Prime Time: May-June 2013 by Elaine Marze

FRE

Prime Time

May/June 2013 Volume 2 Issue 3

Vein Lasers Work! The Power of Procrastination Foster Grandparents Witnessing History

for ages 50 and beyond...

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Best MEDICINE All The of

By Sue Butler

Did you know that there is a universal language that the entire human race can understand? Would you like to know what it is? It is laughter, and it was created by God especially for you for a very special purpose. One of the remarkable things about laughter is that it occurs unconsciously. You cannot decide to do it, nor can you laugh on command, or even fake it. Some scientists believe that laughing caused by tickling is a built-in reflex because even babies do it. To test this theory, let’s try an experiment.

· Try to tickle yourself. What happens, do you laugh? You can’t can you? Even if you try to tickle yourself in exactly the same way that another person tickles you, you don’t laugh. Why is this?

· Now get someone to tickle you. What happens? Apparently for tickling to work, the brain needs tension and surprise. When you tickle yourself, you know exactly what will happen—there is no tension and no surprise. How the brain uses this information will always remain a mystery.

Have you ever laughed so hard that you doubled over, and your sides felt like they were going to split right open? If you have, this type of laughter is called a “Deep Belly Laugh,” which means that you laughed with a deep hearty laugh. Another word for a deep belly laugh is “Guffaw,” which means to laugh loud and boisterously or to laugh with a burst. Next time you laugh this way, tell someone that you just had a “guffaw” and watch their expression on their face! There are many benefits to laughter, but did you know that laughter has the ability to heal? There is actually a scripture in the Bible that compares a happy heart to a good medicine. The scripture is found in Proverbs 17:22a: “A happy heart is a good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” (AMB) Not only does laughter have the ability to heal, but it can also help you physically. Check this out: a good laugh will give you a total body workout! It exercises all your muscles in your diaphragm, your stomach, face, May/June 2013

legs, and back. Laughter is so beneficial physically that it is like “internal jogging.” It will reduce tension and stress. Next time you get really tired, find something that will make you laugh and see how you feel afterwards. Laughter will also help to burn calories. It has been proven that 10 to 15 minutes of laughter burns 50 calories a day. Laughter is good for your heart because it increases your circulation and improves the delivery of oxygen throughout your body. Try combining laughter and a movement like waving your arms. This is a great way to boost your heart rate. A hearty chuckle is like a lubricant to life. In the article, “Can Laughter Help People Heal?,” Dr. William Klinger is quoted as saying, “No matter where our physical, spiritual, and emotional life is, humor keeps everything in balance.” A good laugh is like a prescription with just the right dose; sometimes it can be like a multivitamin that makes you feel better and puts the spring back into your step. Not only that, people enjoy being around you. Laughter can also cause the body to produce natural pain killers. It reduces pain by releasing endorphins that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine. And last, a good laugh is therapeutic: It can make you more productive; a better communicator; it lowers aggressive behavior and depressive tendencies; provides a positive attitude; and provides a way for emotions such as anger, sadness, and fear to be harmlessly released. Next time you feel like giggling, thank your heavenly physician for this healing remedy.

About the Author: Susan “Sue” Butler has worked as a secretary for many years. Outside of her job, she loves to write short, light-hearted articles on topics drawn from everyday life. She likes Butterfingers and M&M’s, living in the country, and trying her husband’s patience. She may be contacted at hogpen@wildblue.net.

PrimeTime

Prime Time Editor’s Note: ♥ Happy Mother’s Day ♥ Mother’s Day is May 12. The times, they are a changing! Motherhood is way different from my grandmother’s day to present day. My mother was one of nine children and grew up working in the cotton fields and pea patch. She played high school basketball games wearing a skirt and walked miles in the dark on red-dirt roads to attend parties with her sisters. She married at 15 and was widowed the first time at age 27 with three young children to support. I was the oldest at seven years of age. Now she is in her 80’s and has outlived four husbands, works her flowers and vegetables, and can Boot Scoot Boogie at the American Legion on Saturday night as well as anybody half her age. I tease her that she has more dates than some 18-year-olds, and she thinks nothing about driving seven hours alone on secluded, curving Arkansas roads to visit family members. I admire her greatly and hope that I can be half as tough and independent as she is. My own mothering strategy centered on nurturing my son and daughter’s natural spirit and individuality, probably an influence of

Editor/Publisher Elaine Hodge Marze Layout/Art Direction Grace V. Hardesty Contributing Writers Dennise Aiello Shirley M. Brown Sue Butler Ric Cochran Lenora Keith Elaine Marze Jackie Stewart McDaniel Cindy Morgan Kathryn C. Wolfe

growing up during the ’60s. Whatever or whenever they asked permission to do something, my response was, “You can do anything you think you are big enough to do unless it is illegal, immoral, or ungodly.” The only time I amended this rule was when they were older teenagers and wanted to bungee jump. At that time, I added, “or stupid” right after the “ungodly.” I cooked sit-down family meals as my generation was taught to do, and let Daniel and Phaedra have candy and soft drinks as long as it did not keep them from eating their meals. Neither of them ever had a cavity while my husband was paying their dental bills and neither of them are fat, so contrary to popular belief that didn’t seem to hurt them any. In today’s education system, Daniel would probably have been a candidate for ADD drugs, but I celebrated his exuberance and encouraged them both to walk in faith all the day long. Neither one has ever been incarcerated nor have they had drug or alcohol issues, and they both pray with and teach God’s Word to my precious grandchildren, so I’m a

grateful mother. Because I thought my late husband was almost perfect, I loosely copied my mother-in-law’s mothering technique which basically seemed to be (to me): feed them well; teach them respect for God, country, and family as well as the value of hard work; feed them well; love them unconditionally; and feed them well again. Her five children grew up to be responsible, productive, and loving adults so she is well satisfied, too. Motherhood is a blessing, and it can also come with major trials and tribulations. Bless you for the love, understanding, patience, strength, and endurance that you have given to your children and grandchildren. Mothers are foundation builders; they mold and shape the generation to come. A child’s sense of security and joy is based mainly in the stability of his home life—the center of which is usually the mother. Enjoy your day! You deserve the recognition! Elaine Marze, Editor elmarze7@yahoo.com

Prime Time® is published every other Prime Time does not accept and is not month (Jan., Mar., May, July, Sept., Nov.) responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. by Prime Time Magazine, We are not responsible for any pictures, articles, 920 Pierremont Rd., Ste. 105 or misunderstandings on opinions expressed or facts Shreveport, LA 71106 supplied by its authors. We respect all points of view and Single edition FREE on newsstands. promote free expression. We recognize all comments, Editorial questions or for letters, notes, contributions, and the participation of this advertising information— community for making this magazine possible. Call: 318.780.0510 or e-mail editor: elmarz7@yahoo.com Fax comments to: 318.869.3134 All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. © 2013

Table of Contents May/June 2013

Volume 2 Issue 3

03 The Best Medicine of All By Sue Butler

04 Editor’s Letter 04 Publisher 06 Volunteer Opportunities... Foster Grandparents By Dennise Aiello

08 The Power of

Procrastination By Ric Cochran

09 Respect Our Flag By Lenora Keith

11 Excerpt from Hello, Darling By Elaine Marze

12 Witnessing History By Kathryn C. Wolfe

13 Memories of Rain By Shirley M. Brown

14 Widow’s Walk By Elaine Marze

16 A Short Trip to

a Long Journey By Shirley M. Brown

17 Toro Group 18 Wounded Warriors

Receive Helping Hand

20 Filled Fruit Jar

By Kathryn C. Wolfe

22 Tea, Anyone? 23 Vein Lasers Work By Elaine Marze

24 Professional Republican Women’s Club Meet

25 Democracy Countdown 26 Senior Adults Tour Tyler 28 Gold Tournament Scheduled 29 Gravity

By Kathryn C. Wolfe

30 Recipes from Mom’s Kitchen

26 Cover: Dorothy Mulig is pictured in photo by Dean Mullig in a Tyler, Texas garden. May/June 2013

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Grandparent s

Volunteer Opportunities...

FOSTER

Sixty years of age or older? Want to help build a child’s self esteem? Want to provide intergenerational experience and friendship? You may qualify to enter the Foster Grandparents program, a national community service outreach of the Senior Corps. The local program was started 35 years ago at the Caddo Council on Aging under the leadership of then-CCOA-director Myrtle Pickering. Neva Jones is the current program director of the Foster Grandparents program in Northwest Louisiana, hired 25 years ago by Mrs. Pickering. Ms. Jones recruits senior adult volunteers, who are interested in nurturing and mentoring children, to be foster grandparents. Prior to acceptance into the program, volunteers fill out an application; are interviewed by Ms. Jones; and must agree to background checks through the National Sex Offender Registry, the Caddo Sheriff ’s office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Volunteers must make a 12-month commitment for 20 hours per week, Monday through Thursday at an assigned school location. Additionally, in-service training and workshops are required each month. “Volunteers must be willing to make a commitment,” said Ms. Jones. “We are not looking for someone who wants to just get out of the house.” The local Foster Grandparents program has more than 70 volunteers. Although assisting in the classroom is the main focus of foster grandparenting, volunteers are not required or expected to be educators. At a health fair Geneva Strain picked up a foster grandparents brochure. After reading about the program she applied and was accepted. She began as a volunteer with Foster Grandparents in November 2009. “It isn’t good to call it work because we enjoy it. It’s a pleasure to be in the foster grandparents program,” said Mrs. Strain. Mrs. Strain works with kindergarten, first, second, and third graders at Werner Park Elementary School. She assists with one-to-one support sounding out let6

By Dennise Aiello

ters with children during their daily reading practice. She also helps children who need special attention with social skills or reminders to wash hands before eating or after using the restroom. Sometimes if a child misbehaves, she reminds them that they are disrupting their classmates and not showing respect to others. Children respond well to the foster grandparent, said Mrs. Strain. She likes to praise the children with, “You did a good job,” and feels that builds their self esteem. Being around the children keeps Mrs. Strain physically and mentally active. She said she still learns something new every day, too. Terry Grant is known by the students at Queensboro Elementary School as “Paw-Paw” or “Grandfather.” One of only a few men in the FGP program, he said he likes what he is doing. He, too, said being a foster grandparent is “not work.” Helping kids is not something new to Mr. Grant. A Youth Department deacon at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, he learned about foster grandparents from fellow church members who volunteer. His wife, a teacher’s aide at Caddo Heights Elementary School, also encouraged him to volunteer because she sees the success of children at her school when foster grandparents are involved in their classrooms. Although Mr. Grant began as a volunteer in the Head Start program, he now assists fifth grade boys and girls with music, encourages them in their physical education classes, and helps with study skills, as well as with math and spelling. Mr. Grant said the children look up to the senior volunteers and respect them as “grandparents.” In order to enjoy being a foster grandparent, Mr. Grant said seniors must enjoy working with kids. “If you love kids and want to make a difference in their lives, you can’t find anything better than being a foster grandparent,” Mr. Grant said. “You see them smile because they know you care.”

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May/June 2013

Neva Jones, Director of the Foster Grandparents program for Northwest Louisiana, may be reached at the Caddo Council on Aging in Shreveport. Foster grandparent Geneva Strain assists in the classroom of Werner Park Elementary School teacher Stephanie Young. Ms. Young said that foster grandparents sometimes work just as hard as teachers. Foster grandparents like Geneva Strain are easily recognized at schools and in the community when wearing their FGP red smocks or red jackets.

About the Author: Dennise Aiello is a freelance writer/photographer who lives in Benton, Louisiana. Her e-mail address is aiellodennise@bellsouth.net.

Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it be so great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for 10 minutes and come out wrinkle free...and three sizes smaller?

May/June 2013

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POWER

The

I’ve noticed patterns over the years in our notes and call logs of repeated interactions often years apart. People called us or attended our workshops, but never took the next step of coming in to meet with us, or met with us and never completed what we recommended. I won’t call any names; but some have become quite familiar. We’re happy to try to help, and we’re happy to know we’re the ones they look to for answers. But I know that some will probably pay dearly for not going further. A number of cases I’m working on right now involve patients in nursing homes who attended our workshops or called us to ask a few questions, maybe met with us, but went no further before a crisis happened. And while the work we’re engaged in on their behalf will still protect much of their estates, more could have been saved with work begun earlier. Why is it so easy to put important things off ? Failure to prioritize: We all have things we need to do. Some things are more important than others. It’s often tempting to accomplish easier tasks of lesser importance because they seem more familiar or require less effort. Our brains will trick us by giving us pleasure hormones for getting lesser tasks done and plague us with stress hormones when working on more difficult tasks, even when those tasks are vitally important. Unless we consciously make sure we consistently complete what’s most important to our long-term interests first, those things probably won’t be completed, in spite of our best intentions. One of my mentors is fond of saying that what doesn’t get scheduled on the calendar doesn’t get done. He’s right! Urgency of the everyday: We live in a world where people, companies, and causes are constantly vying for our attention. It’s almost deafening, and difficult to escape from. Our greatest long-term goals don’t ring like a telephone to remind us not to forget them. We often don’t notice ourselves neglecting our highest-priority long-term needs in favor of lesser everyday tasks and distractions that capture and hold our immediate attention and provide more immediate gratification. Immediate gratification versus long-term benefit: Have you ever started work on something you know is important, but stopped after running into a 8

of Procrastination By Ric Cochran

snag or a distraction? What just happened? You probably switched to something less stressful, or switched to something more immediately gratifying. You may have the best of intentions to complete that high-priority task later. But there’s a TV show right now you’d rather watch right now or something else you’d rather do. Before we know it, opportunities have either disappeared or diminished. So what can we do about getting the things done that are most important to us?

· Prioritize: 1) Make lists of those things that need to be done. 2) Rewrite the items in order of greatest longterm importance. 3) Do the most important things first. If you can’t get everything on your list done, better to have completed the most important things.

· Schedule: Put the really important things on your calendar—to call someone, to meet, to take the next steps. Reschedule whatever doesn’t get done because what doesn’t get scheduled doesn’t get done.

· Say no to distractions: Put off doing the less important things—things that if not done have far less potential to cause us long-term pain and discomfort. Procrastinate about doing the things that provide little or no long-term gain so you can be remembered for getting the most important things done.

Ric Cochran works for S.A.F.E. Planning, Inc. About the Author: Ric Cochran writes articles, speaks to groups, and assists families facing the crisis of paying for long-term care. He also helps those who want to avoid financial crises by planning ahead. He can be reached at 318.869.3133 at S.A.F.E. Planning. Check out his new Facebook page www.facebook.com/AgingAmerica and “like” it to receive updates and new information.

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May/June 2013

About the Author: Lenora Keith, 74 years old, lives in Bossier City with her daughter, Karen. She attends First Baptist Church and provides a poem each month for the Diamond Set meeting. She has been writing poetry since first grade.

Some folks see our Flag As a bright piece of cloth, And they feel no need, Their hats to take off. Then there are others Who feel as I do, Whose hearts swell with pride When OUR flag passes through! I think of the millions Who’ve to Glory gone, Just so our great Flag Can fly on and on. So take off your hat, And salute with a smile. Our Flag is FOREVER-Not just for a while!

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at bookstores now

Hello, Darling by Elaine Hodge Marze

Most love stories are about the beginning of a relationship. This book tells the love story at the end of a relationship. “Elaine has the unique ability to make you laugh through your tears. You’ll learn about the progress and treatment of her husband’s cancer, see the humor that they both found in almost every situation—but most of all you’ll feel God’s presence in everything they faced.” Patti Yeatts, Administrative Asst., Northwest LA Baptist Association

“Each experience as shared through her words has left me wanting more. She writes as if she were talking to you. You’ll feel joy one moment and cry the next. Laughter is always key in her writings no matter what. Anyone who reads her story is sure to share it again and again.” Vickie Clemons, Tennessee WMU

You can schedule a book signing by e-mailing Elaine at elmarz7@yahoo.com. Order by calling 888-361-9473 or visit the Website at: www.elainehodgemarze.tateauthor.com

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To advertise: contact

Bonnie Byrd

bonniebbyrd@gmail.com

318 469-9937

Special Thanks

Bossier resident Bea Fartheree spent the night with friends and cousins at Beauty Lodge B&B at Azalea Falls in Kingston, Arkansas before traveling to Branson, Missouri for a few days of relaxation.

A special thank you to my wonderful realtor, Dotti Bryant with Coldwell Banker, for finding me a great house and being patient during my broken leg period. She went to extra trouble by coming to my apartment for all the paperwork and assisting my slow-moving body as I navigated in a wheelchair and on a walker during much of the process. ~ Elaine Marze

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May/June 2013

Excerpt from Hello,

Darling

The damage to his throat from the tumors and another opinion on further treatment. The office radiation caused his throat to close up to the point was packed with waiting people, and Junior was of suffocation sometimes. I even had a tracheotomy filling out paperwork at the nurse’s desk while I viskit to use on him in case he began suffocating to ited with Phaedra and our grandchildren on the opdeath while we were at our secluded home in the posite side of the large waiting room. I heard a loud mountains, too far away from 911 to do any good. clap, so I took off running, not knowing what dire One of his doctors and our paramedic son straits I’d find my beloved one in. I had to hurdle a showed me how to cut a hole in Junior’s throat right coffee table, somersault over an old guy in a wheel beside his artery and stick a little plastic tube in chair, and leap over two toddlers before my middlethe hole to give him air. They also warned me to be aged, overweight, and out-of-breath body reached careful because I could kill him if I cut him wrong! my husband—only to find that Mr. Sensitivity just When I listened to those needed the check book. instructions about how to Onlookers were laughing cut his throat without cutso hard I felt like I should ting his jugular, my vision take a bow, and one of the went dark, my knees buckgrinning ladies at the desk led, and my hands shook had the nerve to ask, “Are so badly that Mr. Sensitivyou his wife?” ity finally rasped out in a “Now, think about perturbed whisper, “Well, that,” I said. “Would any am I going to have to cut a woman other than his wife hole in my own throat?” come running when he “Oh, that would be so claps his hands like that?” nice!” I said in thankful The problem was that love and admiration. Junior looked so healthy The idea of sticking nobody would ever guess a knife in his throat, eswhy I responded like I pecially right next to his did—unless he’d indoctrijugular, gave me the wilnated me to come like a lies! Junior wasn’t altogethtrained animal. Obviously, er delighted with the idea, the nurses and many of either. the waiting patients were Because of his situaamazed at what a handtion, when I heard his loud clap could accomplish, claps I would come runand I could tell some of Luther Marze, Jr. with hair ning because I didn’t ever the men were eying their between chemo treatments. know if he was choking to wives, wondering if they death or just needed the TV remote. Visitors really were missing out on an opportunity. Apparently, it got a kick out of watching me drop what I was dowas a slow day for office gossip too because when ing and take off running whenever I heard a clap we finally got back in the exam room, the nurse and from mute-man. My mother-in-law was especially doctor both walked in separately asking, “Are you helpful by shouting, “Run! Junior’s clapping for the woman who runs when her husband claps?” As you!” for the husband in question, his non-sensitivity was One day, we were in a new doctor’s office to get showing in the big smirk on his face. May/June 2013

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History WITNESSING

Only in retrospect could we realize the full significance of the happenings we were witnessing on our otherwise ordinary vacation trip. In 1965 we took our two babies with us and drove from our home in middle Tennessee down to south Florida and back. First we visited with my husband’s sister and family in Coral Gables, Florida. Then we drove home via Montgomery, Alabama, to visit his brother and family. The return journey toward Alabama from Coral Gables was mostly through undeveloped Florida swampland. Other than the famous Singing Tower at Lake Wales, there were very few tourist attractions along our route. As we traveled through an area southwest of Orlando, we noticed off to our right there were piles and piles of smoldering stumps dotting the flat expanse of watery mud as far as the eye could see. I remember commenting that it looked like somebody was trying to clear the swamp. Later, when Disney World opened in 1971, we realized the reason for those stumps and that mud we had seen six years earlier. The story goes that Walt Disney was aware of littleknown plans for an interstate highway (now I-4) to be built from St. Petersburg through Orlando to Daytona Beach. He formed several corporations to buy up about 30,000 acres of swamp, one modest parcel at a time. That practice kept secret his own gigantic plans and temporarily avoided driving up land prices dramatically. Sadly, he died in 1966 before seeing his dream completed; but his brother, Roy Disney, stepped in and kept the mammoth project alive. Without knowing it at the time, we had witnessed the very grassroots (or mud roots) of what is now the famous and fabulous Disney World!

By Kathryn C. Wolfe

Our trip continued into Alabama as planned. On the outskirts of Montgomery, we observed large crowds of people walking through fields alongside the highway. We had been out of touch on vacation and had no idea what that was all about. Driving through midtown Montgomery, we were surprised to see several wooden towers erected on both sides of the main street and thick television cables along the pavement. When we reached the home of our relatives, we learned more about those people we had seen in the fields. They were marching from Selma to the Capitol in Montgomery, protesting voting discrimination and other mistreatments. They reached Montgomery the next day, and the television crews were ready for them. On March 25, 1965, they arrived at the steps of the Capitol Building. A record of that event is now etched in marble there. The governor was George C. Wallace, Jr., and the leader of the marchers was Martin Luther King, Jr. During our visit in Montgomery we were unaware of the full significance of what was happening. We later realized we had witnessed a portion of the historic 50mile march that brought about the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and, as the saying goes, the rest is history!

About the Author: Kathryn got her Journalism degree from LSU-Baton Rouge in 1954. She worked 25 years as an industrial draftsman before becoming a self-employed property manager and renovator of old houses and apartments in South Louisiana. When she retired she moved to Shreveport to be near her daughter. She is a member of Centenary Writers Group. Contact Kathryn at wolfeklc@yahoo.com.

I’m writing a book about reverse psychology...please don’t buy it. 12

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May/June 2013

Memories of

“Dogs Welcome”

Rain

By Shirley M. Brown

In summertime when I was ten, sometimes when it rained, my younger sister and brother and I, like small animals burrowing through heavy brush, would wade fearlessly into a field of head-high grass near our home, stomping down the weeds, then crouch close to the ground, leaving the thick branches over our heads undisturbed. There we had a private place, a tiny, sheltered, leafy room, and even in the summer rain we were warm, safe, and dry. And Mama would let us stay there, and play there, unless there was lightning. Mama was terrified of thunderstorms. If there was a bad storm during the night, as a single responsible mother she woke all six of us children, made us get out of bed, put on our clothes and shoes, to be ready for the tornado which was surely coming to blow us away. And there in the front room of our small home in rural Northeast Louisiana we’d sit, waiting for the wrath of God, while Mama prayed aloud that in His goodness He would spare us just one more time. You’d think that as adults we would be deathly afraid of storms, but none of us are. Our baby sister, now grown, thrills to every hurricane that comes her way, and storms invigorate me to this day. There’s nothing quite so comforting as a good roof on a rainy night to give you a safe and protected feeling. And just as comforting are memories of a never-to-beforgotten mother, who stood watch with her children when the dreaded lightning flashed, the wind howled and the rain danced noisily on the tin roof of the shotgun house that was our childhood home. I love a good rain. Hearing it drip, drip, dripping off the eaves of my home, or blowing against the windowpanes, hard and furious, or soft and gentle like mist, I love rain. Note: This piece won first place in an in-house contest at Shreveport Writers Club. About the Author: Shirley is a retired legal secretary who belongs to two writers’ clubs. She loves to hear from readers at smbshirley@aol.com. May/June 2013

A man wrote a letter to a small hotel he planned to visit on his vacation. “I would very much like to bring my dog with me. He is well-groomed and very well behaved. Would you let me keep him in my room?” The hotel owner replied: “I’ve been operating this hotel for many years. In all that time, I’ve never had a dog steal towels, bedclothes, silverware, or pictures off the walls. I’ve never had to evict a dog in the middle of the night for being drunk and disorderly. And I’ve never had a dog run out on a hotel bill. Yes, indeed, your dog is welcome at my hotel. And, if your dog will vouch for you, you’re welcome to stay here, too.” ~ Author unknown

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Widow’s Walk By Elaine Marze This new reality is excruciatingly hard. It’s cold, overwhelmingly lonely, and the black void of depression constantly threatens to suck you in. Thirty, forty, fifty years of marriage blends a man and woman into one unit; their personalities and individual roles evolve into a dependence upon each other. When that unity is, using an apt Bible term, “torn asunder,” the left-behind half of the couple often feels like a fish on land, flopping around trying to survive in a new world devoid of helpmate companionship, guidance, strength, comfort, and physical touch. Some widow women friends were joking recently that a smart man would start a comfort business where widows could rent him out to give them hugs, watch a movie with his arm around them, or simply to hold hands—platonic demonstrations of caring and companionship that these women miss every day of their present reality. It seems like a little thing, but after months and years of not having a man’s arm around you or his hand to hold in times of stress, fear, and loneliness—the absence is magnified. Widows tell me that they highlight or underline passages in the widowhood book I wrote to give to their family and friends because they want them to understand how they feel and what kind of support they need from their loved ones. The loss of a spouse is so devastating that common-place jokes, activities, and conversation from pre-widowhood days may now strike them in a negative way. Things that previously didn’t hurt, can now wound tender hearts. “Bragging” about an upcoming fiftieth wedding anniversary when the widow knows she will never make that anticipated marital benchmark through no fault of her own can be depressing in the regrets it brings to mind. (This can also be true for divorced people.) People are dying every day, and the sad fact is that for everyone who dies, there are probably going to be sad spouses left behind to mourn and grieve for the lost dreams and plans that are common to most marriages, especially those of long duration. Following my own widowhood over a year ago, I found out there is a vast 14

ignorance of proper death etiquette and understanding among folks who haven’t walked in our shoes. After writing a book which, among other things, addresses some of the well-meaning but irritating platitudes foisted off on new and hurting widows and widowers, I hear from them (the ones left behind) all the time now, and they want a little say-so in educating the public on their new non-married status. Other readers tell me that they are glad to know what to say and what not to say because they want to minister to these grieving people. In this modern society we are constantly inundated on the political correctness of how to communicate with and about various races, religions, cultures, sexual orientations, and physical and emotional conditions— but grieving people have been left off the list. In sharing the message of what changes have been wrought in an on-going number of people’s lives and which continues to grow each day, a little understanding might ease some of the heartache. For example, I was recently asked by several couples to join them on a cruise. While considering it, a friend told me how members of her group complained about “little old widow ladies” who went with them and had to have help carrying their bags and other things that made them a burden. And, it brought to mind how, on our cruises, my late husband carried most of our luggage load, and once we hit ports, he claimed to be a pack mule for all my shopping “bargains.” It occurred to me that I probably would need help, and that I would be the aforementioned little old widow lady who was a burden on others. I immediately called my friends and said I wasn’t going with them. A frequently mentioned heart-pain among widows is that when they travel and reach their destination, there is no husband to call to tell, “I made it.” When they leave their home there is no concerned husband to hug them and tell them to drive safely, and the lack is felt. It’s one of those things that never occur to you to miss before widowhood. It was a special moment when a man friend shared a good-bye hug a few months ago. I’m not normally a

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May/June 2013

person who is comfortable with hugging and kissing people outside my immediate family, but when retired firefighter Carter Sanders brought his wife, Denise, to meet me because she was accompanying me on a trip across the country, I had a “widow’s moment.” As we prepared to get in the car to leave, Carter and Denise were hugging and speaking words of love to each other while I stood to the side watching, silently mourning the fact that I no longer had a husband to miss me or care about my safety. It was then that Carter looked up from hugging Denise and motioned with his finger for me to come over to them. When I did, he put one arm around me and pulled me into the hug, including me in the good-byes. Pre-widowhood that might seem like a small thing, but that simple gesture touched me deeply. By sharing this incident and others, perhaps other people will realize what a comfort a hug can be to a widow. Another incident that stands out in the months after my husband’s death occurred at Providence Baptist Church in Keithville. During the singing, I was standing between long-time friends Joann Rolland and Steve Rainey, and the words to a song were highlighted on the overhead screens about how one day we’ll be reunited with our loved ones who’ve gone on before. There are

You are invited to attend a book signing for Widowhood, I Didn’t Ask for This and Hello, Darling Friday, May 17, 5 to 7 p.m. at Books-A-Million on Airline Drive in Bossier City.

times when grief just kicks in unexpectedly, and I have my own philosophy that widows are allotted a short time to grieve publicly before their tears become a bore to their friends, and though the words to this song made me want to break into sobs I remained composed and alone (I thought) in how the song’s words brought to my mind the man I loved and missed desperately. Somehow Steve sensed my “widow’s moment” and reached over and hugged me, that simple gesture letting me know I wasn’t alone in my sorrow. Sounds silly, especially to me, but when people ask me what they can do for a friend or relative who has been widowed, I tell them to “touch, hold, and hug” because the loss of physical closeness intensifies over time. When you are married and you need physical comforting you have the freedom to walk up to your husband, grab his arm and pull it over your shoulder, snuggling up to him while soaking up his manhood aura of strength and protection. He might be oblivious to your emotional distress, but his nearness is still a comfort to you. Following widowhood—if you don’t have a son, grandson, or close friend who is tuned in to your loss and needs and will hold you close every now and then—it can be even colder and lonelier.

Order online today

Widowhood I Didn’t Ask for This! After being married to the same man for nearly 40 years, I found myself at a place I hadn’t wanted to be, hadn’t asked to be, and hadn’t planned to be. The physical loss of my love, my hero, my best friend, was devastating, but the fear of a future without him is terrifying. All our hopes, dreams, and plans are gone!

“Vegetarian” is an old Indian word for bad hunter. Ladies, if a man says he will fix something, he will. There is no need to remind him every six months about it. I want one of those jobs where people ask, “Do you actually get paid for doing this?” May/June 2013

A nice gift for any widow or widower

Elaine’s new book Widowhood can be ordered on the author’s Website, www.elainehodgemarze.tateauthor.com, and is available at book signings. Schedule a book signing by e-mailing Elaine at elmarz7@yahoo.com.

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A Short Trip to a

Long Journey

The trip was a short one. I could have walked. But the month was March and it was cold. As a matter of fact, it was snowing. So I drove from my home in Broadmoor to Centenary College campus. Even allowing for parking, the trip took only fifteen minutes. The year was 1993, and Centenary College’s Continuing Education Program was offering a class called ‘Writing Your Personal Story,’ an idea originating with Bill McCleary, a local published writer and former librarian at both Centenary College and LSUS. Writing personal stories was definitely an intriguing subject to me. This was after my retirement in 1991 from nearly 20 years as a legal secretary and—after spending two carefree years of leisure; visits with family and friends; and travel by way of automobile, airplane, and Amtrak—I was ready for something concrete and close to home. Fifty people, all over age 55 as required by the Centenary Continuing Education Program, reported that snowy morning to the Peters Building on Centenary campus to hear Bill McCleary and co-leader, Marian Poe, local published writer and member of the longstanding Shreveport Writers Club, talk with us about the value of senior citizens writing their memories for future generations. Fifty word-loving people. I was in a glory of anticipation. A voracious reader, my writing experience at the time consisted of sporadic letters published in The Shreveport Times, “occasional” prose and poetry, and lengthy letters to family and friends. The term “occasional writing,” means poems or prose celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or special occasions. Just about anyone, well-known to me or not, was subjected to those pieces; all I needed for an excuse to write was a name and a date. The recipients, some I had just met and not used to such outpourings, were most often 16

By Shirley M. Brown

perplexed and rarely appreciative. Having permission now to write about myself was exciting and I attacked the idea with gusto. In addition to the joy of writing my personal stories was the added bonus of meeting people like myself, who had a yen for words and knew what I meant when I spoke of the power words had for me, and understood when I would twist my tongue misquoting a beloved but half-remembered sentence from some publication. And in this class, we were invited to read our written words aloud, and people listened. They LISTENED. That for sure was new to me. In the past when I had written something I felt was pretty good and timidly asked permission to read it to a friend, I read as fast as possible, trying to get through before they quit listening. Here, in this wonderland of readers and writers, they LISTENED. That day we became Centenary Senior Writers, over the years also known as Centenary Authentic Writers and finally just Centenary Writers. At one time we had a loyal and steady enrollment of over 20 writers, many of them charter members. Almost every meeting you could hear someone say, “You know, there is definitely something special about this group, almost magical. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” And it is a proven fact that even on the coldest, rainiest, or stormiest days, at least 20 of them got in their automobiles, braved the elements, came to the meeting, took their seats (usually the same ones), and impatiently (me, anyway) awaited our turn to read what we had written. Centenary College continued as our sponsor, even after the Continuing Education Program was disbanded. We were furnished a spacious meeting room and they underwrote expenses for publishing the anthologies we produced every two years. We were honored and grateful for Centenary’s support.

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March, 2013 was our twentieth anniversary, and, like some of us, today membership is flagging, death claiming a lot of our writers—after all, we only started at age 55. Bill, having set us up on a winning path, left to pursue other writing interests of a historical nature. Marian stayed with us as leader throughout those 20 years and is still with us, introducing more word lovers to the same intrigue the class held for me then and still holds for me now. Even with low attendance, those year-round second-Friday-of-the-month meetings continue to this day as one of the highlights of my life.

1. Are you tired of continually having trouble with your mouth? 2. Are you frustrated that your dental work just doesn’t seem to last? 3. Do you feel like you have someone else’s teeth in your mouth? 4. Are you constantly aware of your teeth and your mouth? 5. Do you suffer from chronic head and neck pain? 6. Do you find that you just don’t know how or where to close your teeth together? 7. Do your teeth feel like they don’t belong to you? 8. Have you noticed that your mouth has continued to deteriorate through the years in spite of receiving regular dental care? If you’ve answered positive to most of these questions, modern dentistry may have answers for you. We believe that new advances in dental care can alter the quality of your life. Give us a call for a brief visit to chat about the state of your dental health.

About the Author: Shirley is a retired legal secretary who belongs to two writers’ clubs. She loves to hear from readers at smbshirley@aol.com.

(318) 742-0096

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

Karl G. Heiserman, D.D.S. 1613 Jimmie Davis Hwy., Ste. 300, Bossier City, LA 71112 Office hours: Mon./Tue./Thu. 9-5; Wed. 12-7

The second mouse gets the cheese.

Toro Group Most of the group born and raised in rural Sabine Parish in the Toro Community that meet monthly in Shreveport now live in the area, but they enjoy a meal together regularly to discuss old times, like when they attended Pisgah School. Pisgah was one of the schools that was consolidated and torn down back in the ’60s. The children of those communities were then bused out

of their neighborhoods and forced to attend different schools. The majority of the Toro group are of the age that graduated from Pisgah. The tales they share about the “good old days” when life was simple can get a little boisterous—as stories of coon hunts and smoking behind the old outhouse bathrooms are relived—which is why they require a private room at Johnny’s Catfish & Seafood on Bert Kouns Industrial Loop.

Benny & Marie Miers, Lilly Cox Skinner Raymond Dewil stands between Helen Vines Elliott & Glen Dale Miers, former school mates at Pisgah whose relationships have withstood the passing of decades.

May/June 2013

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Wounded Warriors

Receive Helping Hand

Florien, Louisiana resident, Louise Thaxton, recently traveled to Pennsylvania to present the key to a ‘mortgage-free’ home to a wounded military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, U.S. Army Specialist Tyler Schell, who served in Afghanistan. “Tyler Schell is a true American hero and we are grateful for his service. He has sacrificed so much for his country. He, like many other Americans who have put their lives on the line, deserves a chance at home ownership. Our Boot Camp events were created to help them realize that dream,” said Thaxton, Fairway Independent Mortgage Company’s Military Mortgage Director. “There are not enough words to say to express my thanks,” stated Schell. Fairway’s involvement with the charity was the brainchild of Thaxton, whose involvement with military families led her to the Boot Campaign, where she serves as Fairway’s ambassador. Fairway joined forces with the Boot Campaign and the Military Warriors Support Foundation, non-profit organizations supporting returning American military troops, to present a ‘mortgage-free’ home to wounded military veterans and Purple Heart recipients. The foundation acquires “distressed” properties and Fairway and the Boot Campaign provide the funds necessary to repair and rehab the projects. Last July, the organizations gave a mortgage-free home to a military war veteran and Purple Heart recipient in Dallas, Texas. Homes have been given to veterans in Hollywood, Tucson, Dallas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and this month the recipients will be in Louisiana and Florida. This past November, a Fort Polk soldier received a home in New Hampshire where his family lives. The Boot Campaign is a non-profit military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign based in Texas. It is a national 501c3 patriotic movement that is dedicated to showing tangible appreciation of our active military, raising awareness of the challenges they face upon return, and supporting their transition home. Through the sale of its signature military combat boots, general 18

(Left to right, top) Johnny Yenason, a representative of the Military Warriors Support Foundation; Sean Parnell, NY Times Best Selling Author of “Outlaw Platoon”; Tyler Schell, injured in 2009 while serving in Afghanistan; Louise Thaxton

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(Left to right) Sean Parnell, NY Times Best Selling Author of “Outlaw Platoon”; Louise Thaxton; U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Edward Cummings and his wife, Meghan McDermott, of the Boot Campaign; Andrea Dellinger of the Military Warriors Support Foundation

May/June 2013

public donations, and corporate sponsorship, the Boot Campaign operates five distinct initiatives—Housing, Jobs, Family Support, Urgent Assistance, and Wellness—that are caring for military personnel, past and present, healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds. They embody their campaign motto: “When They Come Back, We Give Back.” (www.BootCampaign.com) Schell, a Pennsylvania native, was deployed to Afghanistan in January 2009. On September 2, 2009, Schell was on patrol when his MRAP military truck hit an explosive device. Trapped inside the vehicle until he was freed by the truck commander, Schell suffered third degree burns over 30 percent of his body, compression fractures in his spine, traumatic brain injury, short-term memory loss, and post traumatic stress disorder. Schell received a Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal and plans to attend college and study architecture. Schell was presented with the mortgage-free home at the event designed to train local mortgage profes-

sionals and real estate agents on how to help active U.S. military service members and veterans to overcome their unique challenges to buying a home. Many returning veterans have higher credit debt than average Americans and are often targeted by payday lenders. Fairway employees have pledged several hundred thousand dollars in donations over a twelve-month period to help provide mortgage-free homes to veterans in association with the Boot Campaign Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Homes 4 Wounded Heroes program. After acquiring distressed properties from financial institutions, the Military Warriors Support Foundation uses funds provided by Fairway and the Boot Campaign to provide accommodations and modifications for the heroes. In addition to the home, the families receive three years of family and financial mentoring. Combat wounded veterans or unmarried Gold Star spouses of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom are encouraged to apply for a mortgage-free home by visiting www.militarywarriors.org/openhomes.

What were we thinking? All the dangers we faced as kids when we left our houses each day to run down to some vacant lot where we built forts out of branches and plywood, made trails in the woods, and fought over who got to be the Lone Ranger. That was back in the day when people believed kids should have to accomplish something before they had the right to be proud of oneself. Self-esteem was earned and not bestowed.

Committed to serving those who serve. TM

As Military Mortgage Specialists, we are passionate about serving the mortgage needs of our active duty military and veterans with excellence. Team Thaxton

Office: 866-960-9115 info@teamthaxton.biz www.TeamThaxton.com Fairway is a proud sponsor of the Boot Campaign This information is not intended to be an indication of loan qualification, loan approval or a commitment to lend. Other limitations may apply. ©2013 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation NMLS 2289 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Equal Housing Lender.

May/June 2013

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Filled Fruit Jar By Kathryn C. Wolfe When I hear Hank Williams, or anyone else, sing that peppy south Louisiana song, “Jambalaya,” it causes my feet to go to pattin’ the floor and wantin’ to dance. It also causes my mind to stir up some old Louisiana and Mississippi memories. Four of the lines go like this: “Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and a filé [pronounced “fee-lay”] gumbo ‘Cause tonight I’m gonna see my ma cher amio [pronounced “myma shera mee-o”] Pick guitar, fill’ fruit jar, and be gay, oh Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou” Having lived in south Louisiana for many years of my adult life, I know that jambalaya is a certain type of rice dish, crawfish pie is a pastry filled with crawfish meat among other things, and filé gumbo is a thick vegetable soup, usually with okra, thickened with sassafras tree leaves which have been pulverized and called “feelay,” (spelled f-i-l-e). I also know that when he sings “my ma cher amio,” he is referring to his sweetheart. I know that a “fay-doe-doe” (written fais-do-do), is a lively party or celebration, often held on Saturday nights in south Louisiana. So, when I hear the song, I visualize a happy young Cajun man poling his pirogue along a lazy south Loui20

siana bayou where he’s been bringing up his nets full of the day’s catch. I imagine him telling his fellow fishermen he must hurry because it’s late Saturday afternoon, and tonight he and his sweetheart are due to meet at the party. He is happy and singing, looking forward to dancing with her and eating crawfish and jambalaya while sipping the alcoholic beverage he has stashed in a glass jar (his fill’ fruit jar). All the above are French Louisiana terms, but it is his reference to the “filled fruit jar” that stirs my Mississippi memories. No doubt alcoholic beverages were frequently sipped from many a glass jar when I was a child in the 1940s, in spite of the fact that my home state of Mississippi was legally “dry.” But the filled fruit jars of my memory were full of good clean fresh water. With all the concern now about plastic bottles being harmful to the environment, my thoughts naturally turn to that era before their popularity. Long before the advent of plastic water bottles, our picnic baskets of sandwiches and other homemade treats always included at least one glass fruit jar full of ice water. Every household had an ample supply of that type jar with a gasket on the flat disc lid and a screw-on metal ring to tighten it. We often called them “mason jars,” not even knowing they got that name from a Mr. Mason, who owned one of the companies that manufactured most of them. The term “fruit jar” evolved because sometimes they had images of fruit molded

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May/June 2013

into the glass. Many were made of all glass, including the lids, with the name of a particular kind, or brand, formed into the glass, and with metal hinges that snapped up into the indention in the lid to make a tight seal; but the ones with metal rims were lighter weight for carrying. With some research, another entire article could be written about the various types, including which ones have become valuable collectibles. We used them primarily for canning and storing fresh fruits and vegetables from our gardens. Of course, many families still do this, but the most prevalent use of the jars nowadays is to fill them with homemade goodies and put swatches of holiday fabric on the lids to use as gifts. An early memory of my Mississippi childhood is about going out in the woods on our place to pick muscadines, from which we made wonderful, tart, yet sweet,

mouth-puckering jams and jellies. We made both the dark kind (including the ground-up thick purple skins) and the light kind (using only the inside greenish-white plum-like fruit after popping it out of those tough dark skins). Before leaving the house, Mama always filled a quart fruit jar with ice and topped it off with water to take along while we were picking berries. The jam and/ or jelly was then preserved in various-sized glass fruit jars—and, oh, it tasted so good! Now landfills are becoming overly full of plastic bottles. There is also a recently-advertised new concern about probable harm to humans, caused by toxic effects from one of the plastic’s ingredients known as Bisphenol A (called BPA). So, it’s possible that eventually we may have to resort to those easy-to-clean, reusable, nontoxic glass jars of that by-gone time of my childhood. Who knows—it could even spur a whole new industry manufacturing fitted carrying pouches for the jars!

It’s two in the afternoon.

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When itit matters matters most, most, count count on on us. us. When

May/June 2013

When it matters count onmost, us. count on us. Whenmost, it matters When it matters most, count on us.

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Tea, Anyone?

Evergreen Life Services has been serving individuals with development disabilities since 1959. The ministry first began just 13 miles north of Minden, but has developed into a six-state mission serving 1300 individuals. Their slogan, “Everyone Matters,” is printed on the menu of Timeless Café and Tearoom. That sentiment is put into action by the earnest young man who waited on our table and patiently instructed us in their unique ordering process. The Tearoom is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and offers soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts in addition to teas and coffee. Sandwiches are generously sized and patrons get a choice of artisan chips or fruit cup with them. There is a daily special advertised on the outside board and the desserts are all made fresh by the Springhill ARC Bakery. Background music is provided by local musicians such as Carolyn Brasell. For more information call 318-299-3845. The Tearoom has become popular with Caddo and Bossier ladies who don’t mind the trip to Minden, and after lunch many of them stop in at one of Minden’s antique stores, such as Second Hand Rose whose building houses four floors filled with antiques and collectibles. 1: Elaine Wreyford, from Benton, and Diane Reeder, a Blanchard resident, traveled to Minden for lunch and to enjoy piano music performed by their friend, Carolyn Brasell. All three ladies sing with the Louisiana Singing Women. Diane is Judicial Secretary to Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice Jeff Victory and Elaine is a former Caddo Parish music teacher. 2: Carolyn Brasell plays the piano Mondays, Fridays, and every other Wednesday at Timeless Café and Tearoom. Carolyn is a piano teacher who travels and sings throughout the state with the Louisiana Baptist Singing Women (charter member since 1997). She is also a member of the Minden Community Chorus and First Baptist Church. Before retirement, Carolyn taught music at Werner Park Elementary in Shreveport and Harper Elementary in Minden. (Note: Carolyn won’t be performing the month of May because of judging commitments in Plano, Texas, but there is another pianist who entertains at Timeless.)

3: (Left to right) Joyce Boliew of Minden met her sister, Renee Cox, of Benton, and friends Heidi Webb, also from Benton, and Betty Sherman of Ringgold, for lunch at Timeless Cafe and Tearoom.

May your footsteps set you upon a lifetime journey of love. May you wake each day with God’s blessings and sleep each night in His keeping. And as you grow older, may you always walk in His tender care. 22

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May/June 2013

Personal Testimonial

Vein Lasers Work By Elaine Marze

“It’s amazing!” Those are the words I heard from family and friends when they saw my face after I went to Dr. Robert Barrett, M.D. for vein laser treatment. Prior to this, red and blue veins running across my nose and cheeks looked like a road map to the extent that my grandchildren liked to run cars across my face, but after just one treatment the most notable “highways” were gone. After the second treatment, I actually felt comfortable going without makeup. It took a personal recommendation before I got the nerve to go to a vein surgeon because the very term “surgeon” makes me squeamish. Two of my six sisters-in-law have urged me (without success) to go to plastic surgeons for lifts, tucks, and a major body overhaul, but with my aversion to needles, staph infections, and being drugged into unconsciousness, that has not happened. So I was thrilled to find out vein lasering is entirely different from surgery. The wonderful thing about the laser treatment (in my case) is that there are no needles, no incisions, and no blood spilled. I sat in a chair (fully conscious) wearing protective glasses and my face was smeared with a cold aloe gel. When Dr. Barrett finishes lasering, I hold a cold water bottle or wash cloth to the treated area, pay and go home. Results are immediate, no intrusions into body cavities—either man-made or natural born—and my treatments have been under $200.00. People keep asking, “How painful is it?” Before my first visit, I was told it would not be painful, just a little “uncomfortable.” That immediately caused mental alarm because that is the same thing they said in natural childbirth classes many years ago, “no pain, just a little uncomfortable.” And I believed them! Ever since, when somebody tells me something may be “uncomfortable,” I ready myself for tail-bone-breaking, torso-tearing, gut-wrenching pain! But in this case, “uncomfortable” means exactly that. The laser feels like getting popped with a rubber band. The longer it goes on, the harder it is to sit still, but I have not felt the need to scream or holler. It is not May/June 2013

a “fun” procedure, but it’s not too bad, either. This was not the first time I’ve tried to get my face fixed. Years ago I went to a dermatologist who inserted needles in the veins and electrocuted them (that’s my description, not theirs.) It hurt and only helped for a while before the veins popped back up more colorful than ever. Later, I went to a different dermatologist to check into lasers. They offered to give me free treatments if I let them practice on me with their new laser machine. They said my face would be perfect for learning to operate their new piece of equipment. I declined. Learn from me that what begins as spider veins or Rosacea can gradually develop into some serious varicose-looking veins that invite public comment. That holds true for other body parts, too, because Dr. Barrett was treating a friend of mine for varicose leg veins. She was so pleased with her results that it inspired me to give him a call. A lot of people have really bad varicose veins. The “before” and “after” photos on the office walls show unbelievably distended leg veins and the absolutely miraculous results following treatment. Dr. Barrett grew up in Springhill and graduated from LA Tech University before continuing his medical education at LSU-New Orleans, LSUS, and Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia where he served as a Vascular Fellow. A board-certified vascular surgeon, he has practiced for decades in Shreveport with the last 16 years being devoted to venous surgery. He has become a recognized leader in his field, and is one of a few doctors chosen in the United States to lecture and provide preceptorships for Laserscope. Dr. Barrett is warm and caring. He and his staff are friendly and I’ve never had to wait more than fifteen minutes (another “amazing” factor) for a treatment. If you or somebody you know has a vein problem, call for an appointment. The results are immediate and amazing, and I wish I’d done it a long time ago—before the grandkids got too used to driving their cars across Grandma’s face! See page 7 for Vein Treatment Center’s ad

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Professional Republican Women’s Club Meet The gathering celebrated the awards given to PRWC members at the recent LFRW State Convention held in New Iberia. Kathy Ross won an award for the huge amount of volunteer hours she has accumulated and Dolores Westbrook was awarded the Betty Heitman Award for leadership in the Republican Party. Anne Price received the Tribute to Women Award. PRWC meets the third Tuesday night of every month at 6:00 p.m. at Savoies, The Catering Place.

1: Attorney Chris Victory accompanied his mother, Nancy Victory, and his grandmother, Frances Clark, to the meeting. 2: Dottie Maziarz, PRWC President, and Sylvia Norton greet members as they come in. 3: Barbara Carter, PRWC Recording Secretary, poses with Jane Cheek before dinner.

4: Pam Gutekunst, Member Chair of the Professional Republican Women’s Club and Pat Roach, Treasurer, collect money for dinner reservations at their April 16 meeting.

Edna Wheless, Editor / Publisher

“It’s all about us”

The locals’ guide to events, people, & items of interest in & around our area.

Free on racks throughout DeSoto Parish Subscribe for $16 annually Circulated every other month Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal!

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318-471-2661 for rates 24

PrimeTime

May/June 2013

Democracy

Countdown

Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, in 1787 spoke about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier: “A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. “A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. “From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the

public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. “The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years.” Nearly half of the American population is now on some kind of government assistance, and if Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million illegal immigrants who will vote, what will the results be on America’s future?

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”

Pick up your

Prime Time Magazine at one of these distribution places:

“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”

SAFE Planning office • 920 Pierremont Building lobby Willis-Knighton Hospitals, Offices & Wellness Centers Interim Healthcare Staffing of N. LA, Inc. NW Baptist Association Office PFF Credit Union Mark Ford CPA Pilgrim Manor Nursing Home, Bossier City Velocity Care, Airline Dr. Dr. Carter Boyd, Bossier City Promise Hospital, Bossier City American Legion Post, Cross Lake Bossier Council on Aging Sue’s Country Kitchen Christian Life Tapes & Books, Jewella Ave.

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty.” ~ Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790 It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others. May/June 2013

If you have a business and would like to have magazines for distribution at your site, please contact us at primetime.elmarz7@gmail.com or 780-0510. PrimeTime

TourTyler,Texas Senior Adults

Bossier City resident and avid photographer, Dean Mulig, took these photos while on a day trip to Tyler, Texas touring back yards and gardens with over forty fellow travelers. The trip was sponsored by Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier. Though it was a little early for the azaleas to look their absolute best, the tour group saw many beautiful sights. Save the earth...it’s the only planet with chocolate! 26

PrimeTime

May/June 2013

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Going To

Branson? All American Gospel is at God & Country Theaters at 1840 W. 76 Blvd. in Branson.

Call 417-334-6806 for reservations.

Friday mornings at 10 a.m. Melissa Jean & Phaedra

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!! ) ' +. - ' " .

Hide & Seek, as an adult, has taken on a new meaning. Where did I hide my keys and phone and how can I find them? Wills and Successions Oil and Gas Business Agreements Real Estate

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stressed, you eat ice cream, chocolate, and sweets. You know why? Because â&#x20AC;&#x153;stressedâ&#x20AC;? spelled backwards is â&#x20AC;&#x153;desserts.â&#x20AC;?

(318) 230 -7170

You look great when you go out, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see anyone you know. You have on sweats, no makeup, and messy hair and suddenly itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reunion. May/June 2013

PrimeTime

Golf Tournament Scheduled The ninth annual Shoot-Out Format 2-Man Team Golf Tournament sponsored by the Southwest Shreveport Rotary Club is set for Saturday, May 4 at Stonebridge Golf Course in Bossier City. This unique golf tournament is designed specifically for the fun and pleasure of golfers of all ages. The tournament is an annual fund-raiser for civic projects, and 100% of proceeds are used to enhance the education and development of young Caddo Parish citizens. The proceeds are dedicated to funding Southwest Shreveport Rotary projects which include a full Academic Scholarship at LSUS and two $1,500 scholarships

to the Caddo Career & Technology Center along with various programs at their “adopted” school, Southern Hills Elementary. The Southwest Shreveport Rotary Club is a 501c3 non-profit civic organization that has existed since 1981 and is part of a world-wide Rotary International organization that has more than 1.2 million members in 190 different countries. According to Rotary member Ron Adams, it is the only breakfast club in Shreveport, and meets each Thursday at 7:00 a.m. at Willis-Knighton South. Rod Murcinson is currently serving as president.

Larry Rowe and Ron Adams often team up in golf tournaments for local charities.

Being there is why I’m here. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

Ben Tullos, Agent 2886 Southland Park Shreveport, LA 71118 Bus: 318-688-1522 ben.tullos.a7gd@statefarm.com

Whether you need a question answered, a problem solved, or a claim reported, my job is to make it happen. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ®

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than with Kay! P097193.1

PrimeTime

State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL

May/June 2013

Mirror, mirror on the wall What has caused my face to fall? Gravity, Dear. It gets us all. From the moment of our birth It’s what tethers us to earth And makes us sag so much too soon. It pulls the feather and the moon. And holds us down beneath the pall Once we’ve met that final call. Gravity, Dear. It gets us all.

Rules for Teachers in 1915 You will not marry during the term of your contract. You are not to keep company with men. You must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with an man unless he is your father or brother. You may not smoke cigarettes. You may not dress in bright colors. You may under no circumstances dye your hair. You must wear at least two petticoats. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: Sweep the floor at least once daily. Scrub the floor at least once a week with hot, soapy water. Clean the blackboards at least once a day and start the fire at 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m. May/June 2013

PrimeTime

Recipes from

Mom’s

Kitchen

Corn & Shrimp Bisque from Cindy Morgan 1 stick butter 1 cup onion 1 cup celery 1 cup frozen corn Shrimp or crawfish (1 bag) 3 cans cream of shrimp soup About 2 cups 2% milk

Saute onions, celery, corn, and butter. Add shrimp or crawfish. Stir in soup and then add milk for desired consistency. You can also add shredded crabmeat and more corn. Mom’s Old Timey Cookies 1 cup butter 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour, sifted 1 cup chopped nuts Confectioners’ sugar Cream butter. Add vanilla, flour, and nuts and mix well until mixture has the consistency of pie crust. Shape into small balls, place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in 400°F oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar once or twice. Store overnight in a cookie tin at room temperature before serving. 30

Sausage Bread from Jackie Stewart McDaniel 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed 1 lb ground sausage 1 bunch green onions, chopped Creole Seasoning Velveeta Cheese Roll bread dough out as if making a jelly roll. Cook sausage, add onions and seasoning. Pour off grease and add cheese. Mix well and pour onto bread. Roll up and fold sides under. Place on greased cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake at 350°F until golden. (Note: The loaf is prettier if you spray the top with cooking spray before baking. You can use crawfish instead of sausage, just add chopped garlic.)

Stuffed ItalianBread PrimeTime

Stuffed Italian Bread 1 Italian loaf, about 12 inches long 1 stick butter, melted 1/8 cup olive oil 3 tsp minced onion 2-3 cloves garlic, grated 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp poppy seeds 3 tsp chopped parsley, add more if you wish 12 oz grated cheese, a mix of white cheddar and Monterrey jack (or your choice) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the melted butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and parsley in a bowl. Cut the bread into cubes with “X” slices without cutting all the way through the bottom crust. Pour the butter/ onion/garlic mixture carefully into the “X” cracks and over the top of the bread using a small spoon. Fill those delicious cracks with the grated cheese. (It seems like a lot of work and trouble but it’s all worth it.) Wrap the entire loaf with foil, sealing the sides properly and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and unwrap. Bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and gooey.

May/June 2013

LMP#1639

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Janet Brown

Residential Branch Manager (p) 318-795-4837 (c) 318-218-5928 (f) 318-798-4188 (tollfree) 800-555-4310 jbrown@utla.com | www.utla.com

Ann Shea Independent Sales Director www.marykay.com/annshea

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Have a

Happy Summer! May/June 2013

PrimeTime

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