One Woman's Opinion
Welcome to “One Woman’s Opinion,” a long term feature of the Southside Sentinel, written by Urbanna resident Mary Wakefield Buxton. Traditionally a humorist, Mary has written a column on all subjects and sometimes in very serious vein. Along with writing a column for the Sentinel since 1984, she is also author of 14 books about life and love in Tidewater, Virginia. Click here for available books.
“A case of sea fever — the pursuit of happiness”
URBANNA — Every so often I have a knock your socks off kind of experience. A recent dinner at Hazel and David Laughton’s house on Route 227 just outside of Urbanna earns such a rating.
The couple, married 63 years, hail from Birmingham, England. At an early age, in spite of growing up in the horror of World War II England and withstanding Nazi bombings in early childhood, they decided to live a life “well lived.”
David explained that meant following...
W.Va. summer memories: Some happy, some sad
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5
By the end of the second summer in West Virginia camp, our director was seen escorting a stranger through camp....
‘West Virginia Summers in paradise begin to fade’
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4
URBANNA — The emotional love poem that Peter had written and shared with me describing his feelings for his lost love introduced me...
Though some ill-advised, camp traditions were guarded carefully a half century ago
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3
A newcomer to camp, I quickly learned camp traditions were guarded more carefully than a conservative Episcopalian guards his prayer book of 1928. If one thought any...
Poetic counselor from W.Va summers recalled
Part 1 • Part 2
Getting out of Florida during the unbearably hot summers, escaping parenting duties for a few months, and being in the center of nature in all its glory in West...
Coming clean about muddy past summers in West Virginia
Now in West Virginia, far from the tropical heat of Florida, we soon fell into the mindless and carefree days of summer camp regimentation. Our days, starting at 8 a.m., were divided into...
Past summers in West Virginia remembered
Part 1
URBANNA — I was 33 years old then, almost 50 years ago, living in Palm Beach County, Fla. It was in the mid-1970s, and I was a rather harassed wife and mother...
“Getting exercise during cold weather is a challenge”
URBANNA — It’s been a few years since Middlesex County has suffered such a cold winter. It seems these last few weeks, no matter how many sweaters I had on, I still felt...
Changing times’ freedom much to handle
Of all the changes in today’s society, I think gender changes are the most challenging.
I was born female and I’m glad I remained female — in spite of the “Tom Boy” phase I...
The world should say no to all racial and ethnic attacks
URBANNA —
What a year 2023 was. I don’t have space today to list the many worrisome events that took place around the world.
The savage massacre by Hamas on Israeli citizens on Oct....