Cooking With Anna

Whew, I’m Tired, Y’all

by Anna Hamilton

I read a quote this week that hit me like a frying pan over the head. As a woman, I feel as if I am constantly working with a full plate. Or maybe a better description is one of the plate spinner people at the circus. You know the ones with dozens of plates spinning on little sticks and somehow they are keeping them all spinning and in the air. Well, that’s me but my sticks and plates are starting to fall. I am tired. You can only “hide” tired for so long. You tell yourself, just keep going, you can rest later. I’ve told myself that a million times. Most of the time that works, but eventually you hit a wall. How do you let yourself rest when you know there is so much to do? The quote I read this week has let me know, “It’s okay, rest, the world will continue to spin.” She believed she could, but she was tired…so she rested, and you know what? The world went on and it was okay. She knew she could try again tomorrow.— Julianne Bentler DeShayes On Fridays, I am off from my regular 9-5 job. I usually still am awake and up by 7 a.m. This past Friday, I slept until 9:30. I didn’t wake up until my husband was leaving the house to go to work. I felt so good but also a bit guilty that I had let myself actually sleep. My husband reminded me of the week

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Ingredients: ½ small onion, quartered 2 cloves garlic 3 medium zucchini, skin on, cut in chunks 32 oz chicken broth or vegetable broth 2 Tbsp. sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top if desired

Directions: Combine broth, onion, garlic and zucchini in a large pot over medium high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender or place in a blender and blend until smooth, small batches at a time. Stir in sour cream. Top with extra sour cream or parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy.

I had and assured me that it was okay to sleep. Imagine having to be told it is okay to sleep! How crazy does that sound? So, yes, we all have a ton going on in our lives. We all have a million plates spinning in the air on tiny sticks. We all need sleep! So don’t be so hard on yourself. Ask for help. Sleep in late. Take a nap if you need to. Take care of yourself! This week’s recipe is a great way to use up the bumper crop of zucchini that some of us have right now. It’s a five-ingredient, super-creamy summer soup that is just plain delicious. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3: 21-24

Cover Story Thad Guthrie Receives The Prestigious Publix “Mr. George” Gold Coin

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

continued from page 1

tomer satisfaction has attracted employees who love making Publix the place “where shop ping is a pleasure,” and no one in our area has fulfilled Mr. Jenkins’ dream more com pletely than Athens’ own Thad Guthrie, son of Phillip and Lo rie Guthrie. Thad is on the customer service team at the East Side Junction Publix store, lo cated here in Athens at 22031 US Highway 72. Recently, he was awarded the “Mr. George” gold coin – one of their most prestigious awards. A “raving fan customer” by the name of Mrs. Mary Johnston called the corporate headquarters to see what Publix could do to honor this young man. Miss Mary spent her 40-year career as a senior guidance counselor for several schools in North Alabama. For decades she helped students get schol arships and appointments to places like the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. She is still involved in the lives of young people and, though long since retired, is currently mentoring two in Huntsville and one in Athens. She knows a gem when she sees one, and in her book, Thad more than earned that distinction. Here is the story of how they first be came acquainted through Pub

George W. Jenkins, founder of Publix

lix, and now have become fast friends. Back in March when we were in the early chapters of the CO VID Capers, Mary was in need of distilled water and did not want to venture out to shop for it. You’ll recall that the level of uncertainty regarding the disease was high, and as Mary demographically is amongst the most at-risk of our population, she was understandably cau tious. She called the customer service desk at Publix and Thad answered. Mary had planned on speaking with someone in man agement, but when she shared her need for some distilled wa ter, and wondered if Publix had some kind of delivery service, Thad responded, “Well, ma’am, Publix does not have that service as a policy, but may I bring it to you? What else do you need?” He agreed to bring Mary the water and a few more groceries on her list to her home while he was on his lunch hour. As far as Thad was concerned, taking care of Mary was a simple ful fillment of James 1:27, which says, “Pure religion and unde filed is this, to visit the orphans and widows in their distress…” That first day, Mary thanked Thad profusely, and over time, grocery delivery became a regular part of Thad’s routine. “I paid him well, and he became my personal shopper. He is still delivering groceries to my home,” she said. Mary wanted to make sure that Thad was giv en the recognition he was due. She contacted the Publix head quarters in Florida, and with the authority gained from decades of advocating for students, she “spoke truth to power” to the

Mrs. Mary Johnston with Thad Guthrie, recipient of the Publix "Mr. George" gold coin

Publix “powers that be.” She regaled them with her experi ence with Thad and documented for them in detail his integrity, respectfulness, dependability, kindness, and work ethic. They were thrilled to hear about a young person, a college student in addition to being an employ ee, demonstrating such willingness to go the extra mile. You’ll remember that March was a time when customers were sometimes cranky and panicky, the supply chain had been par tially disrupted, toilet paper was scarce, and employees were working long hours to restock everything the moment it came in. Publix is legendary for help ing the community in the aftermath of hurricanes and tornadoes, and they shined brightly in the midst of the strange storm in which we found ourselves. At Mary Johnston’s behest, Pub lix came up with a plan to bring someone from area management to the Athens store to surprise Thad and award him the “Mr. George” coin. Thad told me, “They sent Jeff Jeup, the district manager for our area in North Alabama, to give me the coin, and it was like having the CEO come from Florida to do it.” “How did they pull it off?” I asked Thad. “First they called the management team to the breakroom,” he said. “Then they paged me over the loud speaker. I had no idea what they wanted,” Thad said. He went back to the surprise party which included the ceremony, the giving of the coin and a gift card, and of course, a Publix cake. For her part, Mary Johnston told me, “I was really, really proud. Here was the younger generation helping the older generation.” And we at Athens Now say, “Congratulations, Thad, and thank you for the TLC you have shown to our ‘seasoned treasures’ and all of us!”