Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 11

MILL CREEK STORIES

strongly suggested to her mother than they both leave
immediately. Mama was mortified.
Though she never hosted another party, as long as
she had these cups she could be the type of woman
who effortlessly threw together easy, breezy parties.
The cups, along with everything else, were staging for
the life she wanted to live. She built an entire Prop
Department for her storybook life. There were expired
snacks in the pantry for guests who never arrived.
There were bags and bags of wrapping paper and ribbon and a stockpile of gifts for every occasion, so she
could produce beautifully wrapped, thoughtful gifts
on a moment's notice. There were serving platters and
place holders for sit-down dinners that were never prepared.
Mama passed away. Alzheimer's disease negated the
need for any props. In her final years, she lived within
her own mind and did not seem to miss her possessions. Everything was cleared out and sold to fund her
care. It's all gone, even the tiny tin cups.
Today I find myself staring into my 'fridge wondering why there's a deflating cantaloupe in there. Why
do I buy fruit and let it rot? Oh. Like my mother, I
dream of being the type of woman who eats fresh fruit

and cinnamon toast for breakfast, perhaps on delicate
china while Vivaldi softly plays in the background.
My friends will laugh to hear that. I am clearly a
Lucky Charms-out-of-a-chipped-bowl kind of woman.
If classical music were playing in my house, I would
not be able to hear it over the dogs barking. I sold my
china because it had been 17 years since I last touched
it. I am simply not the type of person who starts her
day in an elegant, quiet manner and I will never be
that person.
That's it. I am putting the Cantaloupe Growers of
America on notice. This year, I have a new resolution.
I will not buy food that I won't get around to eating. I
will not buy clothes that I will never fit into. I am not
going to buy props for some fantasy life that I won't
ever live.
This year, I am shedding whatever I think I am supposed to be and I'm going to just be. In 2018, I resolve to enjoy every moment I can. I resolve to tell the
people I hold dear that I love them. I resolve to laugh
every chance I get. I resolve that I will be kind, to others and to myself. I resolve to clutter my life with fond
memories. This is going to be a great year. Now, about
that winning lottery ticket. . . 

visitwytheville.com * 1-877-347-8307

January/February 2018 11


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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018

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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 3
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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 5
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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 12
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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - Cover4
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