A to Z Theme 2016

For my 2016 A to Z theme I used a meme that I ran across on the blog of Bridget Straub who first saw it on the blog of Paula Acton. This meme is a natural for me to use on my memoir blog. It's an A to Z concept and it's about me. No research and nothing complicated. I'm given twenty six questions or topics to discuss that are about me.

In April I kept my posts short and uncomplicated. In the midst of it all you might learn a few things about me that you didn't previously know.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Happy Birthday, Ada!



Arlee Bird and daughter Ada circa 1985.


       For some reason I always remembered that I was in Colorado when I first received the phone call.   Maybe it had been Fort Morgan or Sterling or even some other town in Colorado.   But I was looking over some old records that I had kept during that time and now it appears I may have actually been in Texas.

        In my mind I still have a fairly good picture of the school we were playing that night.  It was a modern high school with shiny wide halls.  The auditorium was a topnotch facility with a big clean stage, new looking curtains, and excellent lighting that could be adjusted for color and intensity.  This was the kind of a stage that made the show look good and the backstage operate with efficiency.

        The date was September 26th.  We were on the 1982 World of Fantasy tour of "The Magic of Cinderella".   My wife Susan had left the show in August in order to go back to Tennessee to have our first child.  As the day of delivery grew nearer I began to keep Susan informed of the phone numbers of the motels where we'd be staying and the auditoriums where we'd be playing.   This was before cell phones and on-the-spot easy access at any time.

        When the phone call came I was in the back of the auditorium operating the spotlight.  There was no doubt that a phone call at this time meant something was happening as far as the arrival of our new child.  Testing early on let us know that a girl was on the way so we had picked the name ahead of time--Ada Rachel.

        I'm guessing now that I was in Texas that night when Ada was born.  Where I was is incidental I suppose, but what I know is that on this date in 1982 I was blessed with a wonderful daughter who has given me much happiness in the time she's been on this Earth.  And now she's given me three beautiful grandchildren.

        Thank you, Ada, for many years of happiness.   I'm very proud of you!


Arlee Bird escorts daughter Ada on her wedding day.





       

17 comments:

  1. Happy birthday Ada! Congrats Arlee on having a wonderful daughter!

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  2. Hi Lee - lovely photos and a touching story ... it's great to know she's given you three wonderful grandchildren - Happy Birthday Ada ... and you too Lee have a grand day. Cheers Hilary

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  3. (Standing Ovation) Happy birthday!

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  4. Thanks for sharing this lovely story, Lee.

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  5. LEE, in that 1985 picture you look a WHOLE LOT like Francis Ford Coppola:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=francis+ford+coppola+images&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCNqvy_6_lsgCFYGLDQodxPgCcw&biw=800&bih=471#imgrc=YkT4KboVFH01BM%3A

    Can I borrow half a million?

    Birthday greetings to Ada.

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. STMcC, I can see some similar features between the two of us.

      A half million what?

      Lee

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    2. Uhm... ounces of some very, very cheap beer?

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  6. Beautiful memories, Arlee! Where you were physically doesn't matter--we know your heart was in TN.

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    1. I guess a big part of me will always be in Tennessee.

      Lee

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  7. Wow, she is super gorgeous. Happy Birthday to Ada!

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  8. You have a gorgeous daughter, Lee. Happy (Belated) Birthday to her.

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  9. Thanks to all for the birthday wishes and compliments on my daughter. I am very blessed.

    Lee

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  10. Happy belated birthday to your beautiful daughter! :)

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  11. She's grown into such a lovely woman—and she was a cool kid, too. I still have a picture of a tiny Ada in a giant sombrero in Nuevo Laredo!

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Arlee Bird