Hi everybody!

I trust you all enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday, celebrating the Resurrection in your own special ways.  We enjoyed having Art’s family for lunch.  Anna was home from college and that always adds to the fun of getting together.  Max always has some great words of wisdom that encourage and amuse us!  For instance, when we were discussing summer plans for each of us, Bill had detailed what our summer plans are - that we would be doing a good bit of traveling, etc.  Max remarked that, “I can’t wait to get old!”  Anna had just returned from her college spring break trip to Orlando, definitely showing the signs of having relaxed on the beach!  We had a great time enjoying the blessings of getting together with part of our loving family!

Now, to get to the real “star” of this entry:  The Saturday night before Easter we called Bill’s Aunt Irene in Louisiana to wish her a Happy Easter.  Amidst all the usual chatter about any number of hot topics, she was very excited to tell us about her latest acquisition!   She is proud as a peacock of her new “toy,” otherwise known as her very own computer!   Now, what you need to know is that Aunt Irene is 90-years young and is a very special lady.  Her grands know her as Marene Morris.  For years, among her many accomplishments, she has been the acclaimed (justifiably, so) genealogical guru of Kentwood, Louisiana; in fact, she is well known in all of Tangipahoa Parish, all of the surrounding parishes, and I would say with great confidence, the entire STATE of Louisiana, as well!   She has researched towns, communities, families, you name it.  She lives and breathes genealogy and any kind of history, for that matter.  Brilliant lady. 

Aunt Irene once served as president of the Louisiana Genealogical Society, so I’m telling you: the woman has her credentials and deserves the prestige she enjoys, all duly earned.  She has spoken and written from her heart for as long as anyone in that area can remember.  In fact, she still writes a weekly column for the local newspaper, The Kentwood Ledger.  She’s a valued member of First Baptist Church, and is a part of many civic and community endeavors, such as the Kentwood Music Club, American Daughters of the Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, as I remember.  She has slowed down very little as she has reached the milestone of 90 years, and continues to enjoy corresponding with her family and friends scattered all across America.  Her handwriting is very good, even at her age. 

Stay with me now.  I am getting to my point: Aunt Irene just got a computer and is having a ball with it!  If she can do at 90, so can anyone!  She told me that her only problem so far is that it (the computer) doesn’t know how to spell!    She declared to us that she now knows the difference between the cursor and the mouse!  Way to go, Aunt Go-Go! When we talked with her we gave her a mini-lesson on how to correct one or two characters by using her new discoveries, the mouse and the cursor!  She has made tremendous progress, already, in navigating through the maze of functions!  We’re proud of her, and I know her family looks forward to staying in touch even more, now that Marene is on-line!

Aunt Irene has always been Aunt GO-GO to the immediate family, because she – well, to put it bluntly: she is always on the go!  She was never bothered too much with those ordinary things such as cooking or buying groceries!  Her dear sweet Jimmy (whom we all still miss so very much) helped her with all these sorts of things and, obviously, they were quite a team!  At age 80, if my memory is correct (and that is being highly presumptive), she bought herself a brand new car, struck out all alone, to visit her brother, somewhere in Missouri!  As far as we know, she returned home, without significant incidences - at least none that she reported!

To celebrate her 90th birthday last July, she helped her adoring family plan a massive event.  The celebration was held in the old State Capitol Building in downtown Baton Rouge, on which grounds she had often frolicked and romped as a child.  She said that she wanted her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to experience the same exhilaration she had enjoyed as a child: rolling in the grass and getting grass stains on their clothing!  Precious memories came alive all over again.  From all accounts, the birthday party was one to behold, one that will linger forever in the hearts of her loved ones.  Every one of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were in attendance.  Love was in the air, as well it should have been!

Aunt Irene and Uncle Jimmy have three wonderful children who are very attentive to her: Dr. James Polk Morris, III, who lives in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, a few miles from Irene (he keeps a close eye on his mother);  Ginger Caughman, who lives in Magee, MS, and Dan Scanlon Morris who lives in the Chicago, Illinois area.

Kudos to Aunt Irene for having the courage to jump in there and go techo on us!  I predict that before long she will be submitting her weekly columns by e-mail to the local paper; the sky’s the limit now that she is not bound by mere handwriting and snail mail!  Although, I must admit, it never stopped her in the past, but I think her writing skills will be enhanced tremendously, now that she has a new toy!  We have yet to see just what this spunky lady will accomplish!  She enjoys living life to the fullest and helping other people discover their heritage is one of her passions.  Way to go, Aunt Irene!

So, back to my original thought: if you know someone who is afraid of the computer, scared to death to touch it - tell them about Aunt Irene, how at age 90 she took the plunge!  (Bill’s daddy did the same thing in his late ‘80s and enjoyed staying in touch with all his family via WebTV.)  There’s a virtual world of knowledge out there! Encourage someone to just do it!   If Aunt Go Go can do it at 90, then so can everyone else!

This has been just a mini-capsule glimpse into the life of this marvelous lady.  You’d love her!  She is definitely “full of it!”

Now, to round out her many accomplishments, she has given me permission to publish her one and only famous recipe.  Here goes:

BOILED WATER

It is important that you be sure to use a clean pot.  Any vessel is acceptable.  A lip to direct pouring would be handy.  Repeated use of the same container can result in an accumulated crust of minerals.  Some prefer a kettle, but a whistling kettle can be an aggravation and might wake your family.  Do not fill the container to the brim; allow room for the motion of the water when the liquid begins to boil, especially if you plan to allow it to come to a "rolling boil."  Place the filled container over a source of concentrated heat.  Gas or electric or microwave sources are preferable.  Outdoor campfires could be useful under unusual or difficult circumstances.  Allow the water to bubble and steam.  Timing will depend upon the size of the vessel and the altitude above sea level.  Use a hot mitt or pad to protect your hand from being burned when you remove the container from the heat.  And ... don't watch the pot!  The boiled water can be used (while hot) to make tea, coffee, Jello, instant oatmeal and many other tasty treats.  One final suggestion:  The best flavor will be enjoyed if you use Kentwood water. 

P.S. "I'm no cook, but an expert eater!"
(copied from Kentwood, Louisiana, 1893 - 1993 -  100 Years of Kentwood's Favorites Cookbook)

There you have it.   We love you, Aunt Irene, and are so proud of you!  Keep up the good work!  You are inspiring all of us! (scroll down for photo)