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Graphics and DesignTerry Tanner

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Feature PhotographerElizabeth SmithEBS Photography

Contributing WritersLindsey WeberJames WongBrooke MerrillTony Mele

Jason GoggansShasta Clark

Leisa Bailey, PhD.Dara Hosch, MD, FAAP.

Mark OrlerMichelle DeHaven, DVM

Publishers/Editors Linda Demery & Lori McLinden

The West Cobb Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

OurTownMarietta Kennesaw Acworth PowderSprings

Our Town is published and direct mailed monthly to prestigious

homes in the Smyrna/Vinings Area. Opinions expressed by the

editorial staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opin-

ions of the publisher. Our Town reserves the right to edit and or

reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town is not respon-

sible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for

the validity of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2009 by Our Town. Reproduction in

whole or in part is forbidden in any media without prior written

permission from the publisher.

Our Town Magazine101 Church Street Suite 175Marietta, GA 30060

678-337-7844Fax: 678-337-7825

[email protected]

Calendar of EventsAbout the CoverFinancial FocusJuly CrosswordTwenty SomethingEat the 6 Best Summer Foods for Weight LossOT Home & DesignOT Golf TipsOT FitnessOT CommunityMommy MomentsThe Emotional Value of PatienceEducational MilestonesDo You Know this Guy?What’s Cookin’?Our Five Favorite ThingsBusiness Spotlight – Furry FriendsPets of the MonthThere’s More to this Business Than You May Think


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tsSMYRNA’S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: Saturday, July 11th from 7pm to 10pm at the Village Green. Admission is FREE.Magno will perform.

FARMER’S ATLANTA ROAD MARKET: An open air market Tuesday evenings, 4 to 8pm. showcasing the area’s best farmers,bakers and food makers. Come rain or shine at St. Benedicts Episcopal Church.Browse through farm fresh produce and other delicious food. St. Benedicts Epis-copal Church at the intersection of Atlanta Road and East-West Connector 2160Cooper Lake Road, Smyrna, GA 30080 (678) 279-4300.

THE FLIGHT CLUB – SOAR INTO THE NEXT GRADE!: The Flight Club is a 15 hour program that focuses on writing, math and team

building skills. Through small groups and individualized instruction, students willawaken their author’s voice with poetry, narrative, expository, letter and creativewriting. Students will also be engaged in a variety of hands-on math centers gearedtowards broadening their arithmetic skills and math sense. In addition to cultivat-ing students’ unique gifts, The Flight Club also seeks to foster individual responsi-bility and interpersonal development through team-building activities. Theprogram was started by Jeanne Lucey and Whit McKnight, elementary teachersfrom The Westminster Schools. There are two sessions to choose from – July 27-31st or August 3rd-7th. Both sessions will be at the Pace House/Old Pavilion at3057 Paces Mill Rd. If you are interested, please email Jeanne and Whit at: [email protected].

CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1974 The Campbell High School Class of 1974 is holding their 35th Class Reunion Sat-urday, July 25, 2009 at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant at Cumberland Mall from7:00 to 11:00pm. The price is $35 per person until May 1st, $40 per person untilJune 1st, and $45 per person until July 20th. Payments cannot be received afterJuly 20th. Tickets can be purchased through PayPal on the alumni website,www.campbellhigh.webs.com, or checks can be made out to Campbell High 1974Reunion and sent to Campbell High 1974 Reunion, c/o Pamela Norton Waggoner,4201 Grady Smith Road, Loganville, GA 30052. Other events will take placethroughout the weekend where alumni can meet and catch up with old friends.These activities include a dinner on Friday the 24th at Varner’s Tavern in Smyrna,lunch at Cumberland or golf at Bentwater Golf Club in Acworth on Saturday, anda family picnic on Sunday the 26th at Jim Tolleson Park in Smyrna. More infor-mation about these events can be found on the website. Contact Pam Waggoner at404-925-5315 or Maurice Blount at 678-201-9273 if you have any questions.

ALL 4 KIDS CONSIGNMENT SALE: July 30th through August 1st at the Cobb County Fairgrounds, Jim R. Miller Park,Buildings A, B, and Equestrian Center. Cobb County’s Biggest and Best Consign-ment Event selling everything from children’s clothes, baby equipment, books,bikes and toys....to shoes, furniture, outdoor play equipment, linens and the prover-bial “little tikes” kitchen sink. We also sell name brand ‘s junior clothing and ma-ternity! With over 60,000 items this is one sale you do not want to miss. Forcomplete buying, selling and volunteer info., please visit our website atwww.all4kids.com.

SMYRNA’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: Saturday, August 1st from 6pm to 10pm. On the Village Green is where the funand fireworks happen. Celebrate the birth of Smyrna with family and friends.High energy music, festival foods, birthday festivities and a kids entertainment area.Be there early, or be there late, just be there!

BORN AGAIN BLESSINGS: Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 15th at the Cobb Civic Center, 548 S.Marietta Pkwy., Marietta. Children’s and maternity clothing, shoes, toys, nurseryitems, baby equipment, furniture and more! For special preview sales, hours, andother information, please visit www.bornagainblessings.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT REV COFFEE HOUSE: Every Wednesday night from 8 to 10pm, come to REV, grab a cup o’ joe, relax,and enjoy aspiring singer/songwriters perform. REV is located at the corner of

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Spring and Jonquil Roads across from Dairy Queen. For more information, visitwww.revcoffee.com or call 770.573.4434.

SMYRNA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: The Smyrna Business Association is an organization of local business leaders dedicatedto the objective of promoting goodwill, unity and harmony to make Smyrna a desirable,vibrant community in which to live and work. Attend luncheon meetings the 1st Thurs-day of each month at the Smyrna Community Center, participate in community eventsand networking opportunities, and promotion of their businesses within the communityon the SBA web site and publications. For additional information please visitwww.smyrnabusiness.com.

SMYRNA OPTIMIST CLUB: at the American Legion Hall on Legion Dr. each Friday morning at 7:00 am. Our pro-gram includes a breakfast and program of local interest. The purpose of the OptimistClub is to develop Optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenants of the OptimistCreed which we recite at the close of every meeting. For further information check ourweb site at smyrnaoptimist.org. VININGS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: Join us for our monthly luncheon held the first Tuesday of each month at the ViningsClub, Overlook III building, from 11:30 to 1pm. Important issues affecting your bu-siness will be discussed. Speakers and Agenda TBA.The VBA consists of business owners and managers committed to the enhancement ofthe economic vibrancy of Vinings and the promotion of its physical and financial healthof the community through social, cultural, and business networking activities. For me-eting times, please visit www.viningsbusiness.com

VININGS VILLAGE CIVIC CLUB: The Vinings Village Civic Club meets on the first Monday of each month at the CochiseClub on Cochise Drive in Vinings. All of Vinings welcome! The VVCC sponsors nu-merous programs and special events of interest to the Vinings community. Vinings res-idents and businesses sharing a commitment to maintain the character and beauty ofVinings are encouraged to become members. For more information, visit www.vin-ingsga.org or email [email protected].

VININGS ROTARY: is an organization of business and professional leaders that provide humanitarian serviceencourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace.Meetings are held each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. in the Vinings Club in Overlook III.For more information, please visit www.viningsrotary.org.

SMYRNA GOLDEN K KIWANIS: A community service organization recognized for outstanding service to our schoolsand community. Meetings are held each Tuesday at 10:00 AM in the Windy Hill SeniorCenter. For more information call 770.431.9786 or 770.801.8010.

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On another note, you mayhave noticed a new look toOur Town Magazine thismonth. In our constantquest to deliver our read-ers the best publicationthat can be produced, weare proud to introducewith our July issue a freshnew look with gloss pagesand new and improvedgraphic design. Our ad-vertising prices have re-mained constant since2007, and we continue tomail monthly the bestcolumnists, calendar andcommunity events toyour door. Thanks toboth our readers and ad-vertisers for making usthe “best darn magazine”in the Smyrna and Vinings area!

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The wonderful White family graces our July cover in red, white and blue style! All of the kids attendAtlanta Classical Christian Academy in Smyrna. Melanie is 12 years old and in the 7th grade. Twins,Dylan and Jenna are 9 and are in the 4th grade. Katie is 6 years old will attend 1st grade. They allplay Upward fl ag football and basketball and swim on the Smyrna Sharks team. The girls also playUpward softball and Dylan plays Smyrna Little League baseball. Not pictured, but a big part of thefamily is Sam, the family’s Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Dad, Courtney is a consulting actuary with Milliman in Atlanta and Mom, Shari is a full time wifeand mom. Shari and Courtney lead various parenting classes for parents of children birth throughteens. They are currently leading Growing Kids God’s Way www.growingkids.org


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Review Financial StrategiesAfter Life Events

If nothing ever changed in your life, youcould probably chart your financial andinvestment strategies and then forgetabout them. But your life is full ofchanges — and many of them will re-quire you to take a new look at how yousave, invest and protect your family.

Let’s run through some of the mostcommon milestones in life and see whatsort of moves you might make in re-sponse:

• Marriage — It sounds obvi-ous, but once you’re married, youhave to stop thinking in terms of“one” and start thinking of “two”in most aspects of your life — in-cluding your finances. For exam-ple, if you are an aggressiveinvestor but your spouse is moreconservative, you both may needto compromise and choose an in-vestment strategy that’s “downthe middle.” At the same time,you’ll want to set some common

goals, such as saving enough for adown payment on a home.

• Children — When you havechildren, you have to protectthem today — and invest for theirfuture. Your first step, then, mightbe to purchase life insurance. Youcan typically buy a term life pol-icy at very reasonable rates. Theexact amount of coverage youneed depends on your individualsituation, but you’ll probablywant at least enough to pay offyour mortgage and send yourchildren to college should any-thing happen to you. And to pro-tect your income, you might wantto consider disability insurance.Finally, it’s never too soon to startsaving for college. You mightwant to consider opening a tax-advantaged account, such as aSection 529 college savings plan.

• Job changes — When you leavefin

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the month of July!

TWENTY SOMETHINGby Lindsey Weber

I just finished looking at pictures of myfriend Brent rappelling down a cliff.

Without a safety harness.

In Afghanistan. Brent’s in the Army, training the new Afghani government’s troops. A couple of weeksago, I discovered my ex-boyfriend is enlisting in the marines. “Weird”, I thought.When we were dating, he was in seminary. Then he decided to go into life insurance.And now the marines? Well, all three careers place special emphasis on the fact thaton this planet, no one makes it out alive.

Unlike our parents, members of my generation have grown up with friends, brothers,and sisters who are deployed overseas. We’ve had to deal with adolescent stuff, likeacne, and college finals, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina like we’re jugglinggrapefruits, waiting for this thing called “maturity” that’s supposed to help.

Back in the day, my grandmother kept up with her sweetheart by writing letters everyday while he was at war. Now, I can send an email, post a blog, or even Skype withfriends of mine who are in Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s hard for me to imagine myself inthe Middle East, driving tanks, or rappelling off a cliff. But, in Brent’s own words“This is what I was made to do.”

It’s tough to grow up in a generation that largely opposes war, but supports warriors.Of course I want our friends, brothers, and sisters, back here and safe, but I also wantthem to find something that fills them with passion. For Brent and my ex, it’s the de-sire to serve and protect, to create a world where Osama bin Laden is not as much ofa household name as Paula Abdul.

It is such a blessing to live in a state of freedom, rather than a state of fear. I neverthink about atomic bombs when I’m watching the 4th of July fireworks. I don’t pic-ture hand grenades when I see toddlers squealing with joy at the sparkler in theirhand. I still have hope that my generation, the supposedly disillusioned, antagonisticgeneration, will wind up becoming a generation of redefined patriots. Patriots thatdo not blindly accept the actions of their country, but patriots who desire the greatergood for their country, and in turn, for the world.

Patriotism is not about believing your country has never flubbed up, nor is it only fo-cusing on all the places in history where the country went awry. Nor is it a bumpersticker, political party affiliation, saying (or not saying) the pledge of allegiance, or a4th of July barbecue—though I don’t object to any of the aforementioned items. Per-haps being a patriot is simply hoping. Hoping in prayer, in our government, or in ahigher power, to guide our nation.

Despite our mistakes we are still a nation of heroes. Despite our failures we continueto triumph, as a people and as a country, acknowl-edging past mistakes and still finding our proper rolein the international community. Patriotism is not thecelebration of what our country’s values have re-flected in the past, but it is the action of fanninginto flame the hope that our country has the po-tential for greater kindness, greater generosity,greater mercy, and greater justice in the years tocome.

Once we lose that hope, we’re just repelling with-out a safety harness.

Lindsey Weber can be reached at [email protected]


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You don’t need to starve yourself on a crazy fad diet if you want to look leanerin your shorts or swimsuit this summer. The secret to weight loss is to choosehealthy foods and to take in fewer calories that you burn. It’s easier to makebetter food choices in the summer time, when heavy, high calorie dishes seemless appealing. The best foods for weight loss in summer are light, refreshingand keep you out of the hot kitchen. It’s just best to go fresh!

The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is toload up on nature’s perfect foods. Produce is at its peak in summer. Deliciousfruits and vegetables abound at farmers’ markets and in your local grocery. Be-sides high in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, thesefood choices are also much lower in calories than traditional comfort foods.

The fresher your choices are…the more your weight loss efforts will becomeapparent.

Chilled Soups

All kinds of produce in cold soups are great low-calorie dishes. Chilled soupslike gazpacho or cucumber- dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are agreat way to start a meal. Research shows that low-calorie broth-based soup atthe beginning of a meal will fill you up and you will eat less.

Watermelon

Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it’s hotoutside? Half of the watermelon comes from water. It’s a wonderful way tosatisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet. Be sure to choose organic producesources for better tasting, healthier results.

Grilled Veggies

A plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have if you want to turn upthose fat burning abilities. Keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zuc-chini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus and garlic in your fridge is a great way tokeep a healthy snack on hand whenever you need it.

Salads

Salads are probably one of the best quick diet fixes available. Including one totwo salads per day in your diet can be enough to start losing weight even if noother modifications are done to your diet. The key is to use fresh vegetables andavoid high calorie dressing. Dressings like lemon and olive oil and light raspberryvinaigrettes are great. Also avoid heavy cheeses. By adding good proteins to yoursalad, you will find that the salad becomes very filling and satisfying.

Low and No-calorie Beverages

Avoid processed sugar drinks and artificial sweeteners when possible. Recentstudies show that artificial sweeteners can be just as bad for your metabolismas sugar. Beverages can be the sole reason for summer weight gain. So it’s keyto keep them in check by using water as your stable beverage of choice.

Fruit -Based Deserts

Keep your cravings under control by substituting all sweets with healthier, naturalsolutions such as grilling fruit with your favorite meals. You will find that partiallycaramelized fruit can be a very satisfying and yummy alternative to ice cream.

The Secret 2 Fat Loss: Eat the 6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Lossby James Wong


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Brooke...by Brooke Merrill a

I have always subscribed to the notion that the common areas of my home (hallways, foyer,living room) should be painted a very light and neutral color. We are due for a complete interiorcolor make-over and I was wondering if it would be passé to use a color other than tan or beigein these areas. It would be expensive to redo, so I don’t want to make a poor decision.

— Carol T.

Most people prefer the safety of a light neutral color in their common areas and living spaces, but Ialways encourage my clients to take a chance with color even for areas that are typically painted aneutral color.

If you don’t get a lot of light in the areas in question, you may want to try a rich butter creaminstead of tan or beige. Three Benjamin Moore colors I have had much success with are Desert Tan(actually a rich butter yellow), Waterbury Cream, and Monroe Bisque. They are all relatively lightand add a rich element with gold undertones.

I also suggest using a very dramatic color in your foyer area. A deep red, eggplant, or navy blue area great way to make a striking impression on guests and visitors. In one instance, I used a beautifulsage green (Benjamin Moore’s Dry Sage) for a client looking to use only one color for an open foyer,stairwell, living room, and dining room. It was dramatic enough to make an impact, but neutralenough to go with the décor in each room.

Lastly, if only a light, neutral beige will be appropriate, I break out my magic bag full of accent wallcolors. An angled wall under the stairwell, a fireplace wall in the living room, or a window wall inan open dining room can all be used to the best advantage by throwing a deep color in the mix.Accent walls can easily be changed and updated with your mood and décor, so the risk is minimal.


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hipping seems to be paramount in having a good round of golf just about anywhere. I hear more members say their chip-

ping is so bad they now putt where they should be chipping. Tech-nique and confidence play a big part in good chipping.

I suggest you

• First decide what kind of shot you want to hit; a lofty soft land-ing shot or chip and run shot.

• Choose the right club for that shot, this is a personal preference on how you see & feel the shot.

• Know exactly where you want that ball to land and how muchyou’re expecting the shot to run.

Here are some similarities to either shot you choose to hit• Feet closer together, inside your armpits

• A slightly stronger left hand grip for righties and stronger right

hand grip for lefties

• There is no breakdown in the wrists

• The club should stay true to the line or direction of the shotyou’ve chosen.

• Commit to the shot

• Short backswing and hit slightly down on the ball.

• Keep your head down through the shot.

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He can be contacted at [email protected].


It’s that time of year…vacation time! That means the beach, the pool, shorts, tank tops,swim suits, etc. Summer is the time where we are basically forced to show a little skin…unless of course you want to look ridiculous at the pool wearing a fur coat and snow pants.

Hopefully you have already taken the proper steps to get your body looking the way you wantit to by exercising (hopefully in boot camp : ) and eating right! If you have been working hardto get in shape, then the last thing you want to do is blow it on vacation. While it may not bepossible to completely negate several months of hard work in just a week or two, you can def-initely take several steps backwards!

I also believe that vacation should be a time to relax and not stress about health and fitness.

So the best answer is to find a happy medium. Below are 5 EASY things you can do whileon vacation to at least maintain your smokin’ physique:

MORNING CARDIO —Nothing starts the day off right like a good run on the beach or wherever it is you are vaca-tioning. Getting up 30 minutes early before the day begins, is a great way to kick start yourmetabolism and burn a few extra calories without cutting into “fun time”. An early morningrun will also keep you motivated to eat better throughout the day because you don’t want towork that hard only to “ruin” it by eating junk all day.

EAT HEALTHY MEALS UNTIL DINNER TIME —Eating healthy all day while on vacation is unrealistic. It really wouldn’t be vacation if youdid. My advice is to eat healthy until dinner time and then splurge (and drink your alcohol: ). Eating a low fat/low sugar breakfast followed by a few healthy snacks and a healthy lunch,keeps your metabolism humming throughout the day so you aren’t going completely bananasand driving your metabolism into the ground.

PACK YOUR OWN HEALTHY SNACKS —Before going on vacation I make sure I throw some protein bars, almonds, a couple ofpieces of fruit, protein powder, trail mix, etc into my bag so that I am not at the mercyof the resort/hotel when I get hungry. Doing this makes tip #2 much easier to do!

SNEAK IN A COUPLE OF RESISTANCE WORKOUTS —Whether you do this at the hotel gym or right in your room (there are plenty of exercisesthat can be done in your hotel room), doing some resistance work will keep your me-tabolism revved up and build a little lean muscle which in turn burns fat!!! Burning faton vacation…pretty cool! Doing this (along with the cardio in the mornings) also keeps

you in the habit of exercise so when you return home you can jump right back on thehorse without missing a beat!

DON’T RENT A CAR…RENT A BIKE —This year save some money and burn some extra calories by using a bicycle as your pri-mary mode of transportation throughout the day. Re-live your childhood by riding yourbike to go shopping, to go to lunch, or go site seeing. It’s a great way to spend fun timewith the family and get some exercise at the same time!

If you plan on going away this summer, apply the above techniques and you will remainfit and trim while still having a great time! Keeping up with your exercise and eatingfrequent healthy meals will also keep your energy up so you can enjoy your vacation tothe fullest without feeling bogged down by fattening foods! Have a great trip!!!

Jason Goggans, B.A., ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, graduate of the Univer-sity of Florida and fitness professionals located in

Kennesaw and Marietta, GA. Goggans is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps and hasposted more information on his website, www.BodyBackBootCamps.com.

Log on to receive a copy of Jason’ s latest report, “10 Quick Ways to Weight Loss…How to Look and Feel Better FAST!”

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5 TIpS TO a HEalTHY VacaTION

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SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS The Smyrna Business Associ-ation awarded two $1,000 scholarships to area high schoolstudents at its June meeting. Ronice Bryant, a graduate of Os-borne High School, is a member of the Community Coali-tion, a senator in Student Government, works on theyearbook staff and will attend Kennesaw State University.Drew Jackson, a Campbell High graduate, is a member ofBeta Club and volunteers at MUST. He will attend GeorgiaCollege and State University. From left are Ronice Bryant,Jim Duelmer, Charlie Ambroselli and Drew Jackson.

Mark your calendars and save the date! The SmyrnaBusiness Association presents their 2ndannual golf tournament to be held atDogwood Golf Club on Thursday,September 17. Registration for thisfour-man scramble begins at 7:30 amand the Shotgun Start is scheduled for8:30 am. The proceeds will benefit theSBA’s Partners in Education schools, Campbell and Os-borne. Earnings will also benefit the annual Police andFire Fighter Appreciation BBQ, school supplies for under-privileged students, and Holiday shop with a Firefighter.The SBA is looking for tournament sponsors to help withthis great event. Contact Ty Belcher at 404.394.6875 [email protected] for information, reser-vations or sponsorship packet.

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SMYRNA BUSINESS PERSONOF THE YEAR

Kirby Winters, co-owner of Smyrna-based Solar Velocity, was namedSmyrna Business Person of the Year by the Smyrna Business Association atits monthly meeting at the Smyrna Community Center. The awardwas presented by Jim Duelmer, of Vinings Mortgage, last year'saward winner. "This is truly an honor. Having grown up here, it isa pleasure to be able to build a business and raise a family inSmyrna," Winters said. Solar Velocity, founded by Winters and Jason Swenk, is a Smyrna-based eMarketing and Technology leader, specializing in web technologies, creative services, interactive, social, email and searchmarketing. Duelmer noted that Solar Velocity, founded in 1999, employs 22 people and has been named one of the top 25 small businesses for the seventh year in a row by the Cobb Chamber ofCommerce and was recipient of the 2008 Innovative Company ofthe year in Cobb County.Winters is a native of Cobb County, graduating from PebblebrookHigh and Emory University. He served on the board of the SmyrnaBusiness Association and as president in 2005. He is a member ofVinings Rotary.


Every generation thinks it’s more revolutionary than the last, especially when it comes to parenting.But if you’ll notice, what’s old is always new.

Names are a perfect example. Today’s little girls share names with the gray-haired ladies in yourgrandma’s quilting club. Old-fashioned names like Eleanor, Madeline, and Sadie are back in vogue.Same for boys: Henry, Charlie, and Samuel are all the rage. If you want an unusual name for yourbaby try Jennifer or Todd. Guaranteed your child will be the only one on the playground.

Diapering trends re-emerge. Our grandmothers used cloth diapers because they had no choice.Today’s mother uses cloth diapers because she wants to go green. I’m all for saving Mother Earth,but washing out diapers is where I draw the line.

Now you would think that something so basic to a baby’s health and well being as breastfeedingwould be immune to trends. Unfortunately not. My mom didn’t breastfeed my older brothers be-cause it wasn’t encouraged at the time. Yet she nursed me because, by the time I was born, it waschic again.

But our generation has one thing that is truly unique. While our grandmas spent afternoons onfront porches, chat-ting with momsabout toddler napsand teen crazes, werev up our comput-ers and check statusupdates on Face-book.

Moms nationwideare so addicted theyput their kids to bedearly so they can

Facebook. (Don’t ask how I know this.) The addictive part is that you reconnect with people youhaven’t talked to since junior high—and truth be told, you’d never talk to again under regular cir-cumstances. You can peak into their lives, and they can peak into yours.

The beauty of Facebook is that you can be as private or open as you want.

One woman—who I hadn’t talked to since childhood—posted every detail of her pregnancy, labor,and delivery. When she was pushing, she posted it. When the baby was born, she immediatelyposted pictures. I felt like I was in the delivery room with her.

Normally, maybe even thankfully, I would never have known these details. It’s not like she would’vecalled. Heck, we don’t even know each other’s phone numbers. But I knew her baby’s weight,length, and name minutes after he was born thanks to Facebook. (And I think the baby got hisown Facebook account set-up before they snipped the umbilical cord.)

Personally, I might not post that much information. (Ok…Yes, I would. I write all my thoughts inthis column, so what’s the difference? )

I’m a Facebook fan. I love finding out about people I’ve always wondered about. I love seeing con-nections I never knew existed. I love asking other moms their opinions anytime I want. Yet I thinkour grandmas were on to something with the front porches.

You can’t replace good, old, flesh-and-blood friends. So all youFacebook moms, post that you’re having a playgroup on yourfront porch. There, you can discuss the latest “I’m pushing!” post.

Everything Old is New Again…Almostby Shasta Clark

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tsShasta Clark, a former writer for CNN Headline Newsis a freelance journalist who writes about her mostchallenging job yet, motherhood. You may contacther at [email protected]


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Patience is a virtue. We’ve all heard and most likely agreewith this long honored concept. However, the value and impact of maintaining a lifelived with patience is not only virtuous – it is tremendously beneficial to contentmentand general life satisfaction. The attribute of patience goes a long way towards a goalof creating a more peaceful self. Without patience, life is extremely frustrating. A per-sistently impatient person is easily annoyed, bothered and irritated which contributesto unhappiness. Patience adds a dimension of ease and acceptance to life and is essentialfor inner serenity. Together with perseverance, patience contributes to success.

It is common to overestimate what can be accomplished in the hours of a day and tounderestimate the hassles that will accompany tasks. We live in a speeded up worldwhere everything has become instant. Instant messaging, email, text, cell phones en-courage an attitude and belief that we should never have to wait. Given these issues,it is easy to understand how as a culture we have become less patient.

Impatience can be bad for your physical health. Impatience causes stress, weakens theimmune system and forces the heart to beat faster and harder. It has long been knownthat people with impatient “Type A” personalities have a much higher risk of hyper-tension and heart disease. Impatient, agitated people forget how to relax. Intense emo-tional stress can result in intestinal disturbances, stiff necks and backs, and headaches.Impatience also can impair the ability to think clearly and make good decisions.

Additionally, chronic and extreme impatience can develop into a deeply ingrained senseof resentment, and anger. This is created out of the belief that the world is unfair witha desire to sabotage and cause harm. These outraged people see themselves as unfor-tunate victims of negative forces and have feelings of powerlessness. Whenever we

hold on to resentment, we turn “small stuff” intoreally “big stuff”. We start to believe that ouropinions and beliefs are more important than ourhappiness. They are not. If you want to be amore peaceful person you must understand thatbeing right is almost never more important thatallowing yourself to be happy.

The good news is …patience can be learned.The bad news is…patience is only learnedthrough opportunities to practice it!

I want to offer a few guidelines to improve asense of calm and patience.

Treat others the way you want to be treated. Tol-erance is essential.

Remember not everyone operates at the samespeed. Slowing down to a slower pace may behelpful to you. Why are you in such a hurry?

Remind yourself that the world is not all aboutyou.

Most impatience is due to perception and expec-tation. “Stuff happens” and unrealistic expec


The Emotional Value of Patienceby Leisa A. Bailey, Ph.D.


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sIn the fall we will send our oldest son off to college. This stage of his life has comeway too fast for us. It seems like yesterday that we were planning his first day ofpreschool. I am filled with a mixture of emotions but these feelings are now familiar.As I recall each major step along the path to his schooling, there was a certain amountof anxiety, stress and excitement. Like all parents, I want his experiences to be won-derful. I wish for him to make good friends, stay safe, do well academi-cally and have the time of his life. Of course, I know that I can’tbe there to ensure that he always makes the best choices.Therefore, it seems like a good time to review thethings every student should know.

The following advice is what I tell my childrenand my patients as they prepare to enter middleschool, high school and college. Hopefully, thesethoughts will be useful to parents as they helptheir own children cope with these important ed-ucational milestones.

Friends are essential. They will be animportant support system with whom you willshare good and bad times. However, make certainthat you choose good people to be your friends. They willhave a tremendous influence upon you. If your friends skip class, usedrugs or make other poor choices, you will, too. Anyone who tries to con-vince you to do bad things is not a true friend. Surround yourself with pos-itive people who are headed for success and they will carry you far.

Take advantage of extracurricular activities. It is importantto balance your classroom work with music, sports and community service.Get involved. This is a great way to make friends and lower stress. Make

time for fun. It is good for you.

Don’t forget why you are there. Your education is a privilege thatshould not be taken for granted. Many children in the world will never getthis opportunity. Do your best in everything you do. Learn as much as youcan and take pride in your work. It is good preparation for the “real world.”

Remember that life is not always fair and sometimes things will not goyour way. However, you can learn as much from your failures as

your successes (maybe more).

Take care of yourself. Eat right, exercise and getenough rest. Allowing your body to get run down willonly hamper your ability to perform. Keep your headon your shoulders and don’t do things that impair yourjudgment. When you feel ready to make grown upchoices, be responsible. A careless decision can alter

your life. When you need advice, talk to an adult. Youwill be surrounded by teachers, counselors and mentors

who are happy to help you.

Talk to your family. They want to know if you are strug-gling or unhappy. They want to know who your friends are. But

mostly, they want you to know that they will love you no matter what.Whether you need comfort or celebration, it is important to share your lifewith the people who care about you.

Each new step in the educational process is an opportunity to make a fresh start.These milestones should be very special. If your child is excessively worried aboutstarting a new school or transitioning to the next step in life, see a doctor. Don’t letanxiety and fear spoil these moments. Counseling may be needed to improve copingskills and deal with extreme emotions.

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ROTARY CLUB OF SMYRNA: Smyrna leaders meet each Tuesday for fellowship. We invite you to get involved andlearn more about the Smyrna Rotary. We meet each Tuesday in the City of SmyrnaCommunity Center (200 Village Green Circle) at 12:15 p.m. with rich programs.Smyrna Rotary meetings are loaded with fellowship and our speakers program is outs-tanding. To learn more, please visit www.smyrnarotary.com.

KIWANIS CLUB OF SMYRNA: A spirited group of men and women, dedicated to improving the quality of life in theSmyrna community, meet every Wednesday at the Piccadilly Cafeteria on South CobbDrive from 11:30 - 1:00 P.M. Lunch is FREE to all guests. Call Gary at 770-438-6961for more information.

WINDY HILL SENIOR CENTER: A variety of activities take place at the Windy Hill Senior Center in Smyrna. MovieMadness, Dining Out, The Stardust Dance Club, and even Bingo! Call 770-801-5320 for a complete schedule and detailed information.

PARENTS OF MULTIPLES CLUB: Providing support, education and fun to all parents and caregivers of multiples wholive, work or like to play in the Intown Atlanta area (inside and near 285). For detailedinformation, please visit www.intownatlantapomc.org or email [email protected].

MOMS Club:Ever feel like you’re the only mother who stays home? You are not alone! Come meetother at-home mothers at the MOMS Club! We are an international nonprofit or-ganization for the at-home mother of today! Chapters have monthly meetings withspeakers, park play days, holiday family parties, outings for mothers and their children,and activity groups like playgroups, arts and crafts, a monthly MOMS Night Out, andbabysitting co-ops. We also do service projects to help needy children. Our activitiesare during the day, when mothers at home need support, and mothers may bring theirchildren with them to our activities. For meeting times and more information aboutMOMS Club or to find the chapter nearest you, please visit www. Momsclub.org.

WEST MARIETTA AGLOW COMMUNITY LIGHTHOUSE (WMA): A local group of Aglow International, a worldwide women’s group, is coming toSmyrna. The group will meet the first Thursday of every month at the Smyrna Com-munity Center (200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna, 30080) in the Community Roomon the first floor. For more information visit us at www.westmariettaaglow.org or call404-935-8248.

NEWCOMERS OF COBB COUNTY: The Newcomers Club of Cobb County holds a wide variety of social activities through-out the month including Bridge, Canasta, Book Club, Maj Jongg, Ladies Night Out,Golf, Bunco, Chick Flicks, Out to Lunch, Out and About Atlanta, and Weekend PotLuck Dining. Please call Elsa at 770.956.7965 for more information.

ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP: Free. Woodland Ridge Assisted Living, 4005 S. Cobb Drive, Smyrna. Every 3rd Sat-urday of each month at 10am. Facilitated by independent counselors and sanctionedby the Alzheimer’s Association of Georgia. For further information, call 770.431.7055or email [email protected] for details.

STROLLER STRIDES: Stroller Strides is a total fitness program that includes power walking and intervals ofbody toning using exercise tubing and the stroller. Taught by nationally certified instruc-tors, it’s a great workout for any level of exerciser. In 60 minutes, you will get a total bodyworkout improving your cardiovascular endurance, your strength and your flexibility.The classes are equally beneficial for babies as Irving will weave songs through the workoutand incorporate activities to make it fun. For more information on Stroller Strides ofSmyrna or about upcoming events, please contact Tamara Irving at (888) 227-4312.

If you have an event for the Our Town Calendar, please e-mail us at [email protected]. Listings are free, but space is limited! Deadline forcalendar submissions is the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue.

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)a job, you may well have an important decision to make about

your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. Ifyou don’t need the money right away, you might want to avoidcashing out your plan, because you’ll likely face an immediatetax bill — and you’ll have fewer resources for retirement. Con-sequently, you may want to roll your 401(k) to an IRA or yournew employer’s plan, if it allows such transfers. Before takingaction, consult with your tax advisor.

• Remarriage — If you ever remarry, you may need to changethe beneficiary designations on your 401(k), IRA and other in-vestment accounts. You also may need to work with your at-torney to revise your will, living trust and other documentsrelated to your estate plans.

• Retirement — For many decades, you saved and invested foryour retirement. Once you retire, however, you should moveaway somewhat from the “accumulation” phase and startthinking instead of how best to manage the money you haveaccumulated. That means you’ll need to decide when to starttaking Social Security and how much to withdraw each yearfrom your various retirement accounts, such as your 401(k)and IRA. A professional financial advisor can help you developa withdrawal rate that’s suitable for your individual situation.

You’ll encounter many important events on the road of life. By mak-ing the right financial moves along the way, you can help make thejourney more pleasant.

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Julie Rea, AAMS is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. Her office is located at 2849 Paces Ferry Road,

Ste 140 in Atlanta. 770-432-7649 [email protected]


Everybody knows this guy. He is the one who shows up at functions and weasels his wayinto every conversation where he can espouse some useless tidbit of information and thenstand there like he has just produced manna from heaven expecting everyone to be awedby his encyclopedic knowledge. He will frequent establishments that host “trivia nights”and will win a free sandwich for three hours worth of scribbling on a bar napkin the an-swers to the most irrelevant queries. He may be related to you, but most likely he is thefriend of a friend who you don’t really care for and yet somehow has the innate ability toshow up where not invited and hog conversations with his “historical perspective” on cur-rent events. He is the guy whose wife stands slightly behind him during one of his solilo-quies rolling her eyes while silently mouthing, “I’m SO sorry.” By the way, did I mentionI am that guy!

Yes, this Fourth of July I will be visiting your patio’s, decks and pools attempting to defeatyou in some self-imagined battle-of-wits by throwing out gems like “I see your pies areround, but you know their filling ‘R Squared.’” Or by pointing out that the hot dogs wetraditionally eat on this day originated in Vienna, Austria and not Germany where beefand pork were mixed to create smaller versions of Frankfurters, or Wiener Wurschten.

So before you have me thrown off your property for trespassing or mace me I am going toprovide you with a bit of cerebral information to combat the most annoying thing to hityour celebration besides the mosquitoes…me!

First, the Fourth of July commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independenceand NOT the start of the Revolutionary War; we had been fighting for almost a year beforewe explained why.

The American Flag is made up of three colors which signify nothing. The same colorswere used much later for the Great Seal and only then were they given attributes. BetsyRoss just had a lot of red, white and blue fabric hanging around.

John Hancock was NOT the first to sign the Declaration of Independence; its author was,Thomas Jefferson.

The Revolutionary War could also be called the Colonial Civil War as the bulk of theBritish fighting force, more than 50%, were colonialists who supported King George III.They were known as Loyalists.

The colonial population at the time of the conflict hovered around 2.5 million, of thatonly 43% favored revolution, 32% favored Britain and 25% were just waiting around forleftovers.

The Star Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key was written during the War of1812 and NOT the American Revolution. It was originally entitled “The Defence of FortMcHenry” and was later superimposed onto a British drinking song “The AnacreonticSong,” which espoused the joys of wine and women.

This Fourth of July 95% of all the fireworks detonated during the celebration of our in-dependence will have been purchased and imported from China.

This Fourth of July 90% of all the American Flags flown in celebration of our struggle tosecure our liberty and ability to pursue happiness will be imported from, you guessed it,China.

The Declaration of Independence does NOT guarantee the freedom of the press. That’sin the first 10 amendments to the U. S. Constitution.

Guess where else you won’t find freedom of the press? You guessed it…China.

Where could I be imprisoned for writing what I just did?

Happy Fourth my fellow Americans and please let me eat before you kick me out!!

Mark Orler is a full-time husband, father, and part-time observations. Mark can bereached at [email protected]

Do You Know This Guy? by Mark Orler


Buffalo Style Chicken Wings6lbs chicken wings4 tablespoons melted butter½ bottle hot sauceDash of garlic salt

Clip off chicken wing tip at first joint. Washand pat dry. Cook chicken wings overmedium heat on gas or charcoal grill for 25minutes or until done. Mix butter, hot sauceand garlic salt in a bowl. Place ¼ of thecooked wings in the bowl, cover and shake.Place wings on a tin foil covered sheet and lethot sauce mixture dry. Repeat using the restof the wings. When ready to eat, bake at 400degrees for 15 minutes.

Marinated Country Ribs3(3lbs each) packages country style ribs1/3 cup soy sauce3 tablespoons salad oil1 teaspoon ground ginger¼ teaspoon pepper1 clove garlic, crushed1 teaspoon dry mustard

Parboil ribs until tender; drain well. Mix re-maining ingredients together and pour overribs; marinate 24 hours, rotate several times.Prepare grill and cook ribs until done, bastingwith remaining marinade. This is a wonderfulsummer time meal.

Three Bean Bake1 (32 ounce) can pork and beans1 (16ounce) can lima beans1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans½ cup onions, chopped2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped½ cup brown sugar1 cup ketchup1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 tablespoon mustard½ cup cream cheese

Brown onions, and combine with all remain-ing ingredients except for the cream cheese.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, addingthe cream cheese the last 10 minutes.

Chess Bars1 (18.5 ounce) box yellow cake mix with pud-ding½ cup butter, softened1 cup pecans, chopped1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened1 (16 ounce) box confectioner’s sugar2 eggs½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix cake mix and butter to-gether by hand. (If the butterseems to hard, place in mi-crowave for a few secondsand then mix with cake.)Press the mixture into a 9 x13-inch pan. Sprinklechopped pecans evenly overthe cake mixture. Com-bine the remaining ingre-dients and blend togetheruntil smooth and wellmixed. Pour over pecansand tip pan to distribute mixture evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool com-pletely before cutting. This recipe freezes well.

Recipe courtesy of the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta. All recipes for the October menuare from the Georgia on my Menu cookbook.To purchase a copy, please [email protected] All proceeds ben-efit the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta

An American Dinner…Happy Fourth of July!

ALL YOU CAN EAT Fresh, Homemade Soup Bar (selections change daily)

Salad Bar • Potato Bar • Fresh Baked Breads

Monday - Saturday 11:00 am to 8:30 pm

2945 Cobb Parkway • Akers Mill Square Shopping CenterAtlanta, GA 30339 • 770.955.5726

SOUPGARDEN

NEW BRUNCH MENULIVE MUSIC ON THURSDAY & FRIDAY

DJ SEVEN ON SATURDAY & SUNDAY NIGHTSMcCray’s West Village Tavern

is located inside the West Village • 4500 West Village Pl678-370-9112 • www.mccraystavern.com


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I must be the last one on earth because I haven’t seen anyoneelse ask about this issue, but I am still dealing with my husband’sunnatural attachment to a smelly, ugly recliner in an otherwisetasteful living room. We are in the market for a new recliner, soPLEASE tell me how I can make the new recliner fit in with myother furniture.

Sonia M.

I hesitate to ask what you mean by “unnatural attachment”, but youare most certainly not the last woman on earth dealing with thisproblem. Luckily, La-Z- Boy is no longer synonymous with“hideously ugly recliner”. They have stayed up to date with today’strends, and most of the recliners are disguised in pretty, stylish pack-ages.

Take your current fabric swatches with you to the store so that youcan pick the perfect fabric for the new recliner. I am sure you willbe pleasantly surprised by the selection of fabric options they have,though don’t expect your husband to be equally ecstatic. If I amcorrect, he is probably wondering why you feel the need to buy anew recliner in the first place. Your husband will want to bring theremote control with him for the most realistic demonstration of whatthey have to offer. He can spend the hour test driving all of the chairsin the store while you peruse the fabric swatches.

Brooke Merrill is an Interior Designer and the owner of Brooke Merrill Homes in Smyrna. 770-432-7425.

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tations about uninterrupted smooth sailing will create disappoint-ment and resentment.

Setbacks are temporary. Remember, “This, too, shall pass.”

Trying to do too much sets you up for impatience – avoid overwhelm-ing yourself! While often times useful, multi-tasking can be a curse!

And finally - -

Be patient with yourself as you learn patience.

Leonardo da Vinci wrote: “Patience serves as a protection againstwrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes asthe cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manneryou must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, andthey will then be powerless to vex your mind.”

Dr. Bailey is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist

with a private practice in Marietta.

You can learn more about her by visiting:

www.marietta-psychologist.com.

You may reach her at (770) 428-6698

or [email protected].

Your comments or questions are welcome.

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Debbie Meyer Green Bags. Thesebags are designed to prolong the life of yourfruit and vegetables. They are reusable andhelp you save money by wasting less food.I’ve used them all month long and have beenmore than pleased! www.greenbags.com

Boutier Winery’s Elegance Vin Rouge. Thiswine is a marvelous blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon andMerlot with a complex flavor and a big robust red color! Wediscovered this fabulous wine at one of their wine tastings.So smooth! Boutier Winery is located in the Piedmont Re-gion of Georgia. They have a shop in downtown Acworthwhere you can taste and purchase their great selection of localwines. Visit www.boutierwinery.com for more information.

Atlanta.MomsLikeMe.com You’ve probably heardthis site advertised on TV or radio. This is the place whereAtlanta area moms connect and share experiences aboutbeing both a mom and a woman! You can ask questions,offer advice and swap stories with other local moms. Savemoney by printing dozens of coupons from their couponspage. You can plan fun activities with your children that areconvenient to where you live in their “Things to Do” section.Check it out! Our Town did, and we loved it.

American Wife by Curtis SittenfeldI have to admit I was skeptical when I first startedto read this book, but was won over after the firstchapter or two. The book is based loosely on thelife of Laura Bush and begins with her childhoodin Wisconsin. Whether you are a fan of her hus-band’s politics or not, you will fall into this wellwritten “roman a clef”. Narrator, Alice Blackwell,describes growing up in a small town, enduringan unthinkable tragedy and marrying into a fam-ily that changes her life forever. Great beachread!

Jewelry Organizers I found this ideain 100 Ideas Magazine and thought it was great! Oldpicture frames backed with masonite hardboard, covered with your favorite wall-paper, or any decorative paper. Use pushpins or drawer knobs—even decorativedoor knobs to hang and organize necklaces and bracelets while creating a beautifulcollage in any room. Try using screen as a backing to hang your earrings!


• Socialization for your dog

• No lonely days in a crate at home

• Individual cages for eating andsleeping

• Supervised play during the day

• Avoid messes in your home.

• Relieve your stress and your dogs.

Bark up the right tree - choose Furry Friends Academy for all of your daycare and boarding needs!

3773 South Cobb Drive • Smyrna770-436-1818

Hours: Mon- Friday 7:00 am -7:30 pm • Sat- Sun 10am-6pm770-436-1818

Bark up the right tree - choose Furry Friends Academy for all of your daycare and boarding needs!

FURRY FRIENDS ACADEMYb

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It’s no secret that we love our petsat Our Town Magazine and welove the people and businesses thattake care of them. This month wecaught up with Lorie Knupp,owner of Furry Friends Academyon South Cobb Drive to shareher secrets of success and insight

on what makes FFA tick. Lorieopened FFA in October of 2003. Sheis a registered nurse and had alreadyenjoyed two separate careers: one in ahospital setting for 12 years and thesecond in corporate management foranother 12 years. She was ready tomake a big change in her life and startedstudying dogs and their behaviors.Armed with knowledge and love forthese furry animals she decided to makethe leap and Furry Friends Academy wasborn!

We asked Lorie what sets her apart from the other daycare and boarding facilities in the area.“Our dogs have a private area of their own for sleeping and eating. Because we have kennels,our dogs are not required to interact with a group of dogs 24 hours a day. We are able to cus-tomize their care to meet their particular needs. Not all dogs are able to handle an environmentwhere they do not have their own space. At FFA, we can let them rest when they need it andsocialize when they would like to.”

Furry Friends Academy is home to a 5000 square foot indoor facility and provides 6000 squarefeet of outdoor space for their dogs. They have separate play areas inside and outside to separate

the large dogs and small dogs. Dogs are taken out early in the morning and late at night byour 24 hour attendant. During the day the dogs are outside at daycare except for a short nap.All dogs must by spayed and neutered and FFA must have a copy of their current shot records.A big concern for pet owners is acclimating their dogs for boarding. Lorie told us, “We suggestthat owners bring their pets in for a day of daycare prior to boarding so their pet can familiarizethemselves with our staff and the environment. Every once in awhile, we find that a dog is nota good fit for this type of facility. This allows the owners the ability to find a different boardingsituation for their pet.”

We were curious about drop-in day care. Everyone with a pet knows what it’s like to have anemergency come up and daycare is a must. At Furry Friends Academy this is not a problem.There are no monthly daycare commitments required. Once your dog has been to their facility,a reservation for drop-in daycare is not needed. They do recommend that reservations be madefor boarding, as there are times when they are full.

The Furry Friends Academy website is a treat in itself. Log onto www.furryfriendsacademy.comand you will find everything you need to know about the facility and more. You can’t helpbut smile at the many testimonials that pet owners have posted about this great haven. Weasked Lorie to share with us some of her observations and a story or two as the owner of FFAover the years. Lorie said, “An interesting thing that we see with new dogs is that they tendto gravitate towards dogs of the same breed or dogs that look like them when they are first in-troduced to the group. Also the parents often have no idea how attached we get to their dogs.Even though we love them all, we all have dogs that have a special place in our hearts. Weworry about them when they are sick, and we worry a lot when we don’t see one of our olderdogs for a while for fear that something may have happened to them. One mother brought asuitcase full of clothes , raincoats, sweaters, jackets and pajamas for her dogs and gave us verydetailed instructions about making sure to check them during the night and asked us to removetheir pajamas if they got too hot.” :) And that as they say- is all in a day’s work and the lifeat Furry Friends Academy where your dog is a part of a wonderful loving family!

Furry Friends Academy is located at 3773 South Cobb Drive in Smyrna. 770-436-1818www.furryfriendsacademy.com.

Parker Dude and his lit-tle brother Rowdyjust love each otherso much. ParkerDude’s favoritething to do is goswimming over atNana and Papa’swhile Rowdy’s fa-vorite thing is to goand play with hisyounger, but much largercousin Tucker. Both havebeen proven to be expert diggers.

Lily is an affectionate and

playful West Highland

Terrier. She loves her

walks on the Village Green

and greets all the babies

with a kiss. She loves

playing with her friends

Amy, Roadie, Bailey, James,

Toby, Artie and Zoe. She

keeps our garden safe

from chipmunks. She

chases Lulu, her favorite

toy, and makes us laugh.

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If you would like your pet to be Our Town’s Pet of the Month, please send aphoto with a short bio to:Our Town Magazine, 101 Church Street

Suite 175, Marietta, GA 30060 or email it to [email protected]


• Full-Service Animal Hos-pital

• In-House Bloodwork• Late Evening & Week-end Appointments

• On-Line Services• Boarding for Dogs under20lbs. and Cats

• Dog Obedience Classes

1860-D Spring RoadSmyrna - in the Spring Village Shopping Center770.433.1414 • www.cumberlandanimalclinic.com

Monday and Friday 8 - 6

Tuesday thru Thursday 8 - 8

Saturday 9 - 1 • Sunday CLOSED

Michael D. Friedlander, D.V.M.Cat Care of Vinings Services

Early Morning Drop-Off and Late Pick-Up ServicesAnnual Examinations, Vaccinations, Behavioral Consultations

Surgery, Dentistry, Ultrasound and Digital X-rayCondominium and “Special Needs” Boarding

Supervised by Our Highly Trained Medical StaffLocated in the Vinings Court Shopping Center-Upper Level

4691 S. ATLANTA RD. • SUITE 200 • SMYRNA404.792.0700 • www.catcareofvinings.com

HOURS: WEEKDAYS 7AM - 7PM, SATURDAY 8AM - 12PM

Toward the end of the school year, a sixth grader called and asked if she could interview a veteri-narian for a school project. She had questions about our training and what we do every day. Itmade me think that a lot of people may not be aware of how vets get to be vets, and the wide pathour careers can take.

Most veterinarians have an undergraduate collegiate degree in biological science or animal science.Then, veterinary school is another four years. The challenge is, there are only 28 veterinary schoolsin the United States (compare that to more than 130 human medical schools). A mere love ofanimals isn’t going to get you there. Grades and test scores are important, but so are people skills.Every four-legged creature that walks in our door has a human with it.

During our training, we spent equal amounts of time in the classroom learning to treat large an-imals and small animals. We were trained to spay a cat or treat a dog hit by a car – and to pullcalves and diagnose flocks of chickens. For four years, our professors tried to instill on us knowl-edge of the ways in which our patients were much the same, and the ways each species was uniquelydifferent.

My job as a small animal practitioner is by far the most visible career choice for a doctor of vet-erinary medicine (that’s what the DVM stands for), but not the only choice. Seven out of 10 vetstoday treat only dogs and cats. Still other vets work with only farm animals or horses. Somemixed-animal doctors work with whatever species shows up in the exam room. Others may onlywork with birds or zoo animals.

An increasing number of today’s graduates will go on for additional training. There are now morethat 20 recognized veterinary specialties, from cardiology to dermatology, ophthalmology topathology. This can add another two to six years of additional study.

Veterinarians also are playing an ever more prominent role in public health. More than 80 vet-erinarians are presently on staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Our training with mul-tiple species and our experience in investigating disease among large groups (i.e., cattle herds orshelter puppies) has put these doctors in prime position to investigate other group health crises,such as bio-terrorism or swine flu. Increasingly, new human diseases involve viruses that havejumped from another animal species.

A group of Army veterinarians is in Iraq, working to keep the soldiers’ food supply safe, and help-ing the Iraqi people improve the health of their cows and sheep. Peace Corps veterinarians aretrying to improve agriculture in all remote corners of our globe.

There are also veterinarians who teach, who inspect meat, and who star on Animal Planet.

One of the things I enjoy most about the path my career has taken is that every day brings some-thing different. We can do surgery to remove a pug’s bladder stone, monitor a poodle’s congestiveheart failure, clean a cat’s teeth, treat a cocker spaniel’s ear infection, administer chemotherapy toan old hound mix and neuter a pet rabbit — and it’s not even lunch yet.

I also enjoy the long-term relationships I’ve developed with those humans who arrive with mypatients.

Veterinarians do all sorts ofthings. Even the governor ofour fair state happens to be aveterinarian – and his term is upnext year. Hmmm.

On second thought, no thanks.I think I’ll just stay at my littlepractice in Smyrna. Although, Imight be persuaded to take a callfrom Animal Planet.

by DR. MICHELLE DEHAVEN, DVM • Cumberland Animal Clinic

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