Masters week has always been special... but this one....

*There are "words" in this post.  It's only appropriate when talking about Daddy!  

Masters week has always been special for as long as I can remember... my grandparents used to come from North Carolina during the Masters and we would see them after they had followed Arnold Palmer around all day... Daddy introduced me to the Masters when I was in the 2nd grade and I knew that day how special it was.....in high school I would go to see the dresses, eat the food, and watch my favorites... Payne Stewart and Hal Sutton.    Later, when I started dating Mark, we would head to Augusta as many days as we could have the tickets.... in the years after marriage we started planning our trips with Mike and Kathryn and sometimes Jefferson and Tatum were able to come too... I have so many memories of the Masters that are special, but I think my favorite is the time KB and I stayed until the end in the pouring down rain to see Adam Scott win.  It was cold, wet, and miserable.... but just like that day with Daddy... I knew it was special.  I have also laughed until I cried as Kathryn and I watched a woman stand in her panties and bra while trying to dry her clothes from the soaking rain... Masters week is special.  

I know some people will be "what the heck", but Daddy was cremated when he died.  I love to decorate with knick knacks, but I wasn't exactly sure what Daddy would be appropriate in to sit around the house... we discussed things and decided a bench with the ashes in it would be a good idea.  After talking with the bench maker, Mama decided for us not to do that either.... so we really haven't known what to do with Daddy.... it really hasn't bothered me that much because I know his spirit is no longer here and the body doesn't matter!  

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and Mama decided we would bury him at the farm with his bench.  It just seemed appropriate... he loved the farm, he loved just sitting and visiting, and he loved Masters week.... Yesterday when we headed home... we headed home to bury Daddy with happy faces and peace.

I've said before that I am reminded every day of him because I get to live with Ben.  While he may not seem like Daddy to many, he could really be his clone.... he loves the golf course more than any other place... he would rather pick on someone than breathe.... and he thinks everyone should cater to his needs.  The golfer on the base of the bench reminds me that Daddy and Ben will always have those similarities and my life in the next few years may be shortened due to Ben and his ways.  

Jim dug Daddy's hole and prepared our steaks... Daddy's favorite meal!  

The farm is our safe place.... we like to visit... we like to enjoy the outside... and we love that we have so many memories out there!

When we got to the farm, Cole took us for a quick ride on his new plane.  Daddy loved to go up and fly with Bob Norman when I was a little girl... I couldn't help but think about him as we flew over the golf courses that he loved to play.... he would tell "Cole Baby" (who is 22)  to be safe and enjoy the opportunities you have been given.  He would also still be calling him Cole Baby because that nickname has stuck! 

 Guille and Jim were cooking about 20 steaks at one time... Daddy would have said, "Just wipe its butt and send it to me".... but Jim said we couldn't be picky because there was a lot of pressure cooking that many at once.

 Huddy, James, and Ben had fun riding the golf cart.  Daddy would have told them to slow down... no matter how fast they were going!  He loved to yell about something the "little boys" were doing.... they aren't so little anymore!

"Baby Thom"... who is bigger than all of us spent the entire day at the Masters.... I think he looks more like Daddy than anyone else!  Mayonnaise also visited with us!

While sometimes I get sad about Daddy not being here.... I have to smile knowing that my children have precious memories of him... and will always remember their favorite sayings of his... "Shut the damn door... Ben's ass won't hold what it needs... How yur doin?.... Where yo sorry husband at?"....I'll be damned.... and my favorite... "Buh, whatcha' cooking tonight"

Mark added the dirt after the box went in... only appropriate because he was special to Daddy... and of course to me.... he always said Mark had one thing wrong with him "He went to Clemson"... but everyone has one thing wrong so it's okay!

 This is the big pond at Mark's Mama and Daddy's... and in just a few days... that property will no longer be theirs... and while it might be sad that life makes us change things... we grasp to the fact that change is good!

My family... what can I say about it... We are so blessed... we are so lucky... and we ALL KNOW IT! Even through the struggles we have with strong-willed children... we are blessed that nothing very tragic has happened in our lives...   I thank God every day for that... we don't deserve this life we have been given... but we won't complain either... I pray for this family in the picture... that they will be safe, that they will be healthy, that they will make good choices, and that they will continue to love God and know how important He is.  And that little bitty one in the middle... she is our glue... she drives us all crazy still telling us what to do when she can't even stand up straight right now, but we just smile and do what she says... most of the time.  We are constantly picking on her too.... we tell her all her illnesses now are what she told Daddy was nothing a little walking and standing up straight wouldn't cure.... I think he is haunting her!   Just waiting on her to get a good case of hemorrhoids to confirm my belief!  

He loved a steak.... so, so good!   

His other favorite four women.... I was THE favorite....and I like to remind them of that....  but Mama, Ve Ve , Janice, and Christie were also special to Daddy!

This morning KB and I headed to the Masters to shop and watch a little golf... and when I say little... I mean three groups come through number 1. I'm afraid my time of getting to come to the Masters at all is ending... Ben is going to be hard-pressed to let me go in there and do anything else but shop!  He will want to take the time to watch as much golf as he can.  

 When Sis and I came out... they got to go inside!  Sis also got to go Friday because when you are in college and get out at 10:00 AM.... you can make it in time to see some real golf!  She and Julianne made the most of their day and stayed until the end.  Butch would love that they wanted to be in there... not that they were really watching the golf... but no one can prove that! 

 If Daddy could see this picture, he would say, "Ben needs a damn haircut!"

 When he got back to Mama's he decided he needed a little dessert... this was about a quarter of an angel food cake, strawberries, and whipped cream.  He eats like Jethro on the Beverly Hillbillies... and he acts like him!  That hair is coming off as soon as the golf season is over... I've tried to tell him time and time again how cute he is with short hair, but he likes that little curl that comes up around the rim of the hat.  Go figure... 15 year old... hard-headed... Butch - twin.... no reasoning skills!

That dessert must have made him tired!  He doesn't read the blog, so I can still post these pictures of him!

It was a fantastic weekend that made this Masters week move to the top of my list!