Lanie Werner Guyton

Lanie Guyton.  Photo taken by her son, Aaron, as she was dancing with her daughter, Laila.

In the words of the beloved Truvy Jones “I don't trust anyone who does their own hair. I don't think it's natural.”

For all of you gals who caught that reference…kudos.  For those of you who didn’t, you need to go out and buy “Steel Magnolias” right this very minute.  It’s a Southern classic, and well worth the money.  You will laugh…you will cry…and if you’re anything like me, you will strive to fulfill your lifelong goal of being Ouiser in the flesh.

Now, I quoted Truvy (the hairdresser friend in Steel Magnolias), because she, too, does hair.  But the girl I’m fixin’ to talk about?…Well, she falls somewhere between Clarice and Ouiser. 

In a small town, everybody knows everybody.  It’s likely that a majority of the classmates you started Kindergarten with will go all 13 years with you, and be there to toss their cap with you the night of graduation (…iffin’ they make it out of Mrs. O’Neil’s American Government class).  I have been fortunate to have some of my very best friends since grade school.  Unfortunately, although I knew of her (our mom’s worked together through the Health Department), I didn’t get to really know Lanie until after high school, after she moved back from Ocala.

Small towns are a breeding ground for life-long friendships.  Of that I am sure.  And Lord knows, our friendship is built on the essentials: sassy, sarcastic comments; dirty jokes; dry humor, and movie references.  She brightens my day, daily.  I hope you will like her interview.

I am including this photo, because the author of this blog made the Bride's wedding dress.  *Ahem*  Author's discretion.  Photo credit: Lanie's cousin, Polly Haldeman

What Southern character are you most like (movie/book/etc)? 

“I would have to say that I’m a mixture of three.  Clarice and Ouiser from Steel Magnolias…but sometimes I also feel like Mama from Mama’s Family, because she’s so sarcastic.”

Describe what small-town life means to you.

“I think it’s something that you don’t miss until you don’t have it anymore.  Sure, there is the part where everyone is in your business all the time.  But there is also the side where, when something happens…like when someone in the community passes away or faces hardship…the community rallies, and comes together.  You really begin to understand that they have your back.”

Aaron, Justice, Lanie, and Laila.  Photo Credit: Polly Haldeman

Aaron, Justice, Lanie, and Laila.  Photo Credit: Polly Haldeman

If you could use a term to describe each of your children, what would they be?

“Aaron would be ‘independent.’  He’s also very much an old soul.  Laila would be ‘beautiful soul.’  She is just very kind and sweet.  Justice is ‘charismatic.’  He never meets a stranger.” 

Favorite movie of all time?

“The Goonies.  And Rudy.  I wonder if I just had a crush on Sean Astin, because I loved both of those movies, and he was in both.  But definitely The Goonies.”

Favorite comfort food?

“Mashed potatoes and gravy.  Cornbread. Fried Chicken.  Basically all of the food my GG used to make.  But I will say, all food is comforting.”

Who is your hero?

“It would be a combination of two.  My GG, my mom’s mom; and my Grandfather, my dad’s dad.  My GG…her mother basically abandoned her.  She was raised by her grandparents…and that was pretty unheard of back then.  But don’t get me wrong, her grandparents gave her a good life, they absolutely loved her.  She worked from an early age.  And she was just such a strong woman.  It didn’t matter what was going on, she always looked for the best in every situation.  And rarely did I ever hear her say anything negative about a person.  That was just the way she was.  She always looked for the positive in any situation…any person.”

Lanie and her GG, Photo Credit: Lanie's mom, Patricia Werner

“My grandfather, my dad’s dad, had an extraordinary childhood.  His family passed away, and he was raised by his Uncle.  Then his uncle passed away.  He began working at the dairies in New York.  That’s where he met my grandmother.  He fell madly in love with her when they met, but she was already courting someone else.  My great-uncles didn’t like the man she was courting, so they did their best to split them up…and her father, my great-grandfather, really liked my grandfather too.  Shortly after, she broke it off with the other man and her and my grandfather got together.  They were married shortly after.  Then he went to war.  He earned a Purple Heart because he was shot; the bullet went in two inches from his heart.  When the officers went to my grandmother’s house to tell her that he’d been injured, she saw them coming up and passed out.  She had thought they’d said he’d died.  When she woke up, my great grandfather was telling her ‘It’s okay!  He’s okay!’  Growing up, I was his shadow.  I was always close behind him anywhere he was going.  The one time I ever got into trouble by him was one day when he was going outside, and I wanted to go with him, but my grandmother wanted me to help her with something inside.  I had either said I didn’t want to, or given a dirty look.  That was the only time he ever got onto me.   And let me tell you, he loved my grandmother.  Like…he really loved her.”

Lanie and her Grandfather.  Photo credit: Lanie's Mom, Patricia Werner

“Both my GG and my Grandfather overcame big obstacles…and despite it all, they both became really good people.  That’s why they’re my heroes.”

You have lived in Alaska, a place I have always wanted to visit.  Tell me the positives and negatives of living there?

“It’s a simpler way of living there….and a different way of living.  It is beautiful.  And one of the positives was getting to see the Northern Lights.  The negatives would be…having things shipped to Alaska was hard.  And the prices were sometimes really expensive.  Produce was really high. And just a gallon of milk was $5…on Post, where it should have been cheaper.”

John, Laila, Lanie, Justice, and Aaron.  Photo Credit: Ashley Fuller Photography.

Of all of the places you have seen/visited, what has been your favorite?

“Denali.  By far, that was the most beautiful.  I really like Charleston and Savannah, too.   I visited New Orleans once, but it was soon after Katrina had hit.  If I went back, I’d like to see the historical side of New Orleans, because I really didn’t get to see as much as I would’ve liked.  But out of all of the places I’ve been, Denali has been my favorite.”

If you could choose a dream vacation, where would it be?

“I’ve always wanted to go to Fiji.”

You have done hair for years, what is a common beauty mistake you have frequently seen?

“Eyebrows is a big one.  Or haircuts or color that don’t look good on a person’s face shape.  And there are some hairstyles that should’ve never been in style.  Like the mullet.”

What is something you wish more girls knew?

“You don’t have to pay outrageous amounts to have good haircuts/color.  I cannot tell you how many times a girl has come in and I’ve had to correct something she spent $200, $300, or even $400 on.”