Willie Heard

NBC13 featured a story on tonight's evening news about Willie Heard. He is 88 and lives in Alabama. Willie lives from his land, out in the country, which he still plows with a horse. He cans his own jellies and has his own irrigation system and smokehouse. He even eats at home with a wood-fire oven. Willie never graduated past the fourth grade. People like him make me feel that somehow my life must be missing something. Why can't my life be more like that? Shouldn't it be? It's the feeling I get whenever we drive through Leighton. Here is Willie, on the land, close to the land, nowhere near civilization, doing physical, hard labor. When he sweats, it's worth something. Isn't this the kind of man men are supposed to be? The hunter-gatherer kind? Not the kind of man you see getting a grande hazelnut latte or checking his stocks in USA Today before driving his BMW to his 22nd floor office. Willie is Dad's kind of people, simple and plain. A more brutish, natural man. I am an English major. I read books, think serious, intellectual thoughts. I'm proud of mowing a lawn. I sure ain't no Willie. In fact, if there ever were a world convention of plain people, I don't think I'd fit in or even be let in. Sometimes I think there's something wrong with that.

Back From Hawaii

I have returned from my trip to Oahu to see my couisn Jaime's wedding to James. I had a wonderful time, so much so that I wish I could have stayed longer. In fact, I like Hawaii so much that I can see myself living there someday.

It was certainly exciting to see the wedding. Jaime and James had been together for about sixteen years, so when they danced to their first song as a married couple, "At Last," in which the lyrics begin, "At last my love has come along," everyone cheered. I went to the Dole Plantation that day, a trip that took much longer than expected. As a result, I missed the ceremony, but had a marvelous time to the sit down dinner reception that followed. There was music, many pictures taken, good food, and good times by all.

Other places I went to include Pearl Harbor. I greatly relished my day there, as it did take almost a whole day due to the volume of tourists that flock there. To see the Arizona Memorial, you must get a ticket to a boat that takes you to it, for it sits in the waters of the harbor over where the battleship was sunk. There were so many people there that my ticket was for three hours after I arrived at Pearl Harbor! However, there is so much to do there, that I had to get another ticket for later in the day. I saw the Bowfin, a submarine, which you can go down into and explore from end to end. I also saw the USS Missouri, a battleship, which is enormous. 16" guns that shoot about 20 miles, it's impressive!

I took a hike as well up Diamondhead Crater. At the top you get a view of Honolulu, the Pacific, and Waikiki that is beautiful. I went to Sea Life Park where I saw penguins, stingrays, and fish, and dolphin and sea lion shows. The next day I traveled to Hanauma Bay, where I snorkeled around the coral along the beach.

The food was excellent, as I enjoyed Thai, Italian, and a kimchi burger.

February 2

It's a lovely winter's day in the middle of February. While I am out and about I see activity on Valleydale Road in front of Spain Park High School. Already a sign of spring!

Freddy has returned from Hawaii. He had a great time. We've heard all about the places he went and the people he met. The wedding of his cousin Jaime was the big deal. The Dole Plantation and Pearl Harbor were big visits also. I'm sure he will be commenting.

Our world is a lovely place today.