![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWKaZ5t1KUHq3b483_M54_0lLOxaVGpJwV9ekfE_AFYlXdqkHvWA-9gZDtzRc-n6reUDDO9QKmhSitHEFVM1-bEmMV1MSeBVVAcIq-_MV40qrb2p2iDP3jsF47Vf6G5xZmiK3CiUOUlKO/s400/tmpphpIBoxjd.jpg)
I doubt that Mackinley has any clue
How much 80 is,
But don't they look cute together anyway???
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips8Epw9mtWbl15o0B9o0DK-a3jkzkNDzceOOzAKtslmAafXpu-inZrtUk-JAqR9JTxbPf5Gamqp-DN9LXGOvEs6IZ-rKWXHT8xGB2Igl3WFFwAnJcwVmpnkybm2HGUQrgeQIb2cCkHUHT/s400/tmpphpwkOXP3.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaVrSF8ZVXQ6MwyAtlx1SR31KqAaKF6-oCsr9xZRBD245iKLRHxxMEe4ZbqcPisK-M8UHZrUutBEPpk_qIB-NRStixDl88KyijV8JVR-zxi479Gne8zErD_Qy3CWHLmlRtUSjnoVx72rU/s400/tmpphpDkSWB3.jpg)
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
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DcusD2ASks9SM3FwNEZWA37x_22Uy6x1xivbBpocKxsYO73VqG3qq6J5f4YubdCqCThW6C0B9GdEf_5InFzR1iMWLW5OWBD2_00CBAMUAIMF2xZr-wMn7j3cgwrVZV593a-6Xt2U-939/s400/tmpphpuLqeQF.jpg)
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:
17 comments:
That looks like a great party! Happy Birthday John!!
He'll never look at a computer - - - but I'll give him your message!!!!
Wow...he does look GREAT for 80! Enjoyed the pics - that Piper sure is a cutie!!! She is growing up!!
Nice job on The Party report. I especially like the pic of Dad & Mackinley - it captures the joy of the occasion!
That t-shirt was such a creative idea!! I'm sure he love it!
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!!!!
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.
The "craziness" was put there without her knowledge by her hubby!
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!
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!
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.
Oh the Joe stories we could tell you, Nancy!!!!
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!
When will the Joe stories appear in your blog?
Hmmmmm - - - perhaps I should do some "Joe Features."
:-)
Wander Indiana is a classic!
Maybe we should start a list of Joe Classics for future blog post reference.
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