Happy Birthday, Uncle Woodrow!

This man means the world to us. Period. That's my youngest sister on the left; since I'm the baby of the family, she is Lord of Me. (It's always been that way, so I don't mind so much.) Her birthday is next month, so I'll get to her later. But Ah! the stories Uncle Woodrow tells and the passion for politics he has. Did I mention that he is the President of the Coalition for the Institutionalized, Aged & Disabled (CIAD)? He's also an accomplished artist (woodwork) and a tireless advocate for seniors and the handicapped.

Uncle Woodrow had polio as a child during the Great Depression (he met President Franklin D. Roosevelt at his retreat for stricken children in Warm Springs), but after several operations he was able to walk for many years before the ages started to take their toll. I gave him a Cherokee-carved cane two years ago for his birthday, which he has hanging on his wall by the door ("It's just too nice to walk with!" ) There's really not enough I can say about him here, so I hope to co-write a book with him based on his experiences and his almost Twain-like observations.

Much of my chyll I owe to him, because ever since I became a man on my own, he has helped guide me through the highs and lows of local life. Many people respect, even adore him, and I'm always amazed at how quickly and easily he not only puts people at ease, but also gives them something to think about. You'll think, "wow, the guy is the coolest guy I've ever met!" Well, I'll let you make up your own mind about that over the coming days...

I love you, Uncle Woodrow. Stick around for a while, and "don't be a stranger", eh? >;)