The Great Flood(s) of '51

Kansas City, Mo - Great Flood of '51

Though I've never lived beside a river, my life has been greatly influenced by Floods.  When Kansas City flooded in 1951, I was 3 years old, lived in Oklahoma and could not have cared less.  In 1977, when the Plaza flood in KC killed 26 people, our only inconvenience was some water in our basement in our home in south K.C.  During the Great Flood of '93, when the State Capitol in Jefferson City became an island, our family lived high and dry in Springfield.

So how, you might ask, has my life been impacted by Floods?  Let me explain.   On June 4, 1951, a baby girl was born to Howard & Patricia Flood in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  They named her Valerie.  In 1970, much to Mr. & Mrs. Flood's alarm, I began dating their beautiful daughter.  In 1972, to the Flood's even greater alarm, their baby girl became my wife.  While Noah only had to endure a flood for 40 days,  I've been dealing with a Flood for 40 YEARS!  

I'm not complaining, mind you.

While most Floods sweep away good memories and leave bad memories in their place, my Flood has provided me with overwhelmingly good memories.  There there have been a few days when she could rightly be called a "raging" Flood, but only because it seems more poetic than "a bitchy Flood."

With a new pair of titanium knees, I believe she is ready for wherever the road may take us for the NEXT 40 years.  In fact, when she had her last knee surgery in April, I asked the Doctor to go ahead and give her a complete front-end alignment. 

My wife is a firm believer in the Bob Hope theory on how to look younger - hang around older people.  Namely, me.

 

Happy Birthday, Valerie!

 

May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine.

THE OTHER GREAT FLOOD OF '51

This picture is a year old, but, as you can see,

she can still fill out a bikini.