In Eckleburg's Eyes - 5/6/2008

I had a very busy Monday, burying my grandmother in Newport in the afternoon and celebrating Cinco de Mayo with my friends in Knoxville later in the evening. While the two appear to be very different gatherings, both were celebrations.

My parents and I met a group of “mourners” at our church at 2:30 to caravan to Newport for the funeral. The support was overwhelming. We had assumed the funeral would be small as virtually all of my 94-year old grandmother’s friends were dead. We were wrong as several hundred people attended to support us.

On little notice, my church sent three representatives from the ministerial staff - RWB, MLM, and GWS. We were amazed and honored. RWB and MLM shared memories from their first funerals as ministers with me. MLM was working in Chattanooga just out of seminary and was called on when a stranger died. He preached on I Corinthians 15. RWB’s funeral debut was horrific as two weeks out of seminary he performed the funeral for an avowed atheist and alcoholic who committed suicide in front of mother while watching television! Their horror stories made me appreciate how good it was that my grandmother’s eulogy would be given by someone who knew her, even if it was me.

The trip up was great. My father drove, which provided a nice reprieve. SPP, an adopted family member, road with us making the journey far more enjoyable. This was my first experience with Knoxville’s rerouted interstate system. I-40 closed on May 1 forcing us to take the bypass, 640. If the detour delayed us, the postponement was negligible.

My immediate family all wore blue as it was my grandmother’s favorite color. Many of her dresses and virtually all of her automobiles were blue. Amazingly, my father did not own a blue shirt and had to go buy one to coordinate with us. This is the beautiful blue coffin my grandmother was buried in.

The funeral went well. My cousin HANW and I reunited and formed the same tandem we had from my grandfather’s funeral over a decade ago. I delivered the eulogy and she sang Stuart Townend’s contemporary Christian hit “In Christ Alone.” She was great. MLM did note that I did not shake each member of the funeral party's hands (as is protocol), but otherwise the ministers in attendance were complimentary of my performance as well.

My barometer on funeral sermons is that if the sermon comforts the family to the degree that they do not cry and makes those who did not know the deceased weep, then it is a great sermon. I do not know if the eulogy was great, but my mother was comforted and that was good enough for me.

It is strange what people take comfort in at funerals. My mother was ecstatic all day because my grandmother was buried on a beautiful day. It was one of the prettiest days I have ever seen, with nary a cloud in sight and a breeze that made the weather pleasant. The view of the mountains from her plot is striking. I, on the other hand, took solace that she was buried between her two beloved older brothers, Chandler (tombstone pictured) on her left and John M. to her right. It just seemed fitting.

The staff at Manes Funeral Home could not have been better to us. The two proprietors, Chris (CLA) and Conchita Austin (CFA), knew my grandparents well. CFA said that when she was ill, my grandparents brought her something daily. She took great care in preparing my grandmother’s hair. We were very appreciative.

We were especially interested that my grandfather had shared his experiences at Pearl Harbor at length with them. This was interesting as it was a topic that he never discussed with the family. My grandfather was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed on Sunday morning, having had a late night out the Saturday night before. Presuming the navy was on maneuvers, his initial reaction was “these navy guys have gone too far this time.” He knew the attack was real when a water tower fell. He could clearly see a Japanese pilot from the ground. (He never truly got over his resentment of the Japanese and was offended when my parents bought a Subaru in the 1980s. I was offended because it was a lame car.) My grandfather rushed to secure weapons but they were locked up and in different places. He only had a .45 but he shot at the plane while still in his underwear. It did no good, but it made him feel better.

The army, fearing an invasion, quickly went into action to block the island’s beaches. By Wednesday, they finally realized that an invasion was not in the works. My grandfather went to see the girl he had been with the night before the attacks and learned from her mother that she had married another soldier! I also learned that my grandfather dated one of the legendary Andrews Sisters during the war. We believe it was Maxene. It was not a serious relationship and he may have merely shared a dance with her. Her overprotective father allowed little more.

It was great seeing many of our old friends. As usual, my good friend and new local attorney CAL made my day. I commented how proud I was of her brother, WML, on his new job in Seattle with Microsoft. I thought it was an accomplishment worthy of an article in the local paper. She admitted her pride to but added, “It’s not like he’s a lawyer or anything, but I am proud of him.”

Before leaving Newport, we made time to visit the local Goodwill that DLB has managed the store for 4½ years. DLB babysat me for years before we lived in Newport. We were all glad to see her.

I rushed back to Knoxville to attend the Cinco de Mayo party I had planned. I provided the supplies while RAW hosted the event and KLTW served as taco chef. Before going, I had pillaged the local Wal-Mart and Party City of many Mexican products. Wal-Mart even had a “Cinco Centro.” That means “Cinco Center.” I have never had a Spanish class. Are you impressed?

KLTW and I took KJW to Food City to acquire the tacos and their toppings. It is always fun shopping with them and pushing KJW around the store. We bought numerous toppings and taco shells. We did forget one thing ... the meat. This is sort of a significant portion of the taco. We called JTH and he correct the omission.

We had a great crowd. Ten people showed up: JTH, KL, WAM, DBN, MP, KLTW, KJW, MPW, RAW, and myself. I must lament that KL and MPW were conspicuously absent a good part of the evening, often venturing off by themselves. Ah, young love...

It was especially good to see DBN. (Yes, he is still married, we just do not get to see his wife.) DBN regaled us with a series of jokes. My favorite - Question: “What did the necktie say to the hat?” Answer: "You go on ahead. I'll hang around for a while." I have really missed Mongo.

Everyone was supplied with a sombrero. I actually had no complaints as everyone wore theirs willingly. It was worth the price just to see KJW in the hat. We set the radio to WKZX 93.5 FM (Regional Mexican) and KJW danced much of the night.

The food was also a hit. KLTW has a career in taco making if radiography does not pan out. I bought something known as chicharrones, which as far as I can tell are Mexican pork rinds. DBN asked who purchased the fried pork fat and when I confessed, he told me that I was a good man. Still, I do not think anyone sampled them. We ate a Cinco de Mayo cookie cake from Wal-Mart for dessert. Though this did not seem to fit with traditional Mexican cuisine, it was a hit.

We then went outside to waste a Dora the Explorer pull piñata. I bought Dora because she is one of the few characters I felt the Walker family would enjoy demolishing. KJW’s fist cousin Jake loathes Dora and his hatred has been contagious. Yes, a 6-year old has that big an influence. DBN and I had filled it to the max with candy and we were ready for action. Or so we thought...

We found we forgot something else - we had nothing to beat the piñata with. So we improvised, using KJW’s plastic carrot baseball bats left over from Easter. We all took pot shots at Dora, though never at her face. I am not sure what took more abuse, the ill-equipped bats or the piñata. Things got out of hand quickly when WAM began using his karate on the piñata. The event came to a screeching halt when RAW took out his machete and decapitated Dora leaving her head swinging from his patio. To be honest, each turn of events (except maybe the carrot baseball bats) was predictable given the participants. (Note: KJW was absent for this carnage as she was being watched by the always missing couple of MPW and KL.)

The night concluded at a bonfire with the roasting of marshmallows and making of s’mores. This was clearly not very Mexican. I accidentally set my mallows on fire. It was worth it to reference them being “en fuego” and recapturing some of the evening’s Mexican theme.

For the record 5/5 is not even Mexican independence day. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on midnight, September 15th, 1810, and it took eleven years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. Cinco de Mayo commemorates 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeating an army of 8000 composed of French and traitors at Puebla, Mexico, on the morning of May 5th, 1862. As far as I am concerned a French defeat is always worth celebrating. Then again, I celebrate just about anything.

In a dated, effeminate, and obscure movie reference, do you think Novalee Nation (Nalatie Portman in Where the Heart Is) hated Cinco de Mayo?

Prayer Blog - 5/5/2008

CEH, a missionary friend, has asked for prayer as she leaves today for South Asia.

Regarding prayer, she wrote:

Here are a few praises and prayer request to be lifted up!
Praise God, that He provided this opportunity to work along side Him in South Asia!
Praise God, that we got our visa's and funding for this mission trip!
Praise God for the missionaries all ready working in the South Asia harvest field and around the world!
Please pray for safety as we travel...safe flight, getting through customs, immigration, all of our luggage arrives, etc.
Please pray for open doors to share the truth with nationals, and that we would have boldness and wisdom in how we share the gift of eternal life.
Please pray for joy amidst the journey, and that Laura and I will both grow in our own personal prayer life and relationship with Christ.

WAM Quote of the Day - 5/5/2008

WAM attended our Cinco de Mayo party tonight and helpfully intervened as KJW was stepping on her fragile Magna Doodle. It is a toy that allows her to draw and quickly erase her work. WAM picked her up off of it and explained to her:

“We do not tap dance on writing implements...This is not modern art.”

It must have worked as KJW did not seem to mind the interruption and did not step on it the rest of the night.

Eulogy for Mary Louise Jones Nodell (1914-2008)

This is my first funeral and I discovered that a lot of ministers might begin with a Bible verse or story, but since this is for my grandmother, I decided to give you a synopsis of the entire Bible story. Do not get too excited. After the world was created a lovely young couple named Adam and Eve (you may have heard of them), lived in a utopian garden. Due to some unfortunate circumstances that I will not get into, they had their house repossessed. The rest of the book is about them and their descendants trying to get back home. I tell you this because this is my grandmother’s story too, save for that whole repossessed business.

My grandmother was born in 1914 in Newport. She had devoted parents and two older brothers, Chandler (which is a mighty good name) and John M. Her brothers were very nurturing. For instance, in the winter, they would tie a sled up to their car and pull her. They taught her to swim in a method that would make the judges at the Salem witch trials proud. They threw her into Carson Springs and in if she didn’t sink, she learned. Around these parts, there is a fine line between attempted murder (like Adam and Eve’s boys) and teaching. My grandmother always remembered these days fondly and never forgot how much she loved her brothers.

It was from her brothers that she got the name "Sis" (Short for "sister.") My grandmother was born with the name "Mary Louise" but I seldom heard her called by that name in my home. I called her "Grandma." My mom called her "Mom." My father called her "Sis" long after her brother had passed away. All these names are relational. This is fitting as relationships were my grandmother’s top priority.

My grandmother got to attend UT for two years before her family’s money ran out. They had were hit hard by the depression. Soon after, she got a job as a teacher at the Edgemont school here in Cocke County. On the day of her funeral, I regret to acknowledge that she was fired from the job. She was fired because she was a registered democrat which I suppose was a perfectly good reason at the time. Some of you still might find that suitable grounds for termination.

Then in the 1940s, her life changed. A big blessing came with an event called World War II. The war itself was not he blessing, but through it she met my grandfather. Dick Nodell was on maneuvers when Newport hosted the troops in the Memorial Building. My grandmother served him refreshments. He always said, "I was on maneuvers but I got outmaneuvered." An affinity for bad puns evidently run in the family.

My grandfather, a native New Yorker from Queens, decided he wanted to marry my grandmother and she agreed based upon one condition. He must bring her home every summer and Christmas and they would retire to Newport. My grandfather never once broke his promise. They lived in New York where he was teacher and later principal, but came home every summer. (On one of those trips my mother met my father.) My grandmother’s body left Newport, but part of her was always here wishing for the relationships that were so dear to her.

There are not many stories of my grandmother involving great hijinx. My grandfather was the prankster. Behind every great prankster is a woman embarrassed by his antics and that woman was my grandmother. It took a woman with my grandmother’s sweet disposition to compliment Dick Nodell. You see, he was an acquired taste. Let me explain. I have a two-year old goddaughter and there are some foods she eats and likes immediately. For example, the kid never complains about chocolate. My grandmother was chocolate to my grandfather’s asparagus. If I had to describe my grandmother in one word is would be "Sweet." I have always said that she and my Aunt Carwin were the sweetest people I ever met. (I can’t help it that they both happened to be related to me.)

I loved my grandfather but I can honestly say that he and his family were a cantankerous bunch. They argued about anything and everything just for the fun of it. The last time my grandfather’s sister visited I chauffeured her to see my grandmother. She said that of all the people she had met, my grandmother was the easiest to get along with. I knew she must be because the woman in my car was not the easiest person to get along with.

I recently talked about my grandmother with one of her best friends from New York (Edith). There was something I just had to know. While I am the same person in public and private, my good friends know exactly who I like and who I do not. So, I asked Edith if my grandmother ever said a bad word about anyone. She could not remember so. I can’t either.

Grandma would go to great lengths to be accommodating. Though she would have rather been home, she accompanied my grandfather to Europe every summer. One time, my grandmother did not want her mother to know she smoked. Her secret was almost leaked one day when her mother interrupted her during a smoke break. To avoid offending her, my grandmother put the cigarette out in her hand. To her the pain in her hand was nothing compared to hurting her mother. My grandmother never wanted to bother anyone or put anyone out.

In New York, my grandmother settled into being a wife and mother to my mom Dotty and her brother Rick. I would tell you what years they were born, but I do not wish to face the consequences that would follow. I recently traveled to her homes in Farmingdale and Oyster Bay and if you have seen "Leave it to Beaver" you have seen them. My grandmother was June Cleaver, give or take the cooking. She was the ideal mother that everyone would have wanted.

When it was time to retire, again my grandfather was true to his word. They moved back here to Cocke County. I know what you’re thinking. Thomas Wolfe has gotten it into out heads that you can’t go home again. Thomas Wolfe never lived in Newport. When she got back her friends - Ella (Wood), Dot (Talcott), Jo, Jackie (Mims), and Elizabeth (Stokely) were all still here. Margaret Elizabeth Sangster (1838-1912) wrote, "There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again." My grandmother would have agreed. If the sum of a persons life is the true friends they acquired along the way my grandmother lived a rich life and made others richer for having known her.

She enjoyed life in Newport and while there gladly added Bill and Jo into her family. No distinction was ever made between child and in-law. I do not mean to brag, but she was especially proud of her five grandchildren.

Most of you know, my grandmother battled Alzheimer’s the last 16 years of her life. Even this period was not without its levity. In the disease’s infancy, my grandmother resided at Williamsburg Villas. Though she would have struggled to remember her name, she somehow managed to watch people press the four digit security code and retain it. She not only escaped from the community, but led those retirees out of there like Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt.

On close examination, there is more to the story. If she were trying to sneak out, she would have done so alone. One absence is far less conspicuous than many. To borrow a phrase from sports there is no I in Grandma. Even in an entirely new environment, she was still about relationships.

Someone once wrote how limited cancer is. They wrote things like "It cannot suppress memories." Alzheimer’s can. It took the Solitaire games away, which she played religiously. Eventually it even took her love of chocolate. But it did not take all of grandmother. The last words I remember her trying to convey were at Christmas 2006. By then, the disease had taken over. My mother was always faithful to visit and give her a gift. When she saw the gift, my grandmother tried very hard to say, "But I don’t have anything for you." Till the end, she was sweet and polite. Alzheimer’s never took this.

And now she is back in Newport. It is fitting she will be buried here. She traveled the globe with my grandfather but never found a place she liked more. I am convinced she is going to a better home than even Newport.

My hope comes from the Bible. There was another Bible man was named Abraham. He too was asked to leave his home. The book of Hebrews tells us why he could. Pay attention because there is a good chance each of you will die and you may want to remember this.

"By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:9-10)

We are all aliens on earth as our real home awaits in heaven. Now I don’t want to spoil the Bible’s ending for you, but we, Adam and Eve’s descendants, can make it back home. There are a lot of plot twists along the way but a guy named Jesus intervenes and gives us a way back just by believing in Him. My grandmother did and I am certain she has made her way back home again. May we all be so blessed.

In Memory of Mary Louise Jones Nodell

Mary Louise Jones Nodell (March 16, 1914-May 3, 2008)

As many of you know my grandmother passed away on Saturday night. My mother's mother was one of the sweetest people I ever met and I will miss her. This picture of my parents and grandparents was taken at my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary party.

The following is the obituary my mother and I collaborated on. It appeared in today's edition of the Knoxville News-Sentinel and Tuesday's edition of her hometown paper, The Newport Plain Talk. Unfortunately, her local paper does not have a Monday edition and as such the obituary will be printed after her funeral.

Mary Louise “Sis” Nodell, age 94, formerly of Newport, passed away Saturday, May 3, 2008 at the Shannondale Health Care Center. She was born, March 16, 1914, the youngest of three children to John M. and Dora Susong Jones. She was valedictorian of her class at Cocke County High School and went on to attend the University of Tennessee where she was a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. She worked as a teacher at the Edgemont School in Cocke County and at the Taylor Grocery Company before marrying Richard Ellis Nodell on February 13, 1944. It was then that she gravitated to the roles that would define her – wife, mother and friend. She excelled at each. She was a member of numerous organizations including being a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Newport and founding member of the Cocke County chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Though the family mourns her loss, it is grateful that her suffering has subsided and she is now with her heavenly father. She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved brothers; her devoted husband, Richard Ellis Nodell and her loving cousin, Elizabeth Stokley. She is survived by her daughter, Dotty Nodell Vinson (and husband Bill) of Knoxville; son, Richard “Rick” Nodell (and wife Jo) of Knoxville. She also leaves five grandchildren Chandler Vinson of Knoxville; Adrienne Nodell Walker (and husband Michael) of Knoxville; Haley Nodell Johnson (and husband Damien) of Pensacola, Florida; Amelia Nodell of Amherst, Massachusetts; and Hannah Nodell of Knoxville. We express much appreciation to the Shannondale staff for their care and concern. Graveside services will be held 4:00 pm Monday, May 5, 2008 in Union Cemetery with Rev. Chandler Vinson, presiding. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association at 2200 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919.

Bible Trivia - 5/5/2008

Question: Finish the following verse from Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goeth before destruction and..."

Answer: "...a haughty spirit before a fall."

Comments: It is from Proverbs 16:18 that the popular axiom "Pride goes before a fall" derives. The expression is a paraphrase of the Hebrew proverb, designed to warn the listener of the dangers of pride.

Pride goes before destruction,/And a haughty spirit before stumbling. (Proverbs 16:18, NASB)

Michael Macrone further explains, "The phrasing 'pride goeth before destruction' is perhaps a bit confusing; what 'goeth before' means here is 'leads to' ("go" was a much more versatile verb in the Renaissance than it is now). Yet "goeth" does suggest that pride is a force capable of moving on its own and of leading us by the hand to our doom, which is both more vivid and truer to Hebrew psychology." (Macrone, Brush Up Your Bible!.)

Word of the Day - 5/5/2008

Perdurable

Perdurable means very durable; permanent; imperishable. In theological jargon it has a connotation of “eternal; everlasting.”

The author of Hebrews reminds the reader that she awaits a perdurable residence, not the temporal one she finds herself in.

For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. (Hebrews 13:14, NAB)

In Eckleburg's Eyes - 5/5/2008

I had a very good weekend save for the news that my maternal grandmother passed away on Saturday night. Even this cloud had an evident silver lining as her death meant that her battle with Alzheimer’s Disease had finally ended.

I spent Friday night with RAW and KJW. Being rested enough to visit them made the previous long night worth the effort. In an extremely rare occurrence, I inadvertently ignored KJW as her father and I caught up on the week’s events. She managed to curl herself into the laundry basket that was lying on the floor as we talked.

We procured food from the nearby McDonald’s and returned home. (Thanks again for my meal, RAW!) KJW enjoyed her happy meal. I brought KJW a snow globe with the outline of Mississippi and dice in it as her souvenir from my trip. I bought the gift for its movable colors, not to instill an affinity for gambling.

RAW and I watched the Atlanta Hawks continue to defy expectations by evening their playoff series with the heavily favored Boston Celtics via a 103-100 victory. We relaxed and talked as we watched the game. KJW was more interested in the remote control that governs the television than what was on the television itself.

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I spent Saturday morning working a shift at MoFoS with JTH. No, neither of us work there. Our friend and the owner, JBT, has an ill mother in Nashville and we covered his shift so that he could be at her side. We were also responsible for training CDM. Yes, JTH’s recent love interest secured a job at the store. Does it seem strange that two people who are not employed were given the task of training the new employee? Actually, in the context of MoFoS, it is not really that irregular.

JTH professes that he is no longer officially dating CDM but an unacquainted bystander could not tell this from their interaction.

I then traveled to the home of my uncle JHV (and aunt LAMV) for a party celebrating the first birthday of their grandson and my cousin LV’s son Weston (CWV). The event also marked the birthday of my aunt MCVD (one of my favorite people) who shares the same birthday with Weston (May 4th). My aunt was upstaged by the baby as partygoers stalked the child like paparazzi to Miley Cyrus at a hamburger joint. (It is sad that I know that.)

My cousin selected a Batman theme for the party. Though I generally prefer Marvel characters to its DC counterparts, we both concur that Batman is the coolest super hero. The child’s cake was a Darth Vader cake in which the red candle served as his light saber. Can you see the genetic similarities?

For what it’s worth, my cousin had seen the new Iron Man movie the previous night and strongly recommended it.

As usual, my aunt prepared a good spread. We had many varieties of sandwiches and side dishes. My cousin JEV complimented his with something called “Rectum Ripper” hot sauce. I felt this needed to be documented for posterity.

Many friends and family attended, including CWV’s father who is as estranged as one can be from my cousin, the mother of his child. I got to incessantly tease LV’s friend Abby and catch up with Blair (BC, pictured). BC, whom I worked with at MoFoS, is well and now works at Carmike Wynnsong 16. She is content for now but needs another job to supplement her income. I suggested she be a Barker’s Beauty as she did a fine job displaying CWV’s gifts so that all party attendees could see them.

In other party news, RRP still has an exquisite gluteus and I attempted to convince him to write a book on how to sculp one. He is apprehensive about sharing his secrets, though it may just the time. Do not be disturbed. This is a very, very inside joke. Even knowing that, it is still a bit troubling...

CWV did not seem to like his cake. We were all hoping that he would dive into the cake like most one-year olds do, but he was not interested. Our lust for messy cake eating would be satisfied one way or the other and LV’s good (grown) friend Joey (JS) did the honors. He took several nosedives into the case, hoping to evoke some interest from the birthday boy, but to no avail. At least JS seemed to enjoy the process.

Though CWV did not engulf the cake, he did manage to begrime his and his mother’s outfits. This was good as every great event should have at least one costume change. As LV washed the cake from her top, she noted that it was “coagulating.” I was so proud she busted out a five-syllable word.

I was also pleased that when CWV changed into a green golf shirt, he left an opening at the top, showing skin like a 1970s film star. I am pretty sure that is the look he was going for too.

CWV received a bevy of gifts. He seemed especially entertained by the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Learning Puppy that LV’s friend Michael gave him. It is a great gift. I gave KJW one for her first Christmas. The one negative is that the toy’s voice can be activated with little to no stimulus making it appear as if the toy is possessed.

As he played with his new booty, CWV demonstrated that he is clearly right-handed. (I typed that sentence primarily to use the word “booty.”) This may change as his mother was right-handed until age three and has been left-handed ever since.

Though the party may seem exciting (and my account of it is enthralling), it did not captivate all. My uncle, ECD slept through virtually the entire occasion! This happens more than you might think.

After returning from the birthday party, my mother received a phone call from Shannondale, the retirement community where my grandmother was residing. They informed us that she had died in her sleep. My mother was in shock as she had visited her the day before and the nurses told her to proceed with plans to go to Boston the following week as death did not appear imminent. My mother noted the decline her condition but did not sense since she would pass as quickly as she did.

In shock, we turned our attention to the tasks at hand. My father had a previous engagement with the Kidney Foundation. As the organization’s president, we urged him to attend his fundraiser as there was little he could do at home. I picked up food from Silver Spoon and my mother and I made funeral arrangements, phone calls, and wrote the obituary. My mother had already selected the blue dress and matching shoes my grandmother would be buried in. Blue was her favorite color. We also opted for a closed casket as my grandmother was opposed to open showings.

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On Sunday morning, my Sunday School class convened at RAW’s house. WAM delivered a belated birthday present. He bought me a black novelty shirt with a name tag which reads “Hello, My Name Is... Indigo Montoya, You Killed My Father. Prepare To Die.” (Read: Princess Bride reference.) It scares me how much I loved a purchase from ThinkGeek.com.

In between Biblical insights, KJW provided entertainment. She will mimic virtually anything her daddy tells her to say. Today, she said, “Mommy is a dork.” KLTW was thrilled with this turn of events. She also has placed a diaper and socks on her precious Frannie Bear. This gives the bear the appearance of having undergone triage. With the way she slings it around, it might be necessary.

On Sunday afternoon, my parents and I attended the play “The Trip to Bountiful” at Theatre Knoxville (located at 319 N. Gay Street). Neither my parents nor I had ever been to the playhouse, though it is located across the street from the popular Regas restaurant. We attended the play to support our church friend Debby Fox (DGF). Though the play runs through May 18th, this was the only date all three of us could attend.

The venue is a small, nonprofit organization. None of the actors are paid. Ticket prices only amount to approximately half of the production's overhead and the operation relies on donations from patrons to exist. There were only 21 people in the theater’s seven rows for this performance. In addition to us, DGF’s husband, parents, and sister attended.

The play was written by Texas native by Horton Foote (b. 1916) Foote actually has local ties as he was presented an honorary doctorate from local Carson-Newman College. The Horton Foote Center for the Study of Theater and Filmthere is named after him. Foote is best known for his screenplay for 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won the Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay.

Foote first wrote “The Trip to Bountiful” for television in 1953. This version starred Lillian Gish. The play opened on Broadway that same year. It was later remade as a movie in 1985 starring Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford and Rebecca De Mornay.

The play is set in Texas in the 1940s (though the Playbill reads 1950s). It depicts the plight of elderly hymn singing Carrie Watts (DGF), who wants to return to her small hometown (Bountiful) from Houston where she has resided for twenty years. She is opposed by her irritable Coke drinking daughter-in-law. Discontent with her two-room abode and unbearable daughter-in-law, she makes a lonely pilgrimage to her old home hoping to regain her strength, dignity and peace of mind.

DGF prepared for the role in about a week, as the actress who had been cast backed out of the play. In the starring role, she was on stage virtually the entire time and was the only actor to appear in all six scenes. Given this, she was remarkable.

For the first time in twenty years, she shared the stage with her lovely daughter Carrie (CAF). Both have been in numerous local productions. By day, CAF works for Jewelry Television. She was delightful. That is her pictured with her mother in the previous photo.

The play runs through May 18, Thursdays-Sundays. Tickets for Sunday and Thursday performances cost $8 and weekend nights are $13.

I enjoyed the play though it was slow and a bit depressing. I especially enjoyed seeing DGF’s family. Her sister, MLGT, attended and I once supervised her two youngest daughters in daycare. Arianna is now a junior at Bearden High School. She transferred from rival Farragut after her freshman year. Arianna was once my “secretary” who made all of my phone calls for me. Her little sister is now in 8th grade. The oldest of the girls, Amanda, who once worked with me at the daycare, now works in California as the producer of Yo on E! on the E! Network. She is responsible for booking thirty guests each week.

The show's official MySpace page says of Amanda:

Amanda the Talent Booker”, packs our show with fabulous guests from Madonna to the girls of “The Hills.” She is our southern belle whose now doin’ it the Cali way. Case in point: her boyfriend is in a band and she gets her hair blow out… 'nuff said. She still appreciates the simple things in life like her hometown Tennessee Vols, mom's spaghetti, Journey’s Greatest Hits and hiking, but skinny vanilla lattes and Pilates just give her more bounce in California, ya'll!

After the play, my family returned home where we ate a feast prepared for us by their Sunday School class. SWW fixed turkey, TEL brought spinach, LGW fixed mashed potatoes, JLJ made mint tea and her famous rolls, and BPS made a pound cake. And that was just the food I sampled! Breakfast for the next day was also brought by SLH. Our entire family is extremely grateful.

I learned that SWW was in the same sorority as my grandmother at UT. As my grandmother’s sister, does this make her my aunt?

WAM Quote of the Day - 5/4/2008

Today, WAM participated in a planning session for a Cinco de Mayo party. This was the context for the WAM Quote of the Day:

"Are you going to invite the neighbors over so we can have some authentic Mexicans?"

The answer: No. I would invite them if I did not think they would be offended. I do not think any culture likes to be used as human decorations...