BIGGEST NEWS OF THE DAY…….
BIGGEST NEWS OF THE DAY…….
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Happy Birthday to Ella Williams Smith, aka ‘Wa”
I remember the day we took her home from the hospital. She was so little and fragile, I was scared to death. She slept through the night immediately and was absolutely no trouble (that changed in later years!). She didn’t crawl, she slid, very erect and lady like on her “bum.” I put her to bed every night, and we would read books, tell stories, sing hymns and say prayers. In order to stretch the process as long as she could, she would “bless” everyone under the sun. Usually about 148 people. Finally, when it was all over and I was walking out of her bedroom, she’d say “please Daddy, tell me just one more story!” I would always cave, she always knew how to work me, she still does.
She had an awesome set of friends, and when they would spend the night, I would tell them all stories, and scare the hell out of them! Like the time she had 10 friends spend the night, and I told them about the ax murdering convict who had escaped from prison and was seen in the neighborhood. Boy, it was fun hearing them all scream. Katie Carter McCormack spent the night 1,000 times, and I would tell them Moonshine stories (my boyhood dog who is now a brain surgeon in Boston).
After practices and swim meets about 10 little girls would pile into my car and we’d go get ice cream. However, for some strange reason my car wouldn’t move, unless all the little girls sang the “Handsome Dad Song,” a little diddy that I taught them.
I coached multiple soccer teams, and the crowning glory of my coaching career was my All Girls U-13 team, the Screaming Weasals, who went undefeated and unscored upon. Thank you Katy Cowles for your great save against the cheatin Amazon Women in our last game!
I have great memories from those days. Ella has enriched my life tremendously, and I am profoundly grateful to her, and so proud that she is my daughter. Don’t get me wrong, she’s still a giant pain in the ass. She’s mule headed like her father, and even though I AM ALWAYS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING, she doesn’t always take my advice. Nevertheless, her virtues stand out, and make me say, ” wow, she really is a good person.” She’s incredibly sweet and caring towards others and her sense of loyalty to friends, family, places and institutions is hard wired, and in my book, extremely admirable.
So, Happy Birthday Ella. Even though you are an eccentric, artsy, crazy cat lovin, hippy freak, I still love you like a big dawg, higher than the moon and wider than the ocean! I love spending time with you.
