The Happy Hour bench

My parents, Ken and Lois Coogle, were married from 1940 until my father died, at the age of 98, in 2005.  Sixty five years!  I’m sure that there were ups and downs in that marriage, as there are in all, but I also know that my parents made a point of nurturing their friendship and their marriage.  One way they did this was to meet late every afternoon in the garden to sit and share a glass of (Dad’s homemade muscadine) wine and catch up on the day and to share thoughts and dreams and schemes.

They were an interesting couple.  My father was an engineer who retired in his mid – eighties to devote his time to woodworking.  He made beautiful turned bowls, many of which came from wood planed from trees growing on their own property in Sandy Springs, Ga.  My mother was a teacher and passionate artist.  The saying around my childhood home was:  “if you stand still too long, Mom will paint you.”

The holidays bring back a lot of memories, of course.  As I sit, waiting for Christmas, I am filled with gratitude for my parents and the many lessons they taught me.  But, perhaps the most important is to make sure that Jack and I have “Happy Hour” every day.

After my parents died, I moved their happy hour bench to my own garden but it finally succumbed to the elements and I had to throw away the pieces.

But in the tradition of family, my brother, Lee, made me a new Happy Hour bench, showing not only his own impressive woodworking skills but also the unending love of family.

My own dream is to teach my grown children and my grandchildren the importance of setting aside time for happy hours every day,  of sitting and listening, of sharing dreams and schemes and nurturing the love of family.

I hope that all of you have a peaceful and joyous New Year full of happy hours.

Laura