By Dianne Lively Yost

Exodus. What a beautiful day in the Neighborhood! Perfect sunrise! Clear, clean air! Pink and white clouds just a floatin’ free. Birds a chirpin’! So peaceful! I’m the hap-hap-happiest ever! Ding dang! Who’s in there watchin’ CNBC’s Sqawk Box with the volume turned all the way up to eardrum explosion? Y’all hold on a minute while I see what’s happenin. Momma! Momma, can you hear me? Nod your head if you can hear me. Ok y’all . . . we’ve gotta keep our wits ‘cause we’ve got us a sure-fire emergency! Momma’s done turned crazy catatonic! She’s hypnotized, starrin’ at the HDTV! Lord have mercy! What’d that CNBC Host just say? The market did what? Down 778 points in one ding dang day! HELP! Somebody PLEASE HELP US! My 401K! My stocks! My money market fund! Ruined! Ruined I tell ya! Where’s my broker? Move everything into gold, into U.S. Treasuries!  Where’s my money? Who’s that knock, knock, knockin’ at the door? Whoa! I’m gonna faint! Pass out cold! It’s the ghost of the great legendary Bob Marley with three little birds perched on his guitar right smack here in my house! I’ve lost so much money I’m hallucinatin’! Come on in Bob and bring those cute little birds with you! What? You can snap momma out of it! Great! But, whatever you do, don’t play Exodus ‘cause our money’s done exited! Just stand right over there with your guitar and Hit It! “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing. ‘Cause every little thing is gonna be all right. Singing don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right . . .” Oh. My. Gosh! It’s working! Momma’s up and dancin’ with Bob Marley’s ghost! Thanks Bob, but just don’t be givin’ Momma any of that funky monkey tobaccy! Whew! He’s right! Every little thing is gonna be alllll right, y’all!
   

Plus our handsome husbands and boyfriends are gettin’ ready to look even better thanks to soon-to-open Town & Country, owned by Madisonian Ginger Gardner and located at 204 West Washington Street next to the James Madison Inn! Yay! It’s gonna open in mid-October! Ok so Ginger says her new shop is gonna focus on casual and outdoor clothing, accessories and gifts for those handsome men of all ages! Here’s what’s up on the down low! Town & Country is gonna carry these fabulous lines: North Face (includin’ those cutie cute-cute-cute North Face Denali Jackets that are oh so popular with Middle School, High School and College kids!), Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Khaki, Cutter & Buck, Berle, F.A. MacCluer and Fossil! Oh and honey those boys are just gonna flip when they see the Native & SunCloud Eyewear! And, did I mention Freestyle Watches! Well I just did! Ginger’s also gonna have Kavu Outdoor Clothing, Born, Mine and Eno! Wow! We are uptown at the Town & Country! Oh and I almost forgot! Ginger’s gonna have Collegiate Wear stuff too for UGA, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Alabama (pants, shirts, jackets, belts, wallets, shaving bags, etc.) But, the bad news is she ain’t gonna carry Auburn stuff ‘cause she just can’t stand Auburn! Why I oughtta! Oh and Ginger says she’ll also have great selections for all those bigger boys (e.g., 36 lengths, XXL and Tall sizes)! Groovy!
   

Ok so what I’m gonna do is buy one of those golfy type shirts from Town & Country and pop it on over to Wish Berries located at 135 West Washington St., and get an Auburn logo monogrammed on it! Ha! Momma always says there’s more than one way to skin a cat . . . I mean bulldog . . . I mean elephant . . . I mean yellow jacket!
   

Let’s play! I’m talkin’ ‘bout Mulberry Toys! It’s open in its brand spankin’ new location on Main Street in downtown Madison where Baldwin Realty (now upstairs) used to be! Y’all head over there and check it out!
   

Right! If any of y’all are feelin’ green this weekend, check out the Georgia Solar Tour on Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Kullman Residence located at 2701 Little River Road in Madison! Yeah! Madison is among 36 Atlanta-area sites! Ok so they’re gonna be educatin’ homeowners and businesses on New Georgia Clean Energy Property Tax Credits and on Solar Power!  Y’all visit the Georgia Solar Energy Association at www.gasolar.org for more info!
   

Hey! The Morgan-Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is hostin’ its annual membership drive luncheon at the home of Susan McCullar (1171 Sweet Briar Trace) on October 14 at 11:30 a.m.! Anyone interested in this fantastic organization is welcome to attend. Call Auxiliary President Nancy Vaughan for more info at 706-752-1017! Oh and today, Thursday, Oct. 2 head on over to Pure Bliss located at 131 West Jefferson St., in downtown Madison for a Spa Party from 5:30 to 7:30! Yay! Visit www.pureblissspa.com for more info!
   

I’ll see y’all at the Chili Cook-Off this Saturday, Oct. 4 in downtown Madison behind the Morgan County Courthouse! Tastin’ begins at noon! Oh and don’t forget the hot pepper eatin’ contest that begins at 1 p.m.! Not that’s hot!     That’s it! Y’all be sweet! Take Momma to the Chili Cook-Off and I’ll see all y’all next week. Same time. Same Number One Weekly Newspaper in the great State of Georgia!