From Pamela's Diary - December 15, 1943

On Reaching My 22^nd Birthday, December 15, 1943, Wednesday

The weather is cold; it started snowing here in Charleston about 6pm. Had a date with Ray at seven, but he didn’t come until 8:30. He had a wreck on the sleek, sleet-covered road, and damaged his car. He brought me a beautiful birthday present – a cedar chest. We were planning to go to the Footlight Play, “Dangerous Corners”, but did not go. Took a walk in the snow. The lights shining out on the snow, and the icy, midnight-blue sky, looked like a Christmas card scene.

Mother is worried about the pipes freezing. Dad and Ray turned the water off. Ted is afraid to walk in the snow.

Mother and Dad ate supper at 5 o’clock. I waited on Ray until 7:30, and then ate. We had roast beef, creamed potatoes and gravy, slices tomatoes and lettuce, pickles, biscuits, macaroni pie, and chocolate cake. Mother had two huge red candles on the table. Ray ate at 8:30 when he came. He was so upset.

Mother and Dad gave me a beautiful lace-trimmed tearose slip. Rosalie Berkman, whose birthday is on the 15^th, too, sent me a card and a bright handkerchief.

I don’t think Wilkie would make a good president, I believe Douglas McArthur will be elected if he runs, but, as a President, I don’t believe he will be as successful or as popular as he is in the Army. I want a new, good, Democratic President. I don’t think the War will end soon; I have no idea how long it will be.

The most important thing in my life now is to try to make my Mother and Father happy, and to try to make my life a success, that is, in service, health, and finding that which I am to accomplish.

Christmas and Memory Globes

Last night I dreamed that when I came home this coming weekend to South Carolina for Christmas, Grandma V. and Papa were there. It was like they had never left. Everyone was talking and laughing like everything was normal and all of a sudden, they were back. The most interesting part I remembered though was not that I quickly accepted that they had come back and were there with us for the holidays, it was that I spent the entire time telling Papa about my experiences and travels in San Francisco and New York City. When I woke up, I was wondering, why is that all I had to talk to him about after not seeing him for almost 10 years?

I remember he would take me in his room from time to time to show me his globe of the world. He'd show me where he lived in the Phillipines during WWII and tell me what it was like there. He'd point out all the places he'd visited during his younger years all over the world. Once he told me about the Japanese kamikaze pilots and how they gave their lives for their country and how to them, that meant they were going to their heaven. He told me that although that we as Christians may not agree with them or think that is right (that they would kill themselves and others at the same time to go to heaven), we should never hate them, but try to understand them. He said because that's what they were brought up to believe just like we were brought up to believe certain things too. That lesson taught me how to not judge or hate those that have different cultures or lifestyles from what we know or even what we believe is right. That has helped me become what I am today, and I'm so thankful and proud of that. If he were here this Christmas, I would to tell him about all the people I've met from all over the world, the cuisines I've tried, the things I've learned and experienced since living in San Francisco and New York City. And that I may not have had such an acceptance of others so different from what was "normal" to me if it weren't for him and his stories with the world globe. What life lessons or stories did your grandparents tell you that helped to carve you into the person you are today?

Merry Christmas Pamela's Girls! I can't wait be with all of you soon!
Love,
SanFran S

Feasting & Celebrating…

I really don’t want to weigh myself tomorrow. Really.

The last few days have been “feasting days” celebrating Christmas & the holidays with different friends and groups, not to mention the stacks of homemade & gourmet goodies that have been sifting into our kitchen at the office.

This past Wednesday night Uncle R and I celebrated our 21^st anniversary at our favorite Turkish restaurant here in Nashville and my stomach went into shock after I asked it to consume my seared tuna steak, crisp green salad, fragrant rice, tomatoes & basil sauted together and pita and hummus on the side. We sadly passed on their delicious desserts…

On Thursday I took a green bean casserole to a copyright administrator’s potluck that I attend each month. In December we always have a special festive potluck and each bring a wrapped present that we each draw numbers for in turns. There were piles of good food at the potluck this year and I have to say that when a dear friend brought her made-from-scratch red velvet cake, it was all I could do not to creep out of the building hiding that yummy thing under my coat!

Yesterday I was invited by my friend Lisita to a Christmas banquet at a nearby college. It is a campus very close to my office and I am sure that the Pamela’s Girls have often seen me post Facebook photos of beautiful park-like grounds and stone buildings that are a bit of a cross between Hogwarts and Oxford. The luncheon today was in a high-ceilinged hall with varicolored stone, dark paneled wood and hung on every side with greens, garlands and Christmas decorations. The dessert table alone was simply groaning under every kind of cookie, tart, crème puff, cake, pie and pudding that you could think of. I took a couple of little things to nibble and tried to not look at it for the rest of the time that I was there.

Then last night was our work office party…. It is usually a pool tournament and I am one sad little pool shark… but I like to try anyway. And there will be food… but I’ll try not to notice it!

Happy Birthday to our sweet, talented & beautiful CiCi!!!!

Love to the Pamela’s Girls,

Auntie J

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It has been a lot of fun this year decorating for Christmas with Baby B. He helped us pick out the Christmas tree and now he LOVES pointing to different ornaments hanging from the tree. He is also thoroughly enjoying candy canes.

I know Christmas morning is going to be especially exciting this year!!!

Love to Pamela's Girls!

~Mommy M

God's Miracles

At church this past Sunday and during Granddad Bass' beautiful service yesterday, I was reminded that we need to share with others how God helps us overcomes trials in order to glorify His name. The situation that first came to mind were the kidney problems I faced when I was 18.
I was a freshman in college adjusting to a new town, new people and harder classes, which made the pain and fear about what could be wrong that much more difficult to deal with. When the problem was finally diagnosed as kidney stones and I learned that I was going to have to have major surgery at Duke, I was very scared and I often asked, "Why is this happening to me?" No one I knew had ever had to have such an intense operation at that age. Then when I learned that I was not going to be strong enough to return to USC in the Spring I was very disappointed. I couldn't see the plan that God had for my life. I suffered through a semester at Tech and eventually transfered to Francis Marion, which was not my dream college. But then through FMU, the amazing opportunity of teaching in New Zealand came along, which I feel was one of the defining experiences of my life. I also got a job at the Darlington Raceway which was a very fun job that led to many exciting opportunities. I was then very eager to move back to Columbia once I graduated after living in my hometown during college.

Daddy helped me get a job as an assistant in the President's office at a bank. I worked there for a year and a half as I continually searched for a job teaching. I got to know the mail courier Gary very well. He happened to be married to someone who worked for the Human Resource Department of a local school district. She sent word through Gary that one of the best schools in her district, right down the street from my grandparents old house, had an opening for a first grade teacher. I interviewed, was offered the position and 2 weeks later I was teaching a class of 15 first graders.

The school had a book buddies program in which 2 classes in 2 different grades would get together for 30 minutes a week so the older students could read with the younger students. I became really good friends with the teacher in the classroom beside mine. She was switching to a 3rd grade book buddy class and asked if I would be book buddies with her former 2nd grade class. I agreed and the teacher of this class became one of my best friends. She introduced me to lots of her friends who eventually introduced me to Daddy L.

Years after I got my job teaching, one of the first grade teachers who had interviewed me for the position said, "Mandy, did you know that the other person we interviewed had years of teaching experience when you had no experience?" I didn't even know they had interviewed anyone else. She told me that all of the first grade teachers who interviewed me recommended the experienced teacher be hired because they didn't feel like training another new teacher. Then she told me how thankful she was that the principal had hired me anyway, in spite of their recommendation. It then hit me that the ONLY reason I got the job was because of my connection from the mail courier's wife.

It is amazing to think that if I had not had those painful kidney stones, I may not have met Daddy L or had the joy of having Baby B. God does indeed work in our lives even through our most difficult situations.

Love to Pamela's Girls!

Mommy M

Decorating For Christmas 2010

Once again, our office is spruced up and ready for our 2010 Holiday Festivities. At 3pm this past Friday afternoon, pens were retired for the day and fingers removed from keyboards. Cheese trays emerged from our office refrigerator and cookies came piping from the oven.

Early Friday morning, T-lou and I had done a brief check into our attic and found garlands, wreaths, ornaments, bows and our office tree, assuring ourselves that nothing needed to be added to the required decorations. Then after 3pm we all decorated the tree, hung all of the greens and gathered in the lobby where we were treated to some great “Christmas Party Past” stories by our Head Of Office…. Not for the faint of heart, but amusing nonetheless!

Even though I have been trying to get over a pesky sinus infection and Uncle R is trying to KEEP from getting one – inspired by seeing all the decorations at work, I pulled out a few at home.

One year at Christmas CiCi gave Uncle R and me a beautiful Christmas throw. I decided to make it a tablecloth this year and I really like the look! I also did the seasonal change of our mantelpiece decorations.

It’s a bit difficult to believe that it’s December already! Uncle R and I are going to check our calendars in hopes that we will be able to see our Pamela’s Girls at Christmas!

Love to the Pamela’s Girls!

Auntie J

A Birthday Surprise for Cici

We are looking forward to celebrating Cici's birthday next week. Here is an early birthday surprise. I hope SS will enjoy it too. (I'm not good at waiting on gifts... I guess I get that from my Auntie J;-D )


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzR2iSgrqHQ


Happy early birthday Cici! I love you!

Love,

~Mommy M

Thanksgiving 2010

Uncle R and I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving meal yesterday with his two lovely sisters and their families. In years past when Mama & Papa were still with us, both sisters, their spouses, their children and… soon grandchildren, would gather for a huge family meal at Mom & Pop’s home in Huntsville, Alabama. The center of holiday activity was Mama’s bustling kitchen with opening oven doors, simmering pots on the stove & china handed out of cabinets and spilling past football games on the den TV and balls being tossed out in the front yard.

Everyone tended to bring a signature dish or addition to the meal, but Mama would always outdo herself by cooking for days before Thanksgiving, preparing mountains of savory mashed potatoes and gravy, her signature huge bowl of dressing, broccoli casserole, creamed corn, squash casserole, Kentucky Wonder home-canned green beans, turnip greens, freshly-made cranberry sauce laced with orange slices, onion casserole and her creamy smooth cranberry Jell-O salad. Then various family members would bring their own offerings such as fresh rolls, ice chests of tea & soft drinks, or a specialty dish that they were trying out. For years I liked to add my seester’s own yummy sweet potato casserole and my own pumpkin pies.

Papa dearly loved pumpkin pies and nothing made me happier than rolling into Huntsville the night before Thanksgiving, leaning in close to his Old Spice scented cheek and whispering in his ear that I had made him a batch of pies. One holiday he was especially pleased to hear that Uncle R and I were unloading 13 pies made into the wee hours of the night before. It sounds like an outrageous number of pies but in those days we might have 25 or more people at the table and would need enough to feed everyone. And then again, Papa always liked to hear that there were extra pumpkin pies in the freezer waiting for Mama to add to his evening meal.

This year I made the sweet potato casserole again and also brought 2 store bought pumpkin and one sweet potato pies. Our talented JenMo brought three homemade apple pies and niece JulSmi brought a pecan pie. Needless to say by the end of two turkey meals I crept off to bed last night, hoping that one day in the future I wouldn’t feel to painfully full. It was amazing, though, for sure!

I hope that my precious Pamela’s Girls had a wonderful day yesterday! I am thankful for so many blessings that the Lord has graciously and freely given and the Pamela’s Girls are special gifts in my life for whom I am very grateful.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:15 & 16 (New American Standard Bible)

With love from Auntie J

Busy Weekend

Our main goal for this past weekend was to go see Granddad Bass since he is not doing well and has been moved to a skilled living facility. (This is a photo of him from our wedding that I photo shopped for Nana.)

Saturday afternoon we met Nana in Bishopville so she could keep Baby B for the night to keep her mind off Granddad Bass. After we met her, Daddy L ran in the grocery store and found this cupcake Barkley in the bakery... Isn't it adorable?

Then we went over to a friend's to hang out Saturday night. It was nice sleeping in a bit Sunday morning before we headed back to Columbia to meet Nana, Uncle Rhett and Baby B for lunch. After lunch, we went to see Granddad Bass and then we spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning out his old apartment. Unfortunately, Nana forgot to charge Baby B's dvd player, so it was an extremely long day keeping up with Baby B with no Dora or Mickey relief.

It was also a VERY long ride home since Baby B's nap hadn't been worked into the day and it was dark and he had no entertainment. I finally resorted to letting him watch Dora clips off youtube on my phone. Whew... that was a brilliant idea! This is a photo and video of him laughing at the little tiny clips of Dora... I don't know what parents did without modern technology:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V12jwXi3e7A

Happy Thanksgiving Pamela's Girls!

Love,

~Mommy M

Life's "Towers"

Baby B really loves building towers with Daddy L and I now. He loves to build them quickly, really tall and really high. He carefully thinks about where he puts each lego, but just in an attempt to make it as tall as possible. He gets upset when it starts to lean and eventually falls to the ground. After the tears and screams, he comes and grabs my hand for help. I'm trying to teach him that he needs to build a foundation, and not just focus on making it as tall as he can.

This reminded me of how we can get in life... We want everything to happen fast and sometimes we try to build our towers on our own in an attempt to get to the top as soon as possible, but without God's foundation, it will always tumble to the ground.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I am thankful for God's hands and that He always gives us the foundation we need!

Happy Thursday Pamela's Girls!

Love,

~Mommy M

It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.

Luke 6:48

Marcel's Proposal

Sometimes your week starts off slowly – creeping out from the bed slowly, trying not to think about how late you decided to stay up to watch the end of that movie or check just ONE more e-mail… and yearning for that first cup of coffee. But then again…sometimes your week starts out with a little jumpstart of excitement as it did for my office this past Monday morning.

One of our writers, Marcel, notified our office with an early Monday morning call that he was going to propose to his long-time girlfriend and country recording artist, Jessica Andrews, IN OUR PARKING LOT! Marcel had arranged with a local nationally known DJ, Gerry House, to play a song over the radio that he had specifically written as a “proposal song”. He told Jessica that he had a meeting at our office and would she come with him. As they drove along the song played and as it finished, he pulled up to our office, got out her out of the car, went down on one knee and popped the big question as he held out the ring.

Of course we all had our noses pressed against the office windows staring out and as they hugged in happiness, we all knocked on the window, waved and gave the thumbs up. They came in after that – Jessica all glowing and somewhat flustered and Marcel in a humorous combination of happiness, relief and terror - and we all congratulated them and exclaimed over the beautiful engagement ring.

Follow this link to watch a video that a friend of Marcel’s made of this fun event!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2BwBpzwE14&feature=youtube_gdata_player

With love to my romantic-hearted Pamela’s Girls,

Auntie J

Christmas Preview...

Here's a Christmas preview for your Christmas cards which will be in the mail in a few weeks... (Notice Baby B's bottom teeth)

I've also been busy working on Christmas gifts for friends sold on She'll Paint Anything. Thank you for all of your support Pamela's Girls!

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

~Mommy M

My Grassmere Wildlife Park Years And Charles Fracé

I’ve dealt with all sorts of “wildlife” while working in the music business over the years, whether it involved lining up musicians for recording sessions or - these days - working with songwriters and… even more dangerous…. song pluggers!

But seriously, there was one chapter in my life that was fraught with bureaucratic non-profit woes (which SanFran S may be able to understand) but had the wonderful upside of having some of the most memorable experiences with animals that I am sure I will ever have. I had the opportunity to hold river otters when they were still babies, scratch coyotes behind the ears, have large birds of prey swoop so closely over my head that I could feel the soundless & gentle rush of air down through my hair and – as you can see in these photos – run with a cougar cub across a winter meadow.

Just before construction on the Grassmere Wildlife Park - where I worked then - was finished, I had the awesome experience of meeting the celebrated wildlife artist, Charles Fracé. During the Park’s history, we hosted many wildlife art exhibitions and one included nothing but the startlingly real works of this amazing painter. It was difficult to believe, as you stared closely at the paintings, that the fur was not soft and real and that the water not really wet or rocks not actually sharp and hard. (I have included a photo of Mr. Fracé here with the first director of Grassmere.

In our own art collection, Uncle R and I have a print signed by Charles Fracé and I love that it is a cougar. It reminds me of the exciting afternoon that I had “babysitting” a cougar cub, who sat on my desk and swatted at my phone when it rang. I finally took him outside and we ran across the rolling meadow grass on a crisp winter afternoon.

In present day I am thankful to be working back in the music industry – the industry that brought me to Nashville – but I am also grateful for the other paths that the Lord has lead me down over the years and the sweet friends that I made and remarkable moments that I had the blessing to be a part of along the way.

Happy Saturday to my Pamela’s Girls!!!

Auntie J