By Miz Cheevus
February 10, 2004

"Madama Butterfly" was the best on opening night Friday at the Paramount Theatre, and many were thanking producer Jane Guitar and husband, Phil; the superb cast, conductor, director, chorus, orchestra, production staff and First National Bank of Abilene and Ambassador Suites for the patron party on the mezzanine that followed the production.

MC obtained famous soprano Carol Ann Manzi’s autograph; she had mesmerized the audience as Cio-Cio-San, or Butterfly. Her opera son "acted" by Owen Douglas Carpenter, son of Doug and Theda Carpenter, who attends first grade at Jim Ned’s Buffalo Gap campus, received compliments for his performance.

Our snooper mingled among Lavena Cheek; Bob and Clarine Tiffany; Mollie Cline; Charles and Betty Karol Wilson; Dan and Jo Smith; Brenda Black-Krick; James and Carolyn Watson; J.V. and Betty Martin, Sweetwater; and Linda Kay Keeling. At the Abilene Country Club Saturday breakfast buffet, the Imperial Commissioner in the opera, Farron McDonald, "waited" on at least one table, and Celeste Myall of Nashville, the principal violin II in the opera orchestra and formerly APO’s concertmistress, was visiting with the Rev. Chris and Merita Diebel.

Hordes drive to Hords Creek

People still love to drive in the country on Sunday, says MC, especially if the day is pretty like the month’s first Sunday.

Invited guests drove to Hords Creek Ranch, near Coleman, now owned by Eddie and Nelda Hodges, to a brunch hosted by them, along with Winston and Ruth Heidenheimer, Cisco, and Gilbert and Dottie Korman, Abilene, to honor newlyweds Shari Sollivan and Randy Fitzhugh. From the spacious balconies, there were many views of paradise containing rolling hills, fat cattle, bird aviaries and water.

Jolene and Dick Sollivan mingled around introducing relatives, music lovers and the couple’s friends, i.e.: Kathleen Hansen; Emily Fitzhugh; Allan and Emily Meador and children Meredith and Jake (son Will had other plans); Rick and Frances Buzard; Deonna and Gary Galbraith; Jimmie and Lake Monhollon; Rachel and Mike Monhollon (new dean of the HSU business school) and sons Seth and Joshua; Wayne and Kathy Stringer; Harriet Bass; Roy Helen Ackers; Bill and Peggy Strickland, Buffalo Gap; John and Karen Graves and children Jordan and Shelby, Sweetwater; Joe Gesting; Mike Hoffnagle; and some Philharmonic staff: Celia Danforth, executive director; Holly Bennett, production manager; Jim Graham, director of development, along with wife, Cleo, and son James.

A happy birthday

It was the 35th Happy Birthday meeting on Tuesday at The Grace for Los Aficionados, hosted by chairperson Elinor Sherman; Mary Bauernfeind; Helen Cartee; Gwen Charpentier; Pat Combs; Dorothy Thompson; Hazyl Lindley did the table décor; new member Ann Giddens and guest Cecille Martin were present.

MC had a good visit with Ruth Cranor who, with Bettye Shipp, had been helping sort books for the library book sale. Betty Nelson, program chair, introduced Tom Craig, The Antique Station, who gave an informative program on collectibles, heirlooms and antiques.

Judy Godfrey introduced Heather Kuhn, new marketing director; Karen Turner recognized past presidents of Los Aficionados over the last 35 years (Emily Arnot; Celia Danforth; Linda Frizzell; Anita Fergus; Christie Galbraith; Frances Gordon; Terri Hartman; Jean Hays; Eleanor Hoppe; Elsie Jones; Portia Moore; Gail Russey; Laura Weber; Bev Wright; Micki Wright; Lanite Zachry; and current President Jo Ann Jones.

A check for $500 was delivered to The Grace in honor of these presidents (and their Museum mission) to promote the dinosaur project on Thursday evenings.

‘Money night’

MC must be hopeful about "money night" since she is always listening for her name and trying to see "who" is going on: Last Wednesday night, two large tables were at the center of her view — one with some sewing club members: Elsie and Earl Jones; Lenore and Sam Waldrop; Dodge and Morgan Hubbard; Ruby Jo Day; Patty Taliaferro (husband Scott was in Palm Springs playing in a golf tournament with Scott Jr.) and at the other: Helen G. Eplen; Raymond and Gloria McDaniel; James Parker; Walter and Virginia Johnson who had their 60th wedding anniversary Jan. 31.

John (and Martha) Ferguson must bring "luck" to a table since Syd Niblo was in the right place at the right time.

Busy Thursday

Open House hosted by the trustees and staff of Community Foundation, honoring the 2004 Friends of the Foundation.

Guests enjoyed the photographic exhibit provided by Bill and Alice Wright and the "touches" of Mary Lou Robertson, Robertson Interiors, in the Foundation’s new offices. What MC enjoyed was hearing about the "cool" surprise that Ross Jones arranged for CFA’s executive director to get around in and the smoked salmon dip prepared by Jackie Cox.

"What is Pop Art Anyway?" was discussed by Judy Deaton at CCA’s ArtCentrics. Friends from near and far gathered to pay respects to Lt. Col. John E. "Jack" Connor, USAF (Ret.) and to visit with his family; he and Harriet have done a lot for Abilene.

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