Ducks

The ducks have started coming in.  We're seeing mallards, grebes, and always herons.  This morning, when I looked out the kitchen window and saw the ducks, it reminded me of a time when we were on our way home, from Atlanta, and Mom  wanted to drive us through Piedmont Park. We were enjoying the park and trees and looking at the ducks on the lake, when she ran over a curb.  Not only did we get a flat tire, but, the rim was also ruined. After we limped to a gas station, maybe that is why the rim was ruined, and bought a new tire, we made our way back to Monroe.  The only thing we talked about on the way home was "don't tell Daddy".  Mom decided that it was best to blame this on wild teenagers driving us off of the road.  Papa never knew about this from my lips.  

Update on the Limoncello!

Well, I was very surprised, but the limoncello was a hit!  Very Tasty!  Yes, with a capital T.  Dotsy and I made a lot pizzas for Peaches and Troy.  The Peach Pits and Sub-Pits were there, and Troy's golfing buds.  The Pits are playing bridge again this Wednesday! And, the golfers are out now as I type!!!  When we were growing up, there were always a lot of birthday parties.  My sister Judy and Older Brother shared a party for many years because they were born one day and one year apart.   Mom does like to say that she had 6 children in 8 years and Dad was away in WWII for 2 years.  She also likes to say that they all had the same Mother.  

Oldest Brother was born in Oakdale, LA, in 1943.  Dad was in the army and  training in Oklahoma.  So, Mom was staying with her parents when O. B. was born.  At about 6 weeks old, he had to have surgery for pyloric stenosis.  Mom said the doctor couldn't use an anesthetic because O.B. was so young, and, there may not have been any available during the War.  Back in Atlanta, Mom was saving grease for the War effort.  Nannie came to visit and  wanted to know how she was going to get the grease out of all of the Coca Cola bottles.  

  Peaches and Papa were married secretly for about a year, in 1940, but had an 'official' marriage in 1941 in her parents living room.  All the relatives were there and Mom had on a beautiful pink suit.   After the wedding, when Mom and Dad were getting ready to  leave on the train for Atlanta, Mom asked her sister Dottie how to cook.  Dottie told her to get a can of Spam, and open the can, stud the Spam with cloves, and bake it.  Dad would tell us that Peaches cooked Spam for him when he came home from the War.  He said that was all he had eaten for two years.  They didn't have Spam after that.

Papaw and Nannie weren't too pleased with the match, but came around when Dad had a vasectomy after the sixth child, little Dotsy, was born in 1951.  Nannie came to Atlanta to help Mom with the latest edition, and while she was there,  Dad had his 'procedure', and for the first time Nannie hugged his neck.  She also didn't mind if he had a drink in front of her, even though she hated drinking more than the Devil hates Holy Water. 

Election Day!

• Election Day!!  Cliff and I voted this morning at the South Franklin precinct.  Usually, we don't have a wait, but today it was about 15 minutes.  There was no grumbling about the wait.  We are very fortunate.   Peaches, Dotsy, and Troy will go to vote later this morning.  I was thinking about  Mom and Dad always  insisting we vote. From the time I was 18, I don't think I've missed any election.  My first Federal election was an absentee ballot.  I was in school in Gainesville, GA.  In order to vote, I had to take my ballot to a county office, post office? county clerk?, and vote while in the room with someone.  I do remember that he was reading  his newspaper while I sat across from him and voted.  1964.   I'm pretty sure all five of my brothers and sisters always vote, and all 10 grandchildren.  We'll see about the next generation, the 9 great-grandchildren.  Peaches and Papa believed in being good citizens.