Dinner with Ava

[trof]

It was suggested that I cross post this from the Lounge.

DU's Own Ava, award winning author of the peacetakescourage.com blog, was the featured speaker at our South Baldwin Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Dinner last night.
More about that later.

Through the generosity of a friend, I was able to provide overnight accommodations for Ava and her mom in a nearby beach front condo.
Since it was available for the entire week end, they decided to come down Friday evening and enjoy the next day at the beach.
( :-( It rained cats and dogs, but they said they got some much needed rest just hanging out and watching the thunderstorms.)

Miz t. asked if they would be arriving in time for dinner and, if so, would they like to have dinner at our house?
(FYI: Sauteed shrimp, rice pilaf, green beans, spinach-strawberry-pecan salad with raspberry vinaigrette. Turtle pie for dessert.)
Yes, and yes. They'd be delighted.

I was a teeny bit apprehensive. Although I didn't 'know' Ava, I knew a fair amount about her from DU and her website.
But 'mom' was an unknown quantity.
Well, she WAS Ava's mom, so how bad could it be?

They arrived around 6, and after introductions and a few minutes of conversation, it was like we'd known each other for years.
Ava's mom is a warm, intelligent, and fascinating woman, just like her daughter. I call her 'the woman behind the woman'.
It's true that the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

We stayed up WAY past my bedtime, talking politics and personal experiences around the dinner table. Miz t. and I haven't had such a fun and interesting evening in a long time. We live in the reddest county in a red state. It is a genuine relief to be able to talk politics and politicians with like minded folks.

It has been said that Ava is wise beyond her years. True.
Sitting next to her and deep in conversation about something or other it struck me that it was like talking to a 45 year old in a 17 year old body.

If you should have the opportunity to meet either of these amazing women, do so by all means.
I'll tell about last night's J-J Dinner in another post.
:-)

[Triana]

1. Awesome! Lucky you!

Thanks for posting this and for helping out Ava and her Mom! And most of all THANKS to Ava's Mom and Ava for being such phenomenal women!

Ava for President! (well, in a few years)

[LaurenG]

2. Nice story Trof

It was good that you all could meet and eat together. :)

Kicked and rec'ed :kick:

[madokie]

3. Ava is a very special person to me cause she is who opened my eyes as to the younger crowds

getting it. Through her eyes I was able to see that in the end America will be ok, a little tattered and torn, a few limbs broken here and there maybe but intact nevertheless. She gives me hope that the younger generation are/will be good keepers of our Constitution, probably be better at it than our generation was if the truth was known that is.
Rec for Ava

[lapfog_1]

4. I'm quite sure that Ava will be a political candidate for

office someday... and possibly a great career in politics awaits her, if she chooses to pursue it.

[Lochloosa]

6. I've been calling her Prez Ava for three years.

Hi Ava!

[Lochloosa]

7. And if your ever in the Jacksonville, FL area and need a place

to stay just let me know.

[DemoTex]

5. Looking forward to Ava's photos of the weekend in LA (Lower Alabama)

K&R

:kick:

[trof]

8. Put 'em on the homeward road at 4:30

Lunch turned into an afternoon of talk about almost everything, politics, courts, justice department.

One of the best week ends Miz t. and I have had in quite a while.
They have open invitation to return.
We'll leave the latchstring on the out side.
;-)

[Ava]

10. hurricanes too!

we talked about hurricanes too :P ;)

we had a blast. thanks for welcoming us and being so hospitable. we both really had a great weekend. :pals:

[DemoTex]

11. Post a few of those pics, Ava!

Glad to hear you had such a good weekend in LA (Lower Alabama).

[Ava]

12. will get them uploaded from my camera soon

and post them then :hi:

[DemoTex]

14. Thanks, Ava!

I've seen you, but I just want to see if Trof is as good looking as a former TWA and F-84 pilot needs to be .. even in his advanced years (like mine!). Butch and I go back to the start of DU (almost)!

Captain Mac
(DU DOH 5/2001 .. seniority # 113)

[DemoTex]

15. Whoops! Just saw the pics.

Great. Thanks, Ava!

[Hawkeye-X]

16. Glad you had a great time.

If you're in the Denver metro area, I'll take you to one of the finest intercontinental cuisine known to man (well, to me).

Just PM me.. :)

Hawkeye-X

[ThatsMyBarack]

9. Ava Rules! K&R!

:patriot:

[Ava]

13. thanks for having us! we both has a blast!

thanks for welcoming us and being so hospitable. we both really had a great weekend.

here are a few pics:

trof, ms. trof, and i after dinner friday night:


trof and i trying to get the video system working saturday night so that the dvd with a few of my videos that i brought could be shown:


where we stayed had an awesome view, and mom and i both actually really loved watching the storm come in over the water:


sorry there are no more photos. we were too busy having a good time to take photos. :)

it was a nice, relaxing, and fun weekend with a little bit of politics thrown in. ;)

[Hawkeye-X]

17. hmm. trof's looking older than I thought...

Must be the Bush years that we have had to go endure.... I'm sure he's young at heart and was giddy to be around you!

[trof]

20. I write much younger than I look.

;-)

[DemoTex]

18. Thanks for the pics, Ava.

PIC #1: Trof looks totally different than the mental picture I had! But I can still picture him in charge in a B-747. Ms. Trof reminds me of my dear Dr. D.! Ava looks like Ava (save Alabama before you save the USA .. OK?).

PIC #2: Trof's back-end is fairly narrow, for an old retired airline pilot. Most, by his age, are splayed wide from sitting in the comfy left seat, telling the F/O war stories, and calling for the checklist from the poor, hapless F/E.

PIC #3: Boat. No, I will not tell than story.


DemoTex a few years back .. on the air as K9STR

[trof]

21. Y'all come back, now. Ya heah?

:-)

[Irishonly]

19. Awesome n/t