John -

Bravo!  What a great story.  I thought of my grandfather, the master
carpenter, sitting on the porch of the house he built so he could marry my
grandmother.  I was 5, or maybe 6.  He sat there holding me during a
thunder storm (having lightening strikes in the back yard at home always
made me very frightened of thunder and lightening).  I remember sitting in
this big lap, while he said, "Spam Pam, what a ham you am, Pam."  Thanks
for the very fond memories.

- Pam