Living with pain, and enjoying life with friends

By MARY JANE HOLT
Contributing Writer

Panic set in at 7:50 p.m. while we were still making our way through the three tiers. The main course had not even been served. My eye frantically caught the eye of our hostess, Gwen Bankovich. I explained my dilemma.

In a matter of seconds her husband and our co-host, Joe, was off to the big house to record the season finale of "JAG" for me. I do love a hero and Joe was mine for the night!

I was at another monthly themed evening "tea" at the Petite Wisteria behind the Grand Wisteria Plantation house on Roosevelt Highway in Greenville. This month's theme, "The Mad Hatter," also drew Renee Walden and Terri Hobbs from Sharpsburg, who had just debuted their Vintage Lollibelle hat line earlier this month.

Having attended their first trunk showing in Newnan, I was quite eager to know more about the pair of unlikely southern belle entrepreneurs, so I was delighted to be able to share a table with them. Little did I suspect that I was in the presence of two renowned "Pond Queens" (another story for another day!).

So there I sat, supposedly relaxed, absolutely engrossed in conversation with my fascinating table mates, when "JAG" panic suddenly set in. The event had begun at 6 p.m. and I had somehow forgotten that Evening Tea at the Grand Wisteria is a bit more than going out for dinner. It's truly an event!

In fact, when I slipped out, "JAG" video in hand, shortly before 10 p.m., the party was still going strong. After eating, Gwen had presented each guest with their own straw hat along with the ultimate Barney bag filled with potential decorations. A heated competition was still well under way when back pain demanded that I head home.

Of course, Renee and Terri had brought their hats, which are an attraction unto themselves. When I had to leave, the other guests had yet to make their way back over to the main house to peruse the Vintage Lollibelle collection on display in the formal plantation dining room. With the world headquarters for their millinery creations in an exquisite and inviting antebellum home in Sharpsburg, Rene and Terri were right at home in this complementary setting.

Their hats, created on their grandmothers' old Singer sewing machines, range from $15 to $75 and are so worth seeing. For information about trunk showings or to make an appointment to see their collection call 770-251-7309.

To learn more about the Grand Wisteria call 706-672-0072 or go to www.grandwisteria.com. The host couple at this popular and growing Meriwether County attraction almost effortlessly make it possible for their B&B guests to slip back in time.

In fact, a timeless lap of luxury awaits any who relax at this c.1832, neo-classical, plantation manor house which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits on 13 acres just south of the city of Greenville.

There's not a day goes by that I don't whisper a prayer of thanksgiving that I now live in such a quiet, historical and truly scenic area. A few of the women I have met around here seem to find our rural life a bit slow and somewhat boring. While that attitude sometimes blows me away, it does serve to remind me how different we all are, and that's a good thing!

And now, back to the back pain that stopped me in my tracks earlier this week and caused me to slip out early on my evening of fun, entertainment and absolutely delicious eats. In times past, I would not even have attempted to put in an appearance at any event while that uncomfortable.

Life, however has taught me that it is still so worth living, and living well, in spite of pain and chronic illness! In fact, I was thinking, while driving over to my event last night, that perhaps I should do a seminar on "Living Well with Chronic Pain and Illness."

My nursing background, interaction with so many chronically and terminally ill individuals, and personal experience make me uniquely qualified! So I'm wondering today if any readers might be interested in such a program.

Years ago, I decided I would no longer let pain and illness take from me, without giving something in return. I don't know when they began to give more than they take, but that's the way it is now. I suppose I have begun to realize lately that since I have received so much, perhaps it is time to start sharing more. Give me a call at 770-460-5000 and let me know what you think.