England

My first overseas trip came in the fall when I was sent to England. It involved the trade of a used British airplane with a new Boeing 747. My job was to check the documentation for completion and assure that it was correct.

As the 747 glided on its approach to Heathrow Airport, the skies were rainy and foggy, just what you would expect in England. I looked out of the airplane window and thrilled at those green hills and vales.

Honolulu

Boeing sent me to Honolulu to check the condition of the stiggerberry tree.* I waited all week for the tree to show up but it never did arrive, so I was forced to spend a weekend sunbathing, to spend my time swimming in the ocean. It's tough work, but I can take it.




*I don't know what "stiggerberry tree" means, and google didn't know either, but Dad wrote it out very plainly three times in block letters, so it appears to be exactly what he meant. I assume it was a plane, because that was his job, but heck if I can figure it out.

Yellowstone Weiners

When we were on vacation in Yellowstone Park, we drove into a campground to eat and sleep. We only had a tiny canvas pup tent, and we slept in that and the back of our pick-up camper. When we arrived at dark, we had to fix our supper over a camp fire. We had boiled weiners in a cooking pot.

When we started to eat them, we realized we had cooked them with camping fuel, and they tasted terrible.

So my oldest daughter and my 3rd oldest daughter would not eat the fuel-tasting weiners, but my 2nd daughter and I gobbled them with relish. We were so tired and hungry, the fuel taste didn't bother us in the least. But the next time we ate, we were very careful not to mix fuel in our cooking pan.

Parkinson's

I thought after nine years of struggling with Parkinson's disease (Note: I chose the word struggling in preference to suffering), I decided I should update my credentials and spread the good word amongst my family and the neighborhood.

So I go shopping. Lots of people look at me and can't see the characteristics of Parkinson's. I saw Michael J. Fox on a TV interview once. He was gesticulating with his arms held above his head. Then I saw him next on a TV show, and he looked as normal as could be.

Cassius Clay or Mohammed Ali has Parkinson's. I watched him being helped into the back seat of a car. He was completely shrouded in black. When his handlers (as in boxing) move him into the light he closes his eyes and smiles quietly.

Billy Graham. Janet Reno. Surely there are plenty of Parkinson people, but I seldom see them around and about. Could be they are too bashful.

My dentist told me that his father has had Parkinson's for 15 years. That still beats my 9 years. Bless you good doctors and Sinemet.

Song of Myself

He ate a lot of leftovers in his day. In fact, you could say he thrived on them.

John Martin Reservoir, Colorado

Dear Kith and Kin,

Last night, after sunset, I walked out to the road to fetch the mailbox. I always bring it up to the house at dusk to protect it from the vandals. Behind the barn I noticed a pile of brush that Bennie had gathered so I decided to burn it. As I sat watching the fire, I could see the dark outlines of clouds and the tops of our tall cottonwoods and elms against the last light in the sky. A light breeze was moving the treetops and the fire in the burning brush pile. The air was warm. The cicadas were buzzing and the crickets were chirping. The whole scene before me evoked strong memories of the John Martin Reservoir. The Reservoir is located a short leg west of Lamar, Colorado, on Highway 50 then a few miles south. It was always our first overnight stop on many beautiful Colorado vacations that I treasure dearly and always will. Those were the days my Friend. We thought they'd never end....etc, which means life goes on with or without us.

Love to all

October

October, the best month of the year. You've had your supper. The sun has set so you take a cup of coffee and relax on the backporch to enjoy a light, cool breeze. The insects are chirping and singing away. Reminds you of those days you spent on vacation when the kids were young and so were you. Cooking your meals over a campfire. Hiking through the woods and up the mountains. How sweet it was! Golden days. Those were the days , my friends. We thought they'd never end.