BLOG DAY # 72. Weekend with grandparents-PRICELESS! The joys of being a grandparent!

As we get older-and closer to retirement(we both will be 63)- every little moment you can share with the YOUNG ones-is a memory we store away and hopefully never forget. So in case you do slip a little-and you really have to dig deep to bring them forward- you take pictures to sort of be that memory jogger of life!



How sweet it is! Here we have Cassidy attempting-at least in her strong willed mind-to push Sarah & Taylor down the side walk heading for SWEET FROGS for their promised treat. Notice Taylor has her arm around Cassidy- they are such good little girls.



Cassidy wanted in-but she had second thoughts-she is really strong willed and wanted to get back out and help push again. Sarah on the other hand- no longer the Baby - is enjoying all the attention we can give her! LOL


You just had to be there to understand what was going on. Taylor was crouching down and taking very slow steps-like she was stalking a bird or something-making us all laugh and Ella and Maddy giggle. It was a moment in time that we captured to remember years from now. Priceless to us!



Grandma(Sherry) and all five granddaughter's holding hands crossing the street. They didn't try to break away- they really are good and all will listen to us. It is one of the joys of being grandparents-they respect you and they run to you and give you hugs-brings tears to my eyes to see this moment caught to be reflected on in years to come.

AND I HAVE TO SAY-SHERRY LOOKS YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE THE MOTHER!


When we look back to this picture-we will remember the innocents of youth. Five cousins sharing a young moment together-all of them so precious in each their own way. You know-I am Bias-but it remains to be seen- that this picture will be a favorite of mine forever!



They say a picture says a thousand words- this one says to me "STYLING"!
Ella & Maddy- standing so non chalet- and then there is SARAH- who dress's herself- she will be a model someday-or will set the trends for others! She is our little miss STYLING!


                                                                                                                                                   
All three are very fast-Maddy set a school record in a test that they did for the school-she would be clocked at a sub 7 min. mile-and she doesn't even practice- this was boys & girls- Ella placed second in her class in the same category's-being beat out by one boy-on the soccer field they both excel-playing CO-ED! And Sarah- have a feeling she will be even faster. I am proud- and this picture in years to come - will remind me just how gifted all three are! And all three are at the top of their class in academics!

   Cassidy & Taylor

Being grandparents is both a joy and a blessing. Our lives are so much richer and we have God to thank that they all are healthy-loving-bright-and funny children. I posted this blog today-as a way for me to remember how they look and what I think the future awaits each and every one of them If I show Bias- then be it what it may-because I AM THAT for sure. This is my little journal on our lives- we are happy to share with you-I wish that I could know you out there who follow this from 10 different countries- I would love to see and hear and read about your lives. Send me a message-let us break news over the net and become friends. This is my family-our lives and the women I share it with -30 years in June-31 that we have been together. A journal of our love for each other and a memory to be shared across time and space.

 SARAH-ELLA-MADDY

April of 2012



THE JOYS OF BEING A GRANDPARENT-CAPTURED IN MEMORY WITH PICTURES-LOVE-JOY-PEACE FROM US TO ALL OF YOU:  "PEACE BE WITH YOU!"

BLOG DAY # 71. Where I came from PART 2. STAND BY ME!

      There was a movie if I remember correctly-of three young boys walking down a railroad track.
That brought back so many memories of where I grew up. Our house was fronted by the Main Street road & the railroad tracks on the back side. There was a great big old apple tree there that we use to pick up the apples and throw at the empty train cars as they sped by.



This picture is about 1 mile North of where I lived- and although this is an older version of the train-it brings back so many memories. I would lay in bed at night-and fall asleep to the click-click of the train running over the tracks.


Here is the view from the South side of town- about 3 to 4 miles from where I lived. You can see the tracks to the far left. A very rural community-walked this road home one night with three other buddies all the way from other side of Larabee Junction. Those were our little town adventures. Think we were at a party out there somewhere-we could of gotten into a lot of trouble-but we hid it awfully well!



This is part of what fell i between those two pictures. You can see the ball park-where I spent my youth playing baseball & football-no pads-just a bunch of kids getting together and playing tackle-not flag-football!

The air was crisp and clean in our little town-you knew who had the best gardens to rob on summer nights during your sleeping out-weather it was at a Friends house or up on Blueberry hill as I called it.
Bunch of guys-young-a little beer-shared of course-find out if & where there might be a girls sleep over and head over there.

Running through the back yards-dogs barking-looking for head lights-make sure it wasn't the town cop- for as you see we had a curfew- 10 pm every night the town fire siren would go off-everyone under 16 or 18-can't quite remember-OFF THE STREETS!



Almost the same view but much earlier-turn of Century or early 1900's. Back when our little town had factories that made glass. Factories are gone,  but the future park was just to the right of the road across from the factorie on the left.

A SMALL TOWN-BUT A GOOD TOWN TO RAISE A FAMILY!



Railroad bridge being constructed to North of town near the border-early 1900's. It was gone when I could first remember-but it was progress back then. SMALL TOWN.



Just south of this bridge and north of town-was THE POWDER PLANT. Munitions factory. Accidents through the years claimed many. Not much left now-but Eldred had many business during the early years. People lived and worked here. SMALL TOWN.


PRIDE AT THE END OR NEAR END OF THE WAR-MANY WENT AND NEVER CAME BACK-     SMALL TOWN!


The refinery south of town-never saw it as it was gone when I came along.  SMALL TOWN!

When you grow up in a little town- you know your neighbor-you have many friends-everyone knows everyone-so you had better be good- there was a civic pride-a understanding and what this country was all about- many should look at this next picture and then step back and wonder where this all went-why there is so much today that they want to tear down and remake into something that just is not America.  SMALL TOWN!



MAIN STREET ELDRED-SOMETIME EARLY 1900's. SMALL TOWN!


Yes we had a band- a marching band-  SMALL TOWN!



AND IT GOT BIGGER.      SMALL TOWN!

    Concerts before LADY GAGA!

                                    SMALL TOWN!



CLASS TRIPS TO NYC!        SMALL TOWN!


                               SMALL TOWN!


And oh my! The winters-it just kept coming-you would go to work-no plows out-sometimes snow up to bumper before you got onto main streets-here you are looking south just outside of town.

                                                SMALL TOWN!


We even had a factory that made BASEBALL BATS!    SMALL TOWN!



                                                   SMALL TOWN!



Yes, we had a main street- and guess what- NO RED LIGHTS!   SMALL TOWN!



Times were changing-factories closed-waters came-stores came & went-people passed through-you knew some and some you never knew.       SMALL TOWN!



The floods wrecked havoc- people helped each other- STAND BY ME!  SMALL TOWN!



Each year, you just did not know- would it come- when would it go?  SMALL TOWN!



And then life would go back to normal-people passed you in the street & said hello.

                                           SMALL TOWN!


Some are still here-others are long gone-  SMALL TOWN!

    OTHERS GAVE ALL.



But the band played on- the music filled the air.    SMALL TOWN!

Explosions claimed another one.
The war took many.





And it continues.

                                      SMALL TOWN!



They came-they prospered-they left- SMALL TOWN!





Yes we had neighbors-nearby towns- BUT IT WAS OUR SMALL TOWN!


We changed-we thrived-and we changed again and again-now-sadly to say -it is even a smaller
                                                 SMALL TOWN!


We willor at least I will remember our small town, lean on me, mayberry, small town USA, a good place, a fine place to grow up. I don't go back mush anymore, 2 or 3 times a year.

My mother will be 97-I write every week-she can't hear much anymore so you can't talk to her. But the small town memories are still alive in my memories. Getting ready to make the journey North in a couple weeks-will see my mother-this year we will be going back quite often.


No snow for me-I will visit the small town in warm weather- I will remember the snow-but now I don't like snow- but memories will always be there.




Here is a car- parked right outside of where I was raised-do not know who or why this picture was taken-but I recognised the street right away.

When one grows up living on main street-you never forget those late night crashes- many of them on this very spot. My bedroom window overlooked this spot- so now I will finish what I started out to do. Bring a smile or memory to those of you who know me and are from our little town. For those of you who are still there or those who at one time or another passed through.

This is where I grew up-this is where I first learned the meaning of STAND BY ME!

For you see-even though I have gone-life goes on in this little town-they say history repeats itself-maybe someday the factories will return- in my mind they are there.

I LEAVE YOU NOW- This was my SMALL TOWN! STAND BY ME-IT!

BLOG DAY # 70 in a day of my life. Today is real or not or who cares day!

     Today , I have decided to throw caution to the wind-so to speak-and just go with the FLOW!
Lets think-cry-laugh- giggle- have happy thoughts and throw in some sad ones. Just let it all go and relax. This journey will be good for your soul-or if you are a non believer- just believe in life in general.




 Hop to it people- today is YOUR day- do not let someone steel it from you!



NOW I ASK YOU-HOW TRUE IS THIS? MY WIFE SAYS NOT TO DO IT-SEEMS I DID NOT SEPARATE SOME CLOTHES-DID NOT CHECK POCKETS-SOME THINGS JUST DO NOT GO INTO THE DRYER-(THEY SHRINK) STICK TO MOWING THE LAWN-TAKE OUT GARBAGE-RECYCLABLES-BUT KEEP MY GRUBBY LITTLE FINGERS OFF THE WASHER & DRYER!

NOW FOR THE GUYS-THERE IS GENIUS IN MY MADNESS-"I DON'T HAVE TO DO LAUNDRY!"

I THINK I REALLY GOT TO HER WHEN I ASKED, "WHY DO ALL THE UNDER WARE COME OUT INSIDE OUT?" DO YOU DO THAT? WHY DO SHIRTS DO THE SAME? DO YOU DO THAT?

ANSWER: JUST GO AWAY AND I WILL DO IT!   MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!


LIFE IS FULL OF HURDLES & SURPRISES:  REACH FOR THE STARS-NO ONE ELSE WILL DO IT FOR YOU! HELP THE LITTLE ONES-FOR THEY GROW WAY TO FAST!



IF YOU SHARE A SECRET-YOU SHARE A LIFE-BE CAREFUL-IT COULD RUIN YOURS!





I HAVE FOUND OUR HAPPIEST MOMENTS ARE WITH THE ONES WE LOVE!




WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT OUR CLOSEST FRINDS ON TWO HANDS!





RAISE UP A CHILD TO KNOW THEY CAN PAINT THE WORLD ONE STROKE AT A TIME!





A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT WON'T HURT THEM-DON"T KNOW ABOUT PASTE!






FRIENDS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE THEM OUT TO BE!


BELIEVE IT BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!

  THEY GIVE SO MUCH!




AND ASK FOR SO LITTLE IN RETURN! GOD BLESS THEM! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIFFER-THEN I GUESS YOU CAN SLEEP SAFE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THEM!




SOME GIVE LITTLE-SOME GIVE ALL!
  SOME JUST HURT!

   SOME JUST ACT!

     OUR FREEDOM!






I THINK SOME TIMES WE JUST TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED!



                        AND THIS ALSO!


BUT IN MY HEART-I KNOW I HAVE IT RIGHT-I SALUTE YOU!




AND IF YOU ARE HAVING A BAD DAY-JUST LOOK AND THEN SAY IT IS BAD!


A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND-THIS IS PRICELESS!



Know that many have come before you- know that many are here so that you may be where you are!
Be it known that I love my country- with all its faults- it still is cherished- it still i where I come from.
We all have sins-we all have faults-we all have problems- but we ALL HAVE BUT ONE COUNTRY!

Be it as it may-whether you belive it or not- this is where you are- this is what it is all about. And I truely believe it is ONE country under GOD. I was raised that way and I am proud to be that way. I do not always agree, but I go to bed at night not berateing my country and my god- but being thankful I can live here and do that if I wish. So I ask you to stand up- be proud-be American- be responsible-be forgiving-be kind-be generous-be social-for that is the America I cherish.


WE ARE ALL AMERICAN-LAND OF THE FREE-ALL FOR ONE-ONE FOR ALL!



BROTHERS & SISTERS-HUSBANDS & WIVES-CHILDREN-SINGLES-all in one!



FROM US TO ALL OF YOU-PEACE MY BROTHERS & SISTERS! AMEN.