The six of us have been friends for about forty-plus years. Living as neighbors to Cindy and Buck and Jim and Dottie grew up in the same little town in NWPA called Eldred in the Alleghany mountains as I did.
Jim – Sherry and I all worked for Dal-Tile – (American Olean Tile) in Olean, N.Y.
And of course, being and working in WNY – we all were Buffalo Bills fans – and we watch them whenever we can by going to
Buffalo Bills sports bars in our areas.
Cindy and Buck live 30 miles from us and we get together often to play a round of golf – have dinner and just enjoy our friendships.
Papa – Dottie – Cindy – Sherry – Buck and Jim – Dottie and Jim live in Va. Beach and in the coming years will build on a piece of property in Northern North Carolina.
They will be about three-plus hours from us when they retire.
Sherry – Cindy – Dottie – Forty-plus years of being friends. When we all get together – it comes down to Gals vs. Guys in a golf scramble.
The last time we gave them two strokes – they missed a four-foot putt on the last hole for the WIN!
So we tied 37 to 37!
Sherry and Cindy – both into walking miles and miles – I try to keep up!
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Playing golf at Magnolia Greens in Leland, N.C. where Buck and Cindy live. Living life one day at a time!
Sherry – Sunset Beach, N.C. PAPA’S WORLD – HAPPY TIMES in NORTH CAROLINA WITH FRIENDS!
“JIMMY and PAPA” friends since 1977 – best buddies – friends – the same little town in NWPA!!!
Jimmy and I have played softball together – volleyball – golf – corporate cup competitions – family vacations – for years and years.
Friendships usually do not last that long – but this one is still ongoing – and he retired from the same company I did yesterday!
Dottie – Sherry – Cindy – Buck – Jimmy and Papa – friends all these years – neighbors – three of us worked for the same company – now all retired except Dottie who has a little over a year to go.
These friends go all the way back to 1980 – through thick and thin – NWPA and WNY – still going strong!
New years eve together for years and years – Cindy – Sherry, and Jim – starting off the end one year and the new one coming in.
Jimmy has been there since Sherry and I were married in 1982 – many vacations together with families – many times visiting each other – and soon – golfing together more often when Dottie retires.
A day on the ICW with all our friends and neighbors from back in WNY! Mike and Carol John joined us for a few days!
Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – A tribute to one of my best friends – JIMMY BROWN – the best is yet to come!
Friends for years and years – Dottie – Jim – Buck – Cindy – Sherry – Papa – food from back home in WNY –
Beef On Wicks – Potato salad – Coleslaw for our New Years’ eve dinner at Magnolia Greens just outside Leland, N.C.
This is a tradition in WNY – thinly sliced beef in juice ( drippings) on Kimelwick rolls!
Horseraddish or hot mustard – and the two salads to go long with it.
You can see the beef-on-wicks on the plate next to Dottie.
Back home in WNY – in Olean, N.Y, is the famous restaurant “BEEF and BARREL” where they have carving stations of huge sides of beef and you tell them how you like it doe and they carve it for you!
We all grew up with this.
These are mouth-watering – and the rolls are salted on top – with seeds – soft rolls and yummy!
A tradition for all of us – our roots in WNY.
Thanks for reading – and yes you can buy all of this at WEGMANS if you have a store close to you – they have gradually worked their way South and we had five of six stores in the NVA area and in Va. Beach area.
After dinner, it was celebrating New Year’s Eve with close friends –
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WNY FAVORITE FOOD S – BEEF ON WICKS – POTATO SALAD – COLESLAW – welcoming the new year in!
The family came after Christmas but before New Year to spend four days with us – Instead of presents – we bought tickets to Pirates Voyage and The Christmas show at Alabama Theater in Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
This is our view of the stage – we sat right in the middle behind the equipment for all the sound and lights.
Marcus – Bode – Tammy – Cassidy – Sherry(MorMor) Taylor – happy grandkids and they really enjoyed the show.
We were so happy they came down from NVA – and got to share with them the theater.
Sherry – Taylor – Papa – getting ready for the first act to start!
Marcus and Bode – father and son – a selfie by Bode!
Tammy and Cassidy – selfie by Cassidy – the eyes tell the story!
Cassidy – Sherry – Taylor – a selfie by Sherry whom all three call MORMOR – Swede for MothersMother.
Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog ALABAMA THEATER – CHRISTMAS SHOW
Good day everyone from Cameron Woods Community in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!
We all walked up to the new pickleball courts and the family played for about an hour. Above is Taylor and Bode on one side and Marcus on the other side.
Here Tammy is on one side and Sherry and Cassidy on the other. The courts are brand new and hoping soon the center will be finished and we can use it and the pool when it gets warm.
Bode and Taylor – we were here for almost one hour – a beautiful day in the low 60s! Love this area and the temperatures.
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PAPA’S WORLD – PICKLEBALL AT CAMERON WOODS PLAYING PICKLEBALL WITH FAMILY!
Welcome to our little piece of paradise – ten minutes away – OIB, N.C. The pier and beach access.
We live on the mainland side with the ICW between us and the beach – between four and five miles away.
We selected the Cameron Woods Community because it gave us access to the beach but in a – NO flood zone.
The causeway bridge over the ICW – we have boated down underneath this bridge and on the mainland, side is where we have two
grocery stores – and additional shopping, and a small airport.
Starting in May and ending in September – we have outdoor free concerts in the park on OIB right across from Pelican Perch bar and grill and miniature golf and the Aquarium.
You can take in drinks but they have to be in plastic cups!
The bands are top rate and usually, 3 to 4 hundred people show up – many are locals and the rest are renters of the vacation homes.
Sunsets and sunrises can be seen from the beach and shoreline.
Sipping a cocktail on the beach – sun – surf – and sand – warm waters and lots of things to do.
The East end of the island with the new Terminal Groin – placed here to stop erosion – in the upper right corner – since this was constructed – a lagoon – tidal pool forms at low tide and is a great place for families with kids as it is only one to two feet deep and is huge.
You can take rafts and float around in there and the water in summer is warm
Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog FUN – SUN – SURF – OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C.
Sherry – Troy – Papa – it is hard to believe that the years have gone by so fast – here he is another year older – the man who builds houses from the ground up – everything – he is like my father – who as a young little boy – called him “FRITZ”!
Proud Papa – today he has hung up the house building and runs the insulation and energy side of Shawn’s business. Working on becoming able to also do the audits and be certified by the state.
Kindness – patience – loving – he got all of this from my mother – who, when he was young would go and stay with her as she was alone.
Today he and Andrea live together and do everything as one – hoping they both will come back and visit us!
In this picture, the eyes and smile so remind me of my older brother!
Before he went into the business of my younger son – a fireplace he built in a house he built!
My son – happy birthday and many more to come – love dad.
Troy – Papa – Shawn – oldest and youngest – love dad.
Papa’s World – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog To my oldest son Troy – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Our happy place awaits you to come back to – love Dad!
He had red curly hair – a smile a mile wide and a laugh and giggle that you knew right away who it was.
He was my younger brother – we were like a second family for my parents –
Donna and Roger were 15 and 10 years older.
We had a sister who died at birth in between the two sets of kids.
We fought like cats and dogs do – but we also were close.
He instigated a lot of it and would scream bloody murder as loud as he could when I had enough.
I was the one who into trouble but mom always knew as she later told me.
He was just o darn likable with that hair and giggle.
MOM ( Mary) Sue ( Susan) his wife and Mike ( we look alike here I think.)
We played all the time together – cowboys and Indian’s – running the neighborhood –
He was always hurting himself – one time he climbed up on top of a attached shed at a neighbors house.
He was going to ambush me but I saw him and pretended to shoot him.
I saw what he was going to do and I yelled STOP – but he did it anyway –
always acting real life he sort of collapsed and rolled off the shed to the ground as if dead.
But there was a stone bird bath under the shed roof and when he came down he hit his elbow on it!
Off to the doctors office we went and then in the ambulance to the hospital to have surgery on the elbow!
He had to have a pin put in and that elbow was off to the side -making his arm seem crooked.
Mom ( Mary) talking to Mike’s daughter Jennifer at the kitchen table.
A few years later – we were on the front porch – and he had climbed up onto the porch railing – I told him he had better get down before he fell.
Well – as always – he gave me that silly laugh and giggle – and I could not help but smile until he did fall.
At the end of the porch beneath that railing – a 2 x 10 stuck out – he came down and hit that board with his other elbow and we repeated the same thing all over again with another surgery – now he had two elbows exactly the same!
But -it seemed like it was a perfect solution for him as it perfected his golf swing and he had a lot of power and strength in those arms – one time I was with him – and this was way before anyone was hitting the ball 300 yards.
We were playing the old number one hole at Smethport – he was a Freshman – me just beginning my senior year –
He hit that ball and because of how his elbows were now shaped – he hit it straight with power. That hole was a gradual uphill some 305 yards!
His ball ended up past the hole and into the yard behind it! Some 50 or 60 yards past! Uphill!
If I had not been there to see it – I would not believe it!
Gene Fazio – who was a card member of the PGA and a premier golfer in the Pa. and NYS area –
told me – “IF I HAD MY SHORT GAME AND MIKE’S DRIVING – I WOULD GO ON THE PGA TOUR”!
Mike was a scratch golfer even with those elbows.
Mike later with a red beard and that red curly hair!
Mike ended up bigger than me – he was as tall as my father who was a little over six foot tall.
The brother’s – Roger – Mike and I got our curly hair from my dad – my grandfather was bald.
Mike ended up around 215 pounds and played football – but he could kick that ball just like he hit golf balls.
Far and straight – he became a field goal kicker way before that was common in H.S.
His kick offs were always through the end zone and he went on to college at Mansfield University of Pa.
Where he became the kicker for the college football team.
He graduated in Criminal Justice.
My step dad John – Sue and Mike.
As I said before he was always doing something and getting hurt!
He was riding my bike one day and I told him to get off as he was not big enough to ride it!
His legs could barley touch the pedals – sure enough his foot slipped and he came down on the cross bar –
off to the hospital we went again – operation for a rupture!
My brother in law Bill nick named him JUICE!
I really do not know why other than he was like electric – energy running through him – always a live wire!
Then one day Bill and I were sitting on the front porch –
and he said “HERE COMES JUICE”!
And then Bill said “JESUS CHRIST”!
And Bill hollered at him – “JUICE- PUT THE ROPE DOWN”!
But too late!
Mike was walking up the street twirling a dog rope with a clasp on the end of it over his head like a cowboy!
He got it too low just after Bill yelled to put it down and it started to wind around his head lower and lower.
It came around and smacked him right on the mouth –
“KNOCKING OUT HIS FRONT TOOTH”!
Off to the dentist office we went – oral surgery to extract what remained in his mouth of that tooth.
THAT IN A NUTSHELL WAS MY BROTHER MIKE!
Red hair – bearded – always smiling and that silly laugh – giggle.
I MISS HIM as he passed away when I was 35.
Sue Mike Jenifer
My brother MIKE – loved – close as brothers are – gone way too young – but never forgotten.
Every morning for the past SIXTEEN YEARS – I have FRUITS – VEGETABLES – BERRIES and OMEGAS before breakfast!
You see – I have these capsules and I take two of each of what I said above.
I choose to do this for my own general health – because I do not eat the required amount in servings each day!
Since I am not rock climbing and heights scare me – we walk almost every day – I want to age healthy – maintain my memory – and live life to the plus each day!
My early years were eating anything – drinking anything and yes I smoked – I gave it up 38 years ago at age 35!
But I had to change – I choose this because the research – which is published – showed me everything –
and has changed me for the better – and it has helped me!
We are in the autumn years of our lives – here we are last August – on the ICW – living life one day at a time and life to the plus.
Golf carts – hot chocolate – cookies and sheet music – it’s that time to once again sing Christmas songs in the community!
This is the season to be festive – we all met in our driveway – Solo Stove ablaze – music from the garage – this actually is the second year gathering together – and it has grown to around 15 souls!
Hot chocolate and cookies – and it was not too chilly!
Sherry – Kathy our neighbor and Diane – our other neighbor.
People mingled about before starting out to sing – three golf carts to help carry people – the rest walked.
I volunteered to stay behind and tend to the fire in the SOLO STOVE! They wouldn’t want me to sing – like an old hound dog! They were gone about an hour before they came back – regrouped and went to another part of the neighborhood.
We hope to make this an annual event – meeting at the community center when it is opened and finished.
Even the golf cart was decorated! It was a nice way to talk to friends and neighbors
and there were so many happy neighbors who came outside and even joined in – taking pictures – CAMERON WOODS COMMUNITY – OCEAN ISLE BEACH – NORTH CAROLINA – traditions being started!
Papa’s World – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog fitztdf@aol.com
PAPA’S WORLD – It’s the most wonderful time of the year –
Family from WPA – far away but close to our hearts – MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
While they live far away – they are always near our hearts – love them and hope they come back down again!
Back in NVA – the little ones as I call them – MORMOR and PAPA we are to them – they always want us to come home! It was hard leaving them as they were with us constantly – but so far the three little ones have been down twice for a week to two weeks being with us – memories – fun times and “WHAT ARE WE DOING NEXT”?
Before there was Bode – now they are mostly grown up or about to be teenagers – memories – memories – not forgotten – loving
life.
Back just north of Winchester, Va. the oldest now – two in college – one in H.S. where has the time gone?
Two oldest played soccer in college – one her senior year this year – one a sophomore – the youngest a sophomore in H.S.
PAPA and SHERRY – family means a lot to us – memories of times gone past and memories of times to come!
CHRISTMAS DAY at our home – our first we have been here to celebrate – soon the young ones will come – MEMORIES!
CHRISTMAS – FAMILY – MEMORIES!
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Our three oldest granddaughters – Maddy ( 22) Sarah ( 16) Ella ( 19 ) – we have watched them grow up – two in college – one in H.S. – it seems like only yesterday there they were at the top of the stairs – giggling – waiting for their parents to get up on Christmas morning – we lived life one day at a time back then and today we also still live life one day at a time!
Our life is to give what we can – one day at a time.
The dawn of a new day with the picture of Sherry – my life – forty years married – forty-two years together – living our life one day at a time – living life to the plus each and every day!
Together we walk – together we explore and together we live our lives to the plus one day at a time.
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Good thoughts – images – pictures – this is what PAPA’S WORLD is about – cross out the negative – embrace the positive – to make your day better!
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Acts of kindness – hugs – smiles – giving – sharing – GOOD THOUGHTS – ACTS and DEEDS!
Welcome to my world – PAPA’S WORLD with my wife Sherry – living life to the plus one day at a time!
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We traveled back to NVA to have Thanksgiving with the Myers family – as we will not see them for Christmas.
We stopped and saw the Krohn family on our way north and spent a night and day with them as they will come down after Christmas for a few days and be with us.
Our three oldest granddaughters – Sarah – Maddy and Ella in the sunroom – working on some crafts and laughing!
Debby – Mike and Sherry getting the dinner ready. It was the best-tasting turkey I have had in a long time and the stuffing was even better!
The three granddaughters set the table – the Tower Garden in the background – growing year around indoors!
Chef Mike prepared the turkey and then cut it up! I do not know what he stuffed it with – but it was really juicy!
Ella – home from Randolph College – Sarah – A Sophomore in H.S. and Maddy – A Senior at The University of Lynchburg.
Debby lighting candles at the table for Thanksgiving dinner. Time for giving family thanks.
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PAPA’S WORLD – THANKSGIVING WITH FAMILY AT LAKE HOLIDAY, VA. THE MYERS FAMILY!
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