Are We Having Fun Yet?

A million years ago, I wrote the gossip column for the Eastern Shore News and the Spanish Fort Bulletin. I figured out a thousand ways to say "And a good time was had by all". The heading was "Happening Along the Shore" and it pretty much was who did what on vacation, got married and who was having a party. Sometimes in desperation I would wish happy birthdays and anniversaries or tell who got a new car.  Small town papers will print anything.  It was a time in my life when often I was the center of the gossip and to be honest, it didn't bother me at all. One friend used to say the only thing worst than saying something bad about you was saying nothing at all.  And we along the shore lived that way. My life in Daphne and my shop in Fairhope, Alabama, were not only beautiful but always filled with friends, family, and suitors.  I am the person they were talking about when they said "she had more boyfriends than you can shake a stick at". I still don't know what that means, but I do know I didn't suffer for a date or a kiss.  I wonder sometimes if this is God's way of punishing me for having so much fun then or if its just a really bad practical joke on his part and any day now we'll get to the punch line. We'll all have a good laugh and things will be better.  Anyway, now I don't know any gossip and  if I did, it would not be about me.  My life is so calm that there are days when I almost take an afternoon nap.  For the next couple of weeks though that is about to change. First the thrift store where I volunteer had a yard sale.  Now I know that for many of you  that does not sound exciting or in any way worthy of a gossip column but in Pickens County, Georgia, its front page news.  Our little Pickens Animal Rescue - PAR - brought in almost $800 this past Saturday.  That's a whole lots of dog biscuits.  And we did it the hard way, dimes and quarters.  A hundred people must have stopped by.  Some even came back for a second time late in the day. Yard-selling is big business in Jasper and almost any Saturday in the Spring or Fall you'll find hand lettered signs on every corner.  Most will be falling over or have loppy ears but you can usually tell in which direction the arrow is pointing.  This past weekend I bet there were 20 in our small town including ours and the Episcopalians.  The Episcopalians added food and music to theirs so while it may have been better attended, I don't believe they could have had more stuff.  This next weekend will the be Marble Festival.  Yes, Marble.  Jasper is the Marble Capital of Georgia.  I know that doesn't sound like much but its the only place outside of Italy where you can get pink marble.  And we also have wonderful wineries.  Pink marble and wine, its just like Italy.  You gotta' love this place.   I'm sure my next blogs will be about all the excitement of the Festival and then later you can read about the leaves turning and the apples growing ripe and all the festivals that celebrate them.  So here' my first submission of "What's Happening Along Hwy 515", no shore but a lot of snore.