One Year Ago

Me and Mom, Dec. 2011

Gypsy, my mother, believed in the celebration of life. An avid gardener, her yard attested to this by the many varieties of wildlife that found refuge there. She could always be found putting out food and placing plants, that were not only beautiful to look at but provided food and refuge, for the many birds that flew through.

She, also, never stopped trying to learn all she could about everything. She was the one who gave me a passion for astronomy and ancient history that still exists to this day. As a child, I remember her laying a blanket on the lawn and we would sit there studying the stars, learning the constellations and discussing them. Then there were the times, especially when her youngest brother would visit, that we would pull out all of the encyclopedias and have them scattered about the floor as we would look up one interest after another. As time passed and I moved away, I cherished the times I spent with her on weekends where we could debate and discuss anything from politics and religion to what books and movies to take in.

At the funeral of one of her friends, she saw the granddaughter was wearing a colorful dress. She thought that it epitomized the celebration of life she so loved; and requested that we wear yellow to honor her life. She also requested that we not mourn her passing but to celebrate the new journey she was to embark upon. She would not be alone on this journey, but would have the help and love of her husband, her parents, and her late brother.

While we may hurt from the loss of such a special woman and mother, we speed her on her way with all our love. Continue learning mom, and we look forward to the time when we are joined once again at the star named Gypsy.

It has been a year now, since I read the above at her funeral and I still miss those times we spent together talking. I am so grateful to my sister for having taken this photo. I don't have any of mom and I in these last years. Plenty while I was still living at home. But after I left and started having children; mom, dad and the kids became the focus of my camera.

 

And mom, may the party at your star still be playing your song. Love you.

Seasons are catching up

All dressed up for Easter. I can remember when the Easter holiday was coming up as we could start wearing white shoes in addition to our black one. Then there were the hats. What proper young lady didn't go out with a hat or ribbons in her hair once spring arrived. That's me on the left, my best friend in the center and my sister on the right.

Christmas spent with friends

And he must have been a friend, right? That's Fritz, the dachshund in the foreground. The neighborhood kids would come over to play with him. Yes, they actually would come to the door and ask if Fritz could come out and play.

A Christmas gone by

That's my sister on the left and me on the right. Do you remember the days that Santa actually paid a visit to your home before Christmas to check up on you. Or maybe it was just were we lived that this happened. Take note of Santa's "sack".

More winter weather?

I remember this front yard. I even remember the house across the street. And getting bundled up for the cold. The school bus use to stop right in front of our house, and there was one winter when the snow was so bad we could barely see our house from the bus. Yipes. 

Winter is still in the air

As I sit here and look at the temperatures for today, I only seems fitting that I should pull out a picture of snow days gone by. While we do not have snow weather here, the low is suppose to be 37°F with a high of 61°F.

A modern day Abbott & Costello

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on..

 

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

 

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT:
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows.. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on 'START'.............

 

Found the above on mom's computer when I was cleaning it up to give to daughter. Reminded me of the time my grandmother called and she happened to ask where I was:

 

Mom: To see the Guess Who.
Gram: I don't know, who?
Mom: She went to see the Guess Who.
Gram: I can't guess, who?
Mom: That's right, the Guess Who.
Gram: I give
Mom: She went to see a band that is named The Guess Who.

And so it went....

Times have changed

I'm wider; ddpuppies is shorter, but the front porch hasn't changed all that much. Window frame is now a different color and a screen door has been added since the 1967 picture. Oh and looks like there is now a mat in front of the door, shoes and a table. Still not much.

Dressed in Yellow

The Art of Storytelling ©Silvia Romeo; Always in My Heart ©Indigo Designs

Finally  made time to do at least one layout about mom. Her funeral; which while sad was also fun, just like her. She requested that we wear yellow and we all pretty much managed. For those family members who didn't have yellow clothes, ddpuppies had yellow rose boutonnières and some wore yellow ribbons. Even my boss came to the viewing wearing yellow, startling Bug into trying to figure out which family member he was.

 

She left us on 7 Sep 2013, but the funeral was held on (believe it or not) Friday, 13 Sep 2013. Bear, ddpuppies, Pan and I all agreed she must have had a hand in it. And we know that she was up there watching and laughing at and with us.

 

I still miss her greatly, but I do take a lot of comfort in knowing that her funeral was the type of affair she would have wanted. Lots of stories of days past, meeting up with family members not seen in years and lots of laughter among the tears.

Unknown U.S. Marine

While scanning in pictures from my mother's house, I ran across this picture. First name Paul, but is kind of hard to make out the last name...maybe Turner? Would be nice to know more about him and what his tie to my family is.

Flamingos or Flamingoes?

Flamingos or Flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus, the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae.
There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World. Wikipedia
Scientific name: Phoenicopterus
Rank: Genus
Wingspan: 90 – 105 cm (Lesser Flamingo, Adult)
Length: 90 – 105 cm (Lesser Flamingo, Adult)
Lower classifications: American Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, More
Height: 110 – 150 cm (Greater Flamingo, Adult), More
Mass: 1.2 – 2.7 kg (Lesser Flamingo, Adult), 2 – 4 kg (Greater Flamingo, Adult), 2 kg (James's Flamingo, Adult)

I don't remember the pink flamingos but I do recall the bird bath. It was a fixture in the yard for many a decade and may still be there for all I know. Next time we are over that way, I'll have to run by and check it out. And I wonder if this is where my dad's "hate" (more of a love/hate relation) of flamingos began?

All growed up

Who knew that when he grew up he would start out as a cub reporter? Certainly not me. While he did not remain in the field, it did seem to rub on on the family. My sister ended up working for the same paper as a secretary for a while and I have worked for a newspaper for over 20 years now. Not as a reporter but bookkeeper. And he still looks like that angelic little boy.

Memory Lane-Studio Print

This is my favorite picture of my uncle. Kind of reminds me of my second son with the mischievous gleam in his eye and the wicked smile on his face.

Memory Lane-School 1957

Off center and appears to be a crossing guard. Do they still have crossing guards? I mean school kids doing it. At the elementary school around the corner from my house, they have volunteer adults who do it. But then we have a lot of traffic to and from the DoD school down the street. And strangely, the hours for both seem to coincide. Which is why I try to leave for work and back home either before or after those times.

Memory Lane-School 1956

I wonder how he manages to get nearly center in all his class pictures. This time closer to the bottom of the picture, but still towards the center. Do you see him? By 4th grade looks like desks have replaced the tables. Interesting that desk part is actually attached to the back of the seat in front of it.

Memory Lane-School 1955

I told you where he was yesterday, but can you pick him out today? Hint: not quite dead center and still just as cute. :)

A look back at 1936

Left: Henry holding Gypsy. Right: Golda holding Gypsy

My mom had two baby albums full of pictures. My boss said I should keep the pictures in the albums for context. Unfortunately the pages were disintegrating so I purchased some archival sleeves and archival boxes to store them in. Fortunately the pictures did not seem to be put in with much rhyme or reason, so I don't feel to badly about taking them out. Now maybe they will last out another generation or two. And I am getting them scanned in so they will be available digitally and some will show up here from time to time as well.

A spread of 21 years

Left: Me. Right: Nuke

The things you find. While going through the pictures mom had stored away, I came across these two, side by side, in a small frame. Nuke appears to be just a tad chubbier, but not much. And while you can't tell from the black and white photo, my hair was the same color as his.

Mount Rushmore

Left to right: unknown, dad, mom

Since this is the town of my birth, I would really like to get back there and get a picture from the same spot someday. Maybe when it is a little warmer though, LOL.

Happy New Year's Eve

Left: Henry. Right: Al

I wish each of you a very happy New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. If you are out partying (as it appears my grandfather and his partner were doing in this picture); be safe, don't drink and drive, and if you are going to imbibe, have a designated driver in place ahead of time.