Taken July, 1965…my brother Eddie, Aunt Monnie and little Monnie

Hi, I’m ___, and you are??? Hello, my name is _____, what’s yours?  Hey there, I’m _____, what was your name again???   Isn’t it interesting the whole name game. These could be the most used sentences in our entire lifetimes.  Growing up with a unique name has been very interesting. Yes, I still get…your name is what again, Monty??? But this entry is not about that. Actually, I think I would be sad if every listener got it right..it’s just cute now! Years ago, it was frustrating. Like the time I was on “Monty’s Rascals,” a local tv show back when I was a kid, hosted by Monty Dupuy. I told this story on the air, so stop me if you’ve heard this : ) There I was sitting on the front row, and during the show he came up to me with his microphone and asked me what my name was, and I said “Monnie,” smiling nervously because I was on television for the first time…with my eyes glazed over, like the deer caught in the headlights look.  And he says…”No, that’s my name…what’s YOUR name?” “MONNIE” I said enthusiastically, thinking he didn’t hear me. “Nope,” he said, “that’s me.” ”What is your %$#$% name kid,” is how it sounded when he asked for the final time. “Ummm…………m o n n ie,” I replied yet again, but this time very quietly and through tears.  Well, I don’t remember much after that. I think I peed my pants too. How humiliating. I told Mr. Dupuy about this years later, and he apologized, but said he didn’t remember…well, I certainly do. But I forgave him : )  Because I knew that my name was different, and that was not a bad thing.

I think that’s why I am so happy I can be Monnie on the radio again. When I first got into the business, management didn’t like my name and said it sounded too masculine…so we came up with Wendy White. Well, I’ll be honest, it was fun having a “stage name.” But I never really felt right about it. When I came back home, for the LAST time I swear : ) I was told by the man who hired me at Entercom…Peter Thiele, something like, “I want you to be Monnie, because that’s a really cool name, and it’s YOUR name. I don’t care if Wendy White has some marketability here in the Upstate..you my friend, are Monnie. Be yourself kiddo.” Well ok then, that’s settled. Thank you Peter, wherever you are.

I was named after a very lovely, strong, independent…yet sweet and loving, generous woman from Texas…my Great Aunt Monnie Edith Whitson. Born in a 3-room house in a town called Mildford, she was my Daddy’s aunt, his Daddy’s older sister…and she lived to be 92. I saw her shortly before she died, in 2003. I knew she was ill, and I had to see her one more time.  I thanked her for being my Aunt and especially for what she wrote to me when I was a little girl. She actually wrote a small book about her life, she penned herself..complete with pictures and old report cards, (that was strange seeing my name on her school documents)…she also included letters and historical information about some of our relatives…like a very distant uncle who served in the Civil War. The last paragraph she wrote still takes my breath away…

“My prayer for you, is that you will be a much better person and accomplish more in life than I ever did.  God bless you in this and may you always seek His will in all you attempt to do.” Wow, did I mention she was a humble woman.

When I got married (yeah, the 1st marriage) she gave me a handmade quilt in beautiful red silk that I still have in my living room on the sofa. I have her old cookbooks and a tea set, but mostly I have the honor of being named after someone so intriguing and interesting and unique. After she gave me that book, I felt really special. I still have it, though it’s torn and tattered.  Sometimes I read through it and imagine that maybe one day, I’ll write a little book too for someone special.

Who knew Greenville had a Little Five Points….after seeing the brochure for a new coffee house I simply adore…it’s official! The address of The Fix, is 101 Wade Hampton Boulevard, in Greenville’s Little Five Points, it reads. It’s that little, skinny building…I think at one time it was a hair salon, and previously an auto repair shop…and many other small businesses…you name it.  It sits on Wade Hampton, near Column and Earle…just down from Stone. Have fun figuring that out. You have GOT to see how they decorated this place..it is so precious!  They serve brewed coffee, espresso, smoothies, chai teas, weekly homemade desserts and much, much more…you know me though, I am a non-discriminating coffee lover, and frequent many coffee houses..Liquid Highway for instance is one of my favorites, Port City, Starbucks, Cuppy’s on Woodruff, Barefoot Annie’s in Simpsonville, Brick House…Waffle House. Tell me about your favorite coffee place…and let’s go for a cup sometime : )  

Photo courtesy of Paul Bentley, UK

Eclectic: really means on sale rack Pier 1 meets Big Lots…with a little Goodwill on the side

I don’t know about your house, but I’ve managed to furnish my home relatively cheaply, through dumpster diving, curb shopping (ya know, taking people’s crap from the ditch in their front yard) thrift shopping and finally, through consignment shops…I have SOME dignity! I have to tell you about a new shop in Taylors, run by women, who have great taste in gently used home furnishings and decor…and the prices are almost too reasonable. I have also sold many things here through consignment..one month I made $150!!! Just old stuff I didn’t like anymore, but was still in good shape…easy money! Feather Your Nest is located on Wade Hampton Boulevard, just up from the Taylors Publix, in the If It’s Paper shopping center. Tell Gail I said hey when you go in…anyway, let me know where you like to shop too..OR…the best neighborhoods for curb shopping : )

That blur in the picture was Dreams, my first Aussie (RIP)

 My Mama

There I was cleaning out the Element…how does a car with rubber floors get this dirty???? I’ve been purging everything in the house too lately, so I began to go through the car. In the glove compartment I found close to 100 Wendy’s napkins for those unplanned spills, about 10 pair of sunglasses, a half eaten bagel…what is up with that??? But I also found something I had tucked away for a rainy day…I remember thinking at the time…one day I will find this, just when I need it the most. It was a thank you card from my dear Mama. Apparently she wrote this after she had been at Oakmont Nursing Home for a couple of years…she remained there 2 1/2 more years, and then died there June 5th of this year…with Daddy, me, my brother and our priest by her side. About a year before she died, she lost most of her ability to communicate…could hardly write or speak…her eyes too stayed closed much of the time because of complications to Parkinson’s. 

Here’s what she wrote:

“Dearest Monnie,

Thanks so much for all the support you have given to your father and me. You are very special to us. I don’t know what we would do without you, Eddie (my brother) and Jeanette (his wife). The boys are very special (Brandon, Dylan and Jesse, my nephews) – I miss them so much — I hope they realize how much it means to me for them to help Papa at home. I love you.” 

I just sat there staring at the card, thinking…this is the last real letter/card I received from her. And I was amazed at how grateful she still was for all that we did for her when she was going through hell.  

If I could write her one more letter…here is what I would write…

“You are welcome my sweet Mama..I would do it all over again, of course. Sometimes I wish we could go back…but that is impossible. I hope you know what a gift it was to help you and how much I enjoyed taking you out for ice cream, and coffee…and pushing you around in your wheelchair through Target and Wal Mart…leaving a trail of clothes racks on the ground…remember that? How much fun did we have!!! Or our weekly dinner out at Ruby Tuesday’s…you absolutely loved those crab cakes and then that huge chocolate cake…when you could still eat.  I pray you are at peace now, but I still miss you every day. And I wish I could hold you right now. I would give up everything in my life, all my wordly possessions, just to see you once more…but that too is impossible. Please come to me in my dreams sometime and tell me you love me…because I get so lonely and sad sometimes. But don’t worry, I really am okay and have so many wonderful people in my life. Plus I’m spending a lot of time with Daddy. We need each other now more than ever.  He misses you desperately and still says “hey baby” to you when he opens the door upon returning home from work. You were the most special person we have ever known. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Mama, and that I can’t wait to see you again. Until that blessed day…love always, your baby girl.”

You will not believe what I found today!!! $100….just sitting there staring at me saying well, see you were a little short until payday…so here..take me!  Actually, what happened was…I was just piddling around the house putting things back into my new RE-BATH (yay!!!) and I started poking around…organizing, etc…and I found myself opening up Mama’s old music box in my bedroom. I play it sometimes when I miss her…so, that’s like every day, right…Daddy gave it to me the night she died. It plays “Color My World.” He bought it for her when they went to Italy several years ago…so it is very special. Anyhoo…I open it up and there’s 5 $20 bills yaw’ll!!! How cool  is that?? I have no idea how it got there.  My best friend and my Daddy both swear they didn’t do it. You guys..who put this money in my music box?? I am totally shocked, and grateful. If you find out who did it, please let me know so I can thank them properly. Or did it just appear…Mama???

 Photo taken July 4th, 2007..my Daddy trying very hard to look angry : )  Isn’t he the cutest!!!

Some of you are aware that my Daddy was recently diagnosed with cancer. For those of you who didn’t know, I wanted to share this news with you, and update you on his progress. Instead of trying to figure out the words, I thought I would share an email he sent to friends and family. My Daddy writes so eloquently…and he is a true believer in what will be, will be. However, his positive attitude has astounded me, and I am so very happy to report that his first chemotherapy treatment today went very well. He felt fine following treatment..his exact words were “I feel the same as I did yesterday!”  A special thanks to the fine staff at the Cancer Centers of the Carolinas, who treated my Daddy with the utmost care and concern. I continue to pray he handles the treatment well, and that his health will improve…and that God will let me keep him for a long time : ) Here is his email:

Some of you already are aware of the fact that I have metastatic cancer, some of you are not.  Over the past several weeks I have had numerous procedures to determine the current state of my health.  About three weeks after the death of my wife Patricia I began to have a feeling of abdominal discomfort after eating.  I thought that this was probably stress related following the loss of my wife and I began to use over the counter remedies to reduce the discomfort.  I told my friend Dr. Robert Mahon that something was wrong, that I was having symptoms which were not relieved by the most common OTC drugs.

Dr Mahon ordered blood work and a CT of the abdomen.  The blood work revealed nothing and the CT was unremarkable except for a few spots on the lungs. 

Please know that I am not depressed, I do not feel like poor, poor pitiful me.  What will be will be.   As a believer in the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I know that I will be united some day with Him and with Pat; that will truly be a wonderful outcome.  So please do not grieve for me but celebrate the wonderful life that I have been granted.

Tony 

I just wanted to thank all of you who came out to the Pavilion Saturday in support of all rape victims/survivors. The run was a huge success…I’ll get back with you on the exact numbers, but it looked like there were about 1200 people! It was awesome to see the community come together like this. Proceeds will benefit the young woman who was raped on the Eastside of town back in June. I heard she was at the run this weekend, but of course was anonymous. I hope I met her…I hope she knows how proud we are of her…and that we love her. Money raised will also benefit the local rape crisis center. 

It was a pleasure for Magic to help out with this and special thanks to the Heartstep Foundation for organizing the event. Find more at heartstep.org

We’re closer than sisters. My best friend on the planet, Stacy…I call her Duckie as you know…and to describe her is like trying to tell a blind man what a sunrise looks like. It’s a little difficult. When I first met Stacy, we were very young…somewhere between kindergarten and Northwood Elementary…we don’t remember the exact date. But I do remember thinking…she’s nuts and I like that. There is no one on the planet that can make me laugh like my Duckie. When this picture was taken by my Daddy back in the early 80’s…somewhere along a hiking trail in the NC mountains…I don’t think either of us realized how strong a bond we would have.  We’ve weathered many storms…divorces, children, step-children, death. She has been my conscience, my confidant…my friend through it all. When Mama was dying…she was right beside me.  Considering she is like a 2nd daughter to my parents, and she was grieving too..she instead, held me up so I wouldn’t fall.  I told her recently…she has been such a better friend to me, than I have ever been to her.   How do you thank someone for being your sunrise all these many years?

Without Stacy, my life would be less colorful…less fun..less meaningful.  I believe one reason we have remained so close…is that we both truly believe God brought us together. It doesn’t hurt that we have a lot of fun together and that we enjoy each other’s company, even if it’s just venting about the day’s unfair events…but it goes much deeper than that. We feel like soulmates. We joke around about one day, when all the kids have left the nest, and we have outlived our husbands (ok, I am still searching for hubby #3, third time’s a charm) and we’re old and gray…there we will be together in rocking chairs, sipping coffee together on a front porch somewhere watching the sunrise.

I hope we make it to that point…and that we will still be laughing about something.  

I’ve been doing a lot of praying lately. Here’s a quote I saw on a friend’s email signature the other day…”We never know that Jesus is enough, until Jesus is all we have left.”  True, for many of us don’t you think? I really don’t advertise my religious preference all that much, and the reason is, I have so much respect for all people and all religions….I never want to sound like I’m preachin’, ya know!  But I had to write about this, because I don’t think I have ever heard of an event like this before anywhere…it’s called Pray for Greenville, from The Hinge 2008…it’s Saturday, August 9th from 9-6 at the Dow Brands Amphitheater downtown, behind the Peace Center.

It’s to unite the Church of Greenville for the purpose of crying out to Jesus to send revival to the city.  What is the Church of Greenville? I was asking myself the same question…it’s every believer in the city and/or county of Greenville I was told. Folks will unite to pray for the 7 spheres or mountains of Greenville…which are education, church, media, arts/entertainment, family, business and government.

Interesting I thought. To come together like this should be pretty powerful. If you are a “believer” then by all means please try to come.  Thanks for letting me share this with you..and God bless : )

Hey guys..Miss Monnie is taking a little time off this week. Daddy, my nephews Dylan and Jesse, and I traveled to Charleston this past weekend for a little R&R…what, climbing up and down the USS Yorktown for 4 hours straight is rest and relaxation??? You gotta do this though…go to Patriot’s Point next time you are in Mt. Pleasant…it is awesome! And, the Medal of Honor Museum was incredible…Daddy and I left with tears streaming down our faces….he said “these are the true heroes honey…”  I agreed with him, but in the back of my mind I was saying…no Daddy…you are mine.

Another highlight of the weekend, taking a carriage ride through the commercial district of Charleston. Man, I thought I knew everything about Charleston…but no. See the picture of our family, and Indigo, a 2000 pound horse, with some exotic heritage, I forget…anyhoo…what a lovely experience. Of course my nephews were mortified that they had to do this in public : )  But they went along with it, and I believe actually had fun. You know how teenagers are..they don’t want to look “stupid!”

For me, the most beautiful part of the trip, was just hanging out with my Daddy, who received not so good news last week concerning his health.  We know it’s in God’s hands now..but I am terribly worried and sad. So, our weekend in Charleston was much more than just a quick beach trip…it was another opportunity to know who my Daddy is.  What a smart man…and a good man. He has such courage and amazing faith. I couldn’t help but think….Mama..we wish you were here. And of course she was…she was with me on Folly Beach..since the guys didn’t want to lie out in the sun with me…imagine that! She was with us as we drove through Shem Creek, deciding on which water front restaurant should have our money…she was with us on Sullivan’s Island when we discovered the very cool Edgar Allan Poe Library, which used to be some military installation…she was with us…Daddy and me, as we sat out on the back patio of our friend’s beautiful condo…listening to us figure out what to do next with the time we have left.

Wish you were here Mama…well, she was. And still is.