Blast from the past - Stay Fit Lu Lu

Lucy,

I hope you have enjoyed your Nuggets from Dad this week? Congrats on making it to your first Friday as a college freshman and getting your 75 million-dollar coach his first win last night against directional U.

I took a look back at the first week of nuggets ever, September 6-10, 2010 - Sally's freshman year at UGA. Fit as a Fiddle Friday came about after I heard John McEnroe refer to Roger Federer as Fit as a Fiddle during the Thursday evening US Open telecast. Amazing that Roger is still playing. He clearly gets the importance of staying whole and staying fit.

On Friday of that week I posted this. And added below for emphasis . . .

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.” - Unknown

Call me soon,

Dad

Let the game come to you

Hey Lu,

It is 'Anything Goes' Thursday and I don't have much, but I got this. Who first said, "Let the game come to you"? I honestly don't know. But I found this about Phil Jackson when he was first coaching Michael Jordan:

Michael Jordan was a star player for the Chicago Bulls. He won scoring titles and most valuable player recognitions, but his team could not seem to win a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship. Phil Jackson, his coach, could see that he was chasing the game. He said to Michael, “Let the game come to you.” Phil taught him to be centered which created a vortex that brought the game to him, instead of chasing the game. Once he began to let the game come to him, his team got involved, and instead of him chasing opposing players, they used their energy to chase him. Suddenly the Bulls’ game expanded to another level and they won championships.



So you know what to do!

Love ya,

Dad

Let's celebrate XOs on Woman Power Wednesday

Lucy,

I thought your first Woman Power Wednesday should celebrate special Chi Omegas. Hoot hoot! Like Mikey Hendon and Sally Singletary and hoot that in the middle? The most special woman I know of course, though not a Chi O.

And how about cousin Molly (McDowell) Oakey and cousin Emily Fuller. Those are two special cousins! Also Lori Bolding right here in ATX. And what about all of Sally's friends from college. Some strong and powerful gals in that bunch, right! And T's mom (Emily) and sister (KP)! And all four of the Rodge and Tracy Anderson girls! And I am sure there are many more.

And let's not forget honorary Chi O, big sister Emily. I love this picture.

And here's a fun link about some of your other Chi O sisters. Wow, Harper Lee author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Or how about Beth Moore, famous Christian author and founder of Living Proof Ministries. Lots of others too!

Love you Lucy,

Dad

Just a growing boy from Oklahoma [Modified on May 11, 2022 for celebration of life]

I’m just a growing boy from Oklahoma

Happy 87^th to our favorite neighbor - Jim Herdon
A birthday ditty [Modified on May 11, 2022 for celebration of life]

Well, smell

I remember when

I started these things

like this . . .

Lordy, Lordy

Look whose forty

Feeling good

And rather sporty

And then those ten years

They flew by

Like a blink of an eye

and we said . . .

Nifty, nifty

My friends, they are all

turning fifty

Some are thrifty

And some are shifty

But what in the hell

Is going on now

Some of my buddies are

tuning sixty

And a few others I know

They are pushing

the big seven - o

But this is even more amazing

All guns a-blazin'

Cause my favorite neighbor

His head is shiny

And he’s damn near ninety!

Actually, it is officially eighty-seven

But he’s not ready for heaven

Because like the Grand Canyon in Arizona

“I’m just a growing boy from Oklahoma!”

We found our way

To 3901 A

Back in November of 2016

And my good friend Doug Duke

Double D

He tells me

there might be

Some serendipity

And sure enough

Low and behold

In 3901 B

On the other side of the brick wall

Lives a gal named Mikey

Amongst the very tall

Just one of those times

Like a beautiful rhyme

When the sun and the moon and the stars

All aligned

Page and Cathy and our three

Lucy, Emily, and Sal

We all quickly found out

That the Herndons

Were great pals!

You need something fixed

Something in need of repair

Jim has got just the flair

For that kind of care

Fridge not working

He knows the man

Grass not growing

He’s got a plan

Out of space

When companies arriving

Mikey and Jim's Bed & Breakfast

It is a thriving!

Toilet backed up

Nothings too tough

He’s got the plunger and the snake

And the hoe and the rake

And that particular situation

Is NOT for a fake!

Cause, “I’m just a growing boy from Oklahoma!”

If you think you are having a bad day

Stop by Jim’s on your way

And he will remind you

of this simple fact

“Was anybody shooting at you?”

No, not really

Then button it up

and stop acting silly

“Do the BIG boys get to go first?”

Is another good line

Or what about the time

When the freezer was empty

Cause

“If you are out of ice cream

You are literally

Out of groceries!”

31 years of military duty

A proud warrior

And married a beauty
Met Mikey in Stuttgart, Germany

And knew she was special

Right out of the gate

I can only imagine

On that first date . . .

“I’m just a growing boy from Oklahoma!”

Married in the Ludwigsburg Castle

Not too much of a hassle

It has been 44 years

The test of time has stood

And it was our good fortune

To land in their hood

So now we bid you adieu.

Our growing boy who knew

So much about this thing

Called life

How to live through

Trials and strife

Thank you, Jim

For just being you

“Just a growing boy from Oklahoma!”

Stay whole Tuesday - Jim Herndon's 87th birthday

We celebrated Jim Herndon's 87th birthday on Sunday night. Mom prepared a fabulous dinner and my good (Rudy's 360 Men's Group) friend Doug Duke and his partner David Pollard joined us for dinner. It was a ton of fun. Jim is such an inspiration in how to live life the right way. He lost his hearing years ago, from serving our country in combat, yet never complains nor let's it stop him from engaging with others. His positive outlook on life and his sense of humor are two of his great traits. We are so blessed to have both Jim and Mikey next door! I will post a little ditty I put together for Jim where I tried to incorporate several of his favorite sayings.

Hope your second day of classes go well today LuLu. We love you and remember . . . Stay whole!

Nuggets From Dad Returns for Lucy

Hoot Hoot Singletary's are cute!

This week we officially launched baby Lu into college. And to celebrate Lucy, I am relaunching Nuggets from Dad. My goal is to post something most 'school' days and to somewhat use the following themes. The only change is Thursday's 'Anything Goes' taking the place of Colloquial Thursday. 

- Make it a Great Monday
- Stay Whole Tuesday
- Woman Power Wednesday
- Anything Goes on Thursday
- Fit as a Fiddle Friday

So for today, I'm thinking about how special this weekend was, with Lucy pledging Chi O and Sally coming home to be with her baby sister. And I am also remembering how special it was last weekend, when Emily was here to help her baby sister move into Callaway House.

We are so blessed to have three daughters who love and care for each other!

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

Happy Birthday T!

Hope your Day is as Awesome as you T!

MIL:

1) I love Taylor because he is just an all around great man. My heart is full knowing how much he loves  Sally and that she has a  happy life with him. Thank you T.

2) Taylor is a great addition to our family bringing joy, humor and kindness. Happy Birthday!

Lucy:

1. I love Taylor because he is so passionate about the things he loves! Whether it is Georgia football or my sister, T will always be their biggest fan. 
2. I love Taylor’s sense of humor and the easy going atmosphere he brings with him. He has been such a great addition to our family and now I can’t imagine our family without him! Love you T!! 

Emily:

1. I love brother because he has seamlessly become a very important part of our family. Taylor is the type of person who I am always happy is around and is there for when we need him but also he blends in in a perfect way and doesn’t throw anything off. 

2. T knows what he likes and I feel is a very accomplished young man. He is very certain in what makes him happy and it is a very good trait to know yourself. Cheers Brother. 

Sally:

1. I love Taylor because he is the most loyal friend. He is always looking out for our friends and remembers what is going on in everyone’s lives and makes a point to ask about it. So many people love and appreciate him for that ability to be so genuine. He has more friends than anyone I have ever known! 

2. I love T also because he is an incredible husband. I couldn’t have asked for anyone more loving or generous to spend my life with. I love how he makes me coffee every morning, makes sure our house is always clean, tells me about important things in the news, and encourages me to be the best wife, friend, daughter, sister, business woman, etc. I can be. He is the best. 

FIL:

1. I remain so impressed by Taylor’s willingness to strive to better understand who he is as a young man, now married, and on the greatest adventure one can take. The adventure of sharing life with a soulmate and recognizing that each and every day we should spend time thinking about others, as well as work on our own state-of-mind.

2. I am so proud of Taylor for advancing his career options, by kicking butt at Aon and having new doors open at USI. I know this was a big decision, but I know it was the right decision because Taylor understands life is about having choices and then making those choices work for the good of all involved. He totally gets this famous quote from Zig Ziglar: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."