Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
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The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
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Sunday, February 8, 2009

Wherein PeePaw Becomes an Octogenarian

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Yesterday was dad's 80th birthday.
I doubt that Mackinley has any clue
How much 80 is,
But don't they look cute together anyway???



Sister Pam had a great idea that we should
Throw a party, because well, you're only 80 once
And plenty of us never hit that milestone.

She also had the idea that we should
Get some kind of a designer-just-for-the-occasion
T-shirt, and perhaps I should find said shirt.

Well, dad looks mighty young for 80,
So I immediately knew what I wanted
To put on the shirt - - -
It was a line from a poem mom wrote
Several years ago
About dad and two of his brothers.

I mentioned it to Pam - - -
But she didn't remember the poem,
Nor the line from the poem.

To make matters worse,
The poem was from a family news letter
From oh, 10 or 15 years ago
(Or so I thought)
And neither of us keep old copies
Of the Family news letter.

So - - - I posted an "ad"
On the Family Web Page
(Yep - - - we're high tech now - - -
A web page instead of a newsletter)
To see if anyone had old copies
Of the Heavilin Hi-Lites, our newsletter.


Lo and behold,
Cousin GR not only kept copies,
But he also managed to
Find the right Hi-Lites and the poem.
(It was from 1982 - - -
I was only 17 years off in my
Estimation of time lapsed.)

GR is my favorite cousin of the day
For this astonishing feat.

The poem commemorated
A family "work party" at
Grandma-Great's house.
Here it is with the necessary
line highlighted in blue:

You've heard the silly rhyme
About the powder and the pain
A makin' up a woman
To look like what she ain't?

Y'all sometimes come in August,
Back to the old home-place,
To visit little mother
And to brighten up her face.

Well, they didn't wait 'till August -
Bob, John, and Charles too - -
But came the twenty-two of March
To see what they could do.

Gray powder mixed with water
Made a pail of sticky paste
Which Bob brushed on some paper - -
Spread it with the greatest haste.

John and Charles climbed the ladder,
Agile fellows in their prime;
Hung the paper to the walls
And finished in good time.

Sure, things got a little messy - -
Scraps of paper stuck to feet.
The result of all this bustle?
Mom's living room clean and neat!

To summarize the matter - -
Conclude this rhyming biz - -
Our little lady mother
Am a lookin' what she is!

By Beulah Butcher Heavilin


And here's dad (John in the poem)
Sportin' his designer T.
He's a retired preacher/professor
And not wont to wear t-shirts
Though he promised to wear this one with pride.

I think he was happy with his surprise party.

Here are some of the faces in the crowd:


CaraLee, Stan, Cathy, and Yackie Sue
(Cousins all)



Some of "our" kids.
Mackinley, Jason, Haley, Keri, and Piper Renae


Piper close-up


Jason Close-up
Is that a booger in his nose?
JUST KIDDING JASON!!!


Haley with a forced grin close-up


Cousin Mary Lou with her hubby and boys.


Nephew Dustin, his wife Kayla,
And her parents and grandparents.


Korie Renee sporting a fun little
Feathery head band thingy.


My favorite B-I-L Joe.
Ain't he ornery?????

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17 comments:

Julie said...

That looks like a great party! Happy Birthday John!!

Keetha Broyles said...

He'll never look at a computer - - - but I'll give him your message!!!!

Shoemaker Family said...

Wow...he does look GREAT for 80! Enjoyed the pics - that Piper sure is a cutie!!! She is growing up!!

Pam said...

Nice job on The Party report. I especially like the pic of Dad & Mackinley - it captures the joy of the occasion!

Shannon said...

That t-shirt was such a creative idea!! I'm sure he love it!

Keetha Broyles said...

Shannon - - - he promised to keep it on and wear it to the evening service at College Church!!!! UnHEARD of for him to wear a t-shirt!!!!

Nancy said...

What a fun celebration!! Please greet your dad with birthday blessings. How wonderful that y'all can get together! Pam looks great, and I love the craziness she displays with the ribbon.

Keetha Broyles said...

The "craziness" was put there without her knowledge by her hubby!

Pam said...

Nancy - so good to know that you are still out there! It has been so long since you made a comment/added to your blog that I was beginning to worry about you. (How did you make it from 1976 - 2008 without me worrying about you?!) Keetha is right - Joe is the crazy one; I don't even try to keep up with him and have learned to pretty much ignore what he's doing - thus was totally oblivious to my new accessory BUT I like it too!

Sherry said...

Celebrate the 80th -- most definitely! You are blessed to have him in your life. Both of my parents have passed away. But . . I have very sweet memories and pictures. You have a beautiful family, too!

Nancy said...

Pam - you say Joe is the crazy one? His innocent looks deceive the rumored mischievousness.

Yes, it seems I dropped off the planet for some weeks -- busy time on the homefront plus substitute teaching several days and accompanying fatigue. I do wonder how I made it through the last 3 decades without your calm influence, organization, and concern -- hard to believe we lost all that time.

Keetha Broyles said...

Oh the Joe stories we could tell you, Nancy!!!!

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Happy birthday to your dad. I had to read twice to see if I read right. He DOEs look young. I would put him in his late 60's to early 70's. Wow! Great genes there. Lucky girl!

LOve the tshirt....and the fact that you all came toegther for such an occassion.

I also love COrey Renees headband. Cute!

Nancy said...

When will the Joe stories appear in your blog?

Keetha Broyles said...

Hmmmmm - - - perhaps I should do some "Joe Features."

:-)

Pam said...

Wander Indiana is a classic!

Keetha Broyles said...

Maybe we should start a list of Joe Classics for future blog post reference.