Birmingham Post-Herald from Birmingham, Alabama • 11

Thursday May 27 1993 Features Comics B2 Television B3 Ann Landers B4 Birmingham Post-Herald TheBalards were Marching for a lot to build on when they found thia tidy one-story Ium near the nvameuGolf Come Moving to CNN News Junkies soon will be able to spot a familiar face when they tune in to the Cable News Network WBMG-42 news anchor Catherine Gee is leaving Birmingham to become a news anchor for the network Ms Gee who plans to use her married name Catherine Callaway at CNN currently co-anchors the 6 and 10 pm newscasts on WBMG Her final day with the station will be June 9 She has been with the station since April 1989 and became a news anchor the following February very excited about going home to she said yesterday is something always wanted to do ever since CNN went on the She will Join her husband Cal Callaway who recently left WBRC4 to work for the I NBC affiliate in Atlanta- Initially Ms Gee will I anchor late-night broadcasts on Saturdays and Sundays said Bob Fmad executive vice president of news production at CNN Before going on the air in early July 1 4 VV'- took aome give and take but Suzanne and Monty Ballard contemporary In their firat home together Stephen GatetPost-Hoiid managed to strike a happy balance between tracHtional and It took some compromises but they each got what they wanted By Janet Jimmenon FMrHmld Reporter Monty Ballard Is one of those guys trying to talk yon into picking your nose His company Ballard Covert Group designed the newest set of billboards promoting the Birmingham Race Course that folks from here to Chattanooga are pointing fingers at Some hate it some Ballard says at least it has people talking His favorite reaction was that of his 8-year-old daughter Brittany She and her mother spotted a billboard while out one day and his ex-wife suggested he might have had 'to do with it (Brittany) told her mom gross but not that Then she found out it was true" he says with a grin -Ballard and his wife Suzanne recently moved into their first house on a lot near the Inverness Golf Course Construction had begun on the one-story brick hone when they found it but work on it had ceased because the contract fell through Mrs Ballard says they had originally intended to build a home but her husband had his heart set on the location kept thinking for the money we were giving for it we could get a much more spacious house where other than right here on golf But she says budge Whenever we talked about it get this disappointed look on his That was the first of several compromises they struck she says Most of his belongings are modern or contemporary while she favors more traditional furnishings mixed with antiques With some give and take they successfully married the two styles and combined their poa- got a garage full of stuff that make she says The couple also made a number of improvements on the original house plans In the kitchen they passed on pickled cabinets and chose warm cherry to match Mrs breakfast table They had a panel added to the front hwasher and extended the picture molding into the breakfast area 1 WEEK It The original plans called for an enclosed dining room next to the great room The Balards scratched the idea in favor of one open area A column added to the right edge of the dining room helps define the two spaces Eggplant wade add a eplaeh of drama to the maater bedroom ana create a striking contrast against the tray ceiling Mrs Ballard pieced and hung the window treatment above plantation shutters using a sheet and dust ruffle that matched her comforter she will weeks wi Atlanta and Wi really expect after a reasonable amount of time that well be able to move Catherine into a better time he said the plan I think got an incredible amount of talent and she should have a very successful career ahead of i couple of Tiara dreams I There she or rather there they are 45 young woman hoping to become Miss Alabama INS The state pageant a preliminary to the annual Min America Pageant in Atlantic Oty in September is set for June 16-19 at Samford Wright Center and tickets are expected to go fast Reigning Miss Alabama Kim Wimmer winner of the $10000 of Ufe" award from Fruit of the Loom at last Miss America I Pageant will be at the center of the state pageant Musical productions will showcase Miss Wimmer and the contestants nightly The new Ifiss Alabama wul be crowned June 19 in the final round of competition Each competition starts at 8 Tickets to the four niriits of competition may be ordered hi packages or by individual i i to all four i and cost from $27 to $53 Individual tickets for the Wednesday-Friday competitions cost from 7 to 111 The Saturday evening tickets are from $14 to $27 I Tickets are available through the Miss Alabama Pageant office in itfitingiMAla 7 Pageant Ticket Chairman I 2809 Crescent Ave Suite 2 Birmingham Ala 35209 Credit cards are accepted and there is a $4 handling fee for each ticket order STARTING AT 695 Their home depends solely on electricity but the Ballards had a gas line and small tank installed behind the fireplace to fuel gas hp- Bran hardware and beveled mirrors were added to the two bathrooms and a mirror wu hung behind the tub in the master bath The room features his and her sinks mounted in a single countertop A space has been cut out of the cabinet between the two sinks to create a comfortable makeup area for Mrs Ballard The gap in the cabinets allows her to slide a small bench under a small section of the countertop that has been lowered a few Inches for her use Door frames throughout the house were raised a few inches to complement the height of the windows and ceilings Hardwood floors were extended beyond the foyer and dining room to include the great room kitchen and hallways The bedrooms are furnished with plush wall-to-wall carpeting The original plans outlined an enclosed dimng foyer and greet room The Ballards scratched that idea and asked builders to leave the space men A single column defines the edge of the dining room from that of the foyer and great room The bar dividing the work space and small eating area extended almost to the refngera-ugh clear tor barely leaving enough clearance The Ballards had builders trim it back about 7 inches eliminating some cabinet space and easing traffic flow between the two areas They also had a cabinet cut out under one countertop to accommodate a chair added the little desk area over there for paying Mrs Ballard says think supposed to be for planning menus but I do a lot of cooking so we pay bills ONLY The couple also knocked out a utility room next to the garage to extend their closet off the master bath Ballard wanted stereo sound in the great roan and master bedroom But his wife want unsightly cords and speakers cluttering the rooms so he contacted a group of audio specialists and had a system built in that can be operated by remote control Because of the size of the attic workmen were able to plant speakers throughout the house with a minimum of fuss got what he wanted and I got what I Mrs Ballard says Please turn to HOUSE page B4 n- jC- SOFAS 12 MONTHS FREE CLAYTON MARCUS BASSETT BROYHILL CROMCRAFT LA-Z-BOY HOOKER HIGHLAND HOUSE JASPER CABINET PULASKI LANE RIDGEWAY CLOCKS SUMTER CABINET i CHAIRS STARTING AT 225 SmflilHjB) GDEQUB 5475 Highway280 South I MASTERCARD VISA FINANCING AVAILABLE UP TO 36 MONTHS OR 90 DAYS SAME AS CASH M-F 16-6 PM SAT 1-5 PM SUN 1-5 PM.