Tributes to Val!
December 2002 -
Birthday Song (in pdf format for download)
Val's Birthday Song, 2002
Christmas time is coming
So is Val's birthday
So we're gonna' celebrate it
In a Red Hat way
We want to thank this lady
For all the work she's done —
She pulled us all together in
Two thousand one
The "ragtag" bunch of ladies
Who showed up that day,
Were clearly there to meet
And greet, but most of all
To play!
Val organized us somehow
And then we chose our name
It fits us to a tee —
We're the "Austin-tatious" dames!
She emails us and writes us
Keeping up with all those names
(and never fusses at us when
Sometimes we are a pain!)
She keeps the ladies coming--
Every month with her door prizes
With raffles to entice us
So she can do more nice surprises
We know it's hard to manage
Such a group of strong-willed ladies
But her sense of humor transcends
Our many different ages
So, we thank you Val, for all you do
And for all that is to come
You're the best queen ever, that's for sure — our
Austin-tatious mom!
© 2002 Linda Westfeld
December 2003 -
Red-uation Poem ( in pdf format for download)
The Queen's Red-uation Poem
'Twas the night before Red Hat
When all through Val's house
The birds were all stirring like they'd seen a mouse.
Purple stockings were hung, by the chimney with care
'Cause Val's Red-uation soon would be there.
A new purple dress was hung near her bed,
And visions of new red hats danced in her head
And Tony, in PJ's of red plush velour
Looked in on the birdies, just to be sure.
When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter,
They knew that it surely must be the Red Hatters
Val flew to the window, tripped on her eBay trash,
Tried to open the blinds, but her fingers got mashed.
The moonbeams shone down on the front yard below
Showing Red Hatters' footprints on grass by the door.
When what to her half-blind eyes should appear
But the red hat gang, all drinking their beer
Some dressed all in purple, and wearing new hats,
Some lavender ladies, in fluffy pink hats.
They'd come to take Val to her Red-uation
And she heard them inquire, "Is she still on probation?"
"Oh, hell,
let's just grab her and take her away
The night is still young, and it's now time to play.
No more lavender dresses and little pink hats,
She needs purple and red like a proper old bat!"
They stumbled inside and scooped up their queen,
A funnier vision has never been seen.
Tony ducked in the closet to hide from that mob
'Cause it sure looked like this was an insider job.
They played the red hat song, they danced and they swayed
All the way back to Threadgills and had a parade.
Purple fabric swirled wildly, 'neath raucous red hats
Then came Val's moment, so everyone sat.
In purple stilettos, and a bright purple dress,
Val tossed her big hair and smiled at her guests
"Now, ladies,
I started this whole red hat mess
A few years ago, and now I must confess
Wearing my pink and my lavender gear
Prepared me for this, for a few crazy years
and now that I'm fifty, I want you to know,
The white in my hair is certainly not snow!
I've now earned the right and the privilege my dears
To don a red hat, and with you, share a beer.
So crown me now quickly with my new red hat
And I'll try to behave like a queenly old bat!"
©2003 Linda
Westfeldt
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