Farewell to a special Old Town banker — and a true friend

I can not believe how fast 35 years have flown by.

When I opened my store in 1978, there were no banks in Bluffton. Any deposits had to be taken to a bank in Hardeeville or on Hilton Head Island so it was often the case that deposits were not made everyday. If someone was going to either town, they might take your deposit there for you ... but that wasn’t likely.

Then — miracle of miracles — Monty Laffitte brought his family’s Palmetto State Bank to our then little village. It was indeed a leap of faith for their banking company, one that has grown to serve many loyal customers over the years.

One person who has helped the bank grow from a tiny enterprise to a bustling endeavor is Brenda Lindblad. Brenda has helped steer the bank to great heights with her business savvy. She has always gone beyond her duties at the bank. If there was ever a problem with an account or a question that needed to be answered, she has always been at the ready.

After a thirty-five year career at Palmetto State Bank, Brenda is retiring. Travel , sleeping late, gardening and reading are on her agenda for the near future — that is after she gets used to not being Johnny-on-the-spot-at-8 a.m.-every-day at the bank.

Everyone who has known this dynamo through the years wishes her many happy days of doing what she wants and lots of love in doing so.

Putting pen to paper

When I was in high school we had to have a “real” fountain pen for English class — one that used ink, one that leaked quite often, one usually made to hold enough black or blue ink to perform a book report or pop quiz.

Then came the ball-point pen and along with that invention, a slow downturn in writing long hand. No longer were you scolded about penmanship. When I was at school in Switzerland, I loved getting letters from my family. My mother’s beautiful handwriting and both my grandmothers’ letters were a real treat. They, all three, had grown up in an era when putting pen to paper was a real art.

Handwritten letters lost their way when email and computers became the norm. Recently fountain pens have come back into vogue. I doubt if boatloads of people are going to rush out to purchase one because it takes a bit of patience and that, too, has flown away. Don’t get me wrong; there is a place for those throwaway pens, but for a real treat send me a letter “old school” style.

Seeing the light

When I wrote about LED bulbs several weeks ago, some people told me they disliked them because of their brightness.

I found three types that are thought to be great for household use. Sylvania (sylvania.com); Feit, available at Costco Stores; and Cree (cree.com). LED bulbs cost more than regular bulbs but I can attest to the fact that I have not changed an overhead bulb in my store in at least 3 years.

When I used regular bulbs, I was constantly hauling out the ladder because the bulbs blew out all of the time so I think the cost of LED bulbs outweighs the perilous climb.

Do you find yourself nodding off at work — you know when your head drops down and you look around in an embarrassed manner.

The joys of napping

If you lived in Japan, you could nap all you care to. Public naps are thought of as a sign of diligence as in you have been working really hard and need a rest. Women have to nap in a lady-like position. No one can curl up on the floor or under a desk to snooze. It seems napping in Japan has been going on for 1,000 years or so.

My husband can nod off for 30 minutes and wake refreshed as can several of my friends. When or if I take a nap, it usually lasts 2 or 3 hours. Upon awakening, a fog has settled in. I am not planning a trip to Japan any time soon but if I travel to the “land of nod,” I’ll look very diligent I hope.

Curse you, Jack Frost

The recent cold snap has played havoc with my poor plants.

I bid adieu to many flowers. The bright spot was seeing the flocks of robins and redbirds who passed through on their way to a warmer clime.

I love colder weather but just not a visit from Jack Frost, a visitor who sometimes has no mercy.

This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Farewell to a special Old Town banker — and a true friend."