Last June, the beloved Batesville Store closed its doors. While there are mixed recountings as to why the establishment shut down, very few would disagree about the emotional vacancy caused by its closing. Quite frankly, it was like a death in the family. The country store had been a mainstay in the community for almost a century as Page’s Store, owned and operated by the Page family. In 1996, retired couple Dick and Rita Sokowokia took over running the business for five years offering sandwiches, conversation and convenience items.

Someone once asked me whom I admire most, and I didn’t even have to think about it. Hands-down -- it’s my mother. She has the most wonderful energy. It’s like a light that draws you in, and when you're with her, you feel as if you can do anything. I suppose this is because – watching her as a child – it seemed she could do anything. For starters, she gave birth to four children in five years and was on her own with us more often than not because our father’s job as a National Geographic photographer took him away for months at a time.

I’m thinking about riding a rodeo bull for Season 6 of Charlottesville Inside-Out. For previous shows, I arm wrestled for charity, played polo, and skated with the Charlottesville Derby Dames -- so why not sit on a bull? Word has it the bull in mind has retired and no longer struts (or kicks) his stuff around the arena.