Happy Birthday Granny J!

My mother inlaw, known to you as "MJ" has more nicknames than I can count. Yesterday, we celebrated Veterans Day for her father inlaw, her husband, and my father, but the cake and gifts were hers. I'm quite sure she doesn't want me sharing her age, but I can assure you she is older, much older, than she looks.

I've been blessed to know her most of my life. I think I met her when I was about five, so I really don't remember not knowing MJ. She's the quintessential mother, grandmother, wife and friend. She can cook Southern style with the best of 'em, and her generosity knows no limits.

There are some great memories. The earliest would be when the sweet, demure little woman stood up to my parents. As a child, I called ALL adults Ms./Mrs./Mr. X, and my parents politely corrected anyone suggesting otherwise. That is, until MJ INSISTED that I would call them by their first names. She can be a feisty little wildcat! I think I addressed them by their first names every single time I spoke to them, just because it made me feel so grown up to call grown ups by their names!

She married in her teens (yep, still going strong 45 years later), so her first real drunk was my 30th birthday. She learned to love wine that night, and I'll leave you to fill in the blanks. I'm proud to say that I've turned her into quite the little wine-o!

So raise a glass of your favorite beverage and toast one great woman!

Happy Birthday, Pop!

86 years young today. He's the Knight's paternal grandfather. He sits in a chair near my desk every day at work, for a little while anyway. You can't tell it from this photo, but he is a tough cookie. He still mows his own grass, cuts up firewood, etc. He's had bypass heart surgery, a knee replacement, and more, but he refuses to slow down and behave. We love him for it. He comes from a generation that doesn't seem to want to stop and take it easy, and most of the time, that's part of his "charm." It might mean he isn't around another decade, but he's lived life on his terms this long, so I can't see trying to change him now.

Happy Birthday, and many more! Not that he'll ever see this, but that's not the point...

Sincere Appreciation

My sister was touched by all of your kind words and thoughts, and asked me to thank you. So, here's a picture of us from a baby shower a couple of years ago. It's a rotten picture of me (on the left) but I think it's a rather typical picture of the two of us. We take turns leaning on each other, and have had spells where we lean together, but we're almost always smiling and laughing when we're together.


Happier days are coming.