Bay NFLer 36 RR stop 38 Jamie of "M*A*S*H" 39 Arabian leader 44 Play a part 45 Discern 46 Take by force 47 "Is anybody here?" 48 Quran religion 49 Underlying reason 50 Relatives 52 Mrs. Eisenhower 53 Snide smile 56 Sicilian volcano 58 French vineyard 59 Earth chopper (c) 2014 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, INC.
Crossword and Sudoku answers on page 31. www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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MOVING FREE WITH MIRABAI
Asthma And Exercise
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sthma is a chronic disease of the airways. It causes bronchial passages to become inflamed and narrowed in response to triggers including cold, exercise, stress, and allergens such as dust mites, dander and smoke. Breathing becomes labored and difficult, and in extreme cases, asthma attacks can be fatal. Asthma is on the rise. It affects about 25 million people in the US acMirabai Holland cording to he National Institutes of Health. There are many types and degrees of asthma. The most common symptoms are wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing. There is no cure, but modern medicine has provided options that help keep most asthma symptoms under control, most of the time. They include drugs, swallowed, inhaled and injected, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. People with asthma can exercise, but exercising with asthma is a two-edged sword. Exercise is an irritant trigger. It can induce asthma. In fact, there is a whole category of asthmatics for which exercise induced asthma, EIA for short, is “Exercise is the main issue. However this can be overcome. Studies show that exercis- an irritant ing for fitness, particularly aerobic trigger. It exercise, strengthens and builds can induce the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems to the same extent as it does asthma.” in non-asthmatics. Asthmatics can become very fit. Many Olympic and professional athletes have exercise-induced asthma. If your doctor says you can exercise, pick an exercise that gets your heart rate up without putting too much pressure on your breathing. Generally, low intensity activities such as walking, biking, moderate aerobics, and swimming outdoors where fumes from pool chemicals are less of an irritant, are more easily tolerated. Some asthmatics have trouble with even low intensity exercise, while others can do almost anything most of the time. Here are some tips to consider: n consult your doctor before you begin; n avoid triggers whenever possible (if it's too cold or the pollen count is high, exercise indoors); n keep your emergency inhaler handy just in case; n if exercise feels too intense, stop or slow down; n try pursed lipped breathing, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, to help airways relax. The bottom line is exercising with asthma is a very individual undertaking. One size does not fit all. Ease in, stay in your comfort zone, start gently and build up intensity over time. Mirabai Holland, M.F.A. is a public health activist and authority in the Health & Fitness industry, specializing in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn't feel like work. www.mirabaiholland.com. 30
October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Capital City Artists 10th Annual Art Exhibit and Sale
Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Ave., Montgomery Opening Reception Oct. 5, 2-4 p.m. Exhibit continues through October. Capital City Artists is a group of men and women who meet each week to paint under the direction of artist Judie Hooks. This year’s theme is “Reflections.” Non-theme pieces will be also exhibited and available for sale. For information contact Patricia Caldwell, 334-414-0222.
Season
Montgomery Symphony Orchestra
2014-15
Classical Season Concert I • Monday, October 13 • 7:30pm Concert II • Monday, November 24 • 7:30pm Concert III • Monday, December 15 • 7:30pm Concert IV • Monday, February 16 • 7:30pm Concert V • Monday, April 27 • 7:30pm
Fellowship Series Cello, November 13 • 7:30pm Violin, December 4 • 7:30pm Cello, January 13 • 7:30pm Violin, February 10 • 7:30pm Cello, March 29 • 2:30pm Violin, April 16 • 7:30pm montgomerysymphony.org / 240-4004 www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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PRIME DIVERSIONS
Recent dvd releases
X-Men: Days of Future Past, Obvious Child and Mr. Peabody & Sherman X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13) If you’re a fan of the X-Men comics, movies, etc., chronicling the sagas of assorted misunderstood superheroes and the baddies within their gifted ranks, this one will probably satisfy many of your visceral cravings, even if the exposition grows tedious, and the time-travel plot is, well, another timetravel plot.That inherently means logical problems will abound for those who care about the left-brain component of such tales. Several of the action sequences are first-rate, especially one early scene featuring Quicksilver in slo-mo that so masterfully mixes mirth and mayhem, I kept hoping he’d show up for the later proceedings.Without him, the film seemed every bit as long as its 130-minute running time. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the one sent back 50 years from a dark, dystopian future to prevent Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence, who succeeded Rebecca Romijn as the lethal blue babe) from killing a scientist (Peter Dinklage) whose legacy would have eventually led to the demise of all our iconic mutants, and a slew of humans with connections to them. A couple of historic figures and references add brief bits of amusement, but not enough. The movie will certainly spawn more sequels, with one already slated for 2016. But this script concept raises an annoying question, the extent to which succeeding in this mission would nullify all the other X-Men adventures in the handful of films we’ve already seen. Obvious Child (R) Donna (Jenny Slate) is an endearingly funny, self-conscious, insecure New Yorker, working days at an ill-fated, used bookstore, prepping for her regular standup gigs at a holein-the-wall club for the undiscovered. Her life is her material, with no boundaries, airing details about everything from her body parts (and their exudates) to her boyfriend hoping for the intersection of truth and comedy while baring her soul.That alienates her guy, triggering a depression dive that her gay pals (Gaby Hoffman, Gabe Liedman) and divorced parents (Richard Kind, Polly Draper) can barely dent. A one-night stand with a farm-fresh fellow (Jake Lacy) who seems way too mainstream for her Brooklyn hipster milieu ends in pregnancy.The rest of this low-key indie dramedy is mainly what she’ll do about it, including whether to even tell the father. The dialog - particularly Donna’s on-and off-stage jokes - is surprisingly bawdy, considering her innocent demeanor. She’s something of a Sarah Silverman wannabe without ever declaring herself as such.The openness of her act is often more shocking than amusing, especially while wallowing in her grief over being dumped. Gillian Robespierre’s feature debut as both writer and director is fairly impressive, but Slate’s sweet vulnerability is the 32
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real emotional driver of this engine.The film is an extension of their 2009 collaboration on a short using this title and premise. The plot rambles a bit in an apparent Mark Glass prioritizing of setting and mood over the story and its cast. Kind and Draper deserved more of a chance to contribute. Slate’s future may lie in gal-pal supporting roles, in the fine comic tradition of character actors like Joan Cusack, Kathryn Hahn or Judy Greer, who invariably brighten any of their movies, no matter how brief their time upon the screen.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG) Oh, the curse of nostalgia and high hopes.When this cartoon canine genius and his “pet boy” blessed TV screens from 1959-61 as a regular feature in the Rocky and Bullwinkle series, it was a revelation, at least for this impressionable youth.The irreverent humor and groaner puns were unprecedented in such ostensible kiddie fare. One segment inverted beloved fairy tales; this one made history fun and silly, as Peabody and Sherman time-traveled in their Wayback Machine to assure the correct outcomes in bizarrely amusing circumstances. Jay Ward’s creations were the South Park of that era. Unfortunately, several attempts to stretch these short, simple gems into movies have not gone well. 1992's live-action incarnation of villains Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale was a complete flop; same for Brendan Fraser’s gig as amazingly earnest, yet equally inept, Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-Right seven years later. Even worse was Robert DeNiro’s campy turn as Fearless Leader in The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle a year after that. This one’s less of a bummer than those, but still short of what franchise fans pine for. This film stretches the episodic concept by fleshing out backstories for Mr. Peabody’s body of creative work and his legal relationship to Sherman, and putting them into a contemporary urban setting. Sherman goes to school, gets into trouble as a misfit with his peers, leading to a chaotically up-tempo adventure. The script delivers too few laughs to honor its roots, or meet the demands of a feature-length film.The visuals are, of course, vastly superior, but that’s more of a perk for today’s youngsters than for Ward’s first-generation admirers. Regular readers may note similarities to my review of last year’s updated remake of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which surely fared better among those who hadn’t read Thurber’s short story or seen the Danny Kaye movie version. If this isn’t just another mediocre animated feature, piggy-backing on earlier glories, then I may be reaching the flower of my curmudgeonhood. Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
American Archives Month October is American Archives Month, a celebration of the work of archives and archivists who collect, preserve, and share the records of our past. This year, the Alabama Dept. of Archives and History is planning a month-long series of special exhibits and events to highlight the work they do to tell the story of our state.
Oct 18 Roots, Leaves, & Branches: Growing Your Family Tree: A Saturday genealogy workshop.
Oct 4 Archives Crawl: Visit archives & libraries in the Montgomery area to learn about their collections while collecting passport stamps. Make a stop at all locations & win a prize! Oct 6-11 Constitution Week: For the first time, all six of Alabama’s state constitutions will be exhibited together.
Oct 20 - 25 Alabama Voices Week: View special showings of films about Alabama folklife; listen to recordings of Alabama music. Learn how these items are preserved and shared.
Oct 13-18 Alabama Tourism Week: Vintage postcards, brochures, & ephemera from archive collections will be exhibited showcasing Alabama attractions and the evolution of tourism in the state.
Oct 27-Nov. 1 Personal Digital Archives Week: Special presentations about how to care for and protect your personal archives including digital photographs, emails, blogs and more.
Oct 16 ArchiTreats: Food for Thought: Noon-1 pm. Tim Hollis presents See Alabama First: The Story of Alabama Tourism.
Nov 3-8 World War I Week: Documents and photographs that tell the story of Alabamians during WWI.
Harbor Pointe Lake Martin’s BEST Marina!
• Crest Pontoons, Four Winns plus other brands of quality boats • Boat Sales & Service • Wet & Dry Storage • Ship Store
Fall Harvest Market
Saturday 8 am - Noon. Oct. 11- Nov. 15. Shoppes at EastChase Unique, local items such as organic meats and goat cheese, pumpkins, honey, cakes, and seasonal vegetables and fruits. For information: www.theshoppesateastchase.com 334-279-6046.
397 Marina Point Rd. Dadeville, AL 36853 • 256-825-0600
For additional information visit www.harborpointe.net www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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OFF THE BEATEN PATH
D
Dogs that won’t hunt
espite his best efforts, the Brittany would neither hold nor honor a point, and by this stage in her training should've been doing both with style and proficiency. From her morning performance, it was evident she would rather chase grasshoppers than find birds. Back at the truck, he watered her, placed her back in the crate and closed the tailgate with a sigh. Six others from the same litter had turned out fine, but this one's shortcomings troubled him. "Maybe she's a late bloomer?" I asked in all sincerity, breaking the awkward silence. After all, he was the trainer, and I but the morning's lucky gunner, only being a fair one at that. "A litter of pups is a lot like a bag of apples," he said after several moments.”There's always one with a little rot to it." I considered chiming in that people were the same way, but not having fully trained or "finished" any, I kept silent. "She'll make a good house dog for someone," he said, "but in this economy I can't afford to feed a dog that won't hunt." This last statement was strikingly profound. His livelihood depended on training dogs to find birds – those that couldn't produce were sold at significant discount, without papers. Between food, medicine, training, shelter and a host of other expenses, his dog business operated on a razor-thin margin. If just breaking even was good, it was simple to see such dogs were just another burden on an already strained bottom line. I rode home in silence pondering the morning's events. The birds had flown well and the dogs, save the lackadaisical female, had run beautifully. But it wasn't the fine shooting, the granite-solid points or the quail in the cooler that held my focus, it was my host's words. Upon arriving home, I took inventory of all the non-human mouths I was feeding and any contributions to the family – hunting or
otherwise – that could be counted to their credit. I tallied nine mouths in all: two dogs, six chickens and one black cat. The dogs were the obvious place to start. Our Lab was a fine hunter, with skills that far surpassed her owner's. A few years ago she'd gotten friendly with a neighbor's German Shorthair and we'd kept one of the dozen pups from the unplanned litter. Besides being good companions in the field and at home, the pair of them patrolled the homestead constantly, raising all kinds of ruckus whenever something didn't look, smell or sound right. Their protective nature also extended to our flock of hens, as they'd caught dozens of possums trying to get into the coop. Even though they were competition for any pears and apples within easy reach on our trees, the dogs had to stay. The chicken is as efficient a small space livestock animal as the Lord ever made. In just a few square feet apiece, our hens could turn insects, kitchen scraps and a handful of layer pellets into delicious, free-range eggs. What wasn't made into food for my family was turned into food for my tomatoes. Sure, the coop could get a bit odiferous if I didn't keep it clean, but at the end of the day, the chickens had to stay. Which leaves the cat. Sleeping more in a day than my infant son, the cat contributes little to the household's daily operation. And “little” is being generous. At times he is both shifty and quarrelsome, lying in wait to strike the ankles of innocent passersby. With frequency, he locks himself in the bedroom with the sole goal of peeing on something, anything. Once, it was a brand new suit, and I'm certain he had to hang upside down to get the angle just right. From this description, it would seem the cat would be a logical candidate for relocation, which is precisely where the program was leading me. To my great astonishment however, since beginning my analysis, there's been a sharp increase in the number of squirrel homicides on our property, and if there is any creature I dislike more than a cat, it's a squirrel. The dogs may be quick, but the cat is quicker. Add to this a degree of stealth not possessed by my canines, and, as much as I hate to admit it, there may yet be redemption for that fur ball. Niko Corley, a licensed charter boat captain, spends as much of his free time as possible on the water or in the woods. He can be contacted at cootfootoutfitters@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @cootfootoutfitters.
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October 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com
Niko Corley
Carefree senior living with
no strings attached.
At Eastdale Estates, you’ll enjoy: • Three daily meals prepared from scratch by an executive chef • Full calendar of engaging activities and social events • Dedicated live-in managers available 24/7 • Regular housekeeping and linen service • Scheduled shuttle transporation • Exclusive travel program with access to 300+ locations nationwide • Pets warmly welcomed • And so much more!
Call 334-651-0666 today to ask about our $750 Move In Special!*
5801 Eastdale Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-651-0666 www.eastdaleestates.com * Offer expires September 30, 2014. See management for details. www.primemontgomery.com | October 2014
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