Overheard, out and about, Mrs. Grundy sees all, tells all

Mrs. C.R. Grundy

Published Friday, June 19, 2009

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I thought of some lines from James Russell Lowell’s poem, The Vision of Sir Launfal. Therein is a purple passage in which he describes June, beginning, “And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.”

Each June I recite and read those lines over and over.

How time flies! Here it is, already the middle of June with a week of spring left and summer about to begin officially on June 2l.

James Whitcomb Riley, an all-American poet, wrote a piece about the middle of June called “Knee-deep in June.” Take out your volume of Riley from the family library and read it. Read it every June and make sure your children and grandchildren read it. It should be a yearly tradition.

I was driving home from a visit to Montgomery this past week and was impressed with the progress on the new Georgiana School, as well as the new blacktopping on the Crum Foshee Highway.

I had stopped in Greenville at Krystal’s and was surprised to find Mrs. Gotrocks, eating away. She looked up innocently and said, “Even rich people like Krystals!”

I noticed, as I drove south, what-all is in bloom – coreopsis, lantana, yucca, petunias, phlox, trumpet vine, gardenias, magnolias, daylilies, daisy fleabane, elderberries, mimosa, verbena, the golden rain tree, hydrangeas (both domestic and oakleaf), and roses.

Miss Cora and I were sitting on my porch the other night, enjoying the cool of the evening, sipping some of my blackberry nectar I’d diluted with ginger ale, when we spotted the first lightning bugs of the season. I guess every child that ever lived has caught lightning bugs in a Mason jar and made him a lightning-bug lantern.

Have you noticed how gas has gone up about 60 cents in less than a month? You can’t convince me that’s “supply and demand.” That’s greed. Old Mr. Gried and Mr. Glutt are at it again! I’ve renamed my fuel gauge the “greedometer.”

When I was in Montgomery, I shopped at the Montgomery Curb Market on Madison; it’s been there since I was a child. I bought some fresh vegetables and a cocoanut pie.

Two citizens of “the Dimple of Dixie” had letters to the editor printed recently in the Montgomery Advertiser, Roger Broxton and Bill Law. Mr. Broxton wrote about the birthday of Jefferson Davis June 3; Mr. Law wrote of “Taps.”

Enjoying the Sunday buffet at Perry’s, I ran into Tachie Perry, l07, “playing hooky” from Andalusia Manor. Her son Jim, of Hoover, was treating Mrs. Perry to a day out — lunch at Perry’s and time at her old home. The remarkable Mrs. Perry said that she was having too much fun, seeing old friends, to have time to eat.

I told Agnes Perry at the register that I especially enjoyed the miniature cornbread muffins she served that day. I had not seen them on the buffet before. They “set off” all that good, ol’, country cooking!

As I ate, I noticed my plate was dominated by the color brown – fried chicken, baked chicken, country steak. I thought of a rhyme: “Eat brown; grow round. Eat green; stay lean.” I’ll have to tell that to the Portly Gentleman.

I went over and spoke to Earl and Dot Jones of Opp and their friends, John and Kathy Hataway of Perry’s Store Community. They had been to First Baptist of Opp; their preacher had resigned that morning.

From my table I heard a man, saying that he was eating out because his wife was gone. Then he laughed and bragged, “I’m eating better than if she were home!” A woman nearby said, “You wouldn’t be saying that if she were here.” He, rather humbly, answered, “No, ma’am, I wouldn’t.”

Dwight and Sonia Crigger sang “Can He? Could He? Would He?” in the distinguished Baraca Class at First Baptist during the Sunday-School assembly. Jeanice (Paul) Kirkland accompanied them on the Ann Martin Memorial Piano. Mr. Crigger is minister of music; Mrs. Crigger is the new choral director for the Andalusia City Schools, having replaced Paula Sue Duebelt. Mrs. Kirkland has just retired from teaching English at the Andalusia Middle School.

Two gentlemen were recognized in the Baraca Class as having been at D-Day, June 6, l944, 65 years ago, Darwin Pippin and Claude Pike.

The Adult Choir sang for its special its most requested song from the last two years, “Midnight Cry,” with Ted Watson, principal at the Andalusia Middle School, as guest soloist.

Jason Tucker, band director, will now serve also in the Music Department of First Baptist.

Carolina Baptist Church below Andalusia was featured in the Alabama Baptist, state newspaper for the Baptists, in its June 4 issue, because of its “Stimulus Sunday,” designed to swell attendance.

Matt Brady, pastor since 2005, said the idea was to “stimulate your mind and study the Word; stimulate your spirit and worship the Savior.”

Yearly the Glory Singers, the choir for the senior citizens of First Baptist, Andalusia, enjoy their major social at “the Shack,” Lucille Foley’s place in Opp. Hosting with her sister, Lucille, was Mary Nell Johnson. Singers, spouses, and other guests spent the day at the annual fish fry.

Some of the men fished before and after lunch; but, as Gordon Vickers, minister to the golden agers, observed, “the fish population was definitely not hurt.” Some Glory Singers played dominoes.

The food was catered by Charles and Laurette Blair of Opp – catfish filets, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, hush puppies, French fries. Laurette also baked an eleven-layer, chocolate cake and a banana pudding. Tea and coffee washed it down!

As an appetizer, Lucille’s famous lemonade and cheese straws were served. After lunch hot, boiled peanuts, always a favorite, were nibbled by the dozens.

As Gordon said, “We did not go hungry!”

Dwight Crigger, director of the Glory Singers, added his “Alabama caviar” and an assortment of chips.

A game of Bingo followed lunch with prizes provided by Gordon and Trudy Vickers.

Attending were Margaret Eiland, Kim and Eleanor Dyess, Sarah Gene Clark, Martha Griffin, Dr. Fred Karthaus (pastor), Shirley Harris, Doyce Cox, R. E. and Edwyna Ivey, Jewel Curry, Dwight Crigger, John and Martha Givhan, Wilma Short, Gordon and Trudy Vickers, Mary Ann Cope, Ovie Martin, Margaret Smyly, Dr. Morgan Moore, June Moore, Nancy Edwards, Bertie Smith, Betty Lawson, Joyce Sorrells, Gloria Riley, Mary Nell Johnson, and Don and Dot Lingle. Don was minister of music at First Baptist prior to Mr. Crigger. Don currently directs music at Bethany Baptist at Heath.

Today is the birthday of William Butler Yeats (yates), Irish poet. Monday is the anniversary of “Magna Carta,” that early English document of limited freedom that led, eventually, to our “Declaration of Independence” and “Constitution.” Wednesday is the birthday of Charles Gounod (goo-no), French composer. Perhaps his greatest opera is Faust. A piece in it called Valentine’s “Cavatina” is beautiful beyond words; but at the end of Faust a trio sings what is one of the grandest, most stirring stretches of music ever written. Don’t go to Heaven without hearing it first!

Speaking of going to Heaven, I want to encourage each of you, gentle reader, to be in your place of worship tomorrow. Fare thee well.