Preparing for the Masters

Busy week, hectic week coming up glad things will soon be back to normal. With the influx of visitors to our fair city, it is difficult not to compare people. From your ordinary every day person to real celebrities to those who fancy themselves celebrities, it is amusing to observe their antics. Mannerisms differ, airs differ, and voices differ. Regular folks, those that are just so excited to be here, to finally see the famous Augusta National and watch the famous players, treat us locals with respect. Real celebrities such as an LPGA Hall of Famer treat us locals with respect and rarely tout their accomplishments. Those that perceive themselves to be celebrities because they may have once hob-nobbed with real celebrities or been on the fringes, tend to treat us with not so much respect and love to drop names within ear shot of us plain folk. Those that perceive themselves to be celebrities want us and every one around them to know how important they are while those that are important are just themselves. It is amusing to say the least. Heck, I’m a celebrity; at least two people have recognized me from my picture in the Star.
Imagine, if you will, coming to our fair city for the first time or being in the south for the first time and having seen Gone With the Wind in your youth only to discover that your accommodations look like Tara. Imagine walking into the grand entrance only to see 14 inch crown moldings, intricate woodwork, crystal chandeliers, and wondering if Rhett Butler or Scarlet O’Hara will glide down the staircase to greet you. Imagine returning from a hard day walking the Augusta National just to sit on a verandah sipping iced tea or the beverage of your choice and looking out over beautiful grounds dotted with pink and white dogwoods, azaleas, camellias and a secret garden filled with rose bushes. Imagine gazing down at North Augusta with its quaint shops and picturesque southern charm. Imagine having real southerners greet you upon your arrival or invite you to join them for dinner or have your breakfast ready and waiting for you each morning. Now imagine relaxing like never before and wishing you could be as lucky as we are and make North Augusta your home away from home or your home. I would be willing to bet that more than a few of our visitors will wish that while they are here.
The Farmer’s Almanac warns us not to plant our vegetable gardens before Good Friday. I usually heed that warning but this year the planting bug bit me and planting fever took over. In went the bean seeds, the corn seeds, the squash seeds, the fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas. They have all given me seedlings and wham, out of the blue, freezing temperatures. I called myself smart by waiting to plant tomatoes and I really did not expect the seeds to sprout so quickly or the seedlings to emerge so soon and I can think of any number of rationales for my impatience, but the fact is I did not heed the almanac and I am starting over again. I dragged the potted tropicals back in with the exception of three which found themselves back in their homes atop the backyard columns; I’m keeping my fingers crossed on those. But I guess in all honesty it would have done no good to wait because the cold crept past Good Friday and sneaked its way to Easter.
All in all it be a good week. Profitable for some, crazy for others but throughout the week I have been most impressed by the way our citizens have handled the stress. I have been witness to unbridled kindness and people going out of their way to be helpful to our visitors as well as our fellow citizens. I have been witness to only one hostile conversation this week and dare I say it was well-deserved. Some people just have no manners no matter how much money they have. What is that old saying? Money can not buy class.