PEEPS:
Deat, aka Jerry, - My late husband, who was my very best friend.
If you'd like to see pictures and read about him, his memorial website is listed over in "What Happened"
P.D. aka Poodly Doo, Poods, (And to B.B., Sissy) - Our oldest daughter, now 10 years old. P.D. is my angel. She was an easy baby and toddler. She never bothered to get into things that didn't belong to her, and lived to please us. She's still a very thoughtful, sweet child who rarely fails to take other people's feelings into consideration. She's wicked smart and insightful... so much so she amazes me daily.
Deat and I thought we were the greatest parents ever... This parenting stuff is easy. Other people must be making it harder. They should just do what we do with P.D... Then God spoke up, "Oh no No NO, I know you two aren't taking credit for my work, what I made so sweet and wonderful! Welcome to...."
B.B. aka Baby Boo, Boo Bear (emphasis on the "Bear")- (now age 6) B.B. has never stopped for five minutes from day one. She's hard-headed, loud, demanding, and out of one thing and into two more... usually with much destruction. Once when she was a year old I called Deat at work to come home and save me from her.
P.D. is my angel, but B.B. is my Gift from God. When Deat died, and I had those days that I didn't want to get up or face the day ahead, P.D. would have let me stay there. She would have entertained herself, fixed herself something to eat. She would have worried, but never have "bothered" Momma. B.B. had no such compunction.
"MOMMA! I'm hungry! MOMMA! GET UP! MOMMA! I WANT, I NEED..." B.B. wouldn't let me grieve my life away. If I stayed in bed, who knows what I'd find when I got up? If B.B. got quiet, I knew I knew to be afraid, very afraid...
Um, that's still true about B.B.. But, she's also beautiful, strong, smart, independent and fiercely loyal, especially to Sissy. When B.B. loves, she loves all the way.
Momma and Daddy, aka Nanny & Pap - Uh, kinda obvious, huh?
G &V, aka Memaw and Papaw - Deat's parents.
Pat, Jackrabbit and Stink - Brother and sisters...Pat's name is Pat because he won't care if I use his name. I don't know about my sisters, so those are the names Daddy called them. In the interest of fairness, I'll tell my nickname here: Daddy's Little Curly-Headed Baby, or Curly for short.
Sophie aka STWG or Sophie the Wonder Dog - (Yes, I KNOW she's not a peep, but she has too much personality to be a thing.) Six Pounds of Non-Stop Jack Russell Chewing Fury.
Momma and Daddy, aka Nanny & Pap - Uh, kinda obvious, huh?
G &V, aka Memaw and Papaw - Deat's parents.
Pat, Jackrabbit and Stink - Brother and sisters...Pat's name is Pat because he won't care if I use his name. I don't know about my sisters, so those are the names Daddy called them. In the interest of fairness, I'll tell my nickname here: Daddy's Little Curly-Headed Baby, or Curly for short.
Sophie aka STWG or Sophie the Wonder Dog - (Yes, I KNOW she's not a peep, but she has too much personality to be a thing.) Six Pounds of Non-Stop Jack Russell Chewing Fury.
The Master Counselor aka The MC - my boss for my current counseling internship and my job after graduation. He's a cranky, abrasive, OCD, set-in-his-ways technophobe. He's also a brilliant, hard-nosed but compassionate, innovative counselor with an unmatched self-awareness (if I forgot any of his flaws he can name them) and a true calling and passion for helping the population we serve. I learn as much over lunch with him as I do in a weekend of classes... We work well together and look out for each other... when we're not ready too wring each other's necks.
Sabrina (no nick name, save the one Deat gave her, The Conspiracy Theorist)- Probably my oldest and dearest friend here in L-town. She came into my life while I was grieving the loss of Traci to a car accident. I was soured on making new friends, losing Traci had hurt too much. She snuck up on me, stuck by me, and made me love her anyway. We have seen each other through the best and worst of everything in the last 10 years.
The Ladies - Our gang of girlfriends here in the L-town area and another example of God's kindness to me. They lift me up, put me in my place, make me laugh, make me think. (and I think any of them would say the same). A Ladies get-together includes at least two (but usually more) of any of the following: Carolyn, Crystal, Gladys, Heather, Janet, Michelle, Me, Pennie, Sabrina, Susan, and/or Tina (Filly). We try to plan at least one girls' night a month but do sporadic last-minute stuff, too; sometimes with kids and husbands, sometimes without.
The Ladies - Our gang of girlfriends here in the L-town area and another example of God's kindness to me. They lift me up, put me in my place, make me laugh, make me think. (and I think any of them would say the same). A Ladies get-together includes at least two (but usually more) of any of the following: Carolyn, Crystal, Gladys, Heather, Janet, Michelle, Me, Pennie, Sabrina, Susan, and/or Tina (Filly). We try to plan at least one girls' night a month but do sporadic last-minute stuff, too; sometimes with kids and husbands, sometimes without.
Delmer or Del - my blogging hero from over at What's a Delmer Look Like? A blog compliment from Del makes me smile all week. He's been my blog cheerleader almost from the beginning, and I'm very grateful
Capricorn Cringe or Cap - blogging buddy from over on The friggin' cat house. What? You want to know her real name? Figure it out for yourself! Read through years of blog posts just like I did.
The Not-Right Writer or The NRW - Friend of mine from high school who also blogs. Re-connecting through our love of words and personal expression has been really neat.
T.L.C. or Write with TLC - (And yes, I am plugging her blog) An old, old friend from the summer after my freshman year in college, and my other best blogging cheerleader. (You know, the "other one" who comments on my posts.) She lives in Oregon, and we're friends because while we're very dissimilar, we agree to disagree, respect and learn from one another, and move on. We "get" each other. The link above is her new blog addy. You can check her older stuff out at: writewithtlc.tlcooper.com/
TOK (The other Kelly )- Kelly is my favorite guy with my name. We met when we both worked for the same company. For a time there, he was even my boss. He lives in Atlanta now. We share a terrific, mutually supportive friendship that I treasure. (Besides, he has that really cool name I can use to confuse my readers.)
Danny - That guy I thought I went on a date with, but maybe I didn't. The guy I write about INSTEAD of anyone I may or may not date.
My Theatre Babies - Any and all of dozens kids I've had the pleasure of getting to know and love since P.D. (well, all three of us) got involved at the Gusto about a year and a half ago. They range in ages from 4 all the way up to 17. It's been amazing watching them learn, grow and love: as actors and as people.
The Gusto Theatre - Closed now, :( - The brainchild of Mr. Dowell, and one of my favorite places to be. I thought participating in a play would be good for P.D. to help her overcome her shyness, but it grew to be so much more than that. Kids (and parents) from all walks of life came together and developed a bond that feels an awful lot like a family. Each time the lights come up on a show night, I felt my heart swell with love and pride for the kids on that stage, their parents, for Mr. Dowell and Miss Shea. I think many of the kids' and parents' stories echo mine: the Gusto came into our lives and filled needs we didn't even know we had.
J-town - Deat's hometown, about 90 miles east of here. Every time I start driving to see G. and V., I start singing Johnny Cash. You figure it out. :)
J-town - Deat's hometown, about 90 miles east of here. Every time I start driving to see G. and V., I start singing Johnny Cash. You figure it out. :)
L-town - Where I live. I moved here with Deat in February 2001, when I was pregnant with P.D..
P-town - my hometown, it's about 90 miles from here. It's about 70 miles from J-town to P-town. Deat and I thought of Christmas as "time to do the holiday triangle"
C-town - (sick of these goofy town names yet?) The town where I work with the MC, about 20 minutes from here.
C-town - (sick of these goofy town names yet?) The town where I work with the MC, about 20 minutes from here.
The Mills - The tiny community outside P-town where my parents' farm lies, where I grew up.
THINGS
Kermit - Our Vee-hick-cul. A '96 Ford Escape. So named (by Fred through a naming contest right here on this very blog) because "It's not easy being green."
Daisy - My former truck, a 2001 Dodge Dakota that I aimed to drive until the doors fell off... and I dang near did.
Kitty - My car, a 1997 Buick Riviera that I loved so much I gave her a blog post all her own. Unfortunately, Kitty is no longer with us, thanks to Lying Lady.
My Stick - a balanced Joss with black butt and mother-of-pearl inlay. (Joss is a pool cue brand). I fell in love with pocket billiards in college. A chance to play is a chance to return to simpler times in my life, if only for a couple hours.
