Travelogue: Clemson v. The Citadel 09/06/2008
September 8, 2008 | Travels | Comments [3]
Wish I had more time – it’s time for bed before a resumption of real life tomorrow for me – but I thought I’d mention some stuff of interest regarding our football pilgrimmage over the weekend.
Ethan P., Seay, Buddy and I accompanied Dad/Bill Sr. to Clemson, SC and their football season opener against perennial non-powerhouse The Citadel. This is the first time that I, believe it or not, have attended a game at the infamous “Death Valley,” even though I have been steeped in Clemson football since I could crawl. (Amazing that not one of Dad’s children graduated from there, although Lainie did attend for a time. Buddy and I graduated from UAB, Beth from Troy, Amanda and Lake from UAlabama).
We met my cousing Rick Polhemus (son of Uncle Fred who recently passed away) and his step-father-in-law for “tailgating,” and pretty much ate, talked, and people-watched in the blazing sunshine until gametime.
Dad had good seats in the upper level just a couple of rows from the edge, right where the TV cameras are. The game was a “blowout” for Clemson, 45-17 (which was a good thing after Clemson was disappointed by Alabama in Atlanta last week).
We left Clemson on Sunday morning and got back to Birmingham around 2 in the afternoon. Hung around with Dad for a bit longer, and then Seay drove me to Beth’s, where we parted.
I will add some more details at a later date. Right now, it’s beddy-bye.
Love.
Plans keep Changing
July 17, 2008 | Travels | Comments [1]
We’re thinking now that Jordan and Jani may go ahead with Luis and me on Friday the 25th to Birmingham straight to Beth’s house, with hopes that someone can be there at some time that evening to transport Jani to Crystal’s house.
Then….On Sunday, Jason and Carmen and Teyla will go to Jacksonville and pick up Maria and go straight to Desoto Park. There, we will divide up people and bags and baggage, as most of us will have checked in to our various abodes by then. Maria is having big trouble with her back, and we cannot see her driving all that distance by herself. She has been in a lot of pain. I only wish she had the time and money to go to Birmingham one day and let Lake work on her back. Just wishing. I think she goes to a chiropractor??
Anyway..See you soon.
TEN DAY TRIP.!!!!!!!
November 4, 2007 | Travels | No Comments
Hello everyone who checks our site. Your mother and I had a good trip. It was good to visit with you and spend some time in your company. We spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at Beth & Paul’s house. Brenda and Darrell crew came and visit with us at Beth & Paul’s house. We had a good time visiting there. We also saw a soccer game where Dillon’s team play, and taugh his team lost, he insisted that his team won, and he would not discuss it. He is a winner. We left early Monday morning (5:30 AM ), before the heavy traffic hit Alkadelphia road, or Hwy. 78 to Memphis. We did good getting out Birmingham early, but it took a while to get to Memphis and Hwy 40 west to Fort Smith Arkansas, where we took 540 north to Joplin, Missouri. Remember that all this time we were pulling the Dodge, Dynasty to Missouri. We got to Ben & Juli’s house about seven that evening, without any proplems pulling the Dodge. We took the Dodge of the dolly, and drove the Lincoln around the block going thru an unpaved road with gully whases. Next day, again we went thru the dirt road to take the dolly to the U-haul store; there the attendant came and unhitch the dolly from the ball of the car, and took it away. I bent down to take the bar and the ball of the car to put it inside the trunk, but I couldn’t find the pin nor the safety pin that holds the bar in place and prevent it from sliding out of the mount. I told Ben to look under and check for it. He did it but he saw nothing and told me about it, and then he preceded to pull the bar with the ball out, I was surprised in disbelief that the pins were missing. I really do not know when the pins came out. Thanks the Lord that we did not have an accident, because of it. We spent Tuesday, and Wednesday at Joplin, we had a good time at Bens House with them. We left Thursday morning, and got to Bill & Nancy’s house with plenty of daylight left. We had a good time there, and went to see the Astros play the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta won the Friday game and lost the Saturday game. On Saturday we went to the Chapel and Isaah was baptized into the church. It was a real spiritual service, Mother gave the opening prayer and I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. After the service we went to The Red Lobster and ate lunch. Later on we went on to the baseball game. I take about an hour to get to the baseball park from Bill’s house. and the volume of traffic is like driving on 459 durind rush hour in the morning, or worse yet the intersection of 59 and 65 in Birmingham. During all the seating at the baseball park and driving to it, it is easy for your bodily functions to stop working the way they are suppose to work., but above all we had a good time seeing you all again. We left Katy, Texas the first Monday in October and stop in Biloxi, Mississippi, for the night and arrived home about seven P.M. THANK YOU ALL for the present for our wedding anniversay, may your children do the same to you in your OLD AGE. Ha. ha.. ha. next time send enough money for the labor too, just kidding. No really, thank you for your kindness and love. I did not wait to long to get it done. I started on Monday of this past week and finished Friday night putting the floor down, taking Tuesday off to go and work at the Temple. This Saturday I finished putting the base boards around the walls. Your mother loves it. Take care, Love Dad
Friday already?
October 5, 2007 | Travels | No Comments
Well, it’s going to be Saturday in just thirty minutes. I can’t believe we’ve been home since Tuesday night. Bill, I’m so sorry we didn’t call. I slept all day Wednesday and Thursday.
Don’t even speculate.
I finally woke up today, and found out most of everything that has been going on. Only this morning did I think about asking Luis if he called you.
Anyway. We had a wonderful time. Our children are so good to us. However, it will be a long time before we make a long trip again. Dad didn’t do very well this time. He was in agony with his back when he got home. Our age is showing.
We bumped Ryder out of his bed, and that didn’t work out too well. Ryder needs his space. It was hard on Beth. We rolled on to Ben’s house, and bumped Ben and Julie out of their Beds.
Big Ben landed on the small livingroom sofa, and Julie on the small bed with Lily. Not too comfortable. They insisted that we have their huge and extremely comfortable bed. We liked having the kids in the bed with us. Little Ben is the image if his father. Lily is likewise the image of her mother. Wonder what’s coming next? And congrats to Ben, who had installed a new bathroom all by himself.
Dad made a big pot of his special chili recipe at Beth’s house, and then brewed it up nice and spicy at Ben’s house. It was only fair. Yum! It’s fabulous. Beth and Julie appreciated it, as did Nancy, when he whomped it up on Sunday afternoon at Bill’s house. I ddin’t know it, but he had stocked up the car with all of the ingredients he needed, except the ground beef.
Of course, the highlight of the time at Bill’s house was the two ballgames on Friday and Saturday night between the Astros and the Braves. I think I like watching games in the comfort of my house. Dad is in there this very minute watching a game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox. I went to check, and he’s sitting there in his chair, hand on remote, sound asleep. I had better go put him to bed.
Thanks to all of you for giving us a wonderful time. We love you so deeply and dearly. MOM
Visit from Nana and Papa
October 1, 2007 | Travels | Comments [1]
We started off our visit by trying to take a family portrait. We couldn’t get Papa Luis and Big Ben to smile at the same time (and smile with teeth), but the women and little Ben looked fabulous of course!
Then we went to Lily’s gymnastic watch day. Her teachers reported she loved learning the advanced moves and has a sense of pride at accomplishing new skills. And she is just so darn cute!
Papa Luis took us shopping and made us chili, and Nana was the new playmate for the kids! They loved it!
We found the kids some nice bunk beds at a yard sale and put them up on Saturday. Benjamin loves climbing up and down, and throwing stuff up and down, and ended up sleeping on the top, since Lily invaded his bed on the bottom.
Benjamin holds hands with his friend, Logan and they walk to nursery together. Benjamin accidentally ran into another small child in the hallway, and I heard him say, Sorry! It made he and his friend giggle. And I was so impressed to finally hear him talking! His vocab is finally exploding.
Benjamin also gives Lily a big hug when she comes out of gymnastics. They can be so sweet to each other sometimes, when they are not making each other scream. Well, enough said.
love, Julie
October 1, 2007 | Travels | Comments [4]
Mom and Dad came and stayed with us for 3 days last week and it was wonderful having them in our house. Ben and Lily adjusted pretty quickly especially having just seen them in April. They did not, however, adjust enough to feel comfortable snuggling with their Paw-Paw while watching TV. They looked at him like he was made of boogers.
Mom and Dad also brought us a very nice gift; their old Dodge Dynasty (or is it a Chrysler… whatever). It’s was a very nice thing to do as just around 4 years ago Dad brought us the Honda Civic. Having two cars that are paid for has been a HUGE blessing for my family and allows us to function and live much easier than if we had just one.
As such, I would like to “pay it forward” so to speak and offer the Honda Civic to anyone in the family who thinks they could use it. I was thinking specifically about some of my nieces or nephews who might be coming of age where they could use a “1st” car (it was my first car when I was 16). I also very much like the idea of keeping the car in the family. And ofcourse, I would like to give it as it was given, for free.
Now, that said, seeing as I live in Missouri, some arrangements might need to be made for transportation. The Honda burns oil like flashpaper so I can’t drive it very far, but I can (probably) set up a means to get it out to whoever asks for it. However I won’t have the money to invest in gas or a tow dolly.
Besides that, the Honda works fine. I just put two new tires on it, a new alternator, starter, battery, the electrical has just been reworked, and as far as I know everything else works fine too (besides burning oil). The sparkplugs need to be cleaned occationally and I think the rear defroster may be going out, but hey! what car doesn’t have it’s challenges?
Well, maybe this isn’t such a deal afterall, but I thought I would offer because, as I said, it would be nice to keep it in the family.
If anybody is interested or has more questions, just e-mail me at lbpagan@sbcglobal.net.
First come first serve:)
If nobody is interested, I will probably give it to Julie’s sister’s husband who likes to work on cars and has expressed an interest in the Honda (it’s a vintage babe mobile… apparently).
Anyway, thanks to Mom and dad for everything, I loved having them at our home and wish I could live closer to them. Not Carmen and Jazon close, but closer 
Luis B.
BILL, CHECK YOUR EMAIL
September 29, 2007 | Check-in, Travels | Comments [1]
I don’t know if you are just not emailing me back or you just don’t check it very often, but I need you to answer my last email. EVERYONE be sure you don’t have an email from me.
thanks! carmen
Nana & PawPaw in B’ham…
September 26, 2007 | Travels | Comments [1]
Nana & PawPaw came to town
Riding in a Town Car
Pulling an old Dynasty
Cause Ben took his car too far
They brought a computer up from Jason for my little punkins.
I dropped in on them Friday Night at Beth’s with Allie and Ethan in tow. Brenda was visiting as well so we got to see her. Adam was out with his team watching a Hoover High vs Mt Brook game. Jacob was playing in the marching band for Spain Park. We had a good visit. Ethan got reacquainted with Ryder & Dylan Allie spun teenage yarns about her perspective on life, liberty and homecoming dances.
Saturday I took everyone to the mall. Allie needed a dress for homecoming, Jacob needed a present for someone’s birthday party, Ethan & Adam needed a new game to play. I gave my Penney’s card to Allie and told her I would be right back. I just needed to get those other things and I needed someone to be at Penney’s to meet Mom. I was going to return and so Mom could see Jacob & Adam since they weren’t available the night before. When we returned 20 minutes later Allie & Nana had just vanished into the gears of war that make up the Galleria Mall. We swept Penney’s 6 times and had them paged to no avail. My daughter had stolen my mother for her very own private one on one shopping experience. I had no choice, I had to get Jacob to his engagement and come back to hunt them down.
When we got back to the mall 45 minutes later, I made more sweeps of the department store and finally gave up at the food court with Adam & Ethan where I got a phone call from Allie somewhere in the store to tell me they were ready to be picked up. That was Allie’s understanding. That I would go home and wait until she was done and come and pick them all back up. She was calling me from the other side of the food court so I went over and picked them up. Needless to say they had a wonderful time together.
Visit from “Polly”
September 20, 2007 | Birthdays, Travels | No Comments
The Texas branch of the family was privileged to receive a visit from “Polly,” the title that we’ve given to William L. Polhemus Sr. He flew from B’ham just to spend the evening with us in honor of Bill, Jr.’s birthday, and then flew right back. As busy as he is, I must say I was very honored to have received such a wonderful gift.
I should mention that our grandchildren (formally, they’re “step-grandchildren” but as “Papa Luis” can attest, that distinction doesn’t mean a whole lot in certain instances), having met “Polly” a few times, are thoroughly in love with him. Everyone here that knows him, knows that he has that effect on children. Brenda used to be enthralled by him, in fact, when she was a little girl.
The Polhemus’ grandfather – “Polly’s” dad – married our grandmother when he was in his late 40s, and had four children with her. He died in 1962, and I am likely the only one of us four Polhemi that remembers him at all. Anyway, his nickname was always “Polly,” and so we have transferred that title to my bio-dad for the great-grandchildren’s sake. Since “Polly” is “only” 72 and in very good health, it may be that they will actually get to grow up knowing him.
Back to the visit: We went to a local steakhouse and had a great meal. At the end, “Polly” gave me an unexpected and quite breath-taking gift! A few years ago, he made a business load to me at interest, which I’ve been paying back for the past couple of years, but still have quite a ways to go.
He gave me a birthday card, and in it wrote “loan paid in full.” I cannot tell you what it means to us. I’m still rather speechless about it!
During our visit, we talked about long-lost cousins whom we have not seen in a long time, and it dawned on me that the Polhemus side (which isn’t as close as our Mom’s side of the family; believe me Mom, we do very well in that respect) has never even so much as TALKED about a family reunion. I think this is something that we ought to consider.
Beth, I think that you and our cousin Pam, who I believe lives in Birmingham if I’m not mistaken, would be PERFECT to organize such a thing. Let’s talk about it.
I didn’t want to take up too much time on the 1048 blog with this, since I know it’s of limited interest to the rest of you, but I do want to say that I’m thankful for my biological father, as well (of course) as “Papa Luis,” whom I still call “Dad.” I love both of them so much, although for different reasons, and I thank the Lord that as difficult as divorce can be on families, I have such sterling examples of “Dad-ness” as both my bio-dad and my sealed-for-eternity Dad.
Love to all.
dear papa and nana
September 18, 2007 | Kid Brag, Travels | Comments [2]
we were wondering what evenings you will be here for dinner?
We are also very excited because you will be here for Lily’s gymnastic watch day on Wednesday morning.
see you soon and safe travel.
Love, Julie, Lily, and Benjamin
Seay is coming this way?
September 16, 2007 | Travels | Comments [1]
We got an E-Mail from Southwest Airlines Ticketless Travel with the information that the Purchaser, Passenger (meaning Seay Polhemus) was departing Birmingham at 6:50 PM on Thu Dec 20, and Arriving in Orlando at 9:20 PM. He will Depart Orlando at 4:55 PM on Thu Dec 27 and arrive back in Birminahm at 5:30 PM.
What’s it all about? Huh? Anybody know? It would be great if it meant that my oldest grandchild was going to spend Christmas with us, but I have my doubts about that. Anyone knowing anything about this, please let us know ASAP. Thanks MOM
Where In The World Are Mom and Dad?
September 6, 2007 | Travels | No Comments
In case anyone wonders, Mom and Dad are headed up to Missouri at the end of September, to deliver a brand new Lexus to Ben and Julie (at least I think they said “Lexus.” Maybe it was a Dodge K-Car, I get those mixed up).
Anyway, afterward they’re coming to our house (Bill & Nancy) to hang out, listen to the grandkids scream a lot, and go see the Atlanta Braves take on the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on that Friday and Saturday. There are usually a lot of Braves fans present whenever they come to town anyway, so it won’t be weird to see Mom & Dad with ATL gear on. But usually, you don’t see ‘em sitting next to folks with Astros hats on.
Anyway, on that Saturday, our grandson, Isaiah, will be baptized, so “Nana Elaine” and “Papa Luis” will be there to witness that. A fun time sure to be had by all!
Hopefully, people will start posting stuff here when someone visits someone else!
Love, Bill