Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
Are we almost there?
“Are we almost there?” my
3-year-old daughter intoned from
the back seat for about the 19th
time in a minute and a half.
(She’s really got the inflection
down — and the tone - Are we
ALmost there?)
“Getting closer, getting closer,”
I muttered, peering anxiously
through the rain as the windshield
wipers whipped back and forth and
we careened around mountain curve
after mountain curve.
“I don’t think we’re going to
make it,” Zach said.
It seemed like we’d been in the
car long enough to have gotten to
Dillsboro, N.C., and back already,
but we still hadn’t seen a single
sign for the mountain village.
“Are we ALmost there?”
“Umm hmm.” (Maybe?)
Anyone who knows me will tell
you that I tend to run late, but on
this special occasion, one we’d
gotten tickets for three months in
advance, we had gotten up early
and left in plenty of time (we
thought) to reach the train station
and await the arrival of Thomas the
Tank Engine.
Excited about the train ride to
come, Addie hadn’t slept much the
night before, was already tired by
8:30 a.m. and was past the point of
being entertained by small car toy,
books, snacks and a Thomas movie.
(“Are we ALmost there?”)
By 10 a.m. we were all exhaust
ed, and just 30 minutes prior to our
departure time, we wheeled (not
quite on two tires, but close) into
Dillsboro in the
pouring rain.
A young man
in a poncho
and carrying an
umbrella told us
that parking was
about a mile
away.
Yikes.
We zoomed
down the road,
found the park
ing lot, ran to catch the “Percy”
shuttle and sat back in the midst of
other families, parents anxiously
checking their watches.
After a thwarted run for the play
train tables and then a quick “potty”
break, we made it to our gate as
Thomas pulled into the station. I
could barely breathe, but made the
requisite “look, look!” noises.
We settled into our seats and Zach
and I sighed with relief — and dis
belief (did we really make it?) — as
the train pulled out of the station.
The rain accumulated on the roof
and began pouring into the open
train car. Our wet hair stirred in a
nearly cold breeze.
Well. The play train tables were a
big hit. Really big. We drove a long
way to play with toy trains, I noted,
but it made for a good time.
When the time came to pack up,
climb aboard the Percy bus and
head back to our car, the meltdown
arrived, full force.
As we made our wailing way
across the parking lot, I noticed a
couple unloading their baby and
stroller from the car parked next to
ours. The father completely stopped
what he was doing and stepped out
to stare at our noisy progress.
Curious?
Scornful?
Judgmental?
I glanced at the infant asleep in
the stroller (tiny, sleeping baby gets
big kick out of rainy train ride) and
thought to myself, “Oh, yeah, the
wrath of tired and hungry 3 will
one day publicly descend upon
you, too, buddy, just wait a few
years....”
“Are we almost there?”
After lunch and a brief time of
car seat confinement distress, Addie
drifted to sleep and Zach and I
enjoyed listening to the slapping of
the windshield wipers.
But, as often happens, the trip
was a success in retrospect. Addie
is wearing her new blue Thomas
shirt as often as I will let her, and
she is excited, telling about her day
out with Thomas. We spent quite a
bit of time last night going through
a Thomas coloring book.
I’d do it again.
Maybe after an extra long night of
sleep and on a fall morning, with
the sunshine glinting off the tracks
as we wait, an hour early, for the
train to arrive.
Jana Adams Mitcham is features
editor of The Jackson Herald, a
sister publication of The Banks
County News. E-mail comments
about this column to jana@main-
streetnews.com.
jana
mitcham
That’s just fishy
Over the years, our family has
enjoyed having a variety of pets.
We have raised dogs, cats, rabbits,
hamsters, guinea pigs and several
fish, just to name a few. At times,
I have felt like we owned a small
zoo.
Animals aren’t cheap, mind you.
Our vet bill alone last month for
two small dogs was well over $600.
By the time you buy a pen, shav
ings, water bottles, a wheel and
food, even the cost of owning a
hamster can quickly add up.
The children have always been
the ones to talk me into purchasing
the pets. Of course, they promise to
feed and take full responsibility for
the animals.
After about two weeks, I some
how end up feeding, changing
cages and taking my time to haul
the critters back and forth to the
vet. The children just enjoy playing
with them.
My husband always rolls his eyes
and is never surprised when we
drive up with a pet carrier in hand.
He ends up
adoring what
ever pet we
bring home.
At times it
may even be
a rescue situ
ation.
Just last
week we fos
tered an ador
able Bichon
Frise puppy
for a few days due to the fact that
the owner passed away. This week
we are working with a kitten that
was abandoned by its mother.
We have always let our children
name the pets. Over the years they
have chosen names such as George
and Henry for guinea pigs. Belle,
Molly, Lilly, Trixie and Samson for
the dogs, and Puddles, Sophie and
Socks for the cats.
For reasons unknown, our pets
tend to live a long time. The pet
store owner insists that it’s because
we give them an abundance of
love and attention. Our hamsters
both lived seven years, and just
last month, our sweet little fish,
Maddie, died at age six.
Of course, losing the pet meant
purchasing another. After a fish
funeral and what I'm pretty sure
were many fake tears, we went to
the pet shop and chose a replace
ment for Maddie.
Once we got our newest pet
situated in its bowl, I asked my
daughter what she had chosen to
name it. She replied, “Just Fishy.”
I must say, we have already gotten
attached to the little fellow.
The strange thing is, when she
sings to him, he swims to the top of
the bowl and tries to jump out. We
have had many pets over the years,
but my daughter agrees, this one is
just Fishy!
Sherri Stephens is a contributing
columnist for The Banks County
News. E-mail comments about this
column to charmbug5@hotmail,
com.
Free seminar on skin cancer scheduled Aug. 7
The Cancer Center at Northeast
Georgia Medical Center (NGMC)
is presenting a free educational
seminar on skin cancer: “Protect
the Skin You’re In.”
The seminar will be held on
Thursday, Aug. 7, from 6:30 to 8
p.m., in the NGMC Community
Room at the new Spout Springs
Branch of the Hall County Library
System, located at 6488 Spout
Springs Road in Flowery Branch.
Edward A. Abell, MD, a plastic
surgeon with Northeast Georgia
Plastic Surgery Associates, and
Kirk D. Saddler, MD, a dermato
logist with Gwinnett Dermatology,
will be the featured speakers. Each
physician will present informa
tion about prevention, identifica
tion and treatment of skin cancer
and answer questions from the
audience.
Registration and a free sandwich
supper start at 6 p.m., and the pre
sentations begin at 6:30 p.m. The
seminar is free, but registration is
required.
For more information, or to
register, call 770-538-7641.
Classifed Ad deadline: Noon Mondays
Dalton speaks to CVB members
BY SHARON HOGAN
Members of the Banks County
Convention and Visitors Bureau
got a chance to hear from the new
ly-elected board of commission
chairman Milton Dalton at their
monthly meeting on Wednesday,
July 30, at the Hampton Inn at
Banks Crossing.
CVB vice-chairman Deyon
Corey asked Dalton to speak in the
absence of Banks County Sheriff
Charles Chapman, who had been
scheduled to speak.
Dalton told the CVB members
that he would have an open door
policy when he takes office and he
is looking forward to working with
them any way he can.
In other business:
•Corey presented the monthly
financial statement. Sherry Ward
told the members that the monthly
$29,243 total for income included
a $14,500 state grant that the CVB
received. CVB chairman Mark
Valentine worked on this, Ward
said.
•State Representative Jeanette
Jamieson told the group that
the Georgia House Tourism and
Economic Development group
will be in Toccoa on Wednesday,
October 15. Jamieson said, “We
will be hosting the group and I
would like a showing from the
entire area I represent.” She
encouraged members of the CVB
to attend. Jamieson said lunch will
be served in the Paul Anderson
Park. “The group will be there for
about three hours,” Jamieson said.
Jamieson said the members could
contact her if they were interested
in attending.
•Gordon Eanes, Banks County
CVB marketing committee,
reported that the yearly audit, for
the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, has
been completed and copies are
available for anyone to review.
Johnson said, “And of course it
was perfect.” The audit shows a
total of $354,564 in net assets as
of Dec. 31,2007.
•Eanes also reported that the new
vinyl for one of the Interstate 85
hotel billboards has been approved
and work is underway to get it up.
•Corey introduced new mem
ber Brenda Miller, Wells Fargo
Mortgage, to the meeting.
•Brenda White, fundraising com
mittee, reported that the next car
show is slated for Saturday, Oct.
4, at Denny’s. White said she is
looking for a new venue for the car
show for next year. Anyone inter
ested in this may contact White for
more information.
•White also reported that the
annual Chocolate Fair is scheduled
for Monday, Nov. 10. A new sug
ar-free chocolate category will be
added this year, at the suggestion
of Corey. Corey said, “I have had
people tell me they couldn’t come
because they are diabetic.”
•Ray Wilkings, new events com
mittee, announced that the Southern
Nationals at Atlanta Dragway will
be held a week earlier in 2009. The
event is scheduled for April 16-19,
2009.
•Ward said she is still active
on Banks County’s Entrepreneur
Friendly Initiative. The next step
is for the Banks County group
to meet with the state during the
next few weeks to discuss future
projects now that the county has
received its designation.
•Corey announced a new
Christian Book Store & Cafe slat
ed to open in August next to World
Gym at Banks Crossing.
Holiday pageant planned Aug. 16 in Homer
The 2008 Holiday Festival Pageant
and Baby Contest will be held at 4
p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, at the
Banks County High School audito
rium in Homer.
Flu committee
continues to plan
BY SHARON HOGAN
Members of the Banks County
Pandemic Flu Committee met on
Tuesday, July 29, to continue with
plans for a full scale exercise to be
held in October.
The committee is working on
plans to deal with any type of
pandemic that might hit Banks
County. The group involves county
personnel and other community
members.
All winners will receive a crown,
trophy, savings bond and banner,
as well as ride in the Banks County
Holiday Festival parade.
The pageant and baby contest are
both open to Banks County residents
only.
For more information on the
event, call 706-677-3510 or
706-335-4189.
Charity tournament to benefit Galloway
A charity softball tournament will be held at Banks County Recreation
Fields, Saturday, Aug. 9, and Sunday, Aug. 10.
There will be a concession stand open for those attending the games. All
proceeds will benefit Henry Galloway of Banks County, who has been fight
ing cancer since 2004.
The cost is $150 per team.
For more information on the benefit tournament, contact Robert Chapman
at 706-870-4146 or Chuck Bowden at 770-530-4431. Those wishing to par
ticipate must contact Chapman or Bowden by Thursday.
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