Tis the season to practice my keeeeyboording skiiils again. humph! Oh well, thank God for speel check. If only they had a grammar check in these computers. Of course, they'd have to have a Southern and a Northern version; it's bad enough now when I have this thing check my spelling and it invariably questions the validity of the spelling of y'all. This leads me to believe MS-DOS originated north of the Mason-Dixon. Oh well, the little differences between usins and youins keeps life interesting.
This past year has been a menagerie of happenings, events and long held hopes coming of fruition (didn't think we Southerners knowed such words did yuns?) We of course started off the year with THE snow. We had about 16 inches here at Burnt Mountain, but of course as the years go by, I'll increase the amount in the story every year. We fared quite handily though, thanks to our wood stoves, kerosene lamps, and lots of quilts.
Not long after THE snow, I ended my stint as a construction superintendent of restaurants, and resumed my life as full time wood craftsman. During the past year, I have traveled as far north as East Tawas Michigan, a small coast town on Lake Huron and south to Jacksonville, Florida. Some shows have been character builders (similar to my Georgia Tech being whooped up on for years), and some shows tend to make you believe your craft is truly appreciated, both artistically and financially. But the joy of meeting people from all walks of life is common to all the shows I do. If the tax laws don't change in reference to travel expenses, I hope to be able to plan shows in the future to see many of you, our friends.
One other stormy night early in the year, Susan, Melissa, and I were lighting kerosene lamps during a power outage (yes, the REA does extend lines out this far), we had one of those Mr. Science experiments where you see how deaf you become and how far your hair stands up when you take a direct hit from lightening. I didn't even have time for the usual, just before you die, well NOW I repent prayer. It literally hit just above our heads and caught the house on fire at the ridge of our A-frame. We threw a ladder up to the ridge as Melissa ran into the house to get me some wet towels for me to try and beat the fire out with. As I hung on the ladder, Susan bracing it in the storm, I realized it was taking Melissa a while. After it was all over and the fire was out, Melissa told us that when she ran inside, as the house was burning, she stopped to answer the phone (priorities)! Fortunately, it was just her boyfriend and he bought her story about the house being on fire and she couldn't talk just now. Carrie was the smart one as she had gone to a slumber party that night.
Both Melissa and Carrie are doing fine and I am proud to say are both on The Honor Roll this quarter. I had to hurry and say that before the next report cards come out. Melissa will be getting her learner's permit this spring. I think Clinton should take this insurance thing a step further with National Auto Coverage, covering collisions, comprehensive, and nervous breakdowns (of the parents). We got an early taste of the future as Susan decided to let Melissa get familiar with backing up her car in the driveway. Susan was explaining the process and told Melissa to straighten up her wheels. As she started to back up the car began to turn, where Susan told Melissa to open her door and check the wheels to see if they were straight. Whereupon she opened her door, looked to the back wheels, and in all seriousness said, "They look straight to me." I look for Gary Larson to use this in one of his cartoons this coming year using cows or bears or some other form of higher intelligence.
Carrie's high point for the year was for her clogging group being invited to perform at Six Flags and Dollywood. I have these shows well documented on tape and film, so any of you Ginger Rogers fans wanting to get one before they're all gone, rush $19.95 plus $12.95 shipping and handling to ME, in care of Support a Poor Old Slow Southerner, BR549, GA.
Susan continues to work at Fannin Regional Hospital in the Health Information Management department. She is taking a correspondence course to get her credentials to become a department director. I get all excited every time a package comes in the proverbial plain brown wrapper, thinking I've won the Playboy Grand Prize, but no, it's just another correspondence lesson. Oh well.
But I guess the highlight of the year for me was being able to take the family on a camping trip across America to the Grand Canyon, and the Rockies. This year was Susan and mine's 20th anniversary, and we went on our honeymoon to Colorado. Once again, this trip is well documented, and if you hurry I can still guarantee Christmas delivery of this moving and professionally shot journal. (There seems to be something rising above my boots as I type!)
Both Melissa and Carrie now have the common interest in the opposite sex, of course I guess it would now be more socially correct to say one of the several other sexes since we have more than two to choose from today. Oh what a cruel hand time has wrought when I just can remember where I parked the car at the supermarket, but I can remember ALL the things I did when I was their age. All I can do is hope they will be more responsible, thoughtful, and moral than I was those many years ago…. Yeah right! In my dreams. Both kids have traveled with me to craft shows and I can see it's rubbing off on them, as when I ask them to hold the door for me as I carry groceries in and they ask "What does it pay?", and want to be paid in cash with no taxes taken out. I think it was those shows in Michigan that did it.
I appreciate the Christmas cards we've received from many of you and hope that this letter sheds a little light on the status of the Tidwell Clan for 1993. Once again I've maintained my record of not writing any other letters all year and saving it all up for this… you lucky devils. We here wish with all sincerity for all of you our friends, an eventful and happy new year. Time on this earth is so precious, don't let a minute slip by without living life as you want to, and not as you have to. This from a man (a boy) who turned 40 this year. Does it show?
Merry Christmas to All
And to All a Good Night
Buddy, Susan, Melissa, Carrie
Alex and Buster (Dogs)
Tiger and Madison (Cats)
Skippy and Billy (Parakeets)
