The Treasure Hunt

Thursday February 21, 2013 7:24 am

Night before last all of Steph's kids came by the house for a few hours in the evening while Steph and Roger had to drive some place to pick up some runs for their dogs. I was in my office writing a paper for school when Hallie came in. Now, my little office is directly across from the room Deb fixed up for a playroom so the grandkids would have a place to play whenever any of them come for a visit.

The reason she came in was that she and Rachel had been arguing over the choice of television shows they were watching. I told them that each one could make a pick (in turn) and watch that. Hallie assured me that was what they were doing, but... “Whenever it's Rachel's turn she is picking shows (on purpose) that are boring to me.” Hallie said.

From across the hall Rachel opined, “Well, what Hallie watches is boring to me!” lol

Hallie asked if she could stay in my office while Rachel watched the last of her “boring” show and then Hallie would go back in. I told her that was fine but I wouldn't be a lot of company because I had a paper I had to turn in. She assured me that was okay because she was going to “work out” anyway :)

Hallie has always had a way about her that makes me laugh even when she is being serious! She is so cute. Anyway, she starts pulling on some resistance bands I have hooked on my closet door. In reality, though they are at the highest setting the tension is not that much... but for her size and weight I suppose it might be difficult?

In just a few seconds of tugging on them and stretching them out she is breathing hard and I hear her begin to read some plaques and signs I have on my walls. After I left the Hurricane area and for the next several years I (again) began lifting weights. And for a period of a few years my regional (Jeff May) in the Rainbow business and myself would compare notes as to where we were presently lifting and at what weights? Now, several times a year we had banquets and at one of them very early in '97 I was called forward and presented a plaque. It was hilarious!

Jeff and Scott had paid an artist to do a caricature and they put it in a nice frame. If a person is even half-way successful in a large sales organization then over a course of years anyone would accumulate a lot of awards, plaques, and trophies. In the nearly ten years I was involved I had several boxes full (literally) of such items. For a number of years I had all of those things either in a storage facility or my garage. A couple of years ago I had gone through all of those boxes and I threw away everything but three items.

I kept a plaque entitled Heart Power, because it has a good motivational speech on it from Vince Lombardi. I kept a silver etched plate because of what that plate and prize represented. And, I kept the plaque that Hallie was reading and not because the drawing is funny, even though it is... but I kept it for another reason entirely which I would never divulge. Today I keep it only as a reminder.

Now, to my Hallie(ism.) She's reading the date, 1997 and she asks why they drew me instead of taking a picture? I tried to explain what a caricature was... a cartoon drawing people do to exaggerate something about someone. She thought for a minute and then she said, “Papaw, I'm not saying you're old or anything (I'm already grinning because I know her and there must be a “but” coming) but did they not have cameras back then?”

Keep in mind she is totally serious. Out of breath, leaning backward and stretching the bands with all her might, she continues, “Admittedly (ADMITTEDLY!!! – now I'm already laughing) I don't know that much about the 1900's!” (Lol) She always makes me laugh. She has this little round freckled face and she usually looks so serious as she is saying things like, “Admittedly....” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA She is a hoot! (For today's blog I am going to upload the picture she was reading the date from as well as this day's video.)

Well, I close tonight and then I'm off tomorrow (yayyyyyy) and when I go back on Saturday I close three out of the next four before I get a couple of days off. After that, according to the new schedule in the following week I only have one close, and for that I am glad.

I hope everyone has a great day!