Friday, April 29, 2011
Flashback Friday # 29 ~ Weddings
.. 
A famous Royalty member was married today. I set my alarm for 3:00 AM and watched the whole thing! What did you do? You realize that people of our generation or older watched his mom and dad, Prince Charles and Lady Diana, get married back in 1981. You might have also. .
Appropriately, the Flashback Friday theme for this week:
What memories do you have of family weddings' place in your family while you were growing up? And in your later years?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the upper right). So here goes:
Her questions: What is the earliest family wedding you remember attending? Did your family attend many weddings when you were growing up? What do you remember of them? What was typical of weddings you attended? Were you ever in a wedding as a child? As you became a young adult were you in lots of weddings? What roles did you have? Did you catch the bouquet (or garter)? What "royal" or newsmaking weddings do you remember and how old were you? For the gals, were you one who planned your wedding repeatedly as you werer growing up or was it not a big deal to you? What have you noticed that is different about weddings today, and do you consider it for better or for worse?
(Please do not include memories of your own wedding in this flashback.)
The earliest family wedding that I attended was that of my niece, Barb. Unless it was as a child when I was too young to remember I never went to family weddings. I didn't go to relatives' funerals either.
I could be one of these babies as "Uncle John" was my great-grandfather. These people look dressed for a wedding. I have no idea of which ones could be the bride and groom. Not many are sitting together as spouses.
About the same time as Barb's wedding my own kids were getting married and of course I went to them. Also I had gone with Mrs. Jim to some of her friends' weddings.
The first royal wedding that I remember was that of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. I saw most of that on TV.
(Linda told us not to include our own wedding so I won't.)
But, if you are interested you can learn a little about it here.
A famous Royalty member was married today. I set my alarm for 3:00 AM and watched the whole thing! What did you do? You realize that people of our generation or older watched his mom and dad, Prince Charles and Lady Diana, get married back in 1981. You might have also. .(Please do not include memories of your own wedding in this flashback.)
The earliest family wedding that I attended was that of my niece, Barb. Unless it was as a child when I was too young to remember I never went to family weddings. I didn't go to relatives' funerals either.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Flashback Friday # 29 ~ (More on Weddings)
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Flashback Friday # 28 ~ Easter
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[click on any picture to make it larger]
..Easter is in April this year, Sunday April 24
Linda's words:
[click on any picture to make it larger]..
Easter is in April this year, Sunday April 24Linda's words:
Labels: Flashback Friday, Holiday Posts, Jim in his Younger Days, KP
Friday, April 15, 2011
Flashback Friday # 27 ~ Gardening in Jim's Early Life
..
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row
.
That's part of what Linda has going today at her FlashBack Friday Headquarters. Click there at the right to see what Linda and others ended up doing today with a post about gardens at our homes when we were growing up.
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Do you have any memories of gardens from your growing-up years? Did your parents have a flower garden? Was landscaping important to them? Did they take care of the yard themselves or have someone else do it? What about a vegetable garden? Did your family have one and was it big or small? Any fruit trees? Did your mom (or anyone) "put up" (as we say in the South) or can the bounty from a garden? What involvement did you and any siblings have in planting? Was growing things encouraged, discouraged, or treated with ambivalence? What is your attitude, ability and involvement in gardening today?
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I have lots of memories of the garden we had at home. It was a family garden but Mom was in charge and we all called it Mom's garden. We also had a potato patch and sometimes a watermelon patch. Us kids would have a couple of pumpkin plants too.
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It was those potatoes that made it possible for me to be paid for when I was born. We were very poor but for some unexplained reason God wanted me paid for. A large crop of potatoes in that patch did it. In the midst of a terrible drought and all our potatoes exceeded all of Dad's previous harvests.
.
There were enough for a very nice sale to the grocery store in town which completely paid the doctor bill for me being born. I was born at home in our old country house so there wasn't a hospital bill to be paid. My sister, Lois, was born there later as well.
.
We raised all the common vegetables, like carrots, radishes, tomatoes, snap beans, green peas, strawberries, sweet corn, cabbage, onions, lettuce, asparagus, etc. My favorite eat-in-the-garden-fresh was carrots, followed by tomatoes, strawberries, and then the radishes. My favorite cooked vegetable was rhubarb pie. MOM MADE THE BEST!
.
Mom would also plant a few rows of flowers too. (SIGH. SIGH, again.) It is sad to think about her and those really pretty flowers of hers. Mom was city girl who married the farm boy, my dad. Her life changed completely after that. No more being secretary for a state senator. No more walking down for an ice cream cone. No more walking to church. And all that city living stuff.
.
We raised a lot more vegetables than we could eat. Mom would can everything there was an put in the storm cellar. We also put the potatoes there in a potato bin. One of the jobs I like was sprouting the potatoes (rubbing the sprouts off). Before I got to doing it all it was a family job. Just nice sitting down there by the cellar door working together and talking and thinking.
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We all had to hoe the gardens. That was to keep the soil soft and to cut the weeds out. I also helped hoe the corn. Back then it was unpatriotic and a sign of a sloppy farmer to have weeds sticking up above the crops. Now the farmers spray for weeds.
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We did not get to plant, that was for Mom and Dad to do. Dad plowed it with a farm implement type plow. First with horses, and then later he got a tractor in about 1938. That was the same year that we got electricity because REA finally put in power lines in our area.
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Unfortunately I did not inherit the green thumb. Mrs. Jim doesn't have one either so we aren't very pretty with flowers around here. Shrubs and azaleas, our flower red, and ornamental pear trees and a small redbud tree doing the flowering for us.
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By the way, we were far north to keep the fruit trees from freezing. I had a cherry tree, meaning it was my job to pick the cherries and prune it, which did fine for maybe ten years before the freeze got it. Our peach orchard really didn't get big enough for a nice crop of peaches before they all froze.
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Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, April 08, 2011
Flashback Friday # 27 ~ Poetry in Jim's Life
.. April is National Poetry Month
.
Appropriately, the Flashback Friday theme for this week:
What memories do you have of poetry's place in your life growing up? And in your later years?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right). I like poetry so here goes:
Her questions: What poems do you remember from your childhood? Did you have to memorize many poems for school when you were growing up? Did you learn any just for fun? Do you remember which ones they were--and can you still recite them? Did you have a poetry book that you liked to read? Do you enjoy poetry today? Do you prefer rhyming poetry or free verse? Whimsical poetry or epic poems that tell a story? Do you have a favorite poem or poet? Have you ever written any poems?
Most of the early poems that I remember are nursery rhymes. I still can recite them fairly well. I am thinking though, that the present generations have not learned these very well. This is something that we as parents and grandparents can change.
'Jack and Jill' and the 'Cow Jumped Over the Moon' were my favorites. I still like them as well as Jack Sprat, Humpty Dumpty and Mother Hubbard and the others. I memorized every one of those that I would read.
When I was in the eighth grade, it could have been earlier, I had to memorize a poem of my own choosing. I picked Abou Ben Adhem by James Henry Leigh Hunt as my project. I can remember it fairly well yet today.
That year for Christmas I was given by Santa a gray covered thin paper back book of poetry. Abou Ben Adhem was in it. I still have that book someplace. It will be on my bookshelf when I finish reorganizing my office.
Abou Ben Adhem
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Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:—
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said
"What writest thou?"—The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still, and said "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men."
.
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest
.
from PoemHunter.com (link)
I like both the whimsical and the epic poems. I wrote a few poems in grade school and then again in college. I think none of those are saved. I am writing a few poems again now, thanks to blogging.
Most every Sunday I post a poem that I have written for a group called One Single Impression (OSI). They are all 171 posted here: Jim's Little Photo and Poem Place (blog). (A few are also on this Jim's Little Blog but not many.)
There I try to infuse a little of the small wit that I have into some of those poems. Some are rhyming as I find this a challenge. There are also haiku, senryū, tanka, acrostics, and a few others that I am learning.
I suppose most of them really aren't very good but the others who write for OSI are nice and forgiving of me and offer a lot of encouragement. I would be pleased for you to take a peek at Jim's Little Photo and Poem Place .
April is National Poetry Month Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days, Poetry
Friday, March 04, 2011
Fads back in Jim's growing up days ~ Flashback Friday # 26 ~ And some 'More things to do in London' 03
...
My London things in pictures are at the bottom of today's posting.
First, the Flashback Friday:
What are your memories of the fads you had in while you were growing up? How much did you get to follow them?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers are hard to fit these questions, but here goes:
What fads were popular when you were growing up? Which were seen as "must-haves" and which as simply silly fads? Did you like them or hate them? Which ones did you have? Which ones did you long for but never get to have? Were your parents pretty tolerant of fads or did they resist them? Were they the type to be sure you had whatever "the" Christmas gift of the year was? What about fad speech? Were there particular phrases or words that were common to your generation? Have any of these fads made a reappearance in your adulthood?
The reason this meme will be hard for me is because I didn't know of any fads going on. We didn't have TV so I couldn't see what those Jones's were doing. Neither did anyone else in our school, at least not very many.
Remember too that there were never more than 6 or 7 in school with me. And our school taught all eight grades by one teacher. None of us had the latest. My cousin did have a record player but then I wasn't into listening to music so it didn't bother me to be without one. In fact I didn't even want one. No special items for Christmas lists either. I might have been a stick-in-the-mud kid.
When I got to high school things were a little bit different. The first two years were at another country school. One popular thing-to-do there was to ride your horse to school. So I did that. Minnie was Dad's riding horse but he let me take her to school with me.
At first there was not stall in the school barn for her so she stayed all day tied to a tree down near the barn. Before winter though, one of the kids moved away and I was next on the list to use the barn for Minnie. I think she liked that a lot. Minnie got a new lease on life with me riding her. The exercise of walking the three miles each way was good for her. I also taught her how to jump over ditches and low objects.
Blue jeans were new back then and I got to wear them instead of the bib overalls I always wore to school in the first eight grades. Town high school for my last two years was a little different in that I drove Dad's pickup truck. I might have wanted to put a red or yellow plastic hood ornament on it as some of the kids had them. But I didn't ask and for sure Dad never got one for his truck.
I do remember getting a bright necktie for graduaton. It was orange red and seemed as if it would glow in the dark. I wore at college as it was the in thing. So were cordoroy cream colored pants (the University of Nebraska colors are cream and red) and for sure I had a pair of those.
My kids didn't have a lot of the 'in' things either. In high school they had jobs at an Baskins Robins Ice Cream store and did spend some of their own money for a few of the fads. I feel, but can't remember for sure, that they had items like Nike brand shoes.
This is except for our youngest, Karen. We would drive to New Orleans to the Espirit outlet store in order for her to have those favorites. It helped that we had relatives there then so we could combine a visit with the trip. Still there was a lot she didn't get either.
That's about all I can't remember about fads.
I thought you might like to see a couple more of my London pictures: (click on them to for bigger size. Click again for extra large size. Use the back button to get back to the blog.)
The picture on the left is a double goodie for me. First I love these double-decker red buses. They aren't the kind with sight seeing announcements and you hop on and hop off wherever you want. They are running regular routes with a high carrying capacity.
That picture also has an elderly people sign. I would like one of those in front of our house as the cars go pretty fast. Way to fast for the comfort of dog (Adi and Katrin) owners like me . Those signs were quite common in Ireland, Scotland, and Isle of Man but this was the first I have spotted in Great Britain.
Next is the Abbey Road street sign. This one is near the recording studio where the Beatles made their first records. Most every day there will be droves of tourists taking pictures of the studio and of each other crossing the street like the Beatles did for one of their famous albums.
Finally we have a Krispy Creme donut store. Those are closing around the States but they seem to be going strong here. This one is underground at the Canary Wharf underground shopping mall. I have seen several others but didn't take a picture of any before this one.
For more pictures of what we have been doing in London please click here. Just a lot of our pictures include things we did with the Grandkids. Or scroll down looking as your scroll.
My London things in pictures are at the bottom of today's posting.
First, the Flashback Friday:What are your memories of the fads you had in while you were growing up? How much did you get to follow them?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers are hard to fit these questions, but here goes:
What fads were popular when you were growing up? Which were seen as "must-haves" and which as simply silly fads? Did you like them or hate them? Which ones did you have? Which ones did you long for but never get to have? Were your parents pretty tolerant of fads or did they resist them? Were they the type to be sure you had whatever "the" Christmas gift of the year was? What about fad speech? Were there particular phrases or words that were common to your generation? Have any of these fads made a reappearance in your adulthood?
The reason this meme will be hard for me is because I didn't know of any fads going on. We didn't have TV so I couldn't see what those Jones's were doing. Neither did anyone else in our school, at least not very many.
Remember too that there were never more than 6 or 7 in school with me. And our school taught all eight grades by one teacher. None of us had the latest. My cousin did have a record player but then I wasn't into listening to music so it didn't bother me to be without one. In fact I didn't even want one. No special items for Christmas lists either. I might have been a stick-in-the-mud kid.
When I got to high school things were a little bit different. The first two years were at another country school. One popular thing-to-do there was to ride your horse to school. So I did that. Minnie was Dad's riding horse but he let me take her to school with me.
At first there was not stall in the school barn for her so she stayed all day tied to a tree down near the barn. Before winter though, one of the kids moved away and I was next on the list to use the barn for Minnie. I think she liked that a lot. Minnie got a new lease on life with me riding her. The exercise of walking the three miles each way was good for her. I also taught her how to jump over ditches and low objects.
Blue jeans were new back then and I got to wear them instead of the bib overalls I always wore to school in the first eight grades. Town high school for my last two years was a little different in that I drove Dad's pickup truck. I might have wanted to put a red or yellow plastic hood ornament on it as some of the kids had them. But I didn't ask and for sure Dad never got one for his truck.
I do remember getting a bright necktie for graduaton. It was orange red and seemed as if it would glow in the dark. I wore at college as it was the in thing. So were cordoroy cream colored pants (the University of Nebraska colors are cream and red) and for sure I had a pair of those.
My kids didn't have a lot of the 'in' things either. In high school they had jobs at an Baskins Robins Ice Cream store and did spend some of their own money for a few of the fads. I feel, but can't remember for sure, that they had items like Nike brand shoes.
This is except for our youngest, Karen. We would drive to New Orleans to the Espirit outlet store in order for her to have those favorites. It helped that we had relatives there then so we could combine a visit with the trip. Still there was a lot she didn't get either.
That's about all I can't remember about fads.
I thought you might like to see a couple more of my London pictures: (click on them to for bigger size. Click again for extra large size. Use the back button to get back to the blog.)
The picture on the left is a double goodie for me. First I love these double-decker red buses. They aren't the kind with sight seeing announcements and you hop on and hop off wherever you want. They are running regular routes with a high carrying capacity.That picture also has an elderly people sign. I would like one of those in front of our house as the cars go pretty fast. Way to fast for the comfort of dog (Adi and Katrin) owners like me . Those signs were quite common in Ireland, Scotland, and Isle of Man but this was the first I have spotted in Great Britain.
Next is the Abbey Road street sign. This one is near the recording studio where the Beatles made their first records. Most every day there will be droves of tourists taking pictures of the studio and of each other crossing the street like the Beatles did for one of their famous albums.
Finally we have a Krispy Creme donut store. Those are closing around the States but they seem to be going strong here. This one is underground at the Canary Wharf underground shopping mall. I have seen several others but didn't take a picture of any before this one.
For more pictures of what we have been doing in London please click here. Just a lot of our pictures include things we did with the Grandkids. Or scroll down looking as your scroll.
Labels: Flashback Friday, London
Friday, February 25, 2011
Flashback Friday # 25 ~ Dentists
...
What are your dental memories of childhood?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers sort of fit the question, so here goes:
What are your dental memories of childhood? Who pulled your baby teeth and how was it done - with a tissue, string, or other method? Was it a traumatic experience or no big deal? Did you have to have any teeth pulled by the dentist? Did the tooth fairy visit your house? If so, how much did you get for each tooth and how long did that last? How old were you at your first dental visit? Did you go regularly? Did you have any/many cavities as a child? Was dental hygiene taught in school? Was flossing a big deal when you were growing up? Did you have braces and, if so, for how long? Did you have to wear rubber bands, head/neck gear or other additional "accessories"? Did you need braces but your parents couldn't afford them? Have you had braces as an adult? Do you have any fond/funny//traumatic memories of old relatives or friends and their false teeth?
I remember pulling my own teeth. I would wiggle and wiggle them until they were so loose I could just lift them out. I remember other kids in school using string, with one end tied to the tooth and the other on a door knob. I think that one of our teachers tried this with some of the kids.
My dad always said he would get his pliers and pull them. I now tell my own grandkids that. I have a pair of bent needle nosed pliers that seem to be made to pull teeth.
After the tooth was out I would show it off and then put it under my pillow. At first the tooth fairy passed out nickels at our house. Gradually it went up, ending a quarter for the molars. Actually I think it went up because of the decline of buying power in our currency. Yes, that was happening way back then. But the postage stayed at three cents for first class and a penny for a postcard.
I did not wear braces nor did my sister. My teeth are poorly situated and today a parent would have had braces for them. I don't know how my sister Lois's were but she had hers all pulled out when she was thirty. Now she is on her second set of false.
I still have all of mine except for five. I my get implants for those. The trouble is most of my other teeth are bad and probably many have been filled for the last time. So where could it stop. I could have a full set of implants except for the newness of them and not knowing how they would fare when I get old.
I don't remember any of my aunts, uncles, or grandparents with false teeth when I was growing up. I do remember that my grandpa's were brown at the bottoms and way worn down. That was because of what the chewing tobacco did for his teeth.
A couple of incidents copied from two previous blogs. To read the entire you can click on this label, dentist.
First:
I was eating some Boston Baked Bean Candy and a part of my tooth broke off. That was the only time I went to the dentist until I was in college and caught trench mouth.
We were riding in the car, my parents, sister Lois, and me. If the car was a 1938 Ford it was during the War. If that wasn't it then it was in our 1949 Ford and I was in high school. My sister thinks it was the former.
My feeling was that I was preteen which would make me in grade school and the car would be the '38.After that I pretty much swore off eating Boston Baked Bean Candy. Boston Baked Beans were hard chocolate candy coated peanuts. They weren't covered with soft chocolate like the modern chocolate covered peanuts or raisins. I've been told they are softer now.
For a while I had thought they were covered soy beans but now I am convinced it had to have been peanuts. Dad really liked them and just a lot of times when we went to town (a thirty minute drive) we had some.
Second:
My first root canal was done by an Army dentist, way back in the 50s.
The root canal hasn't given my any problems but the tooth had. The part he put in fell out many times. Finally dentistry began using a glue that made it stick permanently, so far.
The tooth was also loose at the roots. For several years I have been able to wiggle it. My current dentist would pull it but I wouldn't let him. Wait till it falls out or becomes infected was my order.
But that tooth is gone now. Early this summer I had it pulled along with two others with the prospect of replacing them with implants. There needed to be some gum buildup so bone grafting was in order. I think things are about ready now for me to get those new ones.
What are your dental memories of childhood?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers sort of fit the question, so here goes:
What are your dental memories of childhood? Who pulled your baby teeth and how was it done - with a tissue, string, or other method? Was it a traumatic experience or no big deal? Did you have to have any teeth pulled by the dentist? Did the tooth fairy visit your house? If so, how much did you get for each tooth and how long did that last? How old were you at your first dental visit? Did you go regularly? Did you have any/many cavities as a child? Was dental hygiene taught in school? Was flossing a big deal when you were growing up? Did you have braces and, if so, for how long? Did you have to wear rubber bands, head/neck gear or other additional "accessories"? Did you need braces but your parents couldn't afford them? Have you had braces as an adult? Do you have any fond/funny//traumatic memories of old relatives or friends and their false teeth?
I remember pulling my own teeth. I would wiggle and wiggle them until they were so loose I could just lift them out. I remember other kids in school using string, with one end tied to the tooth and the other on a door knob. I think that one of our teachers tried this with some of the kids.
My dad always said he would get his pliers and pull them. I now tell my own grandkids that. I have a pair of bent needle nosed pliers that seem to be made to pull teeth.
After the tooth was out I would show it off and then put it under my pillow. At first the tooth fairy passed out nickels at our house. Gradually it went up, ending a quarter for the molars. Actually I think it went up because of the decline of buying power in our currency. Yes, that was happening way back then. But the postage stayed at three cents for first class and a penny for a postcard.
I did not wear braces nor did my sister. My teeth are poorly situated and today a parent would have had braces for them. I don't know how my sister Lois's were but she had hers all pulled out when she was thirty. Now she is on her second set of false.
I still have all of mine except for five. I my get implants for those. The trouble is most of my other teeth are bad and probably many have been filled for the last time. So where could it stop. I could have a full set of implants except for the newness of them and not knowing how they would fare when I get old.
I don't remember any of my aunts, uncles, or grandparents with false teeth when I was growing up. I do remember that my grandpa's were brown at the bottoms and way worn down. That was because of what the chewing tobacco did for his teeth.
A couple of incidents copied from two previous blogs. To read the entire you can click on this label, dentist.
First:
I was eating some Boston Baked Bean Candy and a part of my tooth broke off. That was the only time I went to the dentist until I was in college and caught trench mouth.
We were riding in the car, my parents, sister Lois, and me. If the car was a 1938 Ford it was during the War. If that wasn't it then it was in our 1949 Ford and I was in high school. My sister thinks it was the former.
My feeling was that I was preteen which would make me in grade school and the car would be the '38.After that I pretty much swore off eating Boston Baked Bean Candy. Boston Baked Beans were hard chocolate candy coated peanuts. They weren't covered with soft chocolate like the modern chocolate covered peanuts or raisins. I've been told they are softer now.
For a while I had thought they were covered soy beans but now I am convinced it had to have been peanuts. Dad really liked them and just a lot of times when we went to town (a thirty minute drive) we had some.
Second:
My first root canal was done by an Army dentist, way back in the 50s.
The root canal hasn't given my any problems but the tooth had. The part he put in fell out many times. Finally dentistry began using a glue that made it stick permanently, so far.
The tooth was also loose at the roots. For several years I have been able to wiggle it. My current dentist would pull it but I wouldn't let him. Wait till it falls out or becomes infected was my order.
But that tooth is gone now. Early this summer I had it pulled along with two others with the prospect of replacing them with implants. There needed to be some gum buildup so bone grafting was in order. I think things are about ready now for me to get those new ones.
Labels: Doctoring, Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, February 18, 2011
Flashback Friday # 24 ~ Jim's bad early car experiences
..
Did you and/or your family ever involved in any car accidents when you were growing up?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers sort of fit the question, so here goes: Thinking primarily of your growing-up years and your early years of driving, have you ever been in an auto accident? Were you a passenger or the driver? Were you injured? How badly was the car damaged? Whose fault was it?
The Mom and Dad part of this question was that no, they never had wrecks when I was young. My mom did run through a herd ?? of ducks when she was learning to drive. It was a Model T Ford and she panicked and could not remember how to work the foot brake.
Dad tipped the pickup over on an icy road (Eastern Nebraska). He had an eight gallon milk container and Duke, our dog, with him. Fortunately no one was hurt. That happened after I left home.
Also happening when I left home was when Mom couldn't stop going through an icy intersection and slid right into a car coming sliding through the cross road. She was a little bruised and unlike Dad's pickup, the car needed repair.
My accidents started when I at age fourteen was driving home from high school. An afternoon drunk driver came across into my lane. There was an 18 inch continuous pile of gravel stretching along my side of the road so I could not take the ditch.
I was worried about catching the Dickens from Dad as I had taken the scenic way home. But all he said was that for sure I couldn't help myself with the pile of gravel.
My school permit only allowed me to drive to and from school. But one noontime a couple of fellows and I went for a drive down main street. Another student backed out of a slant parking place and hit me. I can't remember what all Dad had to say about that but again since that one was not my fault things must have smoothed over quickly because now I don't remember any bad consequences.
My last high school accident was of a different nature. My usual run was to drop off my cousin, Ione, at the school and then go back into town to pick up my friend whose name I cannot remember. At times we then picked up another buddy but not this time.
As we were leaving I decided to have a before school smoke. There must have been some trouble getting it lit because while working with this I drove into a pile of dirt behind a barricade. A lot of the dirt and barricade the went back into the hole but I could back out and drive away with no damage to the pickup, which I did.
A couple of hours after school had started there was a call for me to come down to the office. When I arrived there I was met by the town marshall. It didn't take long for me to confess about the incident though I didn't tell about lighting the cigarette. I don't think Dad ever heard about that one.
My next accident was in college dropout time with my hopped up 1952 Ford. The streets of Lincoln, Nebraska, were covered up slush piled about six inches deep all over the street. There was on each side a center lane of mashed down wet stuff partially covering the two lanes. Another fellow wanted to stay in the single lane. When it veered to the inside I passed him on the regular outside lane which was still full of slush. The other driver next veered back where I was and caused an accident.
During my adult life there have been a few mishaps. A lady ran a stop sign in front of me and my motorscooter. I landed on her hood with bunged up knees. Another time a saltwater truck beside me made a left turn into me. It was not on an intersection but he wanted to go out into an oil field. That totaled our car. I also rear ended a couple of cars as an adult.
What was the attitude of your parents toward "fender benders" and tickets? Were minor dings and scrapes a big deal? Have you ever received a traffic ticket? If more than one, 'fess up: how many? Any warnings?
Even though my parents seemed to not have nearly as many mishaps as I did they did not seem overly concerned about mine. And yes when I was younger I got three tickets. Since then no tickets but there were a few warnings. Most of these were for speeding.
Has a family member or close friend been seriously injured or killed in an accident? Have you ever witnessed a bad accident and stopped to render aid or give a statement? What role, if any, did seat belts and car seats have in your early years?
Only one of my friends died a death connected to cars. Albert worked in a Texaco station in Lincoln, Nebraska. A customer lit a cigarette and the whole station instantly went up in flames. Albert was burned to death as well as others.
I have only been in an upside down car once. One day Albert took me out for a ride in his 'clunker,' (well now it would be a classic but it really was a clunker back then) a 1939 Ford Coupe.
We were going round and round on two wheels in a dried up salt link in Lincoln, Nebraska. The car went off balance and tipped over, very slowly, onto its side. We just pushed it up right and drove home.
A good friend, Bill of Lincoln, and I went into racing and had a modified stock car. Ours was a 1934 Ford coupe painted baby blue with the numbers 88 painted on the side. Bill's parents were both killed while driving their new DeSoto.
One of the racing drivers who pitted next to our car died when a fan blade broke loose and went into his head. He died there at the track. Since then I will never ever put my head near the engine compartment where a cooling fan injury could happen to me when someone is revving up the engine.
Experiencing the comfortable safe feeling being buckled in the stock car convinced me that my personal cars should all have safety belts. Hardly anyone had seat belts back then.
Did you and/or your family ever involved in any car accidents when you were growing up?
That was the big question Linda poised for us this week (to see others or if you want to join in with fun of writing up your experiences, please click on the icon to the right).
My answers sort of fit the question, so here goes: Thinking primarily of your growing-up years and your early years of driving, have you ever been in an auto accident? Were you a passenger or the driver? Were you injured? How badly was the car damaged? Whose fault was it?
The Mom and Dad part of this question was that no, they never had wrecks when I was young. My mom did run through a herd ?? of ducks when she was learning to drive. It was a Model T Ford and she panicked and could not remember how to work the foot brake.
Dad tipped the pickup over on an icy road (Eastern Nebraska). He had an eight gallon milk container and Duke, our dog, with him. Fortunately no one was hurt. That happened after I left home.
Also happening when I left home was when Mom couldn't stop going through an icy intersection and slid right into a car coming sliding through the cross road. She was a little bruised and unlike Dad's pickup, the car needed repair.
My accidents started when I at age fourteen was driving home from high school. An afternoon drunk driver came across into my lane. There was an 18 inch continuous pile of gravel stretching along my side of the road so I could not take the ditch.
I was worried about catching the Dickens from Dad as I had taken the scenic way home. But all he said was that for sure I couldn't help myself with the pile of gravel.
My school permit only allowed me to drive to and from school. But one noontime a couple of fellows and I went for a drive down main street. Another student backed out of a slant parking place and hit me. I can't remember what all Dad had to say about that but again since that one was not my fault things must have smoothed over quickly because now I don't remember any bad consequences.
My last high school accident was of a different nature. My usual run was to drop off my cousin, Ione, at the school and then go back into town to pick up my friend whose name I cannot remember. At times we then picked up another buddy but not this time.
As we were leaving I decided to have a before school smoke. There must have been some trouble getting it lit because while working with this I drove into a pile of dirt behind a barricade. A lot of the dirt and barricade the went back into the hole but I could back out and drive away with no damage to the pickup, which I did.
A couple of hours after school had started there was a call for me to come down to the office. When I arrived there I was met by the town marshall. It didn't take long for me to confess about the incident though I didn't tell about lighting the cigarette. I don't think Dad ever heard about that one.
My next accident was in college dropout time with my hopped up 1952 Ford. The streets of Lincoln, Nebraska, were covered up slush piled about six inches deep all over the street. There was on each side a center lane of mashed down wet stuff partially covering the two lanes. Another fellow wanted to stay in the single lane. When it veered to the inside I passed him on the regular outside lane which was still full of slush. The other driver next veered back where I was and caused an accident.
During my adult life there have been a few mishaps. A lady ran a stop sign in front of me and my motorscooter. I landed on her hood with bunged up knees. Another time a saltwater truck beside me made a left turn into me. It was not on an intersection but he wanted to go out into an oil field. That totaled our car. I also rear ended a couple of cars as an adult.
What was the attitude of your parents toward "fender benders" and tickets? Were minor dings and scrapes a big deal? Have you ever received a traffic ticket? If more than one, 'fess up: how many? Any warnings?
Even though my parents seemed to not have nearly as many mishaps as I did they did not seem overly concerned about mine. And yes when I was younger I got three tickets. Since then no tickets but there were a few warnings. Most of these were for speeding.
Has a family member or close friend been seriously injured or killed in an accident? Have you ever witnessed a bad accident and stopped to render aid or give a statement? What role, if any, did seat belts and car seats have in your early years?
Only one of my friends died a death connected to cars. Albert worked in a Texaco station in Lincoln, Nebraska. A customer lit a cigarette and the whole station instantly went up in flames. Albert was burned to death as well as others.
I have only been in an upside down car once. One day Albert took me out for a ride in his 'clunker,' (well now it would be a classic but it really was a clunker back then) a 1939 Ford Coupe.
We were going round and round on two wheels in a dried up salt link in Lincoln, Nebraska. The car went off balance and tipped over, very slowly, onto its side. We just pushed it up right and drove home.
A good friend, Bill of Lincoln, and I went into racing and had a modified stock car. Ours was a 1934 Ford coupe painted baby blue with the numbers 88 painted on the side. Bill's parents were both killed while driving their new DeSoto.
One of the racing drivers who pitted next to our car died when a fan blade broke loose and went into his head. He died there at the track. Since then I will never ever put my head near the engine compartment where a cooling fan injury could happen to me when someone is revving up the engine.
Experiencing the comfortable safe feeling being buckled in the stock car convinced me that my personal cars should all have safety belts. Hardly anyone had seat belts back then.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, January 28, 2011
Flashback Friday # 23 ~ Olympics and Dentists
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Did you and your family watch the Olympics when you were growing up?
That was the question for us this week. My answer in two letters is NO.
Linda asked several questions about watching Olympics with our families while growing up. I am no help because of several reasons. Mainly was that we did not have TV while I was growing up.
In fact, I don't think I knew much about the Olympics until I was an adult. I did know that they started in Greece and somehow I had the idea it was all about running and track events.
Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.
Something else I'll tell here, my first visit to the dentist was when I was still at home.
I was eating some Boston Baked Bean Candy and a part of my tooth broke off. That was the only time I went to the dentist until I was in college and caught trench mouth.
We were riding in the car, my parents, sister Lois, and me. If the car was a 1938 Ford it was during the War. If that wasn't it then it was in our 1949 Ford and I was in high school. My feeling was that I was preteen which would make me in grade school and the car would be the '38.
After that I pretty much swore off eating Boston Baked Bean Candy. Boston Baked Beans are hard chocolate candy coated peanuts. They weren't covered with soft chocolate like the modern chocolate covered peanuts or raisins.
For a while I had thought they were covered soy beans but now I am convinced it had to have been peanuts. Dad really liked them and just a lot of times when we went to town (a thirty minute drive) we had some.
- - - - - - -
Speaking of guesses, it seems entries in my contest are picking up. Still it would be better if more would try. Time for the close is nearing and I hope it gets a little boost from this note.
Here is the deal:
How Many Dog Biscuits Are in My Jar?
(winner(s) and correct answer here soon—I will contact the winners)
That sounds easy. Just guess how many dog biscuits are in my jar.
They're sold in boxes like this. The jar is an antique (almost) from the 1950's.
Katrin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Adi .....
Click here to register your guess. You can take a peek at the other guesses while you are there.
Did you and your family watch the Olympics when you were growing up?
That was the question for us this week. My answer in two letters is NO.Linda asked several questions about watching Olympics with our families while growing up. I am no help because of several reasons. Mainly was that we did not have TV while I was growing up.
In fact, I don't think I knew much about the Olympics until I was an adult. I did know that they started in Greece and somehow I had the idea it was all about running and track events.
Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.
Something else I'll tell here, my first visit to the dentist was when I was still at home.
I was eating some Boston Baked Bean Candy and a part of my tooth broke off. That was the only time I went to the dentist until I was in college and caught trench mouth.
We were riding in the car, my parents, sister Lois, and me. If the car was a 1938 Ford it was during the War. If that wasn't it then it was in our 1949 Ford and I was in high school. My feeling was that I was preteen which would make me in grade school and the car would be the '38.
After that I pretty much swore off eating Boston Baked Bean Candy. Boston Baked Beans are hard chocolate candy coated peanuts. They weren't covered with soft chocolate like the modern chocolate covered peanuts or raisins.
For a while I had thought they were covered soy beans but now I am convinced it had to have been peanuts. Dad really liked them and just a lot of times when we went to town (a thirty minute drive) we had some.
- - - - - - -
Speaking of guesses, it seems entries in my contest are picking up. Still it would be better if more would try. Time for the close is nearing and I hope it gets a little boost from this note.
Here is the deal:
How Many Dog Biscuits Are in My Jar?
(winner(s) and correct answer here soon—I will contact the winners)
That sounds easy. Just guess how many dog biscuits are in my jar.They're sold in boxes like this. The jar is an antique (almost) from the 1950's.
Although these biscuits are sold for puppies I give them to my adult dogs, Adi (beagle) and Katrin (toy poodle).
I don't give them a whole biscuit at a time so these thin ones break easier.
Okay, now, give it a try. Leave your guess in with your comment. Your last entry is the one that counts.
Oh yes, you can click on the picture to make it bigger. Easier to count? I didn't say that.
I don't give them a whole biscuit at a time so these thin ones break easier.
Okay, now, give it a try. Leave your guess in with your comment. Your last entry is the one that counts.
Oh yes, you can click on the picture to make it bigger. Easier to count? I didn't say that.
Katrin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Adi .....
Click here to register your guess. You can take a peek at the other guesses while you are there.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, January 21, 2011
Flashback Friday # 22 ~ Technology in Jim's early life
For this week Linda asked several questions about new inventions and technology that affected our lives growing up. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and then my answers: (you will note that some of these I did not answer as they did not apply to my family situation--they may apply to you)
What new inventions or technology came out when you were growing up that you remember being amazed at?
Two that come quickly to my mind are TV and automatic transmissions.
Were your parents "early adopters"--did they get the "latest and greatest" pretty quickly or did they stick with the "tried and true"?
My parents were poor; Dad share cropped from Grandpa on halves. It was a good thing that Grandpa was a very generous man as he helped us in many ways.
The answer to the question is NO. Mostly because we were too poor. Besides we could go to Grandpa and Grandma's to watch TV. And we had a perfectly good radio.
What are some things that you remember being a big deal when your family got them? (These may be items like stereos or kitchen equipment or bigger things such as carpet.)
It was a new kitchen electric cooking stove Dad ordered for Mom from the Sears catalog. This stove even had a 'deep cooker' which operated much like a crock pot.
My sister and I had a bicycle, one girl's for us to share, at an early age. Dad ordered it fromthe Sears catalog too.
My cousins had record players but we didn't. We enjoyed listening to records with the cousins at various times.
Were your folks prone to updating their furniture periodically or did they keep their old furniture forever?
Mom and Dad took very good care of their furniture and would keep the living room looking especially nice for company.
How was the way they were raised impact the way you were raised? And how did your upbringing influence the way you are today?
In my adult life I suppose I would be classified as being somewhat tight with my spending.
In our married life Mrs. Jim and I have never bought a new car. Every car we have had was previously owned. Most of the time we purchased from an older lady who had put very few miles on their cars.
We watch the ads for grocery bargains, buy used items, keep our personal property in good shape, and in general spend wisely.
Our travel budget is fairly large as we enjoy splurging going to places we have never seen before. When our money is gone, soon perhaps with the economy as it is and us on a fixed income, we are sure that the kids will pass the hat to keep us from starving or living on the streets. That or take us in.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, December 03, 2010
Flashback Friday # 21 ~ Jim's early Christmas tree
Linda asked several questions about our early Christmas trees and family traditions. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and then my answers: (you will note that some of these I did not answer as they did not apply to my family situation--they may apply to you)
When you were growing up, when did your family put up and decorate the Christmas tree? Was it real or artificial? Who usually decorated it? Were there special decorations? What was on the top? White lights or colored, blinking or steady? How much did your family decorate for the holiday other than the tree (wreaths, dishes, snowglobes, miniature villages, etc.)? Did y'all do outdoor lights? White or colored, blinking or not? Are there special memories associated with decorating for Christmas?This tree on the right is our 2010 church Christmas tree. Our tree isn't up yet. I am sure it will show up on the blog when we do get it up; Mrs. Jim is thinking this weekend.
Our tree at home when my sister and I were growing up was a small 'wrapped paper' tree. It sat either on the floor or on a black tramp art end table which I now have. I do remember a white tree skirt on the bottom.
Mom would put tinsel and bright ornaments then string it with paper chains we would make for it. It had one, maybe two strings of lights. That was the only tree she ever had. Lois (my sister) did give her a small tree to display on the front porch when they retired to town from the farm.
Mom also had a pretty Nativity scene. It was about eight inches across as I remember it. It might have been a pretty colored rectangular glass plate, I am not sure. Mom was very happy when she got the olive wood set we brought back for her from Bethlehem on our tour of the Holy Land.
At school we would decorate a nice cut tree with a lot of ornaments, lights, and things we would make for it. We ran green and red colored paper streamers all over room below the ceiling. I think there were bells and wreaths too.
We had to make the school look nice for our annual Christmas play. Santa would come after the play and pass out gifts and candy. It was custom also for everyone to bring the teacher a present. I don't remember what we got. Mom took care of all that I am sure.
Oh yes, Mom's little green wrapped paper tree sold for $100 at the auction Dad had when he moved to assisted living. That was a surprise as we almost didn't even put it up for auction.
Labels: Christmas, Flashback Friday, Holiday Posts, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, November 19, 2010
Flashback Friday # 20 ~ Jim's early Thanksgiving
Linda asked several questions about early Thanksgivings with family members and school activities. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and then my answers: (you will note that some of these I did not answer as they did not apply to my family situation--they may apply to you)
What was Thanksgiving like when you were growing up? What days did you usually have off from school? Do you remember any Thanksgiving activities at school, such as a play or a meal? During the Thanksgiving weekend, did you travel to spend it with relatives or did you stay home? Or did relatives travel to you? What was your family's day typically like? Did you watch the Macy's Parade or something else on TV? Have you ever attended a Thanksgiving parade? Was football a big part of the day? And of course, we have to hear what your family ate! Were there any traditional foods that were part of your family's meal? Which of your growing-up traditions do you do with your family today? And if you are married, how did it go merging your two traditions/expectations?
My early Thanksgivings that I can remember involved an activity in school with Pilgrim and Indian stuff. Then for the Thanksgiving Day my family and all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins on Dad's side of the family would go to his parents for a noonish plus dinner
At Grandpa's we ate very lavishly and then went outside for pictures. Later in my teen years my grandparents got TV and we watched that some of the time. When I was small we cousins would play. Teen time? I am not sure what we did then.
Two things I remember about our noon dinner. First was my grandmother's delicious scalloped oyster dish. She cooked them in a big round glass baking pot, probably Pyrex. Second was the duck. I don't like duck but we had it every Thanksgiving and Christmas. My Aunt Mabel made that. We didn't have turkey.
One other thing was my Grandpa's command when it was time to eat, "You kids get in the wood box now!" The wood box was full of chopped wood and corn cobs to be burned as fuel in the iron cook stove. We all knew he was teasing.
One of my first memories was when I was just walking (nine months) I used that wood stove to hang onto as I walked back and forth around it
One of the awfullest thing I didn't even back know then was our turkey dressing. Not until I moved to Texas did I ever have corn bread turkey dressing. That is so good! Up north and in the Midwest regular bread was used, making the dressing very mushy.
I used to tease my mother-in-law about putting egg into her corn bread dressing. She thought that was terrible but a hard cook egg or a few help things a lot. Mrs. Jim puts egg into her corn bread.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Holiday Posts, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, November 12, 2010
Flashback Friday # 19 ~ Veteran's Day, 2010
Yesterday was Veteran's Day, so this Flashback Friday give us and you, the readers, an opportunity to reflect on the veterans we knew and loved in our early years. That might include our own service.
Some place I have at least one picture of me in uniform. If I could find it I would put it here.
.
Linda asked several questions about us and how we related to family members in or who had been in the Military. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.
Linda's questions and then my answers: (you will note that some of these I did not answer as they did not apply to my family situation--they may apply to you)
Were/Are either of your parents or other family members active military personnel or veterans? What branch? When did they serve;
was it during wartime or peacetime? Did they share much about their experiences with you or others? When you were growing up, was the USA (or your country, for those outside the US) involved in a war? What do you remember about it and how did it impact you? Are you, your spouse, or any of your children veterans?
I will start with my parents and uncles. None of them exactly fit the military as their years were mainly between WWI and WWII. For the latter war I do remember that they all had to register for he draft but because they had families and were in an essential industry of farming (later farming would not warrant a deferment) the were passed over by being placed in a category which was mainly never needed.
Two of my cousins were old enough to serve. My cousin, Don, went first, into the U.S. Army. I don't know if he was drafted or enlisted voluntarily. I do remember when the war was over he came home real soon. And he bought a new 1946 Ford Club Coupe as veterans had first priority for buying the new cars. Don then used his GI Bill college opportunity and became second of us nine cousins getting a degree. My cousin, Jean had gone to college and was a school teacher near the time Don came home.
Bud, my other cousin, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. I remember tales of his training more than of his service. During training camp he had to do a 'desert survival' training regimen. He parachuted into a desert, Arizona or New Mexico, without provisions. He has his knife and could have had matches, I don't remember. He survived. When he was discharged he moved to Colorado and became a barber near the University of Colorado campus.
Jean's husband, Dwain, was drafted into the U.S. Army. He trained at Fort Bliss, Texas, for communications. After that he spent the rest of his time in Korea. He came home and became a prosperous and well respected farmer.
I do remember how our family, us younger kids too, respected those guys who were serving. We were so proud of them and we thanked God that they came home alive and with no major injuries. I still get quiet when I think of their service.
Mrs. Jim's brother was not so fortunate. His plane was shot down over Italy. After the war his body was found and returned to New Orleans. Mrs. Jim was not aware of the burial until last year. She had inquired of the Department of Defense thinking his body remains were at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. He was much older than Mrs. Jim and died a few months before Mrs. Jim was born.
I was the next cousin to go into the service. That service time was most of the time between Korea and Viet Nam. While in college I had a draft deferment for that. Then when I dropped out there were many volunteers for the draft and our county quota was always filled.
Wouldn't you know it, but two weeks after I got married I received an order to report for my Army draftee physical. Had I informed the draft board of getting married I would have been deferred again. But they said no 'take-backs.' It wasn't too bad because Korea was over and people weren't even worried about Viet Nam.
When my term was over there was a depression that has been said to have been worse than the one we are in now. I don't think it lasted so long though. That and the end of the war were responsible for the closing of the Elgin National Watch factory in which I worked. And jobs were not to be had.
So I re-enlisted int the Army, this time for a 42-week electronics school. I became a NIKE Missile Control Systems Maintenance person. That helped my self confidence as I graduated third in a class of 143. Two Warrant Officers were ahead of me.
Viet Nam was on when this second term was up so I quickly got out. By then I was an E-5 rank (a private is E-1) I had spent my entire five years in Texas, all but six weeks of it in El Paso. Eleven years later I went back to college on the GI Bill. That was a nice benefit.
My training and two years experience with electronics were responsible for me getting a job with Philco Tech Rep as a field engineer. I served with them seventeen years with most of my time spent at the NASA Houston Mission Control Center as a Flight Controller simultaneously in Simulations and in Mission Operations.
I was the last of the nine cousins to be in the military. In the next generation only one Nephew, Phil, who is the son of Mrs. Jim's sister, Velma. Phil spent 26 or 28 years years in the Air Force in the medics. He ended his service having the rank a Master Sargent and is now working in Texas at a hospital. He too had received valuable training for civilian life. Phil met Lisa, his wife, in his early days of service. At that time she was also in the Air Force.
On Veterans day and perhaps on Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day I feel proud of serving. At other times I have to tell myself that I got more than I put in with the training, and the job itself when the economy was rough. Plus helping with the finishing of college. That generally keeps me from feeling as if I had spent five years for no great value to my country.
Since I was not going to reenlist my work life changed. I as assigned a three-quarter ton truck every working day. I reported to a farmer's barns and horse pens to start hauling horse manure. This manure was for our sergeant's field (in the desert) day room garden. That lasted about two months until I was a civilian. I have a saying when some terrible experience for me is over that getting out of it 'is like getting out of the Army.' Most vets know what I mean.
WE VETERANS ACT MODESTLY PROUD. I DO.
I FEEL SORRY OF ALL OF THE VETS HERE AND IN OUR COUNTRY IN GENERAL WHO ARE HOMELESS AND SLEEP UNDER BRIDGES. SOME ARE ALL MESSED UP MENTALLY AND/OR PHYSICALLY DUE TO THEIR SERVICE. SO MESSED UP THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW TO SEEK HELP. AND EVEN THOSE NOT HOMELESS, SOME ARE SO POOR DUE TO INABILITY TO WORK OR TO FIND WORK.
Some place I have at least one picture of me in uniform. If I could find it I would put it here.
.
Linda asked several questions about us and how we related to family members in or who had been in the Military. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and then my answers: (you will note that some of these I did not answer as they did not apply to my family situation--they may apply to you)
Were/Are either of your parents or other family members active military personnel or veterans? What branch? When did they serve;
was it during wartime or peacetime? Did they share much about their experiences with you or others? When you were growing up, was the USA (or your country, for those outside the US) involved in a war? What do you remember about it and how did it impact you? Are you, your spouse, or any of your children veterans?
I will start with my parents and uncles. None of them exactly fit the military as their years were mainly between WWI and WWII. For the latter war I do remember that they all had to register for he draft but because they had families and were in an essential industry of farming (later farming would not warrant a deferment) the were passed over by being placed in a category which was mainly never needed.
Two of my cousins were old enough to serve. My cousin, Don, went first, into the U.S. Army. I don't know if he was drafted or enlisted voluntarily. I do remember when the war was over he came home real soon. And he bought a new 1946 Ford Club Coupe as veterans had first priority for buying the new cars. Don then used his GI Bill college opportunity and became second of us nine cousins getting a degree. My cousin, Jean had gone to college and was a school teacher near the time Don came home.
Bud, my other cousin, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. I remember tales of his training more than of his service. During training camp he had to do a 'desert survival' training regimen. He parachuted into a desert, Arizona or New Mexico, without provisions. He has his knife and could have had matches, I don't remember. He survived. When he was discharged he moved to Colorado and became a barber near the University of Colorado campus.
Jean's husband, Dwain, was drafted into the U.S. Army. He trained at Fort Bliss, Texas, for communications. After that he spent the rest of his time in Korea. He came home and became a prosperous and well respected farmer.
I do remember how our family, us younger kids too, respected those guys who were serving. We were so proud of them and we thanked God that they came home alive and with no major injuries. I still get quiet when I think of their service.
Mrs. Jim's brother was not so fortunate. His plane was shot down over Italy. After the war his body was found and returned to New Orleans. Mrs. Jim was not aware of the burial until last year. She had inquired of the Department of Defense thinking his body remains were at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. He was much older than Mrs. Jim and died a few months before Mrs. Jim was born.
I was the next cousin to go into the service. That service time was most of the time between Korea and Viet Nam. While in college I had a draft deferment for that. Then when I dropped out there were many volunteers for the draft and our county quota was always filled.
Wouldn't you know it, but two weeks after I got married I received an order to report for my Army draftee physical. Had I informed the draft board of getting married I would have been deferred again. But they said no 'take-backs.' It wasn't too bad because Korea was over and people weren't even worried about Viet Nam.
When my term was over there was a depression that has been said to have been worse than the one we are in now. I don't think it lasted so long though. That and the end of the war were responsible for the closing of the Elgin National Watch factory in which I worked. And jobs were not to be had.
So I re-enlisted int the Army, this time for a 42-week electronics school. I became a NIKE Missile Control Systems Maintenance person. That helped my self confidence as I graduated third in a class of 143. Two Warrant Officers were ahead of me.
Viet Nam was on when this second term was up so I quickly got out. By then I was an E-5 rank (a private is E-1) I had spent my entire five years in Texas, all but six weeks of it in El Paso. Eleven years later I went back to college on the GI Bill. That was a nice benefit.
My training and two years experience with electronics were responsible for me getting a job with Philco Tech Rep as a field engineer. I served with them seventeen years with most of my time spent at the NASA Houston Mission Control Center as a Flight Controller simultaneously in Simulations and in Mission Operations.
I was the last of the nine cousins to be in the military. In the next generation only one Nephew, Phil, who is the son of Mrs. Jim's sister, Velma. Phil spent 26 or 28 years years in the Air Force in the medics. He ended his service having the rank a Master Sargent and is now working in Texas at a hospital. He too had received valuable training for civilian life. Phil met Lisa, his wife, in his early days of service. At that time she was also in the Air Force.
On Veterans day and perhaps on Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day I feel proud of serving. At other times I have to tell myself that I got more than I put in with the training, and the job itself when the economy was rough. Plus helping with the finishing of college. That generally keeps me from feeling as if I had spent five years for no great value to my country.
Since I was not going to reenlist my work life changed. I as assigned a three-quarter ton truck every working day. I reported to a farmer's barns and horse pens to start hauling horse manure. This manure was for our sergeant's field (in the desert) day room garden. That lasted about two months until I was a civilian. I have a saying when some terrible experience for me is over that getting out of it 'is like getting out of the Army.' Most vets know what I mean.
WE VETERANS ACT MODESTLY PROUD. I DO.
I FEEL SORRY OF ALL OF THE VETS HERE AND IN OUR COUNTRY IN GENERAL WHO ARE HOMELESS AND SLEEP UNDER BRIDGES. SOME ARE ALL MESSED UP MENTALLY AND/OR PHYSICALLY DUE TO THEIR SERVICE. SO MESSED UP THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW TO SEEK HELP. AND EVEN THOSE NOT HOMELESS, SOME ARE SO POOR DUE TO INABILITY TO WORK OR TO FIND WORK.
Labels: Army Life, Flashback Friday, Holiday Posts, Jim in his Younger Days
Friday, November 05, 2010
Flashback Friday # 18 ~ Jim's high school days as a senior
I decided to write this because I couldn't sleep. So I am eating some snacks (prunes, oysters and crackers, and a chocolate bar) and will write until I finish or get tired enough to sleep.
This happens every time the Mrs. Jim is off someplace overnight. But this time it will be for 13 nights as she has gone to London to visit the family there. That would be the grandkids, KP and BP and our daughter Karen and her husband Billy. Most of you know them.
I would have gone also but Adi, our Beagle Dog, became a cripple for some reason. The doctor said arthritis but she is all better now and you could not tell that she ever had leg problems. The doc was wrong I am thinking. But if she was correct in the diagnosis then I need to do what ever Adi did to get better. Besides Adi there are some other things I need to tend to that are keeping me here.
- - - - - - - - -
This is an old meme about our senior year in high school. Most of the others are writing about the early household voting rituals and info. But I don't remember much except that Mom and Dad did go down to the little red school house in the hills to vote.
I didn't vote until after I was married and out of the Army. By that time I was in my late twenty's. I think a lot of our young don't vote either in their first years as adults. Then I lived in New Hampshire and do remember voting for Barry Goldwater for president. I mostly vote as an Independent.
Politics weren't big in our family and they aren't very big with me either. I have been preaching (silently) at president B*sh even before he took office that his ideas would bankrupt our country and bring a recession. Sure enough it did. But he tried to make that work for our state before he left so what was new? My major was in economics and I have had slightly more Eco courses than I have of political science. I am not an expert but we surely did discuss these kinds of things in those classes.
None of the modern conservatives are conservative in my way of thinking. I believe a person or country should get all the reasonable income available. For the government this is taxes. Then spend it very wisely, pay off any indebtedness, and save a little for a rainy day. THEN we could cut taxes to the amount of money that conservative spending would need.
All about my high school senior experiences is what Linda wanted from us the week of May 21. Linda asked several questions then. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.
Linda's questions and my answers:
Tell about your senior year in high school. Were there any special traditions such as getting a senior ring? Were there lots of activities and parties as you neared graduation? Were you in any extra-curricular activities that had traditional "rites of passage" or "passing the baton" too the next class? Were awards given out - either serious or fun? Did you send out graduation announcements? Did your school have a Baccalaureate Service in addition to the graduation ceremony? If you attended church, did your church recognize/honor Seniors in any way? Did you keep your tassel - did you hang it from the mirror of your car or do something else special with it? What sorts of things did you get for graduation gifts? Was it a tradition to display the gifts in your home?
My Senior year was the second for me in the town school, Tekamah (Nebraska) High School. I had spent 10 years, grades one through ten out in two country schools. Since I was the oldest in our family the only tradition there might have been was set by my cousins.
I did get a senior ring. I still have that (no picture because the camera is in London with Mrs. Jim). To me it was the prettiest on there could be. The stone was artificial ruby with striation's (??) set in the school-wide format in solid gold. I gave it away once but got it back in exchange for another ring.
We also had senior pictures taken and of course I participated in that and got graduation cards and announcements. For these and the ring I spent my own money that I had earned from detasseling seed corn plants for Tekseed Hybrid Corn Company in the previous summer.
I didn't go to parties although I am sure there were a few. We did have a nice senior prom which I attended. I had chosen not to go in my junior year. Three of us fellows carpooled as Dad has let me use his new Ford. It still had the break-in oil with may two thousand or so miles. We drove a lot afterwards so I did have to disconnect the speedometer. That wasn't hard.
The prom itself was a nice dinner with a dance afterward. As I recall there was not a lot of drinking although I didn't hang around with kids that might have been drinking.
As you can figure out I didn't have a date. None of us three did. I was not dating in high school. I may have had a crush or two but never asked for a date. Girls didn't scare me though. I think I knew every girl in high school and was friends with quite a few.
We had both a Baccalaureate Service and a graduation. And both were in the High School auditorium. Now days the Baccalaureate cannot be held as an official school function since it has been ruled a religious service. I don't remember anything special happening in church for the seniors.
I think my mom kept my tassel and I don't remember seeing it since I graduated. One of my graduation gifts was a passion pink and blue necktie. I think it may have glowed in the dark. Those were in fashion and I wore it to church until I stopped going in college. There was some money but I have forgotten how much.
I would like to tell about my high school courses as a senior. I took sophomore English as my sophomore teacher in the country ordered a junior English book and gave us junior English credit. That English course was mostly grammar and I am sure it helped me in my placement tests.
Another nontraditional course was sophomore Agriculture because I had to start with the freshman course when I came to town. The country school didn't offer it. I also took typing. There were only two of us fellows in that class. My typing speed, corrected, was about sixty words a minute. I still do pretty good.
Some time in the summer I received a tuition scholarship to the University of Nebraska. I had graduated within the top ___% of my class which made me eligible to test for that scholarship while I was still in school. Two of us from the forty-eight who graduated got this Regents' Scholarship that year.
All in all, my senior year was very pleasant. Mom has often said she never remembered me taking home any homework. I do remember having to go to the town library to find material for a paper once. Most of the time I would spend a major part of study period time in the school library either reading school books and magazines or some that I had brought from home.
Oh yes, a bunch of us skipped school one afternoon. My excuse was that I attended a farm auction. One other time we were excused for that because our ag teacher wanted us to learn from seeing a farm auction. It either worked or else no one cared.
This happens every time the Mrs. Jim is off someplace overnight. But this time it will be for 13 nights as she has gone to London to visit the family there. That would be the grandkids, KP and BP and our daughter Karen and her husband Billy. Most of you know them.
I would have gone also but Adi, our Beagle Dog, became a cripple for some reason. The doctor said arthritis but she is all better now and you could not tell that she ever had leg problems. The doc was wrong I am thinking. But if she was correct in the diagnosis then I need to do what ever Adi did to get better. Besides Adi there are some other things I need to tend to that are keeping me here.
- - - - - - - - -
This is an old meme about our senior year in high school. Most of the others are writing about the early household voting rituals and info. But I don't remember much except that Mom and Dad did go down to the little red school house in the hills to vote.
I didn't vote until after I was married and out of the Army. By that time I was in my late twenty's. I think a lot of our young don't vote either in their first years as adults. Then I lived in New Hampshire and do remember voting for Barry Goldwater for president. I mostly vote as an Independent.
Politics weren't big in our family and they aren't very big with me either. I have been preaching (silently) at president B*sh even before he took office that his ideas would bankrupt our country and bring a recession. Sure enough it did. But he tried to make that work for our state before he left so what was new? My major was in economics and I have had slightly more Eco courses than I have of political science. I am not an expert but we surely did discuss these kinds of things in those classes.
None of the modern conservatives are conservative in my way of thinking. I believe a person or country should get all the reasonable income available. For the government this is taxes. Then spend it very wisely, pay off any indebtedness, and save a little for a rainy day. THEN we could cut taxes to the amount of money that conservative spending would need.
All about my high school senior experiences is what Linda wanted from us the week of May 21. Linda asked several questions then. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and my answers:
Tell about your senior year in high school. Were there any special traditions such as getting a senior ring? Were there lots of activities and parties as you neared graduation? Were you in any extra-curricular activities that had traditional "rites of passage" or "passing the baton" too the next class? Were awards given out - either serious or fun? Did you send out graduation announcements? Did your school have a Baccalaureate Service in addition to the graduation ceremony? If you attended church, did your church recognize/honor Seniors in any way? Did you keep your tassel - did you hang it from the mirror of your car or do something else special with it? What sorts of things did you get for graduation gifts? Was it a tradition to display the gifts in your home?
My Senior year was the second for me in the town school, Tekamah (Nebraska) High School. I had spent 10 years, grades one through ten out in two country schools. Since I was the oldest in our family the only tradition there might have been was set by my cousins.
I did get a senior ring. I still have that (no picture because the camera is in London with Mrs. Jim). To me it was the prettiest on there could be. The stone was artificial ruby with striation's (??) set in the school-wide format in solid gold. I gave it away once but got it back in exchange for another ring.
We also had senior pictures taken and of course I participated in that and got graduation cards and announcements. For these and the ring I spent my own money that I had earned from detasseling seed corn plants for Tekseed Hybrid Corn Company in the previous summer.
I didn't go to parties although I am sure there were a few. We did have a nice senior prom which I attended. I had chosen not to go in my junior year. Three of us fellows carpooled as Dad has let me use his new Ford. It still had the break-in oil with may two thousand or so miles. We drove a lot afterwards so I did have to disconnect the speedometer. That wasn't hard.
The prom itself was a nice dinner with a dance afterward. As I recall there was not a lot of drinking although I didn't hang around with kids that might have been drinking.
As you can figure out I didn't have a date. None of us three did. I was not dating in high school. I may have had a crush or two but never asked for a date. Girls didn't scare me though. I think I knew every girl in high school and was friends with quite a few.
We had both a Baccalaureate Service and a graduation. And both were in the High School auditorium. Now days the Baccalaureate cannot be held as an official school function since it has been ruled a religious service. I don't remember anything special happening in church for the seniors.
I think my mom kept my tassel and I don't remember seeing it since I graduated. One of my graduation gifts was a passion pink and blue necktie. I think it may have glowed in the dark. Those were in fashion and I wore it to church until I stopped going in college. There was some money but I have forgotten how much.
I would like to tell about my high school courses as a senior. I took sophomore English as my sophomore teacher in the country ordered a junior English book and gave us junior English credit. That English course was mostly grammar and I am sure it helped me in my placement tests.
Another nontraditional course was sophomore Agriculture because I had to start with the freshman course when I came to town. The country school didn't offer it. I also took typing. There were only two of us fellows in that class. My typing speed, corrected, was about sixty words a minute. I still do pretty good.
Some time in the summer I received a tuition scholarship to the University of Nebraska. I had graduated within the top ___% of my class which made me eligible to test for that scholarship while I was still in school. Two of us from the forty-eight who graduated got this Regents' Scholarship that year.
All in all, my senior year was very pleasant. Mom has often said she never remembered me taking home any homework. I do remember having to go to the town library to find material for a paper once. Most of the time I would spend a major part of study period time in the school library either reading school books and magazines or some that I had brought from home.
Oh yes, a bunch of us skipped school one afternoon. My excuse was that I attended a farm auction. One other time we were excused for that because our ag teacher wanted us to learn from seeing a farm auction. It either worked or else no one cared.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim in his Younger Days, School
Friday, October 29, 2010
Flashback Friday # 17 ~ My boyhood Halloween times
.
Granddaughter, KP, is 5000 miles away but we did get this orange Halloween shirt to her. They don't do much for Halloween in London where she lives now, especially dress up.
Between Skype, e-mail, and the U.S./U.K. mail facilities we do keep in touch with our kids and grandkids.
Halloween has been an even split in our family, part of it with the adults and part for the kids alone. Linda wants us to recap some of those earlier experiences we had.
All about our early Halloween fun time is what Linda wants from us this week. Linda asked several questions about us and how we celebrated. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.
Linda's questions and my answers:
What was Halloween like when you were growing up? Did your family participate? If not, was there a substitute activity?
Halloween was always a fun holiday for us kids. We had school activities and jack-o-lanterns at home. Mom helped carve the pumpkins.
Did your school or church have a fall festival or carnival? Were there stipulations regarding costumes? What sorts of activities did they have? What about Halloween parties?
There wasn't a festival but we did have an afternoon in-school party. It all depended on how creative the teacher and the older students were for what all we did. I remember bobbing for apples, playing games, and eating some candy and goodies.
Have you ever bobbed for apples or been on a hayride? What are your memories of "haunted houses"? (I'm not referring to the ultra-scary, secular ones, just the fun kid ones, with bowls of grapes and cold spaghetti!)
I didn't do any of these except for when I was in school. Later as a young adult and again with my own kids we did all of these.
What types of costumes did you wear? Were they store-bought or homemade?
We did have costumes sometimes but I'm not sure what they were. For sure we didn't buy anything so they were all homemade. Some of the kids had store-bought masks but we all made some from brown paper sacks too.
Did you carve a jack-o-lantern? How are your children's experiences similar or different to yours?
I used to always carve pumpkins both as a child and as a Dad. This year I won a nice pumpkin (see picture at right ) as a door prize with instructions to carve it.
But I am not going to do the carving. Hopefully by the time the November Men's Prayer Breakfast rolls around the carving instructions will all be forgotten.
My kids did most all of the things that suburban kids do. They wore costumes and 'trick or treated', had parties, traded candy, etc. After some malicious adults put razor blades in the candy trick or treating subsided for a bit.
And the most important question: Do you like candy corn?
I have always liked candy corn. But last year I overdosed; consequently I have sworn off candy corn and colored pumpkins for this year.
And since my gastroenterologist no longer allows me to have nuts just a lot of the chocolate candies are out. What is left for me that I like are 3 Musketeers, Butterfingers, Tootsie Rolls, and old fashion chocolate drops.
Granddaughter, KP, is 5000 miles away but we did get this orange Halloween shirt to her. They don't do much for Halloween in London where she lives now, especially dress up.Between Skype, e-mail, and the U.S./U.K. mail facilities we do keep in touch with our kids and grandkids.
Halloween has been an even split in our family, part of it with the adults and part for the kids alone. Linda wants us to recap some of those earlier experiences we had.
All about our early Halloween fun time is what Linda wants from us this week. Linda asked several questions about us and how we celebrated. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this with a blog post of your own.Linda's questions and my answers:
What was Halloween like when you were growing up? Did your family participate? If not, was there a substitute activity?
Halloween was always a fun holiday for us kids. We had school activities and jack-o-lanterns at home. Mom helped carve the pumpkins.
Did your school or church have a fall festival or carnival? Were there stipulations regarding costumes? What sorts of activities did they have? What about Halloween parties?
There wasn't a festival but we did have an afternoon in-school party. It all depended on how creative the teacher and the older students were for what all we did. I remember bobbing for apples, playing games, and eating some candy and goodies.
Have you ever bobbed for apples or been on a hayride? What are your memories of "haunted houses"? (I'm not referring to the ultra-scary, secular ones, just the fun kid ones, with bowls of grapes and cold spaghetti!)
I didn't do any of these except for when I was in school. Later as a young adult and again with my own kids we did all of these.
What types of costumes did you wear? Were they store-bought or homemade?
We did have costumes sometimes but I'm not sure what they were. For sure we didn't buy anything so they were all homemade. Some of the kids had store-bought masks but we all made some from brown paper sacks too.
Did you carve a jack-o-lantern? How are your children's experiences similar or different to yours?I used to always carve pumpkins both as a child and as a Dad. This year I won a nice pumpkin (see picture at right ) as a door prize with instructions to carve it.
But I am not going to do the carving. Hopefully by the time the November Men's Prayer Breakfast rolls around the carving instructions will all be forgotten.
My kids did most all of the things that suburban kids do. They wore costumes and 'trick or treated', had parties, traded candy, etc. After some malicious adults put razor blades in the candy trick or treating subsided for a bit.
And the most important question: Do you like candy corn?
I have always liked candy corn. But last year I overdosed; consequently I have sworn off candy corn and colored pumpkins for this year.
And since my gastroenterologist no longer allows me to have nuts just a lot of the chocolate candies are out. What is left for me that I like are 3 Musketeers, Butterfingers, Tootsie Rolls, and old fashion chocolate drops.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Holiday Posts, Jim in his Younger Days, Jim's Life
