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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Dr. Blake Raggio, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Is Beauty Only Skin-Deep? Yes, with Dermal MicroInfusion.
There may be some truth to the ageold adage, “Beauty is only skin-deep,” that is at least when it comes to Dermal MicroInfusion (DMI), a revolutionary new procedure that restores aged, damaged skin. Imagine if you could combine the rejuvenating benefits of traditional microneedling with infusions of reparative growth factors, antioxidants/vitamins, hydrating dermal fillers, and Botox® with none of the downtime associated with traditional microneedling and still achieve similar or superior results? Interested now? Continue reading to learn more about DMI and how it can help you obtain a more youthful, glowing appearance to your skin. First remind me, what happens to skin as we age? Aging skin loses key structural components which contribute to its strength (collagen), elasticity (elastin), and hydration (hyaluronic acid). Aged skin thus becomes dryer, thinner, less elastic, less voluminous, and more likely to wrinkle or sag, such as occurs with excess skin of the upper eyelids or the neck. So, how does DMI help treat damaged skin? First, DMI borrows the science behind microneedling by using a device with several tiny needles (thin as hair) to create a series of controlled injuries to the skin which stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin. Unlike traditional microneedling, however, DMI utilizes hollow-bored needles to deliver specific infusions into the dermis to restore your skin to a smoother, more vibrant complexion. What are the different serums or infusions used in DMI?
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To reiterate, the uniqueness of DMI relies on its hollow-bore needles used to deliver a variety of substances to the deeper layers of the skin. Available treatments used to restore a glowing, fresh complexion to the skin include the following: • Hyaluronic Acid (HA): available as either a serum or a dermal filler (e.g., Juvederm, Belotero), HA’s moisturizing properties work to create a subtle increase in volume and improve skin hydration, overall decreasing the appearance of fine lines. • Neuromodulators (Botox® or Xeomin®): used to target acne and improve the overall appearance of the skin by targeting fines lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and oily skin. • Growth Factors: available as either a serum or self-donated Platelet-rich Fibrin, growth factors rejuvenate the skin by assisting with dermal repair. • Vitamin C and E: powerful antioxidants that protect from damaging oxidative stressors like the sun. How many treatments do I need? How much does DMI cost? Depending on which “cocktail” of skinboosting ingredients you choose, prices vary from $275 to $975 per session. Although you will see immediate improvement after 1 session, I recommend you complete a series of 4 sessions spaced every 6-8 weeks apart to allow adequate time for “skin turnover” and to achieve optimal results. What is the downtime and postprocedural care for MicroInfusion? There exists virtually no downtime
from a DMI treatment, with most patients experiencing slight redness to the treated areas for only a few hours after the treatment. Aside from that, I instruct patients not to wash their face for 4 hours after treatment, nor should they wear makeup for 24 hours as to prevent infection. Also, avoiding retinol, Vit C/E, or other astringents for 48 hrs is recommended to decrease risk of skin irritation. NOTE: both traditional microneedling and DMI treatments carry similar risks, namely pain, bleeding, infection, scarring, motor/ sensory nerve deficits, allergic reaction, cosmetic deformity, and need for repeat treatments. Most of these “risks” are mild and self-limited. How can I learn more about a Dermal MicroInfusion? If you are interested in learning more about Dermal MicroInfusion or other skin rejuvenating procedures, I suggest consulting with a physician experienced in both surgical and non-surgical skin-reparative techniques so that you receive a thorough and nonbiased evaluation. As always, choose a surgeon whom you trust. There is nothing more important than the relationship you have with your doctor. Until Next Time.
Dr. Blake Raggio Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Alabama Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 334-270-2003 Dr.Raggio@ALplasticsurgery.com www.ALplasticsurgery.com
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BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Contents
June 2021 Volume 11 Issue 11
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom C.S. Lewis
Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
2 Traveling out of MRA 9 Is Beauty Only Skin-Deep? Dr. Blake Raggio 12 Publisher's Column 18 Mexican Street Tacos 19 Disabled golfer takes game from Alabama to London
page 32
20 Helping Widows and Widowers with Susan Moore
Features 14 Things My Papa Taught Me
26 Using Motion to Spark Joy in Care
32 'Women-Only' Trips, New Trend
36 Jeff Barganier's A Day at Scott Antique Markets
Departments 38 This and That A few ditties of info
54 MASTER GARDENERS Montgomery Botanical Gardens
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52 Greg Budell PARTY LIKE IT’S 1979
www.RiverRegionBoom.com page 52
22 The Respite Ministry is Back! 24 AUM OLLI Members Benefit from ZOOMing 28 BOOM! Reader Discounts 30 OLD TIMEY PEST CONTROl by Beth Wicker 34 Are you eligible to receive this valuable VA benefit? Ask an Elder Law Attorney
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38 Live Music In ASF 40 Kayak Little River page 44
page 19
page 39
page 14
page 26
41 Best Sunsets in Alabama 42 Alexander City Jazz Festival 44 BOOM! Cover Profile 50 Magnesium with Tracy Bhalla
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Free Subscriptions @ w w w. r i ve rre gio n b o o m.co m
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Thanks for Reading BOOM!
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, P.O. Box 6203, Montgomery, AL 36106. The phone number is 334.324.3472. Copyright 2021 by River Region Publications. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.
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Publisher’s Letter
Happy Father's Day
The mission of BOOM! is to serve the folks of the River Region age 50 plus with information and ideas to inspire new experiences, better quality of life and new beginnings.
Publisher/Editor
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Jeff Barganier Tracy Bhalla Greg Budell
Our cover profile for June is someone most of you know, through his words. He has been writing interesting, fun, and inspirational words for our readers over many years. And we’re very happy Jeff Barganier is this month’s Cover Profile. Jeff’s story is about many things, primarily how he and his wife Cindy, have revitalized life by living it through design and not by default. Stepping outside comfort zones, Jeff developed new ways to explore life through writing and entrepreneurial work with Cindy’s business, Cindy Barganier Jim Watson, Publisher Interiors. They share live-work space in The Waters on the square. More jim@riverregionboom.com importantly, they actively share a life they've created for themselves. It’s an inspiring story as told through the words of one of our favorite writers. I hope you enjoy getting to know Jeff and thanks for sharing. As you take a few minutes to enjoy this month’s issue, keep in mind we try to present information you find interesting, funny, inspirational, helpful…our goal is for you to have the best reading experience in the River Region. To better understand your needs when it comes to aging well, drop me a note through email or text with ideas or thoughts on what we do each month. I love to listen.
Patricia Corrigan Rick Lauber Cathy Maddox Susan Moore Dr. Blake Raggio Erin Roberts Beth Wicker Raley L. Wiggins
Cover Photography Total Image Portraits www.totalimage.com
Advertising
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!
For more goodies to read check out Greg Budell’s journey back to 1979. It’s almost a nightmare for those of you who remember, does Jimmy Carter ring a bell? From a young woman named Erin Roberts, who writes for a local blog, we get a touching remembrance of what her “Papa” taught her. I think she speaks for so many of us who’ve had that special relationship with a parent or grandparent. Susan Moore is offering help to widows and widowers get on with life with some financial coaching through her monthly webinars. Please take advantage of this free service for yourself or someone you know; it’s caring with comfort. Many of you have taken women only trips and they’re certainly in vogue today. If you’ve been thinking about “girl getaway” we’ve got some ideas to help you start your journey. Have fun!
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We are supported by our advertisers because they want to support you and your needs in the marketplace. Please consider supporting them whenever possible. Whether it’s a new bathroom remodel from Bath Innovations, Insurance from Willie Durham at State Farm, or traveling somewhere from the Montgomery Regional Airport, they all value the opportunity to serve your needs. I hope you enjoy this month’s issue, and as I said, it was made for you. Please share any and all of it from www.facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom and www.riverregionboom.com. Happy Father’s Day!
Jim 334.324.3472 cell/text jim@riverregionboom.com
READ IT - LOVE IT - SHARE IT BOOM! starts conversations and shares stories. Share your business with BOOM! readers. For more information call/text 334.324.3472 or visit www.riverregionboom.com
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By Erin Roberts
Things My Papa Taught Me
the reward of seeing what your hard work produces is a feeling that makes it all worth it. I am thankful every day to have witnessed this lesson first hand.
Our gentle, quiet, strong, and sacrificial Papa. It’s been a year now since he went home to the Father, but I think of him often. I can’t help but miss the friend he was to me, but I also want to purposefully remember the details about him so that I don’t forget him with time. He is so much a part of who I am that I know I could never really forget him. There is so much joy in remembering that.
The lessons and values he instilled in me have helped shape my thoughts and actions and I am grateful for the things Papa taught me. That man lived through so much and held so much wisdom. I couldn’t help but share a few of those things. Grandpas are special, and I was fortunate enough to know mine and learn so much from him. Family First From a young age, Papa’s family was a priority. When his dad suffered from a stroke and was no longer able to work, Papa, without hesitation, enlisted himself into the Navy at seventeen in order to send money back home. Afterward, he forewent a college education at Auburn University in order to work and take care of his mother and sisters, one of which was dying of cancer. He experienced hardship in a way I cannot begin to relate to, and he chose to sacrifice so that his family would be taken care of.
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That didn’t change as he had children and then grandchildren. He has always lived in such a way as to be able to save and give what he had to those he cared about most – his family. Papa taught me the gift of family and how special that is. Family comes first, and at the end of the day, they are what matter most. The Value of Hard Work Papa taught me about the reward of hard work and labor with your own two hands. I learned this on our walks through the growing vegetable garden and talks over iced tea admiring our freshly mowed lawn. My grandfather worked tirelessly (yes, to provide) but I am convinced he secretly loved the satisfaction of it all. There is so much to be said for pouring yourself into something and getting to witness the fruits of your labor. Even when the process isn’t “fun” or “enjoyable,”
Teach People How to Treat You I remember one time complaining to Papa about the way I had been treated at a job during his last months here. I tend to be the biggest people pleaser and sometimes that means caring too much about what others think or getting walked over. I remember Papa telling me to “make them respect you.” I thought about this for a while, and what he meant by that. Papa has always carried himself with so much dignity and humble confidence, that he didn’t have to tell someone to respect him, they simply did because he respected himself. I believe that is what he meant. We teach someone to respect us first by knowing our own worth and value, which shapes the way we act and respond to whatever comes our way and whoever we encounter. I’ve never met a man more consistent and sure of who they were. He was “our rock” and still is. People Don’t Owe You Anything Papa taught us not to go through life expecting things to be done for you or
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believing that you are “owed” anything. Coming from humble beginnings, Papa worked his entire life and never expected anything to be done for him or handed to him. Not once did I ever hear him complain about the life he was handed. He found joy in simple things and ultimately in Christ. My grandfather understood that every breath on this earth was an undeserved gift of grace and that drove everything he did. Other people don’t owe you a thing, and that is a hard truth to believe, but knowing that changes everything! You are much less disappointed when someone doesn’t meet the expectations you have for them. We also better ourselves when we realize we are not owed anything because we see our own capability and potential! This lesson made me slower to complain and helped me not to be disappointed by other people so much. Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak My grandfather taught me the value of being quick to listen and slow to speak. This is a lesson I will probably never master the way Papa did. The tongue as we know is one of the hardest things to tame. Maybe it was the way Papa grew up, having been faced with a lot of trials early on in life, that he kept a lot of things to himself. But I also believe my grandfather just walked in a great deal of wisdom and understood the value of being slower to speak and quick to listen. Which made the words he did speak, that much more impactful. Be Good “Be good,” he told me before I drove away from our visits each week. The sweetest and simplest lesson of them all. Papa was a man of few words, but these two words said many things to me. They summed up his way of life and who he was. I think of something John Piper once said – “All heroes are shadows of Christ.” Papa wasn’t perfect and never pretended to be, but he always did his best to be a shadow of Christ. He was our hero and because of him, I understand the character of the Lord so much better. This article first appeared in the Dogwood Journal, an online publication of Dogwood Media Solutions, LLC. www.dogwoodmediasolutions.com
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Mexican Street
Tacos
Easy, quick, authentic carne asada street tacos you can now make right at home! Top with onion, cilantro + fresh lime juice! SO GOOD!
Ingredients
I 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy
sauce 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice I 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided I 3 cloves garlic, minced I 2 teaspoons chili powder I 1 teaspoon ground cumin I 1 teaspoon dried oregano I 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces I 12 mini flour tortillas, warmed I 3/4 cup diced red onion I 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves I 1 lime, cut into wedges I
Directions: 1. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon canola oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano. 2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine soy sauce mixture and steak; marinate for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally. 3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and marinade, and cook, stirring often, until steak has browned and marinade has reduced, about 5-6 minutes, or until desired doneness. 4. Serve steak in tortillas, topped with onion, cilantro and lime. Yield: 6 servings, prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes. total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Source: www.damndelicious.net
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Disabled golfer prepares to take game from Alabama to London
His story isn’t about losing his leg in a motorcycle accident more than a decade ago. It’s about so much more. Birmingham resident Chris Osborne is also a champion golfer, poised to represent the United States as Team USA takes on Team Europe in one of disability golf’s premier match play events, the Cairns Cup, taking place May 2022 in London. “We’re really excited about the Cairns Cup,” Osborne said. “Golf is one sport that really equalizes – a lot of people grew up playing it, I started at about 12 years old. I play with my daughter, my son and my wife. It’s just one of those things where you can get out there and feel some sense of normalcy.” Osborne felt that sense of normalcy as he hit the greens at Greystone Golf & Country Club for the postCOVID return of the Regions Tradition Celebrity Pro-Am. He calls it a full circle opportunity. “I covered this event as a news broadcaster, first as a camera guy, then I worked my way up through the ranks and worked it as a reporter, and then as a spectator when I was not in the media,” Osborne explained. “Now, to play in it, it just culminates all the years The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
that I have been in Birmingham, so it is very special.” Osborne notes the most special part of it all is that it benefits Children’s of Alabama and other local nonprofit organizations. “Knowing the charities that this benefits, it is just incredible the work that they do. And for Regions to be able to put this on and make sure those sacred entities in our community are supported, is great,” Osborne said. “Being in the health industry with the health department,
we work very closely with Children’s on a number of different projects and we know the work they do and certainly they deserve the utmost support.” As the day came to an end – and Osborne looked ahead to London – he offered words of inspiration for others. “Anybody who is disabled that is looking for an outlet – it may not be golf – but I always encourage people to find something. What is your something? And once you find that something, enjoy that something.” This story originally appeared on the www.DoingMoreToday.com R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
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Helping Widows and Widowers Move Forward On Their Own
The loss of a spouse can be devastating, both emotionally and financially, especially if it was unexpected. The stress of handling all the legal and financial issues can be overwhelming, even for women or men who are financially savvy. Widows are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States. In addition, some of the statistics about widows are startling. The average age that women are widowed is 59 years old. In addition, 70% of Baby Boomer wives will outlive their husbands; 80% of women will be single at death. Half of women over age 65 will outlive their husbands by 15 years. Every June, Susan Moore of Moore Wealth Management, Inc. (MWM) conducts two free workshops in Montgomery. One is designed especially for widows and their supportive friends, another one for widowers. The workshop for widows was produced by Kathleen M. Rehl, PhD, CFP, in conjunction with the Protective Life Insurance Company. The workshop covers the following topics: the impact of grief and emotion, the 3 stages of widowhood, avoiding common financial mistakes and next steps to take. Due to the pandemic, the workshop will be conducted in a webinar format. The June 2021 workshop for widows will be on Wednesday, June 23rd at 12 p.m. Please call
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Financial Thoughts with Susan Moore
By Susan Clayton Moore, J.D.
Principal of Moore Wealth Management, Inc.
334.270.1672, or email Sarah@ moorewealthmanagement.com, for more information and reservations. Kathleen Rehl is a financial advisor who was widowed at the age of 60. Although she and her husband had been financial advisors for several years and she had helped various clients go through the financial and legal issues after the death of a spouse, it was a more difficult experience for her than she would have expected. “For me personally,” she said, “I didn’t remember my Social Security number. I could not recall where I put my car keys. I wondered if I was going crazy. I was not. It was just a normal part of being a new widow.” Attendees to the workshop receive a free copy of Rehl’s book, Moving
Forward on My Own, A Financial Guidebook for Widows, in addition to other valuable educational materials. In addition, Susan will conduct a webinar for widowers on Thursday, June 24th at 12 p.m. The workshop for widowers is based on the book The Widower’s Journey: Helping Men Rebuild After Their Loss, by Herb Knoll, Deborah Carr, Ph.D., and Robert Frick. Please call 334.270.1672 or email Sarah@moorewealthmanagement. com, for more information and reservations. Susan Clayton Moore, J.D., is a financial advisor and wealth manager of Moore Wealth Management, Inc, with offices in Auburn, Montgomery, and Alexander City, AL. Susan has under advisement assets over $170 million (as of 3.31.2021) through Kestra Financial and has been a financial planner over 38 years. Contact Susan at 334.270.1672. Email contact is susan@moorewealthmanagement.com. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS) an affiliate of Kestra IS. Kestra IS or Kestra AS are not affiliated with Moore Wealth Management, Inc. https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures
June Workshop (webinar)
Helping Widows and Widowers
Move Forward On Their Own
to register, call our Montgomery office at
334.270.1672
sarah@moorewealthmanagement.com
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AUM OLLI Members Benefit from ZOOMing
For four terms – Summer 2020 through Spring 2021 – some AUM OLLI members have stayed connected and continued learning through the online platform ZOOM. This program has allowed members to see and hear one another while learning online. Screen-sharing even allowed the use of PowerPoint presentations and the ability for all members of a class to look at the same document at the same time.
Although the use of ZOOM eliminated the personal contact and sense of community that OLLI members appreciate, those who registered for the online classes praised the classes with words and phrases like “enriching,” “learning opportunities,” “personal satisfaction,” and “highly knowledgeable and respected instructors.” Commendations for instructors and courses have come to the OLLI staff with some frequency,
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regardless of whether the classes are online or in-person.
An added benefit of using ZOOM for OLLI courses has been the development of OLLI Shares. This program allows OLLI members from AUM, Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Alabama – Huntsville to register for some classes offered by other campuses. There is some talk of continuing selected online courses through OLLI Shares in the fall of 2021. Even with the success of the ZOOM classes, AUM OLLI is planning a gradual return to in-person courses beginning with the 2021 Summer Term. This particular term is short – only the four weeks of June. There will be a limited number of courses offered during this term: Pain Management with Tai Chi, Lee Smith’s Fair and Tender Ladies – Novel and Music, Basic Jewelry
Making, and Brain Bowl. These courses will meet with all safety protocols in place: small classes, social distancing, and wearing masks. The short term allows AUM OLLI to determine whether people are ready to come back to in-person classes and whether the staff can handle the return, which necessitates sanitizing rooms of the Center for Lifelong Learning between classes. The June offerings for AUM OLLI give old and new members a chance to determine if they are ready to put their “pandemic anxiety” behind them by venturing out on a limited basis. Come get acquainted with the many benefits of AUM OLLI. Visit the website –www.aum.edu/OLLI – to see membership and registration opportunities.
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Using Motion to Spark Joy in Care By Rick Lauber
The Benefits of Exercise for Seniors
Using Motion to Spark Joy in Care
As a regular visitor to my father’s long-term care center, I couldn’t help but notice that numerous residents remained slouched in their wheelchairs and were more withdrawn. Care home staff explained that, due to their reduced physical and mental capabilities, these seniors had declined to the point of not being able to move as well as others and could not readily participate in activities. It was a sad picture. I knew that Dad would dislike using a wheelchair (and his dementia would result in confusion and possible agitation about being possibly strapped into the chair), so I vowed to help care home workers to keep him moving – for as long as I could. Although Alzheimer’s disease was robbing Dad of his memories, he remained in good physical health. Dad was always an avid walker, so walking became our activity of choice together. Warm summer days led us outside. Depending on Dad’s energy level, we could either stroll around the block or hike a longer river valley trail. In the winter, we looped around inside the facility. As recommended, I strapped a support belt around Dad’s waist – something I could hold onto should he start to wobble or grab if he tripped. While I didn’t stray far from Dad’s side on our outings, I was pleased to see that the belt wasn’t needed and that he often kept up a good pace.
7 Ways to Use Motion to Spark Joy for Seniors and Caregivers Granted, choosing activities for older adults may be difficult. Your loved one may have lessened abilities, understanding, energy, and even – perhaps – desire to move and remain active. There are many exciting ways to incorporate productive motion into their daily care plan and reduce time simply sitting in front of a television. Here are a few ideas: 1. Join a Walking Club. If your older loved one is able to — a walking club can provide healthy socialization for seniors. A botanical garden, a lake, or a nature trail is an excellent addition to a walking route. These locations will offer beautiful scenery, possible wildlife or bird sightings, and benches for resting, if needed (just watch for more possible tripping hazards on a natural trail). Gentle hills can provide more exercise. For further motivation, a walking club could join a charity walk together and be encouraged by supporting a good cause. 2. Go swimming. Swimming provides
great exercise for the entire body and good cardio as well. Head to a pool to either swim laps or enjoy a water aerobics class. After a swim, take a dip in the hot tub or relax in the sauna. 3. Practice yoga. Yoga is perfect for seniors as it provides a gentle means to improve posture, balance, and coordination. If you or your loved one cannot sit on a yoga mat on the floor, try these chair exercises to increase strength and balance. 4. Lift weights. This exercise doesn’t have to be extreme! You can use lighter (two or three-pound) weights for safe strength training. Seniors lifting light weights may find doing this deceiving, as it may not feel effective. Even with light weights, exercise can be overdone. Go slowly to avoid injury. 5. Go on field trips. Remember how much fun field trips were when you were back in school? Getting out can be greatly enjoyable and valuable at any age. Go to a museum, the zoo, or a baseball game. Long-term care homes may have a bus or van and welcome family caregivers along on their community field trips. 6. Register for an art class. Try to incorporate simple and engaging crafts. Whether it’s pottery, painting, or knitting/quilting, certain creative pursuits can increase dexterity in senior fingers, which may not get much regular movement. 7. Play with grandchildren. Bending over and lifting young children or following them around at a playground can be so much fun that seniors may not even realize they are being more active, improving balance, and getting a workout!
This article is sponsored by Home Care Assistance, for more info visit > www.homecareassistance.com 26 BOOM!
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The Benefits of Exercise for Seniors Simply put, regular movement will keep a senior’s body and mind moving. Here are several, more specific, advantages of exercise for seniors: I Prevention of Disease. Maintaining regular physical activity can build a stronger body and immune system to help fight against many common diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. I Increased Strength. Exercising helps maintain and build muscles. I Improved Mental Health. Regular exercise also keeps the brain’s wheels turning. Your older loved one will have
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clearer thinking, better concentration, and improved focus. I Fall Prevention. As seniors age, they become more unsteady on their feet.
are encouraged. By exercising with others, seniors can enjoy the social interaction while building their strength. I Improved quality of life. Incorporating exercise into one’s life leads to greater levels of happiness and energy. I Reduced stress. Exercise is a great way to calm down. Exercising produces endorphins within the body, which help a person feel relaxed. Keeping older adults moving will help their body, mind, and spirit – and that’s a good reason to keep them active for as long as possible! Resources: www.fitnessday.com www.livestrong.com/article/13720774-bestweight-loss-programs/
With safe exercise, a senior can build strength and improve balance. I Better Flexibility. Regular stretching can result in being better able to bend, lean over, and reach for items. I Social Engagement. Outdoor group activities with proper social distancing
About the Author, Rick Lauber As a former co-caregiver, Rick Lauber helped and supported his own aging parents. His mother had Parkinson's and Leukemia and his father had Alzheimer's. Rick learned that caregiving is challenging and used writing to personally cope.
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Master Gardener's Perspective
By Beth Wicker
OLD TIMEY PEST CONTROL
My Dad was born in a log cabin in rural Deep River, NC. His parents were sharecroppers, and the cabin was part of the farm where they sharecropped. My Grandfather, being a smart man, had married the daughter of the landowner, and eventually they inherited the farm and moved from the log cabin to the main house. As a kid our week in Deep River in the summer was always a highlight – it was close enough to our home in Chapel Hill that Mom and Dad could drive us down, settle us in, and head home. While the main house was two stories, all I remember being used was
After breakfast and doing the dishes, Grandfather would head to the barn to finish the chores with the animals. Sometimes one or both of us went with him to help with the milking, collecting eggs, feeding chickens (I was always terrified as they raced at us Grandparents, Alton and to get the hard corn Minnie Wicker in their log cabin kernels as we were shelling off the stored cobs for them – I
Garden Pest: Snails
the ground floor. My sister and I shared a big handmade feather bed on one end of the house, with my Grandmother and Grandfather in their room on the other and the sitting room in-between us. The house was the width of the room, so it had windows on three sides – I remember love running to the windows to look out in each direction. In the Summer, the day started as the sun rose. The early 1900’s house had no air conditioning, so everyone wanted to be done with chores and back inside in the shade with the fans by late morning. Grandmother cooked breakfast on her electric stove in the summer – the wood stove was saved for wintertime when the heat it put off was welcome.
Garden Pest: Spotted Cucumber Beetle
thought they might peck my eye out!), feeding the mule, and cleaning the stalls. If we were helping Grandmother, it might be in the wash house with the big tub over the fire, and then running it through the mangle machine by hand. My strongest memories, though, are of working in the garden with her. If they wanted to eat it, they pretty much had to grow it. So, the vegetable garden was HUGE! Grandaddy would wait at the edge of the field in early spring with the mule hooked to the plow, and as soon as it was light enough, off they went to plow the rows and rows and rows that Grandmother would plant with vegetables. Beans and tomatoes and squash and cucumbers and peppers and potatoes and …and… and…
When we came to visit in the summer, part of our job was helping her pick and weed – and PEST CONTROL! I HATED it; but was simultaneously fascinated with Grandmother’s pest control. We would head out with a handmade basket to gather whatever was ripe, and a jar about half filled with kerosene – to gather pests! Grandmother would pinch the pest bug with her fingers and drop it in the kerosene to die. I never could bring myself to touch the caterpillars and beetles and various bugs. I used a stick or some leaves or a bunch of grass to knock them into the kerosene jar. Grandmother was always very understanding of her “city” granddaughter’s squeamishness!
Garden Pest: Tomato Hornworm
As the day heated, we moved inside, then in the late afternoon onto the front porch that ran the length of the house where we would sit in the shade and breeze under the huge trees and shell beans and peas, or shuck the corn, or churn butter from the milk. It was a gift to see the whole cycle of where the food came from, and to understand how much work went into the food that would appear on the table at supper time. Beth Wicker, an intern in the 2021 Master Gardener Class, lives in Montgomery. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymag@gmail.com.
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By Patricia Corrigan
'Women-Only' Trips Represent a Growing Travel Trend Benefits include 'no primping' and 'a different level of bonding'
Girlfriend Getaways” to spas, all-inclusive resorts or gambling meccas have long appealed to women who enjoy traveling with female friends and family members. More recently, though, groups of women are heading out to ride horses in Mongolia, learn burlesque dance moves in Paris or go on a photo safari in Tanzania.
than ever, Marbury adds. “That’s because companies — even the big players in adventure travel — now are focusing on trips for women more thoughtfully than they once did.”
On some trips, participants also get to know local residents. “A growing array of women-only tours, particularly to the Middle East, Asia and Africa, are giving Western participants a behind-the-scenes look at how local women live and work in societies quite different than their own,” reports Skift, a firm that “deciphers and defines global travel trends.” Often, the travelers are women of a certain age. Barbara Rivera, 71, signed up for a women-only dog-sledding trip along the north shore of Lake Superior with Adventures in Good Company, based in Baltimore. “I’ve traveled with women-only groups and with mixed groups, and I’ve found that couples don’t always integrate well with other participants,” says Rivera, a retired banking executive from the Chicago area who recently moved to Blairsville, Ga. “Also, on women-only trips, it’s not a competitive environment. There’s no primping, and everybody seems more like themselves. It’s just more comfortable.” We had to ask: Was dog-sledding comfortable?
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“It was spectacular. We had a full day outside in sub-zero temperatures, but we broke trail in fresh snow, with no evidence of anyone having been there before us,” Rivera says. “I was excited to be in such a beautiful environment.” Tour Companies Now Focus on Trips for Women ‘More Thoughtfully’ Marian Marbury, 67, founded Adventures in Good Company some 20 years ago, and her company has always specialized in women-only trips. “These trips are not at all about the absence of men,” she says. “They are about women being with women, enjoying the companionship. The connections that
women form are significantly deeper than on mixed trips.” Itineraries planned for, and led by, women are “more an enduring trend”
Marbury’s company offers more than 80 trips to destinations around the world, and most of her clients are between their mid-40s to late-60s, “with a fair representation of women in their seventies and eighties,” she says. “A lot of the women who go with us are widowed or divorced, or they don’t have friends who can travel. But they still are open to new experiences, and they want adventures and challenges.” Some Travelers Want Workshops; Others Seek Out Retreats Sometimes, women also want to learn something. The founder and creator of “Go! Girl Guides” and the annual Women’s Travel Fest in New York City, Kelly Lewis also is the CEO of Damesly, which she launched in 2016 so she could offer workshopbased travel for professional women. Some destinations include classes in nature photography, creative writing, public relations or travel writing. A few focus on personal growth. Others are just for fun. Participants range from 35 to 65 and older.
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“We all are more similar than we are different, and our trips bring together women in different stages of their lives to bond through one shared passion,” Lewis says. One of her favorite destinations is Hawaii. “We bring a life coach and we also offer lessons in surfing, snorkeling and hula, working primarily with womenowned businesses wherever we travel.” Balanced Rock offers a “Women of Color Wilderness Retreat” once a year in Yosemite National Park in northern California. The four-day trip combines backpacking, survival-skill building and mindfulness meditation exercises. “A participant in one of our weekend workshops suggested this trip, and we’ve offered it for twelve years now,” says Heather Sullivan, managing director and co-founder of the nonprofit, based in El Portal, Calif. “We go into the high country and set up a base camp near a lake. It’s all about being in a beautiful spot where we can have facilitated discussions in a safe place around social justice, equity and inclusion,” Sullivan says. “It’s always a powerful, transformative experience.” Balanced Rock also offers retreats for mixed groups at Yosemite, many focused
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on yoga. The age range is 18 to 65-plus. Sage Advice on the Benefits of a Women-Only Trip A women-only trip to three national parks last summer appealed to Darleen Kahl, 71, and Sue Poteet, 70, partners for almost 30 years and residents of Milton, Del. Austin Adventures, based in Billings, Mont., offers the eight-day trip.
Kahl, a retired educator, says she and Poteet chose the trip primarily to see Yellowstone National Park, “but all the scenery was phenomenal — truly a trip of a lifetime.” Kahl notes, “We’ve gone on trips with mixed groups and on women-only trips, and both are fun, but you get a different level of bonding and communication on
women-only trips.” Poteet, retired from a career in banking, agrees. “Sometimes in a pack of folks, someone always wants to be the leader, but this trip was just a bunch of women experiencing something together, having a good time,” she says. That sums up my experience on a rejuvenation retreat for women last spring in the redwoods near Santa Cruz, Calif. Road Scholar offers that trip, and the company (formerly known as Elderhostel and geared to older adults interested in lifelong learning) is expanding its women-only trips for 2020. Two of the new options are the Camino de Santiago in Spain and a European hiking trip. Other companies that offer womenonly travel include Adventurewomen Inc., Women Traveling Together and Wild Women Expeditions. Check with the companies for current destinations, travel dates and prices. Wondering whether you should sign up? Marbury, from Adventures in Good Company, offers this advice: “This is the time to do it. Women our age know it isn’t going to get any easier.” Source: www.nextavenue.org
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Ask an Elder Law Attorney
By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
Are you eligible to receive this valuable VA benefit? One of the privileges of serving our country during a time of war is the potential eligibility for VA Pension benefits. These benefits are particularly valuable for veterans over age 65 who have large medical expenses, including prescription drugs, treatments, and even assisted living or in-home care. Recently, the VA has quietly taken action to attempt to reduce the number of Veterans who can qualify for these benefits by changing the rules.
law provides that a veteran or surviving spouse cannot have “excessive” assets. While there is no specific formula to calculate what is excessive, the older the applicant is, the fewer assets they can have before they will be considered excessive. Many veterans are incorrectly informed that they cannot ever qualify for these benefits, but often that information is not entirely correct. Sometimes a veteran or surviving spouse may qualify after undertaking some estate planning with an
claimant resides there, is an excluded asset for calculating “net worth” and will continue to be so under the proposed regulations. However, the proposed rules cap the “reasonable lot area” that the home sits on at 2 acres, a limit that does not exist under current law. Rural veterans will of course be treated unfairly under this rule. The VA also hopes to impose a Medicaidstyle penalty against veterans who have transferred property within 3 years before applying. Currently, no such penalty exists.
These VA Pension benefits are generally available to wartime Veterans (and their surviving spouses) who meet certain criteria. Before 1980 the Veteran must have Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop served at least ninety (90) days of For more information and to register please contact our office active duty, with at least one day by calling (334) 239-3625 or email Dana@redoaklegalpc.com. being during a “wartime period” (as set by Congress). After 1980, This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley the Veteran must have generally L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance served at least twenty-four (24) directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets months of active duty, with at least one day being during a from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing wartime period. In addition, homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is the Veteran must not have been required. For more info visit www.redoaklegalpc.com. dishonorably discharged.
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A Veteran must also be “disabled” in order to receive this benefit, but anyone over age 65 is automatically deemed “disabled” for purposes of determining eligibility. Of course, permanent and total disability at any age also meets this requirement. If the Veteran or surviving spouse has additional medical needs, then additional monetary allowances may be awarded, like an “aid and attendance” allowance.
attorney. While attorneys cannot charge veterans to prepare or submit a pension application, a VA Accredited attorney can assist veterans by evaluating their case and making recommendations regarding future qualification. But as mentioned above, these rules may be about to change.
The Veteran must also meet certain financial requirements. The Veteran must not have income in excess of the current maximum benefit amount. However, “income” for VA purposes is determined after deducting any unreimbursed out-of-pocket medical expenses. So, for example a veteran seeking a $1,700 monthly benefit, who receives $2,500 in monthly income, but has $3,000 in assisted living and prescription medication expenses, would have an income for VA purposes of zero.
The proposed VA rules changes include creating a one-size-fits-all number for determining the maximum amount of net worth a veteran can have in order to qualify, currently $117,000 (adjusted annually for inflation). In addition, the proposed rules would include income in the applicant’s net worth calculation. In other words, if a Veteran has assets worth $117,000 and receives an income of $2,000 per month, the Veteran’s “net worth” is calculated at $117,000 + $24,000, which is well over the “net worth” limit allowed.
In addition to the income cap, the current
A primary residence, whether or not the
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To illustrate: A married Veteran applies for VA Pension with an aid and attendance allowance. The monthly benefit he is trying to qualify for is $2,120. During the past 3 years, the Veteran contributed $10,000 to The Wounded Warriors Project, a nonprofit organization. He also gave his only child $1,000 on each birthday the past 3 years.
As a result of the charitable contribution and the cash gifts to her child ($13,000 total in 3 years), this Veteran would be penalized for 6.13 months when he applies for VA Pension under the new rules. If this same Veteran was not married, the penalty would be even longer—11.3 months. During the penalty the Veteran would not receive his benefits. This penalty would apply to all transfers, unless the Veteran could present evidence that a transfer was the result of fraud, misrepresentation or other bad act in the marketing or sale of a financial product. If you know a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran with substantial unreimbursed healthcare costs, now is the time to investigate whether they may qualify for this valuable benefit. After all, it may about to become much more difficult. Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 322 Catoma Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
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Travel Experiences with Jeff Barganier
A Day at Scott Antique Markets
Ancient Bread Boards and Olive Jars
The Spring air is cool and breezy beneath brilliant blue sky. We pay ten bucks for two adults at the gate. The fee covers entrance to both buildings and free shuttle service between them. We park and walk toward the entrance to the South Building. Hartsfield International Airport isn’t far. Big jets glide overhead so low I can read the names of carriers on their underbellies. Founder Don Scott travelled to shows far and wide, buying and selling antiques for twenty years before opening this show. It was successful from the git-go. Thirty years later, according to Scott’s Web site, this event has expanded into the World’s Largest Monthly Indoor Antique Show, dubbed “America’s Favorite Treasure Hunt!” The event only last two days. See the schedule at: www.scottantiquemarket. com/schedule. Lots of folks here! Everyone is smiling … and buying! About half the customers aren’t wearing masks. Maybe life’s
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African Cat Statues
getting back to normal? The show is so massive and diverse in both people and things that one immediately senses its international flavor. Cindy and I have attended for years and made friends from all over the planet, including some “locals” like Jerry Howard of The Wooden Nickel. The Arab, Alabama company specializes in unique furniture made from kiln dried wood. Each piece has a buffalo nickel embedded somewhere in it. He explains how the business got started: “About twelve years ago, I was thinking about retiring. And I got real interested in watching a sawmill run. So, I bought into a sawmill. A few months later I woke up and I had a barn full of wood. I had to do something. The biggest thing I had to learn was how to dry. Drying was too fast, too hot, too, you know, and it kept warping and cracking. And so, it took me several years to learn to dry. So, we saw, we dry, we kiln dry, and then we make the furniture. Then I
Lady Selling Bags Over iPhone
couldn’t find anybody to make bases, so I had to learn to weld. So, we make our bases to fit the slab (table top),” he says. I admire his work, including a unique horseshoe shaped bar. The heavy metal bases give his creations an indestructible industrial look. I stroll along inside this sprawling edifice looking for Cindy. Aisles are identified by one number and one alphabet and stretch in grid fashion as far as I can see. I catch up with her at M.A.P. Antiques & Decoration where she’s already made a purchase—four antique dining chairs for a client. Proprietors Marc and Yves Laval have been vendors at Scott’s for years. They travel throughout their home country of France searching out beautiful armoires, tables, buffets, seating, chests, mirrors and lighting. I linger here, listening to Marc’s radio program broadcasting songs all the way from Paris, while Cindy transacts her business.
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We stroll over to The Wild Goose and chat with Sis. “I’ve been coming here for eighteen years. These people are like family. A lady came by yesterday and bought $11,000 worth of bags,” she says. I watch as a lady frantically snatches a travel bag from Sis’s display and holds it in front of her iPhone. “Sold!” the lady declares, and throws the bag on a cart with a pile of others—she’s doing a live “virtual show” for clients and/or friends tuning in from probably all over the country. Wow, how times have changed! Before departing Sis’s booth, designer Ashley Dillon of Montgomery happens by. We pause and chat with her. I snap a picture of her modeling one of Sis’s bags for the BOOM! folks back home. It’s noon. I head back to Smokey’s Barbeque for a sandwich and the biggest piece of pecan pie four dollars can buy. Cindy’s at the Mexican café. I join her there and we enjoy our respective dishes and watch deals being made all around us.
Antique Poster
Afterward, Cindy visits Industrial Chic-Loft and purchases four bar stools while I scout for a special art piece for wall space over our new studio sofa. I can’t find what I’m looking for but, in the process, I get a cool photo of this African dude who poses for the shot.
Cindy later explains that he’s a regular at Scott’s and sells unique tribal “African mud cloths” that designers often use as wall hangings. Shuffling along, we stop to study some vintage posters at the booth Old Town Vintage Posters. Cindy begins to sort through them until owner Tom Lewis
this find. She wants to keep Barnyard a secret. But I hate media bias—just read Lawson’s Bluff. My journalistic duty demands full disclosure. I’m in trouble. So be it. Scott Antique Markets makes a great day trip from the River Region. You will not be disappointed. Take cash for food vendors. And be prepared to find something you can’t leave without!
Tribal Mud Cloth Vendor
explains the first rule of dealing with vintage posters is, “Don’t touch them.” We look up to see Tom standing other side the large table with rubber gloves on his hands. “Over time, they soil if touched repeatedly,” he adds. She jerks her hands back. Tom has the original “Lu Lu Biscuit” poster dating back to—I’m not sure—1897 or 1930s. Tom tells us French company Lu Lu Biscuit is still in business. Before departing, we swing by Barnyard Antiques (at Scott’s) and discover lots of artifacts our great grandparents would be familiar with: old rakes, pitch forks, bread boards, wooden tubs, ladders, and the like. Cindy asks me not to reveal
More Info: www.thewildgoose.net www.mapantique.net www.thewoodennickel.net www.scottantiquemarket.com
Marriage license dated 1890
Jeff S. Barganier is a novelist, travel writer and manager of Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC in Pike Road, Alabama. (www.cindybarganier.com) He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. Contact him at Jeffbarganier@knology.net. Follow him on Instagram @jeffbarganier. Visit www.jeffbarganier.com
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This & tHAT
Garden Glow, Live Music In the Shakespeare Garden ASF’s magical Shakespeare Garden amphitheater comes alive for Garden Glow, a summer music series featuring Jazz, Blues, Singer-Songwriters, and Folk/Americana on four Friday evenings in June and July. Enjoy a relaxing outdoor event with your friends and family featuring a diverse lineup of talented musicians. Bring your chairs and picnic blankets. Full bar service* available. Limited seating. Get your tickets today, www.asf.net . Make an Evening Of It! Tickets for each performance are $10. You can make an evening of it when you pre-order your charcuterie box (cured meats and cheese or cheese only) that includes two drink tickets.* Just add your charcuterie box to your ticket order. June 11 — Jazz, Coleman Woodson Group, June 25 — Blues, Dave P and Friends, July 9 — Singer-Songwriters, Josh Carples, Neal Lucas, Megan McMillian, July 23 — Folk/Americana, Sea of Fog. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. | Gates open at 7 p.m. 90 minutes | Limited Seating. *Blount Cultural Park does not allow visitors to bring alcohol into the park.
You're Invited to the Grand Opening Gala @ The Crossings “Hello from The Crossings at Eastchase, a luxury senior living community, perfectly located in Eastchase, Montgomery, Alabama to serve our distinguished residents with Gold Standard services and care. We offer a full continuum of care from independent living to assisted living and memory care. It’s our pleasure to serve you and the needs you may have for your loved one. We want to personally invite you to come tour with us at any time, perhaps even enjoy a 5 star lunch on us! I want to personally invite you to mark your calendar for our Grand Opening on Thursday, June 17th. It’s our highly anticipated Grand Opening Gala from 4:30 to 7:30 pm. We will have live music, special guests, prizes for best dressed and so much more! We will also have an open house on Saturday, 19 June from 1:00-4:00pm. Please call (334) 322-5985 to RSVP, thank you for allowing us to serve you, it’s truly our pleasure! I hope to see you soon! Joel A. Burdette, Executive Director of The Crossings at Eastchase, LtCol, USMC (ret)” www.crossingsateastchase.com
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Sara Evans Performing at the MPAC in August Multi-platinum entertainer SARA EVANS is at the top of her game. As the fifth most-played female artist at country radio in nearly the last two decades—her five No. 1singles include “No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket, “A Real Fine Place To Start,” “Born to Fly,” and “A Little Bit Stronger,” which spent 2 weeks in the top spot and was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. Sara’s “stunning, country voice” (Rolling Stone) has earned her the prestigious Academy of Country Music Top Female vocalist accolade as well as numerous American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Country Music Association, CMT and Grammy Awards nominations. In addition, the CMA awarded Video of the Year honors for her hit chart-topping single, "Born to Fly" from her land mark double-platinum album of the same name. Evans’ discography also includes the platinum-selling studio albums Real Fine Place and Restless as well as the gold-certified projects Stronger and No Place That Far. Get tickets at www.mpaconline.org. for more visit www.saraevans.com
CACF Announces $146,003.10 in Grants for Family Wellness
The Central Alabama Community Foundation (CACF) along with affiliates Autauga Area Community Foundation (AACF) and Elmore County Community Foundation (ECCF) on Thursday, May 6th announced Family Wellness grants for 29 nonprofits totaling $146,003.10. Funds from these grants will go directly toward assisting many within these communities. Top Five Non-Profits: $17,623.00 to Medical Outreach Ministries – to provide needed medications and diabetes testing supplies for patients in the Diabetes Self-Management Education Program; $13,007.65 to River City Church – to provide a permanent shower unit and washer and dryer for its Loads of Love initiative that provides a place for the homeless to shower and launder clothes at no cost; $16,000.00 to Southeastern Diabetes Education Services – to send 20 Montgomery area children with diabetes to Camp Seale Harris where they will receive training to improve their skills and motivation to control their diabetes and achieve greater independence; $10,100.00 to Montgomery Area Council on Aging – to provide the annual food cost to establish a new Meals on Wheels route to serve 12 homebound senior citizens each weekday; $9,750.00 to Sight Savers America – to provide for the vision screening of 700 children in need of eye care in Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery counties. To learn more visit www.cacfinfo.org
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This & tHAT Kayak Little River
Visit DeSoto State Park staff at the Miller’s Bend Paddle Shack to help you begin your scenic kayak trip up the West Fork of Little River. Rent sit-on-top kayaks to enjoy a peaceful flatwater paddle on Little River overlooking beautiful DeSoto Falls. Your adventure can be up to 4 miles round trip or as long as you want to make it! Paddle trips are perfect for individuals or groups. Life vests & paddles are provided. Park staff will help visitors launch the kayaks at the boat ramp above the A. A. Miller Dam. Hours: Saturday & Sunday: 10 am-6 pm. Monday-Friday: Appointment only during the times of 10 am-6 pm, $50 Minimum. (must call ahead and depends on staff availability). Fee: Single sit-on-top kayak: $15.00 per hour. Tandem(2 person) sit-on-top kayak: $25.00 per hour. Weight limit on single kayaks is 300lbs. Weight limit on tandem kayaks is 450lbs. Call Miller's Bend Paddle Shack (Saturday & Sunday): 256.634.0203. For any information, call DeSoto Lodge--256.845.5380. Please call ahead for reservations. www.alapark.com/kayak-little-river
Capital City Master Gardeners Association Lunch & Learn is Back @ The Armory
Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2021 the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They will meet at Armory Learning Arts Building, 1018 Madison Ave., Montgomery 36104. Mark your calendars, June 2nd, “HELLO, HYDRANGEAS” Come join us for a hands on demonstration from David Doggett, Advanced Master Gardener, as he presents a program on “Hello Hydrangeas”, learn all about the four most popular types of hydrangeas. July 7th, “ALL ABOUT HOSTAS”, Bionca Lindsey, Master Gardener, will be presenting the program, “All About Hostas”. Join us to learn about this shade garden addition to your landscape. BRING A SACK LUNCH, FREE PROGRAM, WATER PROVIDED, For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org.
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Paddles at the Plex Pickleball Tournament
Join us for Paddles at the Plex for an exciting summer pickleball tournament on June 24 -27, 2021! Pickleball is the fastest growing sport for seniors and is enjoyed by all. Registration opens on March 1, 2021. Come out and enjoy the weekend-long tournament for ages 18 and up! Fpr more infl visit www.auburnpickleball.com. Sponsored by Opelika Sportsplex, Opelika Pickleball Facility
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Where to Find the Best Sunsets in Alabama
Daphne
Gadsen
Montgomery
Bayfront Park, Daphne, features boardwalk trails through wooded areas, a beach, two piers, and some of the most soul stirring, colorful sunsets in Alabama. The main pier at the park is the perfect place for a quiet, peaceful moment of reflection surrounded by nature. For one of those sunsets with rustic charm, visit Riverwalk Park at Coosa Landing in Gadsden. Located right in the heart of the city along Coosa River, the park features boardwalk trails. It also has several docks and piers to fish or tie up boats. Riverfront Park, Montgomery, located on the banks of the Alabama River, unsurprisingly has some of the most stunning waterfront sunsets in Alabama. In addition to the glorious views, this entertainment destination has a splash pad, offers riverboat rides, hosts events and concerts in its amphitheater, as well as baseball games in the Riverwalk Stadium. One of the best ways to experience the sunset here is on the Harriott II Riverboat, which you will find docked next to the amphitheater. Taking a cruise up the Alabama River gives you multiple gorgeous vantage points to get that perfect shot, after all. Check out more at www.alabamabucketlist.com/best-sunsets-in-alabama
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This & tHAT
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Alexander City Jazz Festival Announces 2021 Lineup for June 11-12 The lineup is set for the 31st annual Alexander City Jazz Fest which is scheduled for Friday, June 11 in downtown Alexander City’s Strand Park and Saturday, June 12 at The AMP on Lake Martin. Kicking off Jazz Fest on Friday night at Strand Park is the Benjamin Russell High School Jazz Band. They will be followed by AJ Ghent, and headlining Friday night’s festivities is Grammy Award nominated Larkin Poe. Saturday night at The AMP on Lake Martin will open with The Selfless Lovers, who will be followed by The North 41. Headlining Saturday night and closing out the 31st installment of Jazz Fest is Funk You. This two-day music festival is free to attend and presented by Russell Lands. LINEUP Friday, June 11: BRHS Jazz Band, 6 – 7 pm, AJ Ghent, 7:30 – 8:30 pm, Larkin Poe, 9 – 10:30 pm. LINEUP Saturday, June 12: The Selfless Lovers, 6 – 7 pm, North 41, 7:30 – 8:30 pm, Funk You, 9 – 10:30 pm. More information can be found at www.alexcityjazzfest.com or by liking the Alex City Jazz Fest Facebook page. Contact the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce with questions at 256.234.3461.
Hot admission discounts, Thrifty Tuesdays at Montgomery Zoo
The Montgomery Zoo is proud to announce our summer discounted admissions promotion, THRIFTY TUESDAYS. Receive 50% OFF admissions every Tuesday afternoon, beginning June 1 through August 31, 2021. Tickets must be purchased in person, 12 noon- 4pm (Tuesdays only) in order to receive the discounted admission. This discount cannot be combined with any other discount, coupon, and/or offer.
ATTENTION: 1971 Jefferson Davis High School Graduates to hold 50th Reunion When the 1971 graduates of Jefferson Davis High School recall their high school years, they likely remember the smell of sawdust fresh in the air. They were part of the maiden student body at Montgomery’s newest high school. “It was especially exciting because everything was new, and we helped name the mascot, select school colors, and a host of other firsts,” said Shep Thornbury, co-chair of the 50th reunion planning committee. Shep was the first drum major at JD, and his co-chair, Shirley Whitlow Dolman, was a Jadette. “It was an exciting time. Some people may remember the difficult times of our era and I do, too. But I embraced and thoroughly enjoyed my high school years, “ she said. The Legacy Class will gather at 6:00 pm CDT at the RSA Activity Center on August 14, 2021, for another first: a 50th reunion. Tickets are $35.00 each (with donors supplying tickets to those who need help), and include good food, drink, and entertainment. “We are also considering tours of Jeff Davis and Montgomery’s National Peace and Justice Memorial and Legacy Museum,” said ’71 graduate and retired MPS Superintendent Margaret Allen. This class had some outstanding graduates, but “we all share the close bonds we made, and the strong foundations the JD faculty helped us build,” said Hazol Carter and Gloria Parker Stephens, Class of 71 Peggy Howland, a clinical psychologist in Auburn. “These were pivotal years. We witnessed an explosion in technology, as well as women and minorities begin to occupy corner offices, becoming the leaders and executives for which many of us advocated,” said Debbi Reddock, a telecommunications manager/engineer. Of course, the Class of ’71 has sustained losses. Numbering more than 500 at graduation, the class has lost at least 66 classmates, who will be remembered during the program. The planning committee--Margaret Taylor Allen, Jenny Posey Baars, Melanie Plott Beasley, Jean Wright Buzby, Shirley Whitlow-Law Dolman, Susan Hurt Finkelstein, Peggy Howland, Debbi Reddock, Gloria Parker Stephens, and Shep Thornbury—urges their former classmates to visit the reunion website, https://jeffdavis1971reunion.classquest.com/, or email jd197150threunion@gmail.com for more information.
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Helping Widows and Widowers Move Forward On Their Own Every June, Susan Moore of Moore Wealth Management, Inc. (MWM) conducts two free workshops in Montgomery. One is designed especially for widows and their supportive friends, another one for widowers. The workshop for widows was produced by Kathleen M. Rehl, PhD, CFP, in conjunction with the Protective Life Insurance Company. The workshop covers the following topics: the impact of grief and emotion, the 3 stages of widowhood, avoiding common financial mistakes and next steps to take. Due to the pandemic, the workshop will be conducted in a webinar format. The June 2021 workshop for widows will be on Wednesday, June 23rd at 12 p.m. In addition, Susan will conduct a webinar for widowers on Thursday, June 24th at 12 p.m. The workshop for widowers is based on the book The Widower’s Journey: Helping Men Rebuild After Their Loss, by Herb Knoll, Deborah Carr, Ph.D., and Robert Frick. If you would like to be included in the webinar, please contact Sarah at 256.234.2761 or email her at sarah@ moorewealthmanagement.com.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Caregiver of the Month Spotlight:
Catherine Giles
Catherine has been with Home Care Assistance for over two years now. During this time, she has consistently shown dedication to her job and compassion to her clients. She rarely misses a shift and is quick to pick up extra work or cover shifts when needed. Her clients have commented on her pleasant personality and appreciate her kindness and attentiveness to their needs. Catherine is a true team player, and we are so blessed to have her on ours.
"Thank you" is not enough to express our gratitude for all of her hard work! Keep it up Catherine!!! For more information visit www.homecareassistancemontgomery.com
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Jeff Barganier, Interesting Writer "We’ve eliminated the little foxes...that steal time." Our cover profile for June is someone most of you know, through his words. He has been writing interesting, fun, and inspirational words for our readers over many years. And we’re very happy Jeff Barganier is this month’s Cover Profile. Jeff’s story is about many things, primarily how he and his wife Cindy, have revitalized life by living it through design and not by default. Stepping outside comfort zones, Jeff developed new ways to explore life through writing and entrepreneurial work with Cindy’s business, Cindy Barganier Interiors. They share live-work space in The Waters on the square. More importantly, they actively share a life they've created for themselves. It’s an inspiring story as told through the words of one of our favorite writers. We hope you’ll enjoy and share. BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married, family, etc?
Old Cloverdale bungalow while educating our only child Megan at Trinity Presbyterian School. We started Cindy E. Barganier Interiors in about 1980 while I worked in the Trust Department of
stock market, then you became a writer. Describe the why and how you navigated your life to become a writer?
Jeff: While aspects of the securities business fascinated me, I became disillusioned that, for obvious reasons, the business was all about the relentless pursuit of wealth. Unfortunately, the same greed and fear that drives the market also has a way of permeating a broker’s soul, so I started writing a novel as therapy to offset my growing disenchantment Jeff: Born with the brokerage and raised in business. When Greenville, my American Alabama, I firm donated $50 joined the army million to the immediately Chinese Communist Jeff with Book Buyer Mary Dora Yonce at after high Party to help them Page and Palette in Fairhope, AL school celebrate the 50th graduation. Assigned to the US Military anniversary of the First Alabama Academy Preparatory School, I was bloody communist Bank. I later subsequently appointed to West takeover in China, practiced law Point. Abysmally prepared for the I’d just about had on Washington academic rigors of the Point, I resigned enough blind Avenue for a and returned to active duty where pursuit of wealth. year before I graduated from both the US Army About the same pursuing a Signal School and a police academy. time, I was finishing career in Jeff Exploring Ruins of Dungeness on Following military service, I attended up my debut novel, investments, Cumberland Island, Georgia the University of Alabama until I fell The Slash Brokers. first as inin love with Greenville native Cindy My firm demanded the manuscript house counsel for real estate securities Etheredge and transferred to Auburn and I told them to drop dead. It’s firm Guilford Company and, later, as a University. Cindy and I married 44 about a young broker caught in a securities broker. years ago and moved to Montgomery dangerous web between international where I attended and graduated from human organ traffickers and American BOOM!: For many years you had Jones Law. We lived an idyllic life in our patriots. The story is based on 1995 a successful career in law and the
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Jeff with Cindy and their daughter Megan, her husband Mac, and Grandchildren
US Congressional hearings regarding the illegal, international trade in human organs which the Chinese communists reportedly still conduct on an industrial scale. I discussed the book on TV and radio programs throughout the US between 1998 and 2000. I’m updating and rewriting that novel for republication in late fall of this year as the story continues to be eerily relevant. More recently, I’ve published Lawson’s Bluff, an action/romance novel about a young man who hunts and kills wild boars as his way of coping with the death of his mother in the 911 attack on New York. The underlying theme of Lawson’s Bluff is media bias—I write to engage the culture. BOOM!: You have just published your new novel, Lawson’s Bluff. Would you share your writing process with our readers? How long did it take to write Lawson’s Bluff? Where can readers buy it? The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Amazon or wherever books are sold. All of my travel features are available on my Web site and are printable. If you need an idea for a long weekend, just peruse my site and print out the feature that interest you.
Son-in-Law Mac and Jeff at Auburn Tailgate the Day Mac First Met Megan
Jeff: If all I had to do is write books, I’d probably turn out a novel a year. But I stay busy managing Cindy Barganier Interiors, writing travel features and letters to politicians. The Slash Brokers took four years. Lawson’s Bluff took about two. These books usually write me versus me writing them. I’m as anxious to know what’s going to happen next as my readers are. My books are available at www.jeffbarganier.com,
BOOM!: Many of our readers know you as the BOOM! Travel Writer. How do you decide where and what to write about in your travel features? In your articles you always seem to be having fun, can you give us some tips or secrets on how to make traveling a fun experience? Jeff: As I say, I travel far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about! For me, enjoyment of travel is twofold. I enjoy learning about new places, things and people—that’s what makes travel meaningful and fun. And, two, the joy of sharing my adventure with readers consummates and documents the experience for future generations. It’s R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
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like making and writing history. I don’t struggle to find travel opportunities. Great ideas abound. I read, listen and watch for them. Sometimes, I’ll hear about an interesting place to visit—like I once heard about Dismals Canyon in Phil Campbell, Alabama—and I’ll drop everything, get in the car and drive into the sunset, bereft of preparation. Then I write about it for BOOM! so readers can plan. Life’s an adventure. I live it that way. Be intentional. Expect the unexpected. Learn to see a story around every bend in the road. Because there is one. And you’re in it! BOOM!: Your wife Cindy is an interior designer and product designer (www.cindybarganier.com) and you serve as her business manager. Describe what you do and what it’s like to work so closely with your spouse? Biggest challenge? Biggest reward? Jeff: My writing sometimes tends to chronicle the unique projects I take on as head worker-bee in Cindy’s design firm, of which, I am co-owner, manager, driver, delivery boy, painter, bookkeeper, in-house legal counsel, toilet bowl cleaner, sometimes fabric designer, sometimes headboard maker, events planner, appointments maker/ keeper, picture and mirror hanger extraordinaire, Web site manager, publicity hound, and active manual laborer—to mention only a few, because there are many, many hats in the design business! It’s great fun. I have published articles about my construction of a headboard from old garden gates, the acquisition and restoration of antique Argentine doors for Cindy’s studio, New England excursions in search of various treasures, and other ventures in search of art and history. I spent a week in Holland writing about the thousandsof-years-old art of roof thatching. The reward, for me, of working so closely with Cindy is that I get to spend every waking hour with the girl I love. The biggest challenge is not glazing over when she’s talking to me about something really important to her but
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in which I have no interest whatsoever. I’ve taught her much about law and business. She’s taught me much about art and culture. Hard work. Keeping promises. Much prayer. Grace. 44 years and counting. Thank you, Jesus.
Jeff in Holland
shop. No kitchen. No laundry. No TV. Consequently, we were forced to focus, design, write and re-invent life. We’ve eliminated the little foxes—roofs, grass, maintenance, commercials, junk—that steal time, resources and devour so much of living. We go directly from work to play. Play to work. It’s crazy but also liberating and exhilarating. By the way, we recently added a kitchenette and laundry to our shop space. TV? Never! BOOM!: With a busy life, how do you like to spend time with family and friends? Describe your experience as a father and grandparent, what do the grandkids call you? Jeff: I’m Pop. Cindy’s Gigi. Our wonderful daughter now has three of her own. They’re all beautiful, brilliant, and I’m expecting great things from them. Our daughter and son-in-law are model parents as far as that is possible. We don’t see them as much as we would like because they live 3.5 hours away and lead busy lives of their own. But we make every baseball, basketball and soccer game we can. We’re also blessed with many wonderful friendships that span four plus decades, and frequently get together with friends for meals and to celebrate life. I have one parent still alive and well and Cindy has two. So, we feel doubly blessed.
Jeff Thatching a Roof in Holland
BOOM!: “We believe that life should be lived by design and not by default”. This is a philosophy that both you and Cindy try to live by, would you share the thought behind it? Jeff: As we’re in the design business, this is somewhat a play on words. But not entirely. As stated above, we live life intentionally—by design if you will—not merely by default, allowing circumstances to govern. We make things happen and avoid “boxes” with a vengeance. For example, four years ago, we sold our house and everything in it. We moved into our design
BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned? Jeff: One of my most memorable travel experiences was a visit to an American military cemetery in Holland where rest thousands of young Americans who sacrificed their lives for this country. I can’t help but recall that sacred visitation in light of recent events where ungrateful rioters have attacked police, burned cities and destroyed historic memorials in the name of so-called “social justice.” Alabama is the best kept secret in the world. I hope to see even more of it as I The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Cindy and Jeff, Malibu, CA, 2017
travel about and promote my books. BOOM!: What are you most passionate about? Jeff: I’m probably most passionate about Biblical truths and understanding the signs of the times. I believe Jesus is “right at the door.” BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a hard day’s work? Jeff: I usually unwind by watching an interesting video, listening to a great sermon, reading nonfiction or taking a relaxing walk by the lake at The Waters where we have lived for 15 years.
Cindy and Jeff at Beech Mountain, NC
region where people respect law and order and, for the most part, “do unto others as they would have others do unto them.” That’s priceless. BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed? Jeff: I … laugh more, pray more, walk more, drink extra water, eat less junk, give bigger tips, and reflect more on current events as they pertain to eternity. BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you? Jeff: Patriotic. Introspective. Realistic.
BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or other activities? Faith based organizations?
BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?
Jeff: I’ve done all of that in earlier years of life. But, today, taking care of business, family and writing consume me. I’m also beginning to speak occasionally.
Jeff: Hiking, camping and biking.
BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/River Region area that you like? What do we need more of? Jeff: I love the people. People always make the difference. Comparatively speaking, we are fortunate to live in a The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
BOOM!: What are some of the future challenges you’re contemplating for Jeff Barganier, the writer? What do you think about the idea of retirement? Jeff: I write to engage the culture. So, I’d like to write something that moves people in a good way, opens eyes and hearts, perhaps something unattainable; and/or timeless. As for retirement, who really retires?
Cindy and Jeff High Hampton Inn Cashiers, NC
I have no use for the term. BOOM!: Many people over 50 are experiencing a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, etc. How would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal? Jeff: I can relate. I was about 50 when I abruptly departed the securities business without a clue about what I would do next. That was seventeen years ago. It seems like yesterday. So glad I trusted God and thought outside the box. I’ve never been happier. None of us is guaranteed the next breath. If someone (or the government) promises you security, run! There is no security in this life. Only opportunity. We want to thank Jeff for sharing some of his story with us this month, especially the designed life he shares with his wife Cindy. If you want to connect with Jeff, drop him an email at, Jeffbarganier@knology.net. To buy his latest novel and read more visit www.jeffbarganier.com. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to Jim Watson at jim@riverregionboom.com.
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Smart Health - Nature's Way - Tracy Bhalla
Magnesium Magnesium is one of those critical minerals that we all need, albeit it in relatively small doses – about 25g a day. It goes hand in hand with calcium, zinc, potassium, vitamin D and copper. Magnesium actually helps maintain a balance within your body of all these nutrients combined. Each critical in its own way and each serving vital processes within our extremely complex body systems. Primarily (but not only,) your heart, kidneys and muscles need magnesium to function optimally. Magnesium also makes up important structural components of your teeth and bones and is, in fact, just as crucial as calcium in this respect. Magnesium plays a vital role in over 300 enzyme reactions within the human body, for example, helping with muscle and nerve function, regulating blood pressure and supporting the immune system. The magnesium helps your body produce energy and use it to activate enzymes. For something that can do all that, 25g a day seems like a trivial amount, but that just makes it even more critical that you get it. Many people in the US do not get enough magnesium in their diet, so, even though they may not recognize any symptoms, their body is not performing at optimal levels. Doctors link a range of health complications to magnesium deficiency – from diabetes to alzheimers – so it is worth checking that your levels are sufficient. Among the most common complications linked to magnesium deficiency are: 1) Bone Health – along with calcium and vitamin D, magnesium is critical for good bone health and good magnesium levels are linked with higher bone density and lower risk of osteoporosis in females. 2) Diabetes – research has shown a link between a much lower risk of type 2 diabetes among people with high magnesium levels. 3) Cardiovascular health – our heart is just a huge muscle and magnesium is crucial to the operation of all our muscles. Reports have shown that a magnesium deficiency increases a person’s chances of cardiovascular problems. Increasing magnesium intake can also reduce the chance of a stroke. 4) Migraines – people who have migraines are often linked with low levels of magnesium. The American Migraine Foundation say a lot of migraine sufferers take 4-500mg a day of magnesium to lessn the chance of migraines happening. (This is a high does and should only be taken under supervision of a Doctor.) 5) PMS – there are ongoing studies, so far with mixed results, but it seems that taken with vitamin B6, magnesium can help with many of the usual PMS symptoms. 6) Anxiety – studies have shown that low magnesium levels can contribute to anxiety and depression. I can certainly vouch for the anxiety – my horse used to be very anxious, about EVERYTHING. Then I started giving him a magnesium supplement and he is now much better. As we all know, the quality of supplements is difficult to gauge, as the FDA regulations are extremely lax regarding the labelling of such products. So it is always best to try to get your vitamins and minerals from an actual food source. The table on the right is from www. medicalnewstoday.com and shows you the best sources of magnesium to include in your diet. Bear in mind that the recommended daily intake for an adult is about 400mg a day. All is not lost if you find you cannot possibly consume enough magnesium every day through your diet. You can always take an Epsom Salts bath – that tried and tested relaxing bath, with various minerals, magnesium being but one of them. As we know, our skin absorbs whatever is put on it. A clinical study was done at the University of Birmingham , England, to show that magnesium is indeed absorbed by bathing in Epsom salts. Two hours after bathing, 100% of subjects showed a distinct increase in levels of magnesium evident in their blood. In fact, I recommend all my clients take an Epsom Salts bath twice a week; soak for at least 20 minutes and add essential oils as well if needed.
Source Almonds (1 oz) Spinach (1/2 cup) Roasted cashews (1 oz) Oil roasted peanuts (1/4 cup) Soy milk (1 cup) Cooked black beans (1/2 cup) Cooked edamame beans (1/2 cup) Peanut butter (2 tbls) Whole wheat bread (2 slices) Avocado (1 cup) Potato with skin (3.5 oz) Cooked brown rice (1/2 cup) Low fat yogurt (8 oz) Fortified breakfast cereals Oatmeal, instant, 1 packet Canned kidney beans (1/2 cup) Banana (1 medium)
Per Serving 80 mg 78 mg 74 mg 63 mg 61 mg 60 mg 50 mg 49 mg 46 mg 44 mg 43 mg 42 mg 42 mg 40 mg 36 mg 35 mg 32 mg
% Daily Val 20% 20% 19% 16% 15% 15% 13% 12% 12% 11% 11% 11% 11% 10% 9% 9% 8%
email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I web: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla I www. LogHouseAromatics.com Tracy Bhalla, independent consultant with NYR Organics and founder of LogHouseAromatics.com; after 25 years of using homeopathic remedies, it was time to take charge and complete my Aromatherapy Certification, which I achieved April 2020 and since founded LogHouseAromatics.com as a source for useful essential oil and RiverRegionBoom.com June 2021 BOOM! general natural health information and a place to purchase certain products. email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I am here to answer anyRegion’s questions you may have. The River 50+ Lifestage Magazine 50
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The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
PARTY LIKE IT’S 1979
By Greg Budell
"A true story from the Greg files"
I’ve never had a desire to relive 1979. BOOMers remember. We were plagued by fuel shortages and skyrocketing prices. 52 of our citizens were being held hostage by Iran while strife riddled the rest of the Middle East. Inflation, inflation, and inflation. The only people wearing masks were the gas station owners. We had the Misery Index (MI)! Jimmy Carter touted that number when he ran against the largely benign Gerald Ford in 1976 (the only President who achieved the office without ever running for it on a ticket).
in a blizzard behind the wheel of my 78 Corvette. More than 20 miles from home, I hit the windshield wiper stick in my superstar car and it snapped off! Fortunately, I had a squeegee in the car, so I dragged it across the windshield until I was safely home. I was making good money at a radio job I hated. It was a morning
somewhere else to try my luck. Then I’d land an offer to return to the Windy City and my family after serving time in the “minor leagues”. WGCI lacked the glamour of a downtown location like every other radio station I worked for in Chicago. The studio was much closer to my home. WGCI was built on land that was once a city dumpsite. It was not unusual to see a rat the size of a river otter skulking about.
1979 Gas Lines...Sound Familiar?
show on a The MI number disco station, represented the one of 39 or combination of inflation 40 in Chicago and unemployment. Carter at the time. decried Ford’s MI of 13.45 I was hoping and said he could do the time slot better. And he did! By the would allow time he left office it was me to grow 20.76! my star but Chicago Blizzard 1979...Miami Here I Come! our boss (I’ll The MI was down to 5.44 in 2019. It’s save him for another column) gave us 10 halfway to 20 again this year and it’s SECONDS to talk at the end of a song. By early in the game. The Middle East of the time I got “Studio 107, WGCI” out of 2021 is again unstable, and dangerous. my mouth there was barely time to name the song, artist and give time/temp. In 1979 we held our breath over Three Mile Island. DC-10 aircraft were falling The day my Corvette was getting a new out of the sky. Endless bad news it was, windshield wiper stick, my program but that’s another column for another director took me aside to “suggest” I day. It's all feeling very familiar. should plan on looking for a different radio station. The big guy was planning I had personal issues with 1979, too. a change. After 7 frustrating years, I In early January, I was driving home knew I’d have to leave Chicago to go
I “resigned” halfway through February, ’79, having landed a gig in South Florida. That winter in Chicago had been one of the worst ever. The city couldn’t plow neighborhood streets, so my low-slung Corvette was constantly stuck in snow with wheels spinning several inches off the ground. I never really liked Corvettes but kept buying them. That’s a column for another day. That entire winter I kept a large snow shovel in the passenger seat of my car. I’d miss my family leaving Chicago but not the snow. The first weekend of March, I began the 2-day drive to Ft. Lauderdale. The snowpack disappeared as I exited Indiana into Kentucky. I started thinking about sunshine, girls, and a chance to grow my radio act, never thinking for a minute that I wouldn’t succeed.
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As it turned out though, in radio terms, I moved from one dumpsite to another. Late on a Saturday night, as I pulled into my new station’s parking lot (nowhere close to the beach or anyone under 100 years old) I thought I saw an otter-sized rat!
So, this year, I’ve watched gas prices climb weekly as our new “nice” president announced America’s goal of energy dependence. When Russian hackers hit the Colonial pipeline in May, I knew lines and shortages would return- and
Later I would learn it was just an ottersized possum. The station I came to work for was so lowly rated they should have had the call letters WHAT. Because that’s how many people responded when I asked what they thought of K-102. Seriously. At least WGCI had an audience, even if they were all wearing platform shoes. When I successfully drank my way out of K-102 only eight weeks later, I caught on with the first radio station I called. I tried to explain why K-102 didn’t work out and my new Program Director held up his hand. “I understand”, he said. “You start this weekend”.
In 1979 we were buying gas based on our license plates. Plates with an even number could buy on even numbered days. Odd on odd. This lunacy was compounded by the Year of Perpetual Shortages so even if it was your day to buy gas, there was no guarantee they’d have fuel when you pulled in. Half of today’s American population did not have to live through 1979, which is one reason why we’re repeating it. That’s what history does ya know. Why we never learn from it is another column.
Future President Biden & Former President Carter
they did- only twice as bad as 1979 because we have twice the people. Everything is getting more expensive. Dumb and Dumber!? For extra credit, our Newstalk 93.1FM staff caught and killed an otter sized rat that invaded our The rest of the year was a day-to-day building back in January. struggle uphill, but things did get better. Perhaps our “nice” new president should Despite high gas prices. Despite inflation. listen to some new ideas, proven ideasI managed to plant some roots and was so we don’t have to relive 1979 again. soon making enough money to resume Jimmy Carter tried but (as pictured my cocaine habit. above) picked some lousy people. That’s another column for another month.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
On second thought, maybe he shouldn’t. But that’s another column for another day.
Our President was the laughingstock of the world. Seeing a trend here? (If you have a comment on this column, email me at gregbudell@aol.com. It's still fun to hear from new people!) Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife,Roz, Stepson, Sho, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and has marked 16 years in the River Region. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Jessie Lynn, 6-9 AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Rosie Brock. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com.
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By Cathy Maddox
MASTER GARDENERS
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Montgomery Botanical Gardens Volunteers from the Capital City Master Gardener Association (CCMGA) obviously love the Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park (MBG). This group of enthusiastic volunteers support the development and care of the gardens through serving on the MBG board of directors, donating funds, providing educational presentations, guided tours, helping with publicity, creating, and maintaining planting beds within the overall design of the plan for the gardens, and even performing ongoing gardening functions. From the very first MBG organizational meeting in 2013 to explore community support for establishing botanical gardens in Montgomery, master gardeners have been involved as an integral part of developing and sustaining the gardens. CCMGA members adopted MBG as a major volunteer project for their organization in 2014 and has contributed thousands of hours of volunteer time to help the gardens become the place of beauty and peace that it is today, and they are not slowing down. Some of these master gardener volunteers began their involvement with MBG by performing the difficult work of digging and removing matted vines, saplings, and weeds along the main drive into the park which had been overgrown and unsightly for a long time. That Daylily Bed area has now been completely cleared and replanted with healthy azaleas, camellias, and other southern shrubs. The spring blooms
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useful in the many propagation tasks. The greenhouse will be an excellent resource for both CCMGA and MBG. It is also a great venue for master gardeners to provide demonstration classes for MG Interns, as well as offer classes for the public through MBG events on topics such as propagation, transplanting, and caring for plants.
Volunteer In Biblical Garden
have been a glorious reward for their hard work.
The most recent contribution to MBG by CCMGA is the creation of new color beds on each side of the main entrance to MBG. The committee to create the new circular beds was chaired by Justin Skipper, MG. These beds as well as the entrance walk were edged with stones gathered from throughout the garden grounds. One of the CCMGA members even donated the necessary funds to extend the existing irrigation system to make these new beds possible. Last year the Master Gardeners established a Pollinator Garden at MBG as part of the national Green Bridges program to attract pollinators to stop and visit the many blooms. They extended that garden this spring.
CCMGA donated the funds to purchase the materials for a greenhouse and provided most of the volunteers to construct it at MBG. It took several years to complete the building, then equip and furnish it, but the greenhouse is now operational, and plants happily grew and flourished under the care of CCMGA volunteers. The late Terry Graydon, husband of Linda Graydon, one of the master gardeners’ volunteers, constructed a beautiful support table Members of CCMGA for the double are also involved with sinks donated Lynne Kuhlmann and on the ladder is other organizations by Karin Karin Carmichael, MG Volunteers that have contributed Carmichael, to the beauty of another master MBG. Some of our members are also gardener, and another, Tom members of the Montgomery Area McLemore, connected the Daylily Society that have established a plumbing for the sinks. These Daylily Display Bed along the curve of the sinks provide a convenient walkway through the Southern Garden source of water for planting, at MBG. It has been a beautiful, eyewashing pots, mixing catching addition along with Plant ID solutions, and washing signs to inform visitors about the variety hands. Another master gardener, Dave of lilies and perennials in the bed. The Toellner, constructed a sturdy potting Federation of Garden Clubs also has bench for the greenhouse that will be The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Justin Skiipper at Entrance Beds
members who are CCMGA members. This group has been revitalizing and restoring the Biblical Garden at MBG which had deteriorated for many years. It is now a lovely spot of respite with replaced and new plantings, and benches for resting and enjoying the peace and tranquility.
MG Volunteers pruning boxwood
From all indications, it appears that CCMGA and MBG have a great future together and that is a good thing for Montgomery and the River Region! To learn more visit www.montgomerybotanicalgardens.com www.capcitymga.org Cathy Maddox became a Certified Master Gardener after her retirement from the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. She is a founding member of the MBG Board of Directors., and a dedicated community volunteer. She is a past recipient of the Betty Fitzgerald Beautification Award from the City of Montgomery. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
