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Moustmi Batlg .Ijmmutl SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2006 Friends tell a lot of tales It’s true that you can tell a lot about a person from their friends. Especially when the person has friends who tell a lot. That would be me. Very few guys I date are ever allowed to meet my family or friends. It is my belief that I am perfectly capable of running them off by myself without any help. However, should such help be necessary, I introduce him first to my friends. Should that fail to scare him off, I call in the A team: My family. “She has abso lutely no maternal instinct. None.” My sister, ' ' S' l j|||j|| Ronda Rich Columnist Louise, will be emphatic, leaning close and looking him unflinchingly in the eye. Sometimes that works very well. Then there are the things from my past that are sum moned up and reported dutifully by my faithful girlfriends, those who have known me since I had freck les and pigtails. “Did she tell you about the time that her underwear fell off in Martinsville, Virginia? At a NASCAR race? In the infield? In front of every one?” Claudette will ask, enjoying payback for the stories I’ve written of her and failing to mention it was only my slip. Karen, the only girl friend who ever lived with me, knows too well where skeletons are buried. She will gleefully begin with the story of the boyfriend who dropped by unexpect edly late one morning while we were both still lounging in pajamas with uncombed hair in the days before that was sexy and tousled. I flew up the stairs and hid in the closet, leaving Karen to con tend with him. She did, though, finally coax me out of the closet and into a beautiful red silk dressing gown I had just bought. I put my hair up in a towel as though I had just washed it, threw on lip stick and mascara and regal ly descended the stairs of that little duplex as though I was Scarlett arriving for the ball. Then, she will easily segue into the numerous times when, in my wild and impet uous youth, I did not hesi tate to go to Winn-Dixie in my pajamas at midnight and cruise the aisles for snacks for our middle-of-the-night television viewings. “It was her,” Debbie will report, “who insisted that I should allow myself to be arrested by the Secret Service at the White House and imprisoned if necessary. I resisted her insistence, though.” I will then feel the need to point out how Debbie was attempting, all those years ago, to carry a concealed weapon - a stun gun - into the White House when I rightfully insisted that she should tell them before they found it in her purse during the mandatory check. “Yes, but after they whisked me away for ques tioning and confiscated the only means I had of self-pro tection, you were no friend at all.” Within earshot of the agents, I had been indig nant. “That’s a violation of civil liberties. Go back in See RICH, page 2C Delphian Club celebrates its 60th birthday By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Lifestyle Editor Sixty years ago, mem bers of the Sorosis Club in Perry decided to sponsor a new club. It was named the Delphian Cluh and it is still thriving today, having set a long record of service to the community. Over the years, the Delphians have helped beautify Perry in many ways, including the help ing with landscaping of the Perry waterworks and selling and planting dog woods. They operated the Perry Welcome Wagon for a number of years, and were instrumental in start ing the first Perry Health Department. They held bazaars and cooking schools to raise money for local charities. Some of the highlights of their service include feed ing over 400 people for the National Camellia Society and holding fashion shows in which members and families modeled vintage 19th century clothing. They are still very active in serving the communi ty. In the last two years they have operated “Ye Olde Tea Shoppe” at the PF*d*i& • ' m r %, f HPf* . fWr r „-s> W >arilaaS| R 4 i* ~..i ■ S#*- #> “■ jj4 life •' ;3 SJjr .''• 4 s*jAß’Wm£ ' R&ZfcsKaMWßßffi .a. Jfßfii Hlfw. Jg |g|. A Ru sbx&k <a *%, \ i i?§ t , -ip A just before Christmas diary Dear Diary, 12/16: Two performances and we can put A Christmas Carol to bed. I’m ready for it to be over! Can’t believe I spent about 66 hours of November at the theatre and by close of show tomor row, 51 hours in December. And this does not include the many hours I’ve spent at home memorizing lines. How quickly one learns lines is incrementally relat ed to age, the younger, the faster the lines come. It’s been great fun. I love hanging with and meeting new people, mem orizing lines to ward off Alzheimer’s and losing a few pounds! Lifestyle Beltista Home and Garden Show, serving coffee, tea and delicious desserts as well as holding raffles to raise funds. Charities and communi ty services they have sup ported include the Charlie Walker Ministry, Houston County Department of Family and Children Services, local hospices, Loaves and Fishes, Meals on Wheels, Project Agape Love, Perry Volunteer Outreach, Grace Village, the Perry Public Library, Perry Players and the ani mal shelter. There are two living charter members, Carolyn Etheridge and Alice Gilbert, Current Officers are President Betty Dawkins, Vice-president Kay Rowell, Secretary Sandy Williams, Treasurer Carolyn Schultz, Parliamentarian Marcilla Heath and Chaplain Margaret Watson. The club members cel ebrated their 60th anni versary on Thursday with a Christmas luncheon at the Houston Lake Country Club Members met to cele brate on Thursday at the Houston Lake Country Club Perry business women celebrate Christmas 12/15: I almost feel guilty enjoying good health and being on no prescription medication. Seems as I get older, more folks get sick. I suppose I could say that health is incremen tally relat ed to age also. The younger, for the Jane Winston The Left Rail most part, the healthier! Please, dear God, look after my friends who aren’t enjoying good health this holiday season. m H . • '■ .1 —■ 12/14: How I loved the cold weather and using my gas logs. However, I’m sure sorry I lost some of my Atrium plants to the cold, guess an old sheet just doesn’t do the job when it gets that cold. 12/13: I can’t get over the number of young folks I know who are taking anti depressants, sleeping pills, etc. Whatever happened to toughing things out. Peaks and valleys are what make us strong people. Must be because mom and dad were a nurse and an undertaker that we just didn’t run to the doctor for everything and pop a pill to take care of whatever the “everything” was. 12/12: Boy, I am glad this semester is over for me. 90+ students was quite a load, and what I really hate is with that many students, I didn’t get to know any of them very well. Never before have I ended a semester not knowing, well, the names of the quieter students. Not sure I like my teach ing load next semester; I may make it my last and go learn to do nails.... 12/11: Why does is it every large bill I owe comes due right here at Christmas time. And why is it when I final ly am invited to a Christmas SECTION c ABOVE: Members of the Delphian Club enjoyed a 60th anniver sary luncheon at Houston Lake Country Club Thursday. LEFT: The Delphian Club has made countless dona tions to local charities and community ser vices over the years. Shown here are just a few of the mem bers. Journal/Charlotte Perkins Perry Business Women cele brated Christmas with a gala dinner at the Ochlahatchee Club House Thursday. LEFT: The Voices of Life, Horace Flournoy, Gail Cross, Virginia Evans, Bob Harris and Daryl Day provided the music with an emphasis on Christian Christmas songs. ABOVE: Officers of the Perry Business Women’s Club enjoying the dinner were Robbie McAnally, presi dent; Betty Seago, stand ing, treasurer; Betty Nelson, vice-president and Rachel Wooden, secretary. Journal/Charlotte Perkins party I am invited to three on the same night. And when am I going to find time to knit the three scarves and baby’s cap I promised my boss and a friend?? 12/10: Ha! Came home last night and thought I was at the wrong house. My son and grandkids had come over while,l was away and put candles in the win dows and hung a wreath on the front of the house. How sweet....sure is good having kin nearby. Till next week ’’Life is like an onion: You peel off one layer at a time and sometimes you weep.” Carl Sandburg.