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Happy Holidays 2023 'The Holiday Lesson'

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                                                                                                                                         For the first time in 23 years, the Allred Family holiday letter will not be filled with bad news so that you all may feel a little better about your own lives. For example, it will not be shared that both Kyle and Michelle (two different incidents/two different cars) were rear-ended and both cars were totaled or that now every time Kyle sees a similar car he calls out, “love it while you can!” We won’t share that I was part of a horrifying telephone scam in which AI was used to imitate Tommy’s voice or that Katie stepped in (while in Austin near a known homeless area) human feces. That Robb insists on doing his “Pig Man” face to the horror of his granddaughters or that it took the vet and two vet techs, a muzzle and three Trazadone to take Remi down for a check-up will not be discussed. Nope. None of that. And why … you ask?   For the first tim
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  Seasons Greetings 2022 This now 23-year-long holiday letter tradition seems more appropriate than ever. Here is the premise: Unlike those letters that share extraordinary milestones and celebrations, we’re here to tell you how hard & humiliating life can be. For example, after working for over two years, full time researching and writing, editing and re-writing, I signed a contract with Rowman & Littlefield to publish the “bible” of women’s sports history ONLY to learn that the 315,000-word masterpiece had to be brutally gutted to 150,000 words. I had actual stomach aches over deleting some of the amazing women from history.             On the subject of books, Kerri (daughter) started a book club for, I believe, the sole purpose of forcing me to read dark, deep brooding stories in which serious contemplation and self-reflection is required. It’s awful. Only because I love fellow members do I stay on. What I didn’t know was t
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  Dear Friends and Family – For those who are familiar with the Allred Holiday letter (in which we have only reported the awful things that happened to us so that you, the recipients of this gift, might feel a little better about your own lives) are breaking the tradition of more than 20 years. 2020 has caused so much discord, disruption and suffering that making fun of the bad did not seem appropriate. Because many have inquired about the letter, I will offer a few assurances:              Robb has not changed. He still argues with the television, has “trigger commercials” that set him off; he argues with the dogs and himself. His newest quandary is that he can’t get “the look” he wants when constantly reenacting the commercials he hates to show me how it should have been done. He’s seven years old. Ironically, he did care about a dove which had taken refuge in our garage & pooped on everything, though periodically whispering, “…because its not dove season …yet.” While we
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                                      We're Going to Expedite This Holiday! 2019 Happy Holidays!                                                   I am awakened to a phone call. This is just one of too many to count. It is important to note that in these trying times, some things never change. Daddy (a.k.a. Col Marc Powe) is still escaping from memory care. Protocol dictates that the staff at Isle at Watercrest begin the call in this manner: Alex: Hello? Isle: Alex, your dad is okay but … It is here that I will next learn about how my father has done something somewhere somehow. Currently, there are several “open” investigations. On this phone call, however, I learn that Daddy has made it upstairs, through a locked stairwell again. The story, however, is best told from the perspective of Rose, one of our beloved caregivers. Rose: I was standing at my station when the nurses called from upstairs. They said, ‘Rose, the Colonel is upstairs,’ I said ‘No, this is impossi
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Holiday 2018

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                Dear Friends and Family                                                                    Note: If you've never read the annual Allred holiday letter, here's the concept: Since 1999, we've pretty much been sharing everything that went wrong so that you can feel so much better about your own lives. You're welcome.               We started out the new year by looking for a new house and Robb was arguing with the GPS. Tommy piped up from the back seat. “Dad. You know what this chapter of your life is called? Dementia: The Prologue.” Robb replied, “Hey, Buddy, do you know what this chapter in your life is called? Toothless: The Beginning.” . . .   And here we go.               You’ll recall last year Kerri and Kyle lost everything to Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Not to be outdone, Katie called from San Marcos:   Katie : Momma! I’m okay but my apartment is on fire and flooding .                This event would later become known as the ex
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