The Old Homestead

Ceil's Uncle Lennie and Aunt Corrine still live in the old Middleton family homestead in Angelus SC, a few miles south of Jefferson. This is where Lennie and Ceil's mom were born. For generations it was the site of family dinners and reunions. 

When the highway was widened about 20 years ago, the state moved the house back off the road about a quarter mile. A lane of trees were planted, and white fencing erected. The house was renovated, and a two car garage was built with a mother-in-law suite upstairs, where sometimes a grandchild or two will sleep when in town for the holidays.

There is farmland behind the house and across the highway, where the grandkids will still go out to roam and take pictures. Lennie's old sailboat is parked up near a grove of trees, not far from the pet cemetery Corrine created.

Years ago Lennie built a short par three hole so he could hit golf balls. The place is quite scenic. My niece Jordan has always wanted to get married there, and now she's making plans to do just that – perhaps in the next year or two.

Jordan's brother Ben will be getting engaged next week, and plans to have a wedding next March. Not sure where, perhaps in Clemson or Charleston.

Of the twelve nieces and nephews, only Beau has chosen to stay in Jefferson – so he may wind up with the property. The other eleven are spread out. From youngest to oldest (I think), in the order they sang their parts from The Twelve Days of Christmas:

1. Matthew (Ceil) in Marietta GA

2. Jordan (Rusty) in Summerville SC

3. Anna (Ceil) in Atlanta GA

4. Katherine (Rusty) in Aiken SC

5. Victoria (Phil) in Charlotte NC

6. Ben (Rusty) in Summerville SC

7. Beau (Phil) in Jefferson SC

8. Grant (Dick) in Austin Texas

9. Will (Ceil) in Atlanta (married to MC)

10. Zane (Phil) in Columbia (married to Laura)

11. Chase (Dick) at Duke NC

12. Hillary (Dick) in Charleston SC

Did you watch the Yankees and Red Sox? I'll only be watching the Braves.

Last night I worked until 5:30. Had meant to leave on time. Just a rough day all around. My stylist was booked out, so no haircut. I drove surface streets past the house all the way to Delk Road and I-75 to eat my Ruby Tuesday birthday meal. Opted for the salad bar instead of burger. There was one waitress, a guy tending bar, and another girl not sure what she was doing. Since I got the salad bar the waitress didn't have to bother much with me. Only I can build a brown salad.

Didn't get home until after 8 pm. Later after C went to bed and Matthew had come in, we watched the first two episodes of Only Murders in the Building. I stayed up later than I would have.

Tonight I had a focus group after work. Not sure when my last normal night at home was.

R.I.P. former Braves general manager EDDIE ROBINSON  [SABR Bio] was born in Paris, Texas 15-Dec-1920. He played for every original American League team except the Red Sox. Played for CLE, NYY, CHW, WSH, KCA, BAL & DET & played 1,126 games, all at first base. He had a total of 1,315 MLB games, the extra 191 as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner. When he passed away he was the oldest living former major leaguer. His autobiography was aptly titled, "Lucky Me". Full title was "Lucky Me: My Sixty-Five Years in Baseball". He is the only player to have a major league season with more than fifteen home runs, but only one double. In 1955, Robinson hit 16 HR for NYY but only one double.

Joe Torre broke Robinson's record for most double plays grounded into in a single game. On 30-May-1955(2), Robinson hit into three double plays. Torre set the record that still stands of four GIDP in one game, set on 21-Jul-1975. Robinson was tied with 16 other players when he did it. More than 100 players have done it since (today's better gloves?). Robinson was the first White Sox player to hit a home run over the right field grandstand in Comiskey Park, on 25-Apr-1951(1) off SLB's Al Widmar. Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver gave him much of the credit for his managerial success. Robinson was a front office executive for the Orioles and saw leadership potential in Weaver, who had played at every level of organized baseball except the majors. "Eddie took me under his wing and showed me… how a major leaguer should act." Robinson had exactly one hit in the majors before three years of military service interrupted his career start. He played 8 games for the Indians in 1942, then spent 1943-45 in the U.S. Navy. He then played exactly eight games in his first season back, but hit .400 and showed he was ready to contribute as a regular.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Robinson_%28baseball%29

"Such teaching is rooted in Jesus Christ, who when he was reviled, did not revile in return, and when he suffered, did not threaten." – I Peter 2:23