First, the week before Cindy was born, her dad decided to put in a new cement porch on the front of the house. We, Boots and I and our kids and the neighbor kids, hauled rock to fill the porch space that the cement would be poured on.

I was fat and pregnant, but the baby wasn't due until the seventh.....maybe hauling rock made her early? Anyway, the cement truck was due to deliver the cement after lunch on the second of August. But, Cindy decided she'd also be delivered the same day. I was in labor all morning, but finally at 3PM, decided I'd better go to the hospital. Boots was knee deep in cement by then and couldn't really leave, but he did call Tamara at work and got her to drive me to the hospital. Back at home he was very busy, with the help of Keister and his friend Robert (who brought me subs with hot peppers most every evening before Cindy was born), smoothing out the cement. He finally finished, showered and found someone to watch Sharon and Susan and was at the hospital before Cindy was born. They let him in labor and delivery long enough to tell me he was there (this was before they let dads in the delivery room) and then they ran him out to the waiting room. Cindy made her arrival at 8:56PM

So, he was there for the first showing of the new baby, but he also got the porch finished and when we came home, I got to carry Cindy over the nice new, smooth porch that was laid on her birthday.

One year she had a birthday party here and then when we got to Portsmouth, she had another one. Matter of fact, she had several in Portsmouth because back then the mill vacation was the week of her B'day and that's when we went to visit my sister.

I remember her aunt Betty wanted her to have her 10th B'day at her house and I have lots of pics from that one. One with a very young Ashley standing in the group pic of Cindy's school friends. That was the year Kerri had her hair spiked on top! And she won't cut Brittany's bangs!!

I hope her memories of her past B'days are pleasant........one year my brother who was a career Army man was there to play Happy B'day on his guitar and sing to her. One year, I think her second B'day, her G'pa James picked her a lil basket of strawberries that turned out to be her favorite present! She ate the berries and carried the basket around with her til it finally fell apart. I hope she enjoyed the chicken and dumplings...her requested food...today. In case I forgot to tell you, Happy Birthday, Cindy. I love you!

Back when Tamara was born, dads weren't allowed past the glass doors on the 3rd floor (where the babies were born), but had to wait in the "Father's waiting room". Tamara was supposed to be born on the 7th of Feb. and on that date, about 8AM, we were there!

I had been warned that first babies took a long time, so I went prepared with a big thick novel, "Sayonara". I read from the time I was prepped until time to deliver and then an intern from Scotland borrowed my book. Actually, it didn't take so long and Tamara was there a little after 3PM. Back then, they let you stay awake until just about time for the baby to come out, and then they knocked you out.The first thing I saw when I woke up was not Boots, or the baby, but Boots' boss man at the insurance agency sitting right by my head and gazing at me like he'd never seen a woman before. That was the first time I'd ever seen that guy, but I learned later that he had been there with Boots all the morning.

When Keister was born, my contractions had started right before midnight on Aug. 13th. Boots was working part time cleaning the ice cream trucks for my brother in law and so was at the barn doing that and I was home with Tami. When he got home I told him that I would probably have to go to the hospital about day light, but actually, we took Tami to Geraldine about 7:30AM and Keister was born at noon.

All the time I was pregnant with him, Boots told me that we would NOT name the baby, if it was a boy, after him. The first thing he said to me after the baby was born was,"You can name him after me if you want to." So we did! More Birth Days next time

When I was pregnant with Bobby it was very hot summer and we lived in a small house with one window fan and two other children. I don't really remember being too hot, but I do remember that all I wanted to eat was green apples loaded with salt.

Whenever I had a doctor's appointment the bus was right outside the door in case I couldn't hitch a ride with some one.

Bobby was due on July 28 and true to form, he was right on time. G'ma and G'pa Whitt came down to baby sit the other kids, along with my sister and Fara, and so off we went.

I was put in a labor room with a woman who was delivering her second child, who turned out to be a girl that she named Vandora!

The doctor came in often to check on whether or not I was making progress and after a few hours told me that the baby was breech and that if he didn't turn himself, that I would have to have a C section. He said he was going down to eat lunch and would be back in a little while and check me again. While, that was a long lunch! After about two hours he came back, checked and said everything was OK and I was moved to the delivery room and a little while later, Bobby was born. Perfect in every way, except he also had twin toes(like Tamara). We never found out where the twin toes came from, but a lady in my church (Mildred Moorefield) also has them, and was real tickled when they showed up in two of my babies.

Linda was also a hot summer baby. She was born during the racial unrest of '63 in Danville. I remember having to transfer from one bus to another in front of the court house and there being lots of blacks there protesting. Also lots of cops and reporters and news cameras. When the day came for her to be born, I was more than ready.

We went to the hospital about nine that morning, after the Whitt grandparents showed up to watch the other kids. I was put in a labor room with the wife of a guy I had gone to school with for three years who was then a state trooper. We introduced ourselves and got pretty friendly during the hours we were there together. We both wanted girls and we both got our wishes. I wasn't in labor long with Linda and when she was born, she was so little. A mere 6lbs.15oz, which was the smallest of all my babies. But she had a head full of black hair and was perfect in every way.

One thing that happened after Linda was born was the advent of the little baby "sleepers" the one piece lil outfits that were so handy in cool weather. She was about 3 months old when a friend I had worked with brought her a pink one made out of the terry cloth looking material that was stretchy. That was an invention that really improved the care and clothing of babies!

Sharon was born on a beautiful, warm January day. I had a doctor's appointment that morning and as Boots was working first shift in DRM, my dad took me to the doctor.

After a quick exam, the doctor decided that I ought to go to the hospital so I went back to the car and told daddy and he said that it was no problem, he'd drop me off. So he did. I asked him to call Geraldine after he got home and tell her so she could call Boots and tell him.

I didn't have time to even read a magazine before she was born. Matter of fact, she was born before Boots even got to the hospital, but by that time I was kinda used to giving birth, so it was no big deal.

Later that evening it started to rain and when Geraldine and mama showed up to see the baby, Gerry was wearing the new all weather coat she had just bought. I think I kinda embarrassed her when I pointed out to her that she still had the sales tag hanging out from under her arm pit!

On the other hand, it was a nippy February day when Susan was born. Boots was still working first shift, so it fell to my brother Tom to take me to the doctor and then to the hospital. He didn't drop me off, but parked and went into the hospital with me and saw me safely into a wheel chair for the ride to the 3rd floor before he left to go home and get my suitcase. After he left, one of the nurses kept on wondering why my husband had left so abruptly. I finally got it thru her head that he wasn't my husband, just a brother.

Susan arrived between 3 and 4PM after a very easy labor. I think I was finally getting the hang of it by then! She was a pretty lil baby with spiky black hair and as she says "chinese eyes". Actually, they were just sorta puffy and soon they were normal size. She came along at just the time that Pampers were introduced and Betty went all over the street to get the coupons for a free package of Pampers from everybody's paper. We had lots of Pampers, but Susan had the uncanny knack of somehow putting her lil skinny fingers into them and popping the tapes loose. I could only keep them on her if I put her into something that completely covered the diaper. She was quick!!

Kerri was due to be born in January. Her dad Randy's birthday is Jan. 9th and that evening we had a sorta B'day party for him at our house. He and Tamara had eaten supper at our house and I had made gingerbread for him instead of B'day cake, cause that's what he liked. Later, about dark, Boots went outside and sniffed the air and came back in and said it "smelled like snow". Keister and Robert Martin then went outside and put chains on Randy's tires "just in case it snowed and they had to go to the hospital."

If Tamara was having any sort of pains she didn't mention them to me and they went home about 10PM and I got everybody ready to go to bed. Seems like I had just closed my eyes when the phone rang, (actually it was about 5:30AM or thereabouts)and it was Randy saying they were going to the hospital and it was snowing! Back then, school didn't close at the first snow flake, so I got the school age ones ready and off and then Randy called again and said she was about to give birth.....that it wouldn't be long. Robert was back at the house by then so he decided that I ought to go to the hospital in his truck since it would go good in the snow. By then, the sidewalk was starting to get a little slippery, so I was sorta carried/drug to the truck and off we went to the hospital. When we got there, some of Randy's family was there, but the baby wasn't. It wasn't long tho, and a nurse came out bringing a lil bundle with a squalling, light fuzzy haired baby for us to see. My first grandchild. She was beautiful!!!!!!!

Hold fast the summer. It is the beauty of the day and all it contains.

The laughter and work and finally the sleep. The quiet.

Oh August, do not put your weight upon my mind.

For I know she will be going.

This daughter of mine is now a woman--she must go.

Time will lace my thoughts with joyous years.

The walls will echo with her "Hello". Her caring will be around each corner.

Her tears will be tucked into our memory book.

Life calls her beyond our reach--to different walls.

New faces, shiny halls, shy smiles, many places.

Greater learning--she must go.

But wait, before she leaves, be sure she knows you love her.

Hide the lump in your throat as you hug her.

She will soon be home again--but she will be different.

The little girl will have disappeared.

How I wished I could take August and shake it, for it came too soon.

I must look to the beauty of each new day, and silently give thanks.

Please tell me why, when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, I get behind the slowest car on the road?

Why when I'm almost late for church, the traffic light at Robertson Bridge always catches me? I've counted 27 cars go thru while I'm waiting!

Why is it when you go in the grocery store, all the cashiers are just standing with no one in line, but when you pick up your three items, all lines are stretched back to the meat department?

Why does the fruit look so much better than it tastes after you pay a small fortune for it?

Also, why, after you cook a sumptuous meal, you don't have any appetite for it?

Why does the outfit look so much better on the hanger than on my body?

Why does every body else's hair do look so good and mine looks like it was done with an egg beater?

Why do I only crave chocolate when there is none in the house?

And last, but not least, how do the three birds manage to poop outside their cages onto the floor? Is it just to annoy me or do they have a hidden "pooper" I don't know about?

As you step out to fulfill your destiny

Remember those you leave behind.

You're starting on a journey of life

A means to your heart's desire.

But as you go, we hold tight the memories,

A beautiful, smiling fat faced baby,

A toddler trying to feed a baby doll almost as big as you were.

The kindergarten pictures and the dance costumes.

Many pictures to treasure while you are striving toward your future.

We all love you and wish you happiness and success in all you do,

But most of all, to thine own self be true.

Love,

G'ma Maxine

Two years ago, James brought me several gardenia cuttings from his friend, Mr. Arnn. I gave one or two to Tamara, one to Teresa, I think one to Cindy and I kept two little ones that I planted together in a medium sized pot.

That first year, all they did was grow and at the end of fall, I brought them into the den where they stayed(when they weren't getting knocked over) until last spring.

When it started getting warm, I put them back out on the deck and they flourished and actually bloomed. Since Tamara and Teresa had planted theirs outside, once it started getting cool again,I figured I could leave mine out, too. I moved the pot off the table and set it close to the house wall, thinking that might protect it from the winter wind and such.

But when spring arrived again, the gardenia was nothing but a dried up bunch of sticks. I left it out there, didn't have the heart to pull it up and throw it away. About two weeks ago, I noticed that there was a lil green leaf showing on a dead twig. I examined it more closely and saw that several little twigs had tiny green leaflets trying to come out. So I got my trusty shears and cut back all the dead part and watered it real good and now I have several good sized green leaves where before I had nothing. Now, why did it look and act dead from April til August? Why did it finally decide to sprout out again? It's beyond me!!

Well, I'll try again. Last night I wrote about my dinner at Linda's to celebrate my, Leanna's and Doug's B'days. When it was posted three paragraphs were left out, so I deleted it. Thought I'd try again.

Since Leanna and I share the same birth date...Aug.23rd and Doug's is a few days earlier, Linda cooked for all of us.Emily and Chad were here as were Rebecca and Tommy so we all went to eat.

Linda had all of my favorites: deep fried chicken, baked potato salad, spinach dip, chicken salad, chips and dip, little cheese thingys with olives in some and mushrooms in some, and a big chocolate chip B'day cookie. It was all so good, I ALMOST ate too much!

Then after we opened presents, Jackie went to the garden and cut me some okra and some squash, which I cooked Sunday. That was also a great B'day present cause I hadn't had fresh okra in years!

We all had fun and I know it was a lot of work for Linda, but it was all so good. It's amazing how good something tastes when you don't have to cook it yourself! Thank You, Linda. Love you!

Early in the week, Monday, I think, the kids looked out the kitchen window and saw the guys from the funeral home cutting the bushes down the wall beside my yard. They started hollering "don't cut my G'ma Maxine's bushes, man. You better stop it". Well, Keister was working so I called him and asked and he said Jimmy had told them to cut the bushes.

Personally, I liked the blooming crepe myrtle and the others which bloom in the spring and I think they could have been trimmed to look neat without taking them down to the level of the wall.

Last time they were cut that low, about five years ago, it took until this spring for the lilacs and the mock orange to bloom again. Also, I liked the fact that I could take the babies to the swing set without all those folks on Baugh Street, who sit on the porch 24 hours a day, watching us.

I saw the guys outside this morning and one of them told me that he thought the bushes looked much better than what was left after he cut them!

This afternoon, one of the guys came to my door and asked about my roses, which I'll admit had gone wild this summer. I told him to cut what was hanging over in the yard that hindered him when he was pushing the lawn mower, but that it really wasn't the right time to prune them back.

Well, guess what? My Geraldine rose(she gave it to me the summer before she died) is completely gone....can't even find the roots of that one; my Mr. Lincoln, which was blooming, is cut down to the ground and there's not much left of my Tammy rose. But what really got to me, my pink angel trumpet vine is completely cut down. It took it from last year when Lee cut it down til now to get back up to about 4 feet tall. Now it's down to the roots.

But I really got a surprise when I walked up the side of my house. Absolutely nothing is left but that big bush. I had many, many blooming white angel trumpet vines that I had gotten from Geraldine the summer before she died and they're all gone. Even the one that came up in the crack and bloomed and smelled so nice in the evenings. All the four o'clocks, my petunias, and my creepy vine are gone. My swamp cabbage is gone and a few other flowers that Tommy and I planted last spring.

I had gone out there last week and pulled up the weeds around the flowering plants, but now, AIN'T NOTHING LEFT!!!!

All the flowers I have left now are on the deck. I fully expect to see one or both of the guys with their chain saws climbing up to the deck to "prune" my lil pots of flowers. That's when I'm gonna go out and knock them off the deck and throw hot water on them!! While my babies laugh!

You think, maybe, Mr. Williams is trying to make me mad enough to move????

Fara was coming.

Katrina was in the southern part of the U.S.

Fara didn't come.

Actually since she was heading further south with her friend, I don't blame her.

Maybe next time the weather will co-operate!

The squash was good, the purple hull peas were delicious, and the butter beans were excellent!

Ummmmmmmmmmmmm!!