Watts Consulting

More than you ever wanted to know about Alabama native Joe Watts

joewatts

Letters Home–WWII

by

Well, the promised letters home from my Dad have yet to materialize. I’ve still got the plan to do it and hope to pick them up from Octagon in the next few weeks, but I didn’t make it down there as planned. Instead, I’ve been traveling more than I’m used to doing: Greenville, AL on Monday, Livingston, AL on Wednesday and next week to Orange Beach for several days. And lots of meetings in between.

I’ve really started to enjoy my business trips to West Alabama, though. I almost always run into someone I know–usually several people. I spent some good quality time talking with someone yesterday about saving the old high school in Thomaston, Alabama. It is the oldest standing school in Alabama, but it is in great danger of falling in. Mama taught there and lots of my sisters went there to school. I’m trying to research exactly how to save it, but haven’t hit on the best idea yet–and have some real problems with some of the elected folks near there. We’ll see.

Thoughts from the Woods

by

I’ve been thinking about home (Octagon, where I grew up) a lot lately. And yesterday I got a nice card from Ms. Florence Mooring, a neighbor from just down the road. The card had some a thick forest on the front and the following words:

“Those we have loved
Will live on in our
Hearts and memories.
Thinking of you.”

Ms. Florence added her own:

“This isn’t a sympathy card. I like the verse and the trees just reminded me of you and your Mama walking in the woods and love of nature. You have so many happy memories as do we. They have to overshadow the sorrow.”

I love those woods. I spent many, many happy days walking in them. Mama and I would go for long walks (mainly behind the house, but I also loved walking in the “Swamp.” We would often walk behind the house and find a cozy log to sit on and read a book. I’d sometimes be too tired to walk all the way home and Mama would carry me, a feat I’m still amazed by as, though she was young to me, she was pretty much older compared to all of my classmates mothers (she had taught some of them and others were friends with my sisters).

Mama was born with lots of patience, it seems. She never complained that I wanted to go sit in the woods and eat military rations (Spam was amazingly good compared to the stuff that they served GI’s back in those days). We’d go sit in the barn if it was raining and I’d get to play Army–this phase might have gone on a little longer than it should have and I was perhaps a bit overindulged, but what a great childhood!

I look forward to the day when my sisters’ children can take their children into those woods and enjoy the same kind of peace and beauty that I so love. Those woods are a special place in all of our hearts. I can really feel Mama sitting on a log in the “Big Woods,” getting ready to read me a story.


After the story, we’d often nap (or at least Mama would). I might nap or watch the squirrels climb around in the scaly bark trees and pretend. Later, I became pretty adept at building shelters–I learned how from a Hardy Boys book. Those were some of the best times in my life.

Snow!

by

snowman-1.jpg

snow-2.jpgsnow-1.jpg

Well, it seems it is finally here. Not loads and loads, but enough snow to cover the ground so far, at least. Our camellia bush is being covered with snow. Most of the snow has fallen in the last hour–I think we’ll get a little more and then it will be done.

No Snow, No Snow, Well Maybe

by

Once again hopes are dashed. The promise of snow has melted away, or at least most of the promise has. Birmingham may end up with a dusting. It is already covering a little of our windshields, but that’s about it.

So, instead of playing in the snow, I’ll be spending a few hours working this morning. I’ve got to do some work for the Clarke County Development Foundation and the Ala-Tom RC&D Council. I’m setting up a website for both of them that will allow them to maintain it somewhat on their own.

I’m planning to use Movable Type (the blogging software I use for my blog). I’m still learning how to make edits to the Movable Type code and put information exactly where I want it, but it basically uses cascading style sheets for most things, so it is mostly a matter of getting my head around the interface.

Keep hoping for a little snow!

Snow, Snow, Snow

by

Well, maybe….

The weathermen speak of snow today. They claim it is coming tonight! I’ve gotten my hopes up countless times in the last few years only to have them dashed with an early morning wakeup to a complete lack of snow.

But this time it will be different. I just know. Or maybe not.

Photos of snow tomorrow–if there is any snow to photograph!