LOL- I do keep lists of things, places, and appointments –

Simple reminders as I go through each day.

I can honestly say I LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME!

I spent the first 30 years of my life-

In a little town near the WNY border called Eldred in NWPA!

Small Town – maybe 800 inhabitants.

It was you know everyone, and everyone knew your parents and family!

The Eldred Boro Elementary School.

Right across from the town’s ball field.

Where we would go to watch the baseball teams play.

The first four years of school –

I went to a combination H.S. and Elementary school.

Grades one through twelve.

It was a good mile from my North Main Street home.

Sometimes I would walk the railroad tracks to the Barden Brook Creek and then cross the bridge –

And the main street and walk on the sidewalk to the school.

Then, in grade five, they opened this school, and I was in the first class to go there.

Fifth grade and Miss Cawley.

She ruled her classes with an iron fist.

She had also taught in the other H.S. – Elementary school.

Mr. Harrington was the school Principal and also taught sixth grade.

We had a combination gym and cafeteria.

It was in the gym that, while running from being tagged –

I was pushed and slammed into the wall, and broke my right arm!

It was also in this gym that stages were set up for school plays around the Holidays.

I played the Angel Gabriel!

NERVES abounded in those early years, as I was and am a horrible singer.

I also signed up and took drum lessons.

I was given two drumsticks and some sort of board to practice on!

Didn’t last long! LOL

It was here that instead of walking –

I rode my bike as I was used to that, having ridden the same path to the park to play!

I also walked to school, meeting up with friends along the way!

Later in life, I took my youngest son, Shawn –

To sign up for kindergarten,

Unknown to me –

On the way, he had picked up worms and stuffed them in his pocket.

To my surprise, he reached in and brought them out just before we were to meet the teacher in the lobby!

We made a quick exit and got rid of them, and I cleaned his hands off with my hankie!

All part of growing up in Eldred!

We lived in the valley of the Alleghany mountains(foothills)-

The Alleghany River ran through on its way through Pa. –

To NYS and back down again through to Pa. and eventually Pittsburgh, Pa.

I have canoed down that river twice.

The first time was with a group called the EXPLOYERS!

Between our Sophomore and Junior years in H.S.

While the girls of the Sophomore class went to the prom –

We went canoeing on the river.

My partner in my canoe was Bobby Goodman.

To this day, we remain good friends and play golf together.

The second time was with the church youth group –

I think we had fourteen youths and three adults!

Otto-Eldred High School, where I went seventh through twelfth grade and graduated.

We did not have a big class –

Somewhere over 100 kids.

Quite a few have passed away.

In my senior year –

After playing two football games-

I was in a car accident-

I spent 51 days in the hospital in traction.

I did not know if I would ever walk again.

I was in a wheelchair for months after being released.

I was reclassified for the draft –

The VIETNAM WAR was raging!

Then I went to crutches and to a cane.

I walked for my graduation.

One week after graduation –

I was hired at American Olean Tile Plant.

I was married with a small baby boy who was named Troy!

I ended up working for this company for 47 1/2 years.

I worked in Olean, N.Y. –

In 1999, I transferred to Alexandria, VA, near the Springfield Metro.

During my time in Olean, we were owned by National Gypsum.

!980 some I was divorced and met Sherry, who worked in Payroll.

We were married on 6-25-1982 – she had also divorced.

I had two sons, and she had two daughters.

All young!

We raised both sets, although the boys lived with their mother.

After they all were gone from the houses-

We both transferred to NVA!

She went to Chantilly –

And at this time, we were owned by Armstrong!

She managed two different locations – the last in Chantilly, across from the Dulles airport.

She then took the outside sales job encompassing NVA and some of WV.

By this time, we were owned by Mohawk.

I worked at four different locations.

We both retired with a combined 79 1/2 years of service to the same company!

My early years in Eldred, Pa.

A lot of memories – experiences that I would never trade away!

It seems like every year it floods –

But 1972 was the worst,

It reached the second floors of most homes –

We were lucky – we lived on North Main Street-

Which was higher and out of the flood waters.

Sherry – Papa – Pam, and my grade school buddy – BOBBY!

It has been a long road since those early years in Eldred, PA.

Looking back to the early years.

Memories of life as I recall it.

Thanks for reading my blogs-

PAPA’S WORLD –

My site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Our journey together has continued for over twenty years.

INFORMATION: www.https://sfitzsimmons.juiceplus.com

Living our dream and married since 6-25-1982.

PAPA’S WORLD –

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