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were grown, and we no longer had a piano player in the house. He seemed to enjoy these lessons, and again exhibited his delight in performing before an audience at the annual recitals. The family traveled to Disney World during this summer. Keaton enjoyed the Disney characters there, and in story books and in movies. He would tell the stories over and over, adding his own happy events and endings as he pleased. He recognized all of the characters, and each of their stories. He created a happy ending even where none had existed. Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” was then and is now a favorite of his and of mine. We might watch that and several other old Christmas movies on the Fourth of July, or just any time of the year. When Keaton was in the eighth grade he took a class in family living skills. He enjoyed the class very much, and with the aid of his teacher made himself a pair of patchwork shorts. Several years later I had the pleasure of meeting the teacher socially; she told me how much she had enjoyed having Keaton in her class. She shared that one time he had taken twenty or more minutes to tell the students about his Southern ancestors and their activity during the Civil War. This was a whole different slant to her as she was from a state in the northern part of our country. I have wondered exactly what he told the class, because it would certainly be from incidents overheard in conversations at our house. My great grandparents lived during the Civil War. Their portrait hangs in the den with great granddad in his Confederate uniform! Their stories had been handed down to me.--- I must
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