More Than One Meaning

On Feb 22, 2009, at 10:55 PM, Laura McCann wrote:
Becca,

I just had to let you and Bill know that I went to see Millie's grave this week and I just laughed so hard when I read her headstone. I think she would love that! It is so appropriate and to those of us who knew her best, so meaningful.
As I stood and pondered those two words, they took several twists. They became the analogy to so many life situations and finally evolved into the thought, that Millie has dominoed her final game and is at peace and rest in sweet victory.
I think think it does her justice.
I hope you are all doing well. We miss, Millie as I am sure you do, as well.Take care of yourselves.

Love,
Laura

Dearest Laura,

Thank you so much for your email. Perhaps you already know this, but in case not: While thinking of Mama's love of dominos, I recalled from 6 years of Latin (thanks to Delma Daddy's insistence), I recalled that in Latin "Domini" meant "Lord" (as in "ano domini" - the year of our Lord). This led me back to the Latin dictionary which clarified that Domino, the ablative tense of domini, means "Praise the Lord". I sent a print out of this definition to Aunt Beth and Uncle Lomax and Family just so they would realize the extra meaning. I thought that every time my Mama said, "I domino", she didn't know that she was saying "praise the Lord" in Latin, which gave the headstone engraving a double meaning. I am so glad that you enjoyed my choice and please pass along to the family that might not realize that Mama, while thinking she was simply saying "I won", was also saying "praise the Lord".
I miss my Mama so much. I called her nearly every day for 2 1/2 years after her broken hip accident. I feel a void daily when I think it's time to call my Mama. It brought to mind something Bear Bryant regularly said on his Sunday morning show recapping the Crimson Tide games. He would always end by saying: "Call your Mama, I wish I could call mine." I sure wish I could call mine.
I so appreciate that you saw the humor and cared enough to give me input.

Much love, Becca

*See photo in next blog*

Millie's (Aunt Bill) Headstone

I haven't visited Aunt Bill's grave since her death, so Micah and I went to see if her headstone was in place or not. When we got to Myrtlewood, I showed him (again, because I believe you just can't tell them enough about their ancestors) Uncle Harry's grave, Uncle Malcolm's grave, Nannie and Pe-Paw's graves and told him a little about each one. I intentionally avoided looking at Millie's grave until I was ready to see the stone. When I looked, I began to laugh. You know, one of those deep, belly laughs. I thought out loud how appropriate her epitath and how much she would love it.
So here it is! I took a photo to share with any who have not seen the headstone. I think it is great and I don't think it could have been better said!

For those of you who did not have the priveledge to know, Aunt Bill, she was Domino Queen! She was the best player I know and had a reputation so far, so wide and so broad, that grown men were afraid to play her, lest she beat them. And beat them, she would! She had to start to let people win one every once in a while, just to keep them playing with her. I know she hated to let them win, but it was the only way to keep playing the game!

Millie has dominoed her last game and won the final prize. May she rest in peace in victory!

Heart Day was Happy at Our House!

Our finished product. Only one-half the cupcakes we actually made. Looking for Mr. Eggshell...yuck! Close up of the creations. Our cupcake tree See the chocolate on Callie's face? Valentine smiles, an afternoon of Valentine fun! Friday night, my boyfriend and I went out (alone) for dinner! It was wonderful to have time for just us. We talked and flirted and in general, had a really good time. Sad that a couple of hours mean so much, because they come around with such infrequency.

Saturday, the girls and I made cupcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries. The berries are long gone, but because neither of the girls had ever made cupcakes, they each had to make an entire batch! We made 48 cupcakes and decorated them! We will have cupcakes for days at our house! We made 24 Devil' Food and 24 Red Velvet, decorating one half of each with white icing and the other half with milk chocolate icing. It was fun and the girls did most of the work.

In the making of the devil' food cupcakes, one of the girls dropped a piece of eggshell into the batter and it very quickly sank and slid to the bottom of the bowl with lightening speed. I couldn't get to it fast enough to stop it. I stirred around in the bowl with a spoon hoping it would surface. No luck. I removed my rings, washed my hands, and began to dig through the batter in hopes of feeling the porous little piece of trouble. Still no luck. We were planning to hand out these cupcakes to elderly people and I was appalled to think they might find pieces of shell, but how do I hurt the tender heart of my little girl and tell her that her cupcakes are subpar and we can't give them out to people? I decided to plunge on courageously. After all, who that cooks, has not at one time or another lost a tiny smidgen of eggshell in some dish they were preparing? It would be alright.

After handing out almost all the cupcakes we took some to my parents. As my mama was eating hers, she said, "Oh, I think I found some eggshell!". I have never been so glad to hear something of that nature, when it pertained to food I had a hand in preparing! Of all the cupcakes, my mama got the one with the shell! We threw hers away and replaced it with another and all was well in Valentine Day land. Whew!!! The day was saved!

I Love a Good Debate!

Dan Barker - atheistKyle Butt - Christian Tonight at the University of South Carolina, a debate is taking place. A good, old fashioned, religious debate about the existence of God.

Well-known author in the Christian realm, Kyle Butt will rebut Dan Barker, atheist and co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, who will take the stand that God does not exist. It should be quite an interesting debate and I am very excited about being able to view it online!

The website is http://www.justin.tv/darwindaydebate if anyone else is interested in watching the fireworks. Log on at 7pm Eastern time to view the entire debate as it is being broadcast LIVE!

Pray for Kyle as he does battle for our God tonight!

Coot!

This well-known slate-gray bird is the size of a small duck. It can be distinguished from a duck by its chickenlike, white bill. It resembles the Common Gallinule, which, however, has a red bill. The poule d' eau, as the coot is called in southern Louisiana, can be found on freshwater lakes and brackish ponds throughout the state in large numbers in fall, winter, and early spring. Sometimes we see coots making their way through the water like dark little ducks, nodding their heads forward and backward as they swim along. But they do not have webbed feet as do ducks. Their toes are equipped instead with flaps or lobes, which act as paddles. Usually coots stay closer to the shore than ducks; for, though they can be eaten, they are not as frequently hunted here during the gunning season and are not as shy. Often they come right out on the shore and walk around like chickens with feet two sizes too big. If we frighten one, however, or chase it in a boat, it spreads its wings and skitters away over the surface of the lake, splashing water in every direction before it finally manages to rise into the air.
Formerly in the winter as many as ten thousand coots could be counted on False River, in Pointe Coupee Parish, but now they are no longer seen there in such large concentrations, probably because of the growing popularity of outboard motorboating on this body of water. In spring, nearly all our coots migrate northward. A few remain in the state, mating and laying 8 to 14 speckled buff eggs on a platform woven of reeds or sedge back in the marsh vegetation.
--George H. Lowery, Jr., 1974, Louisiana Birds

You may be wondering why I am posting this article on my blog. Until yesterday, I had never even heard of a coot, with the exception of someone being called an "old coot".
My sister and I were on the phone and she told me about a coot that was on her pond. I just had to Google it to see what a coot looked like. I found it interesting and thought you might want to know what a coot was, also. She told me they dive deep into the water and don't surface for a long time. When they do surface it is far away from the spot where their dive began. I think it would be a great deal of fun just to watch one for awhile. Maybe this is where the phrase "you old coot" originated, but I can't imagine why that would be an insult.

On a different but similar note, we have been dealing with head lice this week...yuck! What a joy that is! As I finished treating and rinsing a head and scalp, I sent said victim to their daddy to have the nits combed out of their hair. As I propelled the subject toward their father I said,"Get to nit-picking!" Now, that phrase I understand completely and it is perfectly applicable when used in conversation, but "old coot"? I may have to Google a little more deeply.

Addendum: I Googled and it makes more sense, although I disagree about the coot being unlovely. So there is your tidbit for the day!

Old coot
Steve in South Dakota: The coot is an unloved and unlovely aquatic bird that shares habitat and migration patterns with ducks. Among duck hunters, the coot is considered a pest and a distraction. It is also a truly ugly and awkward bird, and virtually inedible to most people. So to call someone an "old coot" is to label them as a pest, unattractive, sort of an unwelcome hanger-on. Also, the coot is reluctant to fly, and when it does, it makes a great commotion in its attempt to get airborne, running across the water and flapping frantically. "Old coot" may also, therefore, suggest an old man who is slow to rise and reluctant to move.

My Grace Is My Pick For MVP

Grace wore green shorts and blue shirt. She misplaced her jersey and shorts over the Christmas holidays. She had stolen the ball and was headed to make some points!

Heading to the other court after a point made!(lower) Driving to the goal for points! (upper)

Gracie got a free-throw after being fouled. She missed the first shot, but made the second!

This is the team taking a time-out with Coach Mason. He is wonderful! Grace had a blast playing on the school basketball team this year. She learned a great deal about the game and had a fantastic coach that was all about letting everyone play and learn. He never raised his voice to them in frustration, but encouraged them and taught them stategy and teamwork. I love that he was able to lay the groundwork for her in this sport. He taught them true sportsmanship which will carry them far through life.

To be her first year, she picked up the game quickly. However, she was one of the smallest on the team and began to feel unimportant because of her size. We told her all about the workings of the team and how it took EVERYBODY to play basketball. I told her to use her size and agility to steal that ball away from the others (which she did...some of the opposing team members were telling her to stop taking the ball away from them! tee, hee) I told her to pretend the ball was one that had been kissed by Zac Effron (from High School Musical) and given to her team. How dare the other team take their ball from them! They need to get it back! Zac gave it to THEM. After those words, she was stealing that ball right and left.

In the final game, she scored 7 of the 12 points her team made. It was so gratifying to me to hear adults all over that gym calling my child's name, encouraging her, believing in her ability to achieve, cheering her on. That is so shallow, but it felt so good! I am always proud of my children for who they are, but last Saturday, I was proud of Gracie for what she was doing, as well.

She had come so far in just a couple of months. She began this season as this insecure, nervous, little girl and I watched her blossom into a self-assured, strong, confident, athlete. She had no hopes of winning the game and they didn't, but she played her heart out anyway. She was a trooper to the end, fighting for a victory that she knew she probably couldn't achieve, but fight she did.

After the game was over, she got compliment, after pat on the back, after "good game, Gracie!", from more people than I can count. But the comment that resonated truer than any, in my mind was, "She may be small, but she is a scrappy little thing!" I couldn't have been more proud.