Scarlett Meets Pockets, Glyn, and the Tiger

Scarlett traveled to Fredericksburg for an afternoon with her great-grandfather (my Dad's Dad) and his lovely wife Glyn. I call my grandfather Pockets (as the story goes, my older cousin was always interested in the things he had in his pockets when she was a toddler, and the name stuck). Pockets and Glyn have a home in Fredericksburg where they like to spend time when they are not in Albuquerque, where they live full-time.

When we got to the house, Pockets and Glyn had a surprise for Scarlett -- a big stuffed tiger! Background on the significance of the tiger: For most of my grandmother's (Gammy) pregnancy with my Dad back in 1945, Pockets was on a destroyer -- the U.S.S. Kidd -- in the Pacific during the final year of World War II. The other sailors referred to my Dad as "the little Tiger" and would ask Pockets every time he got mail, "is the little Tiger here yet?" After my Dad was born, Tiger evolved into Tig, which my Dad's family still calls him to this day (and he is Papa Tig to Scarlett and my nieces).

Scarlett likes stuffed animals, but she's never gotten really attached to any one in particular. Much to my surprise, she LOVED the tiger. Not just liked, but LOVED. Hugs and kisses galore.

Scarlett meets the tiger, and it's love at first sight.





Tiger cuddling and back scratching from Pockets -- what could be better?







With Memorial Day around the corner, we'd like to thank Pockets and all other veterans and active military for the incredible sacrifices you have made for us, and especially the 38 men who lost their lives on April 11, 1945 when the Kidd was struck by a Japanese suicide plane off the coast of Okinawa.