Swimsuit season starts early in the South. By the second week of February, my Mother would drag me to Gayfers to ensure I had first choice of the sturdiest of all the Jantzen suits. She knew if we waited too late, the selection would be picked-over and I’d have to settle for a flimsy suit…
Read MoreIn addition to some first-class Holy Rollers, Southern churches have also produced some mighty fine musicians, with many of the big-time stars giving credit to their religious roots for introducing them to the basics of music. But it doesn’t matter how many Grammys these stars have won, nor how many thousands of screaming fans their…
Read MoreStep Sing! It’s a 67 year old tradition at Samford University in Birmingham where my son is a student. When my parents attended school there (then, Howard College) Step Sing was a much smaller production, literally done on the steps of one of the buildings, although my Mother said she remembers Step Sing being held…
Read MoreStick your fingers in your ears for one minute, because I’m getting ready to squeal and tell you how much fun it is to shake up your schedule and do something artsy and different. Case in point . . . Theatre 98‘s new production of Neil Simon’s play, Plaza Suite is the perfect antidote…
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One of my favorite Alabamians is the Queen of Blues, Dinah Washington. Born in Tuscaloosa in 1924 as Ruth Lee Jones, Dinah rose to fame in the 1950’s with her earthy voice that thrilled fans, but baffled and often irritated the critics because she was able to bounce from one genre to the next with…
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This story can be found in my book, “The Majorettes are Back in Town.” It wasn’t the flowers, candy or twirling me across the kitchen floor that earned my husband a gold star on his romance chart. Instead, his most romantic move was when he scared the bejibbers out of our son. First of all,…
Read MoreMoon Pies are now just crumbs on our faces as Mardi Gras has come to a successful end. It’s time to straighten up and fly right, and our diets are a good place to start. Many people give up meat for Lent, at least on Fridays. I gave up all meat, every day, except…
Read MoreI submitted my first story to the Press Register on Friday. Talk about stress! They have a computer system which at first seemed so intimidating, I was afraid I’d click the wrong thing and accidentally delete their entire newspaper! I must have done an okay job, because later, they sent an email from the…
Read MoreHere’s the big news I’ve been waiting to share with you . . . Starting soon, I’ll be a weekly columnist with the Press Register! For those of you who live out of our area, the Press Register is a great newspaper based in Mobile, Alabama and is owned by Alabama Media Group, which…
Read MoreThe sunny afternoon temperatures in the high 60’s led to a slightly chilly, but crystal clear night, perfect for The Knights of Ecor Rouge to claim the streets for their popular 2016 Mardi Gras parade. “The Force Unleashed” was this year’s theme, pleasing all the Star Wars fans. , The birthplace of American Mardi…
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