Bluffton friends — old and new — prepare a sweet welcome for baby Grace Ann
On a recent Sunday, I joined lots of old pals and new found friends for a lovely baby shower honoring Laura Heyward Stuckie. Laura is expecting her first child next month and we celebrated the upcoming arrival of baby Grace Ann with great joy.
We nibbled on wonderful edibles washed down with champagne as everyone chatted and caught up on the latest events in our lives. Laura looked beautiful and stepmother Joanie Heyward was full of joy at the thought of becoming a grandmother to baby Gracie.
Laughter and love filled the Wood’s home on Boundary Street as Laura opened her beautiful gifts. Hostess’ for the soiree besides Debbie Wood were Mary Gwinn Bell, Emily Burden, Anna Pepper Hewett, Patsy Hodge, and Mary Vaux.
Of stilts and berets
I was looking for a source for real French berets the other day and came upon some interesting facts.
I found where I could get the real deal and also the source of where stilts come from. This was quite funny for several reasons. When we were little, Santa Claus always brought skates and stilts. We never thought stilts were a peculiar present and spent many happy hours walking and falling down for weeks.
I found that there is a very long history of stilt-walking.
The practice began in Gascony, in France on the border of Spain, where land is covered by very dry bushes and heath. Each time it rains, the ground turns into marshy mud. There were no roads and sheep herding was the major source of income.
The shepherds of the region invented stilts so they could move more easily across the terrain. As you might well imagine, these plucky people can execute all kinds of acrobatic feats — picking flowers or pebbles from the ground and even running or jumping on one foot. They do these amazing things while wearing berets. Ha-ha. who knew?
It took us a bit of time to learn to use our stilts. The one trick we never mastered was walking through mud puddles but we did very well on dry land.
Dressing for (stage) success
The Royal Shakespeare Company recently held a sale of over 15,000 costumes and other used items. Goodies offered included period ball gowns, lace ruffs , fairy wings, gold, shiny lion tails and pig suits.
The famous company has the largest costume department in British theater and employs 30 staff members who design and make these wonderful treasures. The life span of the costumes can last for up to 100 performances and every item has a sewn-in label identifying the actor who wore it last and in which show.
The line was long and there were many happy customers who went home with a bit of theater history. As the Bard said, “Oh what fools these mortals be.”
Not really. I wish I had been there, too.
Babbie Guscio is the social columnist for The Bluffton Packet. She can be reached at The Store on Calhoun Street or at thestoresc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published October 11, 2017 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Bluffton friends — old and new — prepare a sweet welcome for baby Grace Ann."