Happy Birthday Colonel

{a.k.a. Knitted Zebra's Brother}

While I was growing up, we celebrated birthdays two months out of the year. Dad, Knitted Zebra's Sister and KZ were born in January. Mom and KZ's Brother were born in August. We also play favorites in my family. So on this last day in August, I am sending birthday wishes to my favorite brother and our parents' favorite son.

My apologies that I do not have a better picture to share. I have inserted his face from the blurry picture we took at Mom's birthday party into a picture I took when he did not know I was taking his picture. Right after I took this he asked me not to take his picture ~ for the record though I took this before he said that. I have included this secret picture so there is something knitting related in this post and to also show how kind he is to KZ. {That's my story and I am sticking to it!} Next post you will find out more about what he was doing for me out on the rocks.

The Colonel would walk with me to school when I was in Kindergarten and in First Grade. His school was next door to mine. In First Grade I remember hunting for him sometimes when he was heading home for lunch. One of the local teens would occasionally break into the school at night. The next morning some of the older kids would tell the first graders that the person who broke into the school was waiting on us and was going to grab us. Since this scared me, I would tell my brother I did not feel good and needed to go home.

Early on my brother would receive Elvis records for Christmas. After hearing Elvis all thru the holidays, in my young mind I decided Elvis music was Christmas music. Little did we know years later the Colonel would be the only telephone company employee allowed to install a phone in Elvis' hospital room each time Elvis was there.

Being several years older than me, I was heart broken when my brother joined the Navy and I could not go with him. I remember my parents explaining to me that the Navy did not allow young girls to enlist. I did not play with dolls very often but I really liked the Ken doll with the Navy suit my parents bought for me shortly after the Colonel headed off to Boot Camp. He sent me one of his Navy hats and my parents took a picture of me wearing the hat and holding Ken the Sailor. I included the picture in my next letter to him so I could let my brother know I missed him. Years later I learned that picture went with him on four tours of Vietnam.

During the four years he was in the military, he sent me the coolest letters. I recall one where the writing was all in wavy lines like the ocean. We moved to Corinth while he was still enlisted. I remember looking out the window of our new home one afternoon and seeing my brother, dressed in uniform, getting out of a cab. It was a surprise visit so my Mom thought I was hallucinating. I went running to the front door and was so excited that I could not get the door open. I think I was calling out my brother's name over and over. My parents came running when they realized he really was on the other side of the door.

So for the Colonel's birthday, I close with Elvis on tour in Hawaii singing "American Triology." I chose this one because it shows some pictures from Tupelo, Missisippi. You will even see a couple of pictures of Elvis' birthplace which was across the street from where we lived for five years. Double click on the arrow to start the video.

Carpe knitting,
KZ