My Rememberance of September 11 2001

As we approach September 11, 2011 , I think of the birthday gift my daughter Susie gave me, a plane ticket to San Francisco, California From Yuma, Arizona, my home.  She was also flying to San Franisco from Oregon so that we both could visit my Brother Bill and celebrate together.  What fun we had planned.

My husband took me to the airport for check in, but by that time all air travel had been shut down.  We all felt the disappointment of missing the visit together.  But we all felt as many around the world that the United States had lost what we who live in one of 50 States felt was our "special" place in this world.  It was a wakeup call to us that we no longer were untouchable.

In the 10 years that have passed Oh so many changes have been made, good or bad. Our youngest grandson spent 2 deployments in Iraq.  Now our oldest grandson is soon going to be deploying to Afghanistan--to a place so unfriendly.  I keep asking myself "What for"?  There are lots of reasons running around in this old head of mine, but best kept to myself.  I wish that our government would spend half as much money on the education of our children.  And the other to feed and clothe them.  They are the most important roduct we produce in this country.

I pray that God will lead the elected officials of our country  into the next 50  plus years with the interests of all  this country as number one, not just their INTERESTS.

Reunion day is here and gone

August 21, 2011
Thank You Flyod and your lovely wife for your hard work and dedication to the
Class of 1946.  We graduated from the old Central school of Amherst,Ohio.  We were a class of 62 and half of the class is still living.  Most of us are 82 or 83 years of age.  Many of the class have stayed in Ohio.   The rest of us  are spread from border to border.  Unfortunately some are not in the best of health, but at our age that is to be expected.

A lovely dinner was eaten,with lots of conversation and then pictures taken at the Oberlin Inn,    We all agree that we grew up in the best years of the 20th century, in best town in North Eastern Ohio.  I'm so happy that I was  able to be with my fellow classmates and feel the love in each Hug we gave to each other.  Thank You God for granting this time we spent together.  It most likely will be our last reunion.  But Oh, what special memorieswe all have.

Preparing for the reunion

As August 16 approaches and I prepare to fly to Ohio to celebrate with my fellow classmates our graduation from High School in 1946.  The population of my hometown at that time was perhaps 4500.  Some of the fellows had already been drafted into the Army in 1945 and received their diplomas.  There were a total of 62 people in the class of  1946.  Today there are just half of them still living.  Most still live in and around Amherst, Ohio where we all grew up.  Some others spread their wings and left for the big world out there and what it had to offer.  The area always had strings on my heart, especially  when my Mother and Step-father were living, also my kid brother Donald.  Today Donald's children and grandchildren still  are there so HOME is still there.

This being our 65th year it is an important time.  All of us are 83 or 84, some do not have as good health as others.  After the 40th year the class began to meet only every 5 years.  Just think in 5 years we all will be 88 or 89.  I'm sure that Bob will not  let me go off alone and perhaps I won't want to.  However it still is my plan to live to 100.  It would be one more milestone for me. 

I have the car rented so that is one thing off my list.  If  I have any misgivings about traveling alone, it is arriving in Cleveland in the evening and having to find my way in a city that has grownup as I have grown old.  God will be with me and my angel Susie hovering over.  This trip will only be one week in length but will be fun.  Kim, my neice whom I am staying with is taking off a week while I am there and that will be nice.

LOOK OUT AMHERST HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer of 2011

It soon will be Memorial Day of 2011.  65 years ago was the last time I put on the Band Uniform of Green and Gold to participate with the marching band of my high school.  We had marched and played in Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate the ending of the war in Europe just a few months before.  Oh how we played our hearts out with the march " Stars and Stripes Forever!!!"  Most of us had been together for 4 years and it was coming to an end, but we had the world by the tail.  Oh so grownup and ready to face  the big old world out there.

Memorial Day once was called Decoration Day.  All the graves of the brave men of all wars fought before the "Great World War"  to end all wars were decorated with flags and flowers.  My brother fought in Korea, My Son in "Nam" and my oldest grandson in Desert Storm.  Then came Iraq with our youngest grandson laying his life on the line twice, and now Aphganistan.  Peter our oldest who went back into  the Navy for all good reasons is headed into harms way again.  This time as a 40 years old father of 3 wonderful children.  Will this never stop???My husband who was in WW2 with the Navy says that God is trying to tell us something.  But of course we never listen.

In August I shall journey to Ohio and help my old class mates celebrate 65 years of living out here in the big old world.  I like to think that we have done some things right.  God has been good and kind to us.  At our ages of 83 and 85 we still are on our own with good health and each other.  What more do two people need?

My rainbow continues

The only way to have a rainbow in your life is to see it through the clouds. Here in the Arizona Desert rainbows do not happen much as we have very little rain. I have learned to find beauty in the sparse landscape down here. Cactus blooms are the most delicate you will every see and the smell is so delightful. They look mean and the spikes are but that protects them for being eaten.

Time moves on and we keep busy. Just finished working at the county Fair. When I was a child my grandfather always took my brother Bill and I to the Lorain county Fair. Oh what fun we had. Now that I am old I see my grandfather had more fun watching us then we had. What a WONDERFUL TIME OF LIFE.

I'm looking forward to going to Ohio in August. My high school class is celebrating 65 years. How fortunate that we can enjoy seeing each other again. with all the wrinkles grey hair or dyed as mine is, puggy tommies and balled heads. Life is a rainbow for sure.

my thoughts

For the last six months the airwaves by all means of communication have been full of hate, lies and underhandness. a poor word but my meaning is clear. At 82 and a positive person I am saddened by what is happening to our government. I grew up in a small town during the best time of the 20th century, even if it was the time of the great depression, in my little world it was peaceful and loving. One of the reasons that I love living in Yuma, Arizona is the feeling I had as a child in that small town. The foothills of Yuma gives me that feeling. within walking distance of my church, close to my food store and drugstore and several medical clinics. BUT that ugly undertone is creeping into even this little place of peace.

We are quick to accuse the other person for what we believe is wrong in any area, and then find ugly ways to prove that what was said, written or just thought to be the truth. I am so ashamed of our leaders one and all. Nothing matters except that we get our way. The method does not matter, just so our thoughts and actions are the only way to make things work. We have become selfish, mean, untruthfull and just down right ugly. I suppose many would say that these words are just the ravings of on old lady who is not withit. Oh how I am glad that I was born in 1928 and have lived my life as a Rainbow with a few clouds along the way. Oh give me the slow kind world that I remember as a child. But in the time I have left I shall keep believing that all will be better tomorrow and the Rainbow is still there.

It's Saturday afternoon. The house is clean and I am ready for the shower so I will be clean
then I'll finish sorting the pictures I have for the boys and my son. What a job writing on the back of each picture. who,what,when.and why. Wonder if anyone really gives a darn.