Around the Town: Gloria and the Andings

By Loretta Humble/Around the Town

I wanted to tell you about taking a load of beat up furniture to Gloria McDonald’s house, but I can’t because we never got there.

I’m talking about the remains of a once-elegant, over-stuffed three-piece living room suite, now losing that stuffing, with its fabric all musty and torn, and its springs exposed. The Andings uncovered it beneath the debris at the old Kilman hospital and put it outside to be hauled away. However, the frames were sturdy, and there was such beautiful carving on its base and arms we posted pictures on Facebook.

Gloria McDonald took one look and saw diamonds in the rough. She called all excited, afraid someone had already beat her to them. She needn’t have worried. Wes and Lisa helped us pull them back into the building until Gloria could get them. That was fine until they got ready to power wash the building last Sunday. Sunday morning while Wes and Lisa were gearing up for the big washing, Carl and grandson Landon loaded the three pieces, plus another one we found, onto the nursing home trailer. That’s when we discovered Gloria wasn’t at home, and we had no idea where she lived, so we parked it behind the nursing home till bright and early this morning, when we hooked up and started out. The truck sounded a little funny, but we got nearly to Crescent Heights before we faced the fact that it sounded really funny, and we’d better turn around while we could. We returned our load to the trailer’s usual parking space and headed to Parnell’s, our favorite car-fixer guy. He found big problems, luckily most are under warranty, but the truck is in the hospital till next Monday. The trailer is still parked at the nursing home, full of ratty-looking furniture, a telltale sign that a visit to nearby furniture stores orange county must be made. Poor Landon, this is the second time we’ve ask him to help with a big job of moving, and had to turn around before we got there. I hope he’ll go with us when we find a way to get it there.

Back to the Andings…Those guys continually amaze me. Mostly just the two of them, with some family help, have cleared the place downtown, hauling off dumpsters full of junk, scrubbed the floor in the big front room till they uncovered a pattern, and in the picture it looks so shiny I thought they had varnished it. Lisa tells me the shine was because it was still wet. They are going to open it up for the Malakoff Holiday Stroll this Saturday, introducing coffee makers that brew at 200 degrees, serve coffee, hot chocolate and popcorn and smores for kids to make, giving everybody a chance to see one of our best historic treasures before the renovation starts. What Wes and Lisa have already done is huge, and it is going be a major force in renewing this town. You do know they are my kinfolks, don’t you? I’m always sure to tell folks that these days.

I have to tell you quickly about two other super family things I attended this week. Granddaughter Taegan played Audrey in the Athens High School Theater production of Little Shop of Horrors. She was just fabulous, really, not just because she is my granddaughter. The rest of the cast were outstanding too. Every time I go to one of their plays, I am amazed at how professionally done they are. And how do they get so many kids with great voices? When I saw Into the Woods two years ago, I thought they were lip-syncing to a sound track.

The other thing I have to mention is Tommy and Bernice Harris’s 50th anniversary celebration put on by their kids. Remember, I wrote about what super people they are, and about their exceptional marriage. Well, their party was a big one. They have a ton of people who they love and who love them. I’ve already wished granddaughter Ariel and her fiancé Kenneth a life like that. Now I’m wishing them a 50th celebration exactly like this one. I just possibly may not be around for it, but I am believing it will happen.

By the way, Barbara Curtis, owner of the two pups my daughter Liz snatched up off the highway and brought me was there, Barbara is mother-in-law to Tommy and Bernice’s daughter Shelly. Barbara lives a couple of miles off the highway, back in the woods and doesn’t have Internet. She does her best to keep them home, but they are determined to run away now and then. I wrote about her and the puppies reuniting, but I got it in too late and it didn’t get published. But for the record, they are well loved, have their shots, and are both neutered.

The 2018 Holiday Stroll in Malakoff starts Saturday at 11:00 and ends at 4:00. Christmas music will be provided all day from Two Danes Production and Jon Kessler. Photos with Santa will be held at Mister Sweet Tooth downtown from 11-1 by CTG Photography and all of the shops in the downtown area and Lindy Mall will be having special sales and refreshments from 2-4. It’s a day you don’t want to miss!