That Wild Tasmanian Devil Makes An Appearance

Monday night we traveled to Tuscaloosa to see Peyton's Middle School basketball game. It was a very exciting game. As far a I'm concerned just seeing Peyton go through the warm up is worth the drive and anything more is icing on the cake. And, goodness! Did we have plenty of that sweet icing. In the 4th period Peyton was all over the court, smoothly zooming up and down for several steals and 9 points. On a couple of his steals he flew down for a layup followed by a thunderous standing ovation (the fans do love Peyton). What a great game. ACA won over Echols 41-23. Do I sound like a proud grandma or what?

Another Peyton Ballgame

Tomorrow night we will be going to Tuscaloosa to take in another American Christian Academy Middle School basketball game. I'm sure it will be exciting. Tune in for the details.

Debbie and Jim Coley Visit

Saturday night we had a great visit with Dick's niece (daughter of Dick's older sister Roberta) and her husband. Debbie and Jim live in Las Vegas and were in our neck of the woods to attend their son, Charlie's basic training graduation at Ft. Benning in Columbus, GA. It was fun to hear new stories about Dick's family.

And, we were thoroughly entertained listening to Jim and Debbie's adventures while living abroad. Dick and I have rarely traveled outside the south so we were in awe. As a young college student Debbie attended the University of Paris (the Sorbonne) for a year and a half then returned to Texas to get her undergrad degree at UT, then back to Paris for another year and a half to work on her masters in foreign languages. After marrying Jim they lived in Germany for about 15 years where he worked for the Army Adjutant General's Office and she taught foreign languages at the American School. Jim has now retired from the army, but Debbie is still teaching French. During dinner we lived vicariously through them.

Sundays With Chloe and Daddy

On the Sundays that Heather has to put in a hard day at the LA Zoo, Stewart and Chloe have a new adventure. I don't know who enjoys their time together more. But, I do know they are really really tight!




















DOING LAUNDRY WITH MOMMY

On Friday, Chloe helped with the laundry. She really enjoys working with Mommy. Chloe-Chloe just loves the washer and dryer at home, so the laundromat was an exciting new experience for her.

Quotable Words

After posting my December 10 tribute to "Poppy" a friend from Huntsville commented, "It is always those "larger than life" characters that most inspire, entertain, and amaze us. Lucky you for having one for a father."

That's exactly what I wanted to say, but it took me 100's of words to say it. Wish I could translate my feelings into words like that.

December 10, 1973

We sat around the big coffee table trying to grasp it! It can't be true! It's all a bad dream. Daddy's bigger than life. He's gonna come down the hall in his dress shirt, boxer shorts and socks. He'll be making jokes and cutting off bites of his apple for anyone lucky enough to be in the same room with him. What a presence he was! His quiet dignity, gentle manner and calming influence were balanced with a wicked sense of humor. That mischievous grin could make you laugh out loud when remembering past conversations hours or days later. Daddy was our hero. He could leap tall buildings. He could fix any problem and handle any situation.

Rhett Woody, Sr., was smart and ambitious. He came from New Hope to Huntsville with a little loose change in his pocket and a dream to be successful. And, oh the success he achieved! "Mr. Rhett" was highly respected and everyone knew of him and his businesses; furniture stores and a drive-in-theatre. He quietly shared the fruits of his labor with family, extended family and those in need. He supplied the funds for our friends to go on class trips, vacations, state fairs, any circus that came to town (he couldn't bear the thought of a a child missing the circus), school supplies and college tuitions. He came up with mortgage payments, money for much needed medical care and utility bills without ever expecting a "thank you". He did all this with no fanfare. Much of it we discovered at his funeral when people came out of the woodwork to pay tribute to him and relate how he had saved them in their time of need. We were, and still are, so proud to be his children.



He could always whip the four of us in shape by saying, "don't you realize what you mean to me, I couldn't go on if something happened to you. You have really disappointed me." With that he would exit the room and we would collapse in tears and shame. I know of only two occasions when he ever laid a hand on one of us in anger. And, needless to say it was well deserved.

Poppy and Ma (as the grandchildren called them) had a love affair that few (maybe 5 to 10) couples ever experience. They were loyal, faithful and totally in love with each other. We would giggle as they smoothly danced (with eyes only for each other) across the floor whenever they heard "their type of music." We were so fortunate to witness, and be showered with, that kind of love. Returning from his funeral, Mama said, "Up until the day he died, my heart still skipped a beat when I heard his car pull in the driveway."

On this day I want to honor him and "wallow" in the wonderful memories he left. Thank you my blog buddies for allowing me to do that.

Thanksgiving at the Woody House

My beautiful sister-in-law, Lenda and her lovely granddaughters, Marley, Mae Ellen, Caroline and Maddie are thankful for each other.