By Dianne Lively Yost

Messin’ with Father Time. Slow down Momma! There’s a real tall man by the road up yonder with a brown robe, long white hair, a white beard and a big ole walkin’ stick! Hey and he’s holdin’ up a big ole hour glass! Ding dang! It’s Father Time! Hop in Father Time and tell us how to get ready for 2009! No bare cupboards to ensure prosperity! Perf! No household debt . . . Shoot fire! That’s a tough one! Oh and the first person to walk in your house after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day had best be a dark haired, tall, handsome man! Love it! Wear new clothes to make sure you’ll get more new clothes during the year! Double perf! Oh and shop locally in Morgan County all year round to ensure riches for everybody! Yay! And, lastly, head to the Madison ChopHouse Grille to eat on New Year’s Day! Thanks for the tips Father Time!

    That’s right y’all! Faye Craft of the Madison ChopHouse Grille just called to say we all gotta eat right on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and that means good old fashioned collards for the greenback, black eyed peas for lots of spare change and cornbread ‘cause it’s flat slap-your-momma delicious! Hey and don’t forget y’all . . . eat pork over cow or chicken ‘cause chickens scratch backwards, cows stand still, but pigs root forward! Got it? Good! Anyhow, I’ll see all y’all up at the Madison ChopHouse Grille located at 202 South Main Street in Madison on New Year’s Day to celebrate!

    Hey and Vicki Starr, manager of Uptown Athletic Club (formerly known as Madison Wellness Center) in downtown Madison located right smack above the Madison ChopHouse Grille, wanted me to tell y’all that she’s gonna be teachin’ a Spinning Class beginnin’ the first or second week of January! Vicki is a certified Mad Dog Spinnin’ Instructor! Wow! Uptown Athletic Club also offers other classes too and they’re plannin on offerin’ yoga classes real soon! Y’all head over there to check it out or give ‘em a call at 706-752-1680! 

    Ding dang. My high heels are flat wore out! But, that ain’t no big deal honey ‘cause Madison Fitness Center is the new drop off site for men’s and women’s shoe shines and shoe repair! Ok so Madison Fitness Center owner Greg Stewart has a deal with Alps Shoe Repair of Athens! All you’ve gotta do is drop off your shoes, wait a week for pickup and viola! Old shoes are made new again! Oh and you don’t have to be a member of the Madison Fitness Center to participate in this great new service! Wow!

    Hey but check out everything they have to offer from fitness equipment, classes, daycare and more! Madison Fitness Center is located at 1290 Eatonton Road in Madison or you can give ‘em a call at 706-342-9200!

    Yikes! Momma and have got to scat! We've gotta get busy cookin' up a heap of Hoppin' John! Y'all be real sweet, spend all that Christmas money in Morgan County and have a hap, hap, Happy New Year! I'll see all y'all next week. Same time. Same Number One Weekly Newspaper in the Great State of Georgia!

Published in the January 1, 2009 edition.