April 15, 2006

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  Jean Gilliam sent me this picture from the Jones/Boyd Reunion (taken in 1993).  Lorena is holding Lya, talking with my paternal grandmother, Flossie Jane Jones Thomas Boyd.  (My dad is wearing the plaid shirt, standing behind Grandma.)  These are three incredibly tough females.  Grandma lost her mother when she was three or four years old.  Lya has lost her mother to a great degree now as a child.  But all three of these ladies tend to laugh in the face of adversity -- and shame me in the process.  [Grandma was very proud of her Indian heritage, and she would tease Lorena by pointing out the irony of "I look more like a Mexican than you do."  Grandma was one of Lorena's very favorite people.]  Thanks, Jean, for sending me the photos...

  
  

  We talked to Lorena last night, and it was marvelous!!!!  She was laughing and sounding great.  Stephi and I were telling her how much we love her and miss her -- and she would laugh delightedly.  I asked her if she had improved from the last time we called -- and she laughed.  We told her about all the family and friends who have been asking about her -- and she laughed.  We talked about some of the good times we had in the past -- and she laughed.

  
  

  About the only time she did not laugh was when we relayed news about Ann Post, Tarleton professor and friend.  Ann instructed several of my family members, and I worked for years with Tom Post, so we all knew and loved Ann.  She died last week -- and Lorena cried when we told her that.  Our prayers and best wishes are with Tom.

  
  

  Lorena really laughed, then, when the girls started telling on me again.  The other day, I was wearing some short pants when I encountered my gaggle of giggling girls in the kitchen.  They immediately began criticizing my lovely legs with such disparaging remarks as, "Which rock did those legs crawl out from under?"  "How many years has it been since those legs have seen sunlight?"  "I saw something like this on a horror movie once!" rejoined by "You sure didn't see anything like THOSE on a horror movie because you would be too young to get in.  THOSE are obscene..."  [From Rainey]:  "Lya, when Daddy was little, he didn't have to spend any money for kneepads; he had so much fur on his knees that he didn't need any more cushioning..."  "Daddy, we would be glad to wax your legs for you if you want us to.  That way, you won't offend people by being seen in public near as much.  Of course, there is nothing we can do about your knobby knees..."  And on...  And on... 

  
  

  I am a tough not-so-old coot, though, so I just let their disrespect and sarcasm run off me like rain water runs off a slug in the garden -- and proceeded rolling up my shorts legs until it looked as if I were wearing some kind of hideous redneck thong as I reveled in their concerted cacophony of shrieks of dismay, disgust, scandalized sensibilities and indignation.  Smiling sweetly, then, I announced that I had to go to the store to get some things.  That REALLY elicited screams of "No you can't!" and "Daddy, if you go to the store that way, I am moving because I can never show my face in public around here again."  Lorena laughed.  Of course, had she been here, her protests would have harmonized nicely with theirs...  [What is it that they say about absence and the heart???]

  
  

  The irony of this weekend it that Phil Sudman, my brother-in-law, is in Colima this weekend at the Southwest Association of Naturalists meeting.  Colima is the Mexican state just south of Guadalajara, so he is very near Lorena.  [I don't know if the organization has an anthem or not, but I plan to ask Phil.  If they do not, I would like to compose one.  Unfortunately, I would not be able to compose any more, because that first anthem would be my SWAN song...]  Last night, I went over and had a very nice visit with Diane, and I got to talk to Jenni and Aaron for a while.

  
  

  It really was wonderful, though, to hear Lorena laugh, and it gives even more special meaning to Easter.  Her miracle continues.  To God be the glory.  Thank you all for your prayers and your support.  We love you.

  • 3:55 pm
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