Family 2020

Family 2020
Family Christmas 2020. Love these people so much!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Allison Times 2012 in Review

Editors: Herb and Kim Allison                                                           
Staff Writers: Caleb 24, Bethany 22, 
Timothy 20, Joseph 17, Hannah 16, Jubilee 7
Code Breaker
   Timothy sent this update after a few months in Taiwan: “For all those who have wondered about how the Chinese language came about, wait no longer! I have the answer! 
   A long time ago, everyone spoke an easy language; it was so easy they called it English for short. Then one day, some guys in black hats got together and decided to create a SECRET CODE. They wanted to make it the most difficult code to crack ever in history! They started off by making all the words sound like GIBBERISH, but that wasn't enough. They decided to make slightly different tones for the gibberish, so that foreigners who tried to crack the code would say HORSE instead of MOTHER, or DIE instead of 4! They all had a little chuckle just at the thought of an outsider trying to learn their language.
   Still not enough they said! So, an entirely new alphabet was developed! It used things never before seen like; 
,,, and . They used an entirely different counting system! They even made up different hand gestures!! It seemed impossible to crack this master secret code!!
   One man in the back said, "But friends, we are old now (because we've worked on this code all our lives) and we must teach this system to our children.  If outsider people set out to learn our code we made for our children, and try really, really, really hard, they might someday succeed."
   The men thought and thought.  Finally, the leader of the group said. "I've got it! We will
base our entire written language on 214 random little patterns called radicals. From these little guys, we will derive innumerable bigger random patterns called characters. Then the outside people will think that the big patterns sound like the little patterns from which they are derived.... BUT NO! They will sound nothing alike and no foreigner will ever know our secret language!!! We can call it "Chinese Not Yours." Later the name was shortened to simply "Chinese."
   Well folks, the Masters of Secret Code were proven wrong today... I bought a coffee, and the lady said “三十,三...零!,” which I have finally deciphered, and I think it means 30!!! What now, Secret Code Guys!

Why Tai?

   For those who don’t know the scoop: Timothy took a 1 month mission trip to Taiwan 2 years ago, and vowed to return. Last summer, he jumped at the chance to spend a year teaching English in the Taiwanese public schools (English being his weakest subject). He attended a 3 week “Teaching English as a Second Language” course in Indianapolis, packed his bags, and took off.
   He stays at a school in 南投 County (center of the island) that has had some of the classrooms converted into a dorm like setting for Timothy plus 7 other English Teachers. He serves in 4 schools, a different one each day, with Wednesdays off to study. His first day in school caused riots as children gathered around “The Tall American,” shouting to see his muscles (If your self-esteem needs a boost, just move to Asia.)! The kids love “Teacher Tim,” and since there are few Americans in the Taiwanese mountains, he enjoys celebrity status almost everywhere he goes. We have already scheduled his deprogramming therapy with Uncle Roy when he comes back home.


Read any good books, lately?

   Speaking of Uncle Roy, his book is almost in print! Years ago, Uncle recorded his childhood stories, and Kim has spent every spare minute of 2012 typing them into  book format.  The book awaits Uncle’s stamp of approval, while Kim wraps up the endless details. You can preview a few chapters at: www.sharecropperslife.blogspot.com 



Bench press Buddies
   Joseph kept up with football practice all summer, eyeing the possibility of playing in the fall, but after a few pre-season hits to the knee, he changed his path to glory. He is now on a power lifting team, pursuing the title of Mr. Universe. If you were wondering how GNC is still in business in these hard economic times, wonder no more. It’s the new Jack LeLanne stocking the cabinets with muscle-man powder.
   In his “indestructible” mode, Joseph challenged Uncle Curt to a weight lifting contest. We all warned them not to do it. Uncle Curt literally ripped a muscle trying to keep up with Jack, er, Joseph. So while Uncle Curt recuperated from pectoral surgery, Joseph had to drive him around to all his service calls and do all his heavy work for him, not to mention tying his shoes. We did warn them.

Hunting Report

   With Timothy gone, and Joseph running off to hunt with his friends, Herb found a new hunting buddy: Hannah Grace. They were quite a team fighting over tree stands and snacks, but Hannah did nail her first buck in 2012. It was a spike, but let’s not quibble over points. Joseph had to come back home to shoot a very spry 7-point, which gave him a good run for his money. Herb missed several bucks before we realized the problem was his vision. He is getting older, and he looks so cute wearing reading glasses! He finally settled for 2 doe, but finished the season most unhappy. L


Private Bethany
   It is hard to write an article about Bethany, because she refuses to tell us what she has been doing.  She is forever borrowing Herb’s GPS unit in order to arrive at undisclosed locations. She took a jaunt to Dallas with some friends in July and we haven’t even been allowed to see a picture. The only reason we knew about the trip at all was because she needed a ride to and from the airport.
   Her publicized whereabouts include a little rock rent house in Tahlequah from which she will finish up her Criminal Justice degree next May.  From there, she becomes the property of the United States Military for 4 years. We have yet to determine whose day it was to watch her when she signed her name on the dotted line. An investigation is pending.

Jack of all Trades

   Timothy breezed through an EMR (Responder) class this past year and decided it was the perfect career for Caleb. Since Caleb wasn’t using his Paralegal Certificate, he took his brother’s advice and enrolled in a 1-year EMT (Technician) course. Class meets at night, so he can still do Uncle Curt’s books at Rapid Repair. If all goes well, he will be a paralegal, paramedic, and, according to Uncle Curt, a para-accountant.

Still a secret

   Ever ready for a party, Hannah Grace went all out for Herb and Kim’s 25th wedding anniversary in October. Hannah enlisted help from all the relatives, especially Nan, and dragged out every photo album in the house (they still aren’t back in order!). It was obvious that a lot has happened in 25 years! After all was said and done, Herb and Kim both agreed: The secret to a happy marriage is…still a secret.


It’s a Jungle Out There!

   Hannah Grace spent 3 weeks in the jungles of Chiapas, Mexico last summer. Her mission: install cooking stoves and water filtration systems. The team also taught Bible stories and songs to the children who gathered to watch their every move. The crowd chanted “Hanna Bataya!” (wash the clothes) whenever they caught sight of our heroine. In addition, she helped in the medical clinic and entertained the children at a small orphanage.
   To show their gratefulness, one village killed a pig for the team. The big pot of “pig soup” (which must be eaten) was blamed for the intestinal illness that disabled the entire group for several days. 
      When Hannah finally saw some food she was familiar with – green beans – she loaded her plate and her fork. One swallow and she knew she had been duped. Her mouth and esophagus exploded with fire. The “green beans” were really deceptive peppers. Hannah Grace screamed, danced, and gasped for air while the waiter offered “Agua! Agua! Agua!” 
   Mishaps aside, she was ready to go back to the jungle as soon as she touched home base. Hannah is looking forward to the possibility of a language intensive trip sometime in the spring of 2013.
Mission Trip info -  www.globalencounter.net 


Tour of Duty

   Among his many enterprises, Timothy started a tourism business last summer with overseas clientele. Felicia, Bernita, and little sister Bernadine flew in to Oklahoma from Singapore for a 2-week guided tour of the US, courtesy of Timothy and his handy assistant, Hannah.
   The fun started at the airport, when they all tried to pile in the driver’s side of Uncle Curt’s truck (which served as the tour bus). Singaporeans not only drive on the wrong side of the road, they drive from the wrong side of the vehicle, as well.
   The coffee and Redbull flowed like water as the group took on the Rocky Mountains (very cold compared to the equator), Cedar Point Amusement park in Ohio, the Great Lakes, Niagra Falls, New York City, Broadway plays, the White House, Maryland crabs, Amish towns, Krispy Kreme, 50’s diners, apple pies, the whole American experience!
   Of course the most fun was had right here at the old Ponderosa. They went fishing, bottle fed a calf, climbed a tree, and chewed some gum, all of which are illegal back home (everything is illegal in Singapore). They also spent one whole day riding horses at the Turner Ranch in Eufaula.
   Oh and guns! Of course they had to shoot guns while they were here! But shooting wasn’t enough for Bernita. She wanted to kill something! That chicken never even saw it coming! Every day was a new experience.
   Plans are already being made for another sweep of the continent, but next time, Timothy will need to rent a Greyhound bus for all of Felicia and Bernita’s friends who are begging for the same vacation package. And don’t forget to save a seat for Mom!


                                                                 Motorcycle Madness

   Remember Joseph’s new, fast, shiny motorcycle that we reported on last year? Looks as if it was a little too fast. When Joseph said his friend could take it for a spin, he didn’t mean that literally. Somehow it slid into a pole, and the super-fast Triumph Daytona became a super-slow bucket of bolts. Thankfully, the driver suffered only a broken arm, and Joseph suffered only a very upset stomach. It still makes him queasy every time he sees it in the front yard.


Vintage Pigskin

   Herb was invited to attend the reunion of the ‘62 and ‘82 National Championship football teams at UCO. We were treated to a fine dinner, and VIP status in the air-conditioned crow’s nest (the only way to watch a ballgame, in Kim’s opinion). The ’62 and ’82 Broncho champs were introduced on the field at half-time to wild applause.
   Herb’s guided tour of the campus lasted all day, culminating in a slow walk down memory lane to the stadium a few hours before kick-off. A few hours? Oh, yes. They hadn’t even unlocked the crow’s nest when Herb got comfortable in the scorching sun to watch…some pre-game scoreboard tests and chain measuring. Well, the cheerleaders had to inspect their pom-pons and the mascot had to get dressed, things like that. There were actually 1 or 2 other fans in the stands at that time, waiting for the old gridiron to come alive.
   Kim, meanwhile, had fled to the nearest shade tree, watching for Herb’s signal to start ringing her cowbell. Yea, team!


Goin’ Under

   Jubilee pestered us for weeks to arrange for her baptism. She made the decision herself, after reading a “comic book” style Bible called Good and Evil from No Greater Joy. When the big day finally arrived, she was so nervous, we thought she would chicken out. But she was determined to follow through, and did just fine when Bro. Danny dunked her. J Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me...for of such is the Kingdom of God,” Mark 10:14.

Busy as a timothy

   As we often say, Timothy should start his own newsletter. It appears as if he is the only one who does anything, and the rest of us just sit around and watch (makes us look bad).
  This past year was no exception. In addition to graduating from Thomas Edison State College with his bachelor’s in Business Marketing, working for Rapid Repair, and doing all the other things a Timothy does (deep breath-), he went snow- boarding, learned kite boarding (head first, with an oversized kite that no human could control. That's why it was on sale.), took Scuba classes, took art classes (which accidently turned out to be “modern art” instead of a horse), kayaked down the Illinois river with brother Joe and friend Peter (barely surviving a storm), began tennis training with a jim-dandy pro racket (watch for him on ESPN), and lastly, took up the mandolin (most Taiwanese have never seen one, so he sets the bar). Bear in mind these are merely the things we know of before he moved to Taiwan in the summer…
   One thing the Allison's have learned is that the worst disasters make the best stories. If we did everything perfect, no one would want to read about it… right Timothy?  "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord,"
Romans 8:28.

Jumping to contusions

      Timothy spent a week in California jumping off bridges – not the Golden Gate. His antics paved the way for his first ever visit to the chiropractor.
      Bethany did some jumping, herself, from an airplane! Her painful landing was also fodder for the doctor (her tailbone no longer comes to a point).
      How could we have known that buying them a trampoline early on would cause them to develop a jumping obsession?   
 
End Notes  

   Uncle Curt took Caleb and Joseph to visit the Alamo last summer. We think his true motivation is to get his name in the newsletter. There you go, Uncle Curt!
   Herb was the only representative of the Allison family on the church mission trip this past year. The other Allison’s were coming and going elsewhere. We hope this trend is only temporary, and the family will re-convene on the other side of chaos. Hope. Hope.
  Joseph’s FFA skeet shooting team qualified for state competition, but no title. L Joseph will just have to keep practicing with Herb’s ammo. It’s free. 
   Hannah Grace and Jubilee were the only 2 of our peeps to be involved in piano recitals this year. Numbers are dwindling and it is a scary thought…
   Kim ran a taxi service to the airport in 2012, escorting Nan and Aunt Judy to their plane bound for Costa Rico and keeping Timothy and Hannah Grace coming and going from all parts of the world. Barring road construction, Kim could make it to the airport blindfolded.
   We all know Joseph is accident prone, but try to picture this. He says he accidently dyed his hair blonde. Friends, I am only repeating what he said.
   Herb discovered that when you raise wild turkeys, even if you take them far, far away and let them loose, they always come back home to roost. It’s hard to hunt something that won’t leave your front porch rail.
   Hannah Grace participated in STEP (Skills Training in Emergency Preparedness), a 4 week survival course in Texas last summer.  Upon graduation, she became our step-daughter. J
   After 3 years of employment, Bethany had to retire from the Muskogee Public Library in order to spend more time doing ROTC activities. Not only do we miss seeing her smiling face every week on town day, L we actually have to pay our overdue fines!
      Joseph finally got his driver’s license in 2012, and Hannah started her Driver’s Ed, thus allowing mom to log in many more hours in the Highway Patrol’s Office. Better bring along a good book, is all I have to say. After enduring 5 driver’s ed classes, Kim has finally come to the realization that she is indestructible until her purpose is finished.
   Joseph’s current max is 290 on bench press. Timothy’s max is undisclosed, but according to Joseph, it is considerably less than his. J
   If you want to send Timothy a note or a BBQ sandwich, his address is:
Yingpan Elementary School
No 136 Yingpan Road
Nantou City, Nantou County 540-47 Taiwan
   Late Breaking News: Trouble seems to follow some people around, but in Joseph’s case, it gets in front of him. Both the cow and the truck had to be towed away from “ground zero” on Highway 64. Once again, Joseph was unharmed, other than a familiar queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He should never leave home without a roll of Tums.


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