My Mom (who retired from a career in nursing a little over a year ago) has been cleaning out her attic (with the help of one of my brothers since neither Mom nor I feel confident enough to navigate the ladder to the attic) and going down memory lane with each box. Today she was going through one of those boxes and came across a little hand-out that she received the day I was born. It is too good to keep to myself so I am taking to my blog to share.
When I was born (the fourth child mind you) my parents had been reassured and warned by my Mom's OB/GYN and the family pediatrician that they should prepare to have another boy. In fact the pediatrician, Dr. William Britton, went so far as to tell my Mom that no one ever had a girl after having three boys. So imagine the huge amount of surprise and wonder when my Mom gave birth to me - their first daughter. Since they had planned to name me after Dr. Britton (I was to be William Britton Darby) they were at a loss as to what to name me.
My Mom told me that the day I was born, since they were at a loss for a female name, she was given the hand-out "What's in a Name?" In it were 799 first names for your son or daughter...with their origins and meanings. Apparently, a lot of people decided to chime in on possible names as well and my Mom wrote those suggestions down on this hand-out. For your enjoyment I now share those names with you all - and the meaning as offered by the "What's in a Name" hand-out. Feel free to offer your thoughts on the names if you feel so inclined.
Amelia (The worker) Aileen (Fair)
Jennifer (Friend of peace) Irene (Messenger of peace)
Helen (Light) Gay (Merry)
Suzette (A lily) Marie (Exalted)
Monica (An advisor) Leigh (Quiet)
Holly (Friendly, happy) Ann (Grace)
Angelia (Angelic) Hope (Hope)
Gloria (Glorious) Faith (Faithful)
Felicia (Happiness) Fawn (Shy, deer-like)
Victoria (The victorious) Yvonne (The archer)
Ivy (From the vine) Carol (Song of joy)
Peggy (A pearl) Claire (Bright, illustrious)
Pamela (all honey) Lynn (A cascade)
Penelope (A weaver) Lane (no meaning for lane - I think this was a reference to a Beatles song)
Daphne (The laurel tree) Dawn (no meaning for dawn - probably alliteration for the fun of it)
And one name that didn't make the list but has been offered up as one of the many stories shared on my birthday is the name of Eula (Fair of Speech) Beulah (Married). This name is a combination of my Mammaw Darby (I was born on her birthday and her name was Eula Elizabeth) and Mama Casaday (her name was James Beulah).
And the winner was of course Peggy (A pearl) Elizabeth (Oath of God). My Mom's first name and Mammaw Darby's middle name.
So, what's in a name? Sometimes fodder for some good laughs.
Happy Festival ya'll!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
The DMV
Every January my car likes to get into the fun and frivolity of The Festival of The Peg and get a new sticker for it's license tag. Of course, being a very indulgent car owner (and law-abiding citizen) I happily comply and make my annual trip to the DMV.
This year I was not looking forward to the trip not only because of all of the horrors stories I have heard about the residents of Jefferson County (where I live) waiting in line for hours on end to renew their license tags but also due to my Mom having purchased a new car and having to go through the "new car" hassles associated with the car license tag process. I just knew the process this year had the potential to turn into an all-day event.
However, my Mom and I love to plan. We plan out simple meals, multiple errands and trips to fascinating places. I sometimes think that we get more enjoyment out of the actual planning than the events itself. Our annual trip to the DMV was no exception. We planned to pack snacks, time our journey to minimize the wait time and hope that our tasks would be completed in time to enjoy a nice lunch out somewhere.
To ensure my trip was not a stressful one, I even submitted paperwork to take a personal day off from work. I didn't want to have to worry about getting to work late since I knew the trip held the promise of eating up the whole day. When I explained to KWB (my Head of School) why I was requesting the personal day she remarked that she felt bad that I would spend my day in line trying to renew my car tag. She remarked that she wished I was taking my personal day to go treat myself to a spa day because as she put it "you deserve it." And I will admit - I agreed with her. I would choose a spa day over any day spent waiting in line to do government related business.
The morning of our "DMV Adventure" came and it was full of overcast, dark clouds, rain and a chill in the air (that secretly made me hope it would turn into snow). We set out on our journey but instead of going to the downtown Jefferson County Courthouse we ventured off to the Bessemer Courthouse. We had never been to this courthouse before so we were entering into unfamiliar territory.
After finding the courthouse we also had to circle the block a few times in order to find a close enough parking space so we wouldn't be walking in the rain for several blocks. The first spot Mom spotted was perfect but it was in front of the Bessemer Courthouse that is not being used due to budget cuts in Jefferson County. The second spot she found was just as good until we realized that our front door parking space had allowed a very quick entry into the Sheriff's Department and Prison area. We quickly made our exit and got back in the car and began another trip around the courthouse area.
Our third and final parking spot was directly in front of the Bessemer Police Department and right across the street from the entrance to the Bessemer Courthouse that is still being used. It was a "Score!" even though it was a third attempt score! We made our way into the Courthouse and Mom got to experience her first trip through a metal detector with her "new knee." But the lovely courthouse officer manning the metal detector decided it must have been the metal snap on her jeans that set off the buzzer and let her through so she didn't even get to flash her "I've got a new knee!" card.
After all of this our wait began for the tag renewal process. Luckily, the Revenue Department had stationed someone at the first of the roped off wait line and she checked all of Mom's paperwork to make sure she had all that she needed. Mom did indeed have everything and she got to proceed (Kudos to Sylacauga Serra Honda for covering all of their paperwork basis before she left the car dealership back in December!) and join the masses who were waiting to renew their car tags.
Once we finished our task at hand - I only had to dig into the snacks one time - Mom and I headed home for our lunch instead of going out somewhere. On the way home I mentioned to Mom about KWB's comment about the spa. We both looked at each other and I pulled out my phone. Since I keep my favorite local spa (Ross Bridge Renaissance Resort and Spa) on speed dial, I called them up and asked if they had any availability. They did so I booked the Mom and myself for that very afternoon.
Now, like any red-blooded, law-abiding American Citizen, I was more than happy to do my civic duty and renew my car's license tag. After all, it wouldn't be The Festival of The Peg without that new sticker on my car.
And like any red-blooded, law-abiding American Woman, who is also a good employee, I was more than happy to take my employer's suggestion and spend the rest of my day relaxing in a whirlpool, giving my pores a good work-out in a steam room and getting a wonderful Swedish custom massage. I'm just hoping KWB marks me as "Exceeding Expectations" on the "takes direction well" line of my annual evaluation.
This year I was not looking forward to the trip not only because of all of the horrors stories I have heard about the residents of Jefferson County (where I live) waiting in line for hours on end to renew their license tags but also due to my Mom having purchased a new car and having to go through the "new car" hassles associated with the car license tag process. I just knew the process this year had the potential to turn into an all-day event.
However, my Mom and I love to plan. We plan out simple meals, multiple errands and trips to fascinating places. I sometimes think that we get more enjoyment out of the actual planning than the events itself. Our annual trip to the DMV was no exception. We planned to pack snacks, time our journey to minimize the wait time and hope that our tasks would be completed in time to enjoy a nice lunch out somewhere.
To ensure my trip was not a stressful one, I even submitted paperwork to take a personal day off from work. I didn't want to have to worry about getting to work late since I knew the trip held the promise of eating up the whole day. When I explained to KWB (my Head of School) why I was requesting the personal day she remarked that she felt bad that I would spend my day in line trying to renew my car tag. She remarked that she wished I was taking my personal day to go treat myself to a spa day because as she put it "you deserve it." And I will admit - I agreed with her. I would choose a spa day over any day spent waiting in line to do government related business.
The morning of our "DMV Adventure" came and it was full of overcast, dark clouds, rain and a chill in the air (that secretly made me hope it would turn into snow). We set out on our journey but instead of going to the downtown Jefferson County Courthouse we ventured off to the Bessemer Courthouse. We had never been to this courthouse before so we were entering into unfamiliar territory.
After finding the courthouse we also had to circle the block a few times in order to find a close enough parking space so we wouldn't be walking in the rain for several blocks. The first spot Mom spotted was perfect but it was in front of the Bessemer Courthouse that is not being used due to budget cuts in Jefferson County. The second spot she found was just as good until we realized that our front door parking space had allowed a very quick entry into the Sheriff's Department and Prison area. We quickly made our exit and got back in the car and began another trip around the courthouse area.
Our third and final parking spot was directly in front of the Bessemer Police Department and right across the street from the entrance to the Bessemer Courthouse that is still being used. It was a "Score!" even though it was a third attempt score! We made our way into the Courthouse and Mom got to experience her first trip through a metal detector with her "new knee." But the lovely courthouse officer manning the metal detector decided it must have been the metal snap on her jeans that set off the buzzer and let her through so she didn't even get to flash her "I've got a new knee!" card.
After all of this our wait began for the tag renewal process. Luckily, the Revenue Department had stationed someone at the first of the roped off wait line and she checked all of Mom's paperwork to make sure she had all that she needed. Mom did indeed have everything and she got to proceed (Kudos to Sylacauga Serra Honda for covering all of their paperwork basis before she left the car dealership back in December!) and join the masses who were waiting to renew their car tags.
Once we finished our task at hand - I only had to dig into the snacks one time - Mom and I headed home for our lunch instead of going out somewhere. On the way home I mentioned to Mom about KWB's comment about the spa. We both looked at each other and I pulled out my phone. Since I keep my favorite local spa (Ross Bridge Renaissance Resort and Spa) on speed dial, I called them up and asked if they had any availability. They did so I booked the Mom and myself for that very afternoon.
Now, like any red-blooded, law-abiding American Citizen, I was more than happy to do my civic duty and renew my car's license tag. After all, it wouldn't be The Festival of The Peg without that new sticker on my car.
And like any red-blooded, law-abiding American Woman, who is also a good employee, I was more than happy to take my employer's suggestion and spend the rest of my day relaxing in a whirlpool, giving my pores a good work-out in a steam room and getting a wonderful Swedish custom massage. I'm just hoping KWB marks me as "Exceeding Expectations" on the "takes direction well" line of my annual evaluation.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
The Dentist
Well, most folks would say going to the dentist is not their idea of a fun way to celebrate their birthday - but since my celebration is a "Festival of The Peg" then all things are done during the festival days in celebration of my special day. I decided that since my six-month check-up was scheduled for January that it was because my dentist wanted to be able to have some quality time with me during the celebration. And it didn't hurt that I am on a multi-year streak of no cavities.
I view going to the dentist as an important investment in my teeth, not because I'm a "smile" model or work in a profession where good teeth is a must (although a good smile goes a long way when you are thanking people who have made a gift to help fund your organization) but because my parents invested a lot of time and money in ensuring I had the "perfect smile." You see, not only did I have the requisite braces during my teenage years but I also had two major surgeries to ensure that the work the braces were doing was a success.
In 1985 I had to have ten teeth removed before my orthodontist would put braces on my teeth - four wisdom teeth, two lower teeth, two upper baby teeth that never came out, and my two canine teeth that got impacted on the floor of my upper palate. That experience could be a blog in itself so keep a watch out for that story.
The second surgery took place in 1986 (summer before my senior year in high school) and was a temporomandibular joint and chin reconstruction. My doctor was named Dr. Rocklin D. Alling (he went by the name of Rocky and told me that when people asked what happened to me I could say "Some guy named Rocky broke my jaw." Funny, and very gifted, surgeon.) and his father Dr. Charles Alling. They worked together to fix my under-developed lower jaw and recessed chin. If you looked at me today you would never know that I underwent a really long surgery, two days of SICU, a few more days in the hospital and then six weeks of having my jaws wired shut. The only way you would know I had this surgery done was if you saw my dental x-rays or examined the inside of my mouth.
I still have a lot of fun explaining to dental hygienists about what happened to me. My dentist already knows the story and is used to seeing a bunch of wires in my jaw and chin on my dental x-rays but each time I get a new hygienist the fun begins again. This last trip to the dentist was no exception.
The hygienist came to the door to call me back and looked at me with what can only be described as "wide-eyed" surprise. As I settled into the chair she had the panoramic x-ray on the light box and started asking me about my dental history and if I was having any issues with my teeth. I told her all was good and just smiled at her. It wasn't until she had finished the cleaning process that I guess she got the nerve to ask me about the wires shown on the x-ray and the scars she had seen inside my mouth.
Usually I get asked if I had suffered severe/major facial injuries in a car wreck but this time I just got "What in the world happened to you?" After she had heard the story (I didn't even get to use the "Some guy named Rocky broke my jaw" line on her.) she asked if she could look at my scars again and confessed that when she first saw me she was surprised because she thought I would have some disfiguration in my face or something. I think she felt bad for admitting that because she then began to hook me up with what I prefer to call the "Festival of the Peg" load of toothpaste samples and some cool little gadgets to help floss my teeth and keep the teeth that are attached to my permanent lower retainer clean.
When the dentist came in to do the final check the hygienist started to tell the dentist about my wires/scars and she just looked at her, then at me, and said "Yeah, I know she went through a lot to get such pretty teeth. Glad she takes care of them."
At the end of the final check the dentist congratulated me for keeping the no cavity streak going and said that she would see me again in six months. So, happy "Festival of The Peg" to me - no cavities and I scored some great travel size toothpaste samples!
I view going to the dentist as an important investment in my teeth, not because I'm a "smile" model or work in a profession where good teeth is a must (although a good smile goes a long way when you are thanking people who have made a gift to help fund your organization) but because my parents invested a lot of time and money in ensuring I had the "perfect smile." You see, not only did I have the requisite braces during my teenage years but I also had two major surgeries to ensure that the work the braces were doing was a success.
In 1985 I had to have ten teeth removed before my orthodontist would put braces on my teeth - four wisdom teeth, two lower teeth, two upper baby teeth that never came out, and my two canine teeth that got impacted on the floor of my upper palate. That experience could be a blog in itself so keep a watch out for that story.
The second surgery took place in 1986 (summer before my senior year in high school) and was a temporomandibular joint and chin reconstruction. My doctor was named Dr. Rocklin D. Alling (he went by the name of Rocky and told me that when people asked what happened to me I could say "Some guy named Rocky broke my jaw." Funny, and very gifted, surgeon.) and his father Dr. Charles Alling. They worked together to fix my under-developed lower jaw and recessed chin. If you looked at me today you would never know that I underwent a really long surgery, two days of SICU, a few more days in the hospital and then six weeks of having my jaws wired shut. The only way you would know I had this surgery done was if you saw my dental x-rays or examined the inside of my mouth.
I still have a lot of fun explaining to dental hygienists about what happened to me. My dentist already knows the story and is used to seeing a bunch of wires in my jaw and chin on my dental x-rays but each time I get a new hygienist the fun begins again. This last trip to the dentist was no exception.
The hygienist came to the door to call me back and looked at me with what can only be described as "wide-eyed" surprise. As I settled into the chair she had the panoramic x-ray on the light box and started asking me about my dental history and if I was having any issues with my teeth. I told her all was good and just smiled at her. It wasn't until she had finished the cleaning process that I guess she got the nerve to ask me about the wires shown on the x-ray and the scars she had seen inside my mouth.
Usually I get asked if I had suffered severe/major facial injuries in a car wreck but this time I just got "What in the world happened to you?" After she had heard the story (I didn't even get to use the "Some guy named Rocky broke my jaw" line on her.) she asked if she could look at my scars again and confessed that when she first saw me she was surprised because she thought I would have some disfiguration in my face or something. I think she felt bad for admitting that because she then began to hook me up with what I prefer to call the "Festival of the Peg" load of toothpaste samples and some cool little gadgets to help floss my teeth and keep the teeth that are attached to my permanent lower retainer clean.
When the dentist came in to do the final check the hygienist started to tell the dentist about my wires/scars and she just looked at her, then at me, and said "Yeah, I know she went through a lot to get such pretty teeth. Glad she takes care of them."
At the end of the final check the dentist congratulated me for keeping the no cavity streak going and said that she would see me again in six months. So, happy "Festival of The Peg" to me - no cavities and I scored some great travel size toothpaste samples!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Festival of The Peg!
Okay, so each year I celebrate what has become known as "The Festival of The Peg!" or as most people prefer to call it my birthday.
It began as a simple little thing - I registered for a restaurant's birthday club. I thought to myself "Hey, self (cause like most people that is how I refer to myself) I think it would be fun to have a restaurant recognize and celebrate my birthday." So, I signed up for it. It was easy - a simple card that asked for my birthday and email address. Unfortunately, that year my birthday had already happened so I had to wait for it to roll back around.
Now, like most people I totally forgot that I had signed up for the birthday club and so when I got a "Happy Birthday" email with a coupon for a free meal on my birthday I got really excited. For a split second I wondered who had signed me up for such a cool thing and then almost as quickly realized that I had done it for myself. This led me to sign up for other restaurant birthday clubs.
Flash forward several years and I now receive about 15 different birthday celebration emails with offers of a free appetizer, entree, dollars off or dessert in honor of the day that I was born. As you might imagine, one simple 24 hour day did not allow for enough time to redeem all of the birthday offers so I began spreading them out over the course of a few days. And as it would go, the more offers I received the more days it stretched.
Realizing that "birthday" often means one day I decided that I would create "The Festival of The Peg" and decree that the official start of this wonderful festival would begin with the first arrival of the birthday offer. So far a seafood restaurant chain has become the first sign that the Festival of The Peg is upon us and one of my favorite fast food drive in chains (because their expiration date is the latest) signifies the end of the Festival of The Peg.
So, now you know the whole story behind "The Festival of The Peg" and how it is celebrated. And yes, the seafood restaurant birthday email came yesterday so let "The Festival" begin!
It began as a simple little thing - I registered for a restaurant's birthday club. I thought to myself "Hey, self (cause like most people that is how I refer to myself) I think it would be fun to have a restaurant recognize and celebrate my birthday." So, I signed up for it. It was easy - a simple card that asked for my birthday and email address. Unfortunately, that year my birthday had already happened so I had to wait for it to roll back around.
Now, like most people I totally forgot that I had signed up for the birthday club and so when I got a "Happy Birthday" email with a coupon for a free meal on my birthday I got really excited. For a split second I wondered who had signed me up for such a cool thing and then almost as quickly realized that I had done it for myself. This led me to sign up for other restaurant birthday clubs.
Flash forward several years and I now receive about 15 different birthday celebration emails with offers of a free appetizer, entree, dollars off or dessert in honor of the day that I was born. As you might imagine, one simple 24 hour day did not allow for enough time to redeem all of the birthday offers so I began spreading them out over the course of a few days. And as it would go, the more offers I received the more days it stretched.
Realizing that "birthday" often means one day I decided that I would create "The Festival of The Peg" and decree that the official start of this wonderful festival would begin with the first arrival of the birthday offer. So far a seafood restaurant chain has become the first sign that the Festival of The Peg is upon us and one of my favorite fast food drive in chains (because their expiration date is the latest) signifies the end of the Festival of The Peg.
So, now you know the whole story behind "The Festival of The Peg" and how it is celebrated. And yes, the seafood restaurant birthday email came yesterday so let "The Festival" begin!
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