Darlene Wofford's Newsroom

Carl and I had a full day this past Saturday.  After my book-signing at Barnes & Noble, we drove up to my nephew's lakehouse on Lake Alatoona and helped him celebrate his 50th birthday, which was Sunday, the 23rd.  I can't BELIEVE Jeff is half a century old.  How can that be?  Seems like only yesterday he was driving the go-cart his handy Dad built for him when he was only four, but he took to it like a duck takes to water.  I can still see him behind the wheel with Bugs Bunny sitting next to him, while he whizzed around their yard in Warner Robins.   His Dad, Harold, started him off early and he's never lost his love for cars.   Although he's a mechanical engineer by profession, his hobby is anything and everything to do with cars.  He and his dad both could sit in front of the tv watching cars race around and around the track--over and over again, which is beyond me how ANYONE can sit through that.   His collection of auto books and magazines would give any library a run for the money.  Through the years he has built and rebuilt cars--Mustangs in particular--and he even built a bona fide racecar from the ground up.  He loves his vintage Harley and you can catch Cynthia and him tooling around mountain roads whenever they get a chance.  An avid water skiier from a very young age, he competed for years winning numerous awards, and in fact is one of the primary reasons they live right on the lake.  Although the walk down to the lake is a little farther these days since the lake level is down about 11-12 feet due to the drought.  

I would say Jeff Kilby has led a pretty doggone good life and I'm proud to call him my nephew.     His mother is my sister, Pat, who would tell you Jeff can fix or build just about anything--takes after his Dad, Harold,  in that department.  Both of them were always what we call "piddlers"--piddling around with one thing or another.   I wish Jeff many more years of piddling with cars, boats, or whatever floats his boat!   Here's to Harley-riding, mountain-biking, water skiing, snow skiing and anything else that makes him happy!  Just keep moving forward, my nephew, and know that you're loved!

Until next time,

Just call me (aunt) Dah'ling, The Spirited Southerner!

Darlene Ford Wofford

www.darlenewofford.com