Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 7

I was worthy of adult attention, I was worthy of being listened to,
I was worthy of being treated well. I felt like Audrey Hepburn in
" My Fair Lady. " I was welcome in polite, lime rickey-drinking society.
The waitress brought over a tray with two of the
most glorious-looking beverages that I'd ever seen.
The drinks were tall, in a glass so cold it was dripping,
crammed full of ice and slices of lime. It had
a fancy, bendy straw, and here's the most luxurious
part, a slice of lime balanced on the lip of the glass. It
was the most beautiful beverage I'd ever seen.
The waitress gave my mom her drink first then
turned to me and said, " For you, madame. " I was recognized.
I was somebody. I was a " madame. " I was so
excited! Until that moment, I had always been a " please
be quiet, the grown-ups are talking " person. Now I was
a madame. That had to mean something, right?
For the first time, I felt I was a little more equal than
I had been just a few minutes before. I felt grown-up. I
was sitting at a table, drinking the most elegant, delicious
beverage ever concocted, and I felt like I was
important. Boy, did my chest puff out and my nose
tilt up ever so slightly. I'm important. When we were
done, the waitress made it even better when she asked
me, " Was everything to your liking, madame? "
Was it to my liking? I was beaming. It was perfect.
The citrusy, icy, refreshing lime rickey on a hot,
humid summer's day made me into something I had
never been, worthy. I was worthy of adult attention, I
was worthy of being listened to, I was worthy of being
treated well. I felt like Audrey Hepburn in " My Fair
Lady. " I was welcome in polite, lime rickey-drinking
society. When the waitress came back to ask if we
wanted anything else, I informed her that the service
had been excellent. I don't think I threw in a " cheerio,
my friend " but it was hanging in the air. I was a
changed person. I was now a madame. I was now a
lime rickey-loving woman. Hear me roar!
JULY/AUGUST 2024 7

http://helenga.org

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 3
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 4
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 5
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 6
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 7
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 8
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 9
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 10
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 11
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 12
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 13
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 14
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 15
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 16
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 17
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 18
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 19
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 20
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 21
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 22
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 23
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 24
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 25
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 26
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 27
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 28
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 29
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 30
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 31
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 32
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 33
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 34
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 35
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 36
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 37
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 38
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 39
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 40
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 41
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 42
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 43
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 44
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 45
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 46
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 47
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 48
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 49
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 50
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 51
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 52
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 53
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 54
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 55
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 56
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 57
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 58
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 59
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 60
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 61
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 62
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 63
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 64
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 65
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 66
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 67
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 68
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 69
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 70
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 71
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 72
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 73
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 74
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 75
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 76
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 77
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 78
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 79
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 80
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 81
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 82
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/brc-jf-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-nov-dec-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com