Me – 1967 – second shift – American Olean Tile Co.
WOW – 52 years ago – over one half century – and in a few days – 70 becomes the new norm and new start of a decade. So much has changed – so much has come and gone.
I started and ended my career with the same company 47 1/2 years later !
And it is were I met and married my second wife – we celebrate 37 years next month.
On our wedding day June 25, 1982.
Sherry and I started dating in April of 1981 – we had found out in passing that we both were going through a divorce by accident. I worked in Shipping and she in payroll – as I was passing her desk – one of the other ladies said to me – “I hear you are getting a divorce” !
I answered ‘ YES” and then went my way – she quietly observed this and when she brought my shipping orders out – she told me ” I overheard . I am also getting a divorce” – to which I relied ” Then we should go and have a drink and talk about it ” !
Oahu – 2 years ago – North Shore
That began a 15 month process of dating – engagement the following December at Christmas time – and marriage in June the following year. All the while juggling two divorces and inter mixing four children into one family. My two sons and her two daughters. WE DID IT ! Not easy – but the results have been fantastic. My two sons still live back in NWPA & her two daughters both followed us South to NVA. My son runs a energy company with state contracts for the elderly and my other son has joined him. One can build a entire house from the ground up – he did not get that from me – and the other is a ranked pool player in his spare time who travels the entire country winning his way to Vegas a half dozen times.
Our two daughters are also very successful – the eldest followed her mother into the health and nutrition field and most likely will attain National Marketing Director for the Juice Plus Company at the conference in Austin Texas in October. Our other daughter also followed their mother – but she – one year ago -opened up a franchise https://www.facebook.com/529KidsConsignLoudoun/ near where we live. She maintains both the Health & Nutrition business and her new
store which is coming up up the one year anniversary. In our very busy lives – we have managed to change our lifestyle in eating – giving up a lot of what I had eaten for 35 years or more.
About to turn 70
Sherry is my rock and has been all these years – by accident we learned of one another’s dilemma – we ventured forward on a whim – and soon became friends – she is my best friend – we combined a family – and 13 years ago – she changed our lifestyle to a healthy one. She is the guiding force and well respected as a Certified Health Coach – she is a pillar to her TEAM -known and loved by all as “MAMA BEAR ” !
Just a part of her nationwide Juice Plus Company team known as TEAM GENERATIONS
In a short while on 5 -7 -49 I will turn 70 years old – and another WE WERE MET TO BE TOGETHER ” sign – she will turn 70 on 7 – 5 – 49 !!
We eat healthy – we love healthy and we promote health. Our family in NVA has followed us not only here – but also on the pathway of HEALTH & NUTRITION ! Soon – in October – the oldest will attain the highest level in the Juice Plus Company -living life to the plus as I call it.
We attended Debby Taylor Myers promotion for the Juice Plus Company to QNMD – our oldest daughter
This is my story – this is my life – well – part of it – many other chapters to tell
My sincere thank you to my wife and our family – a new lifestyle 13 years ago and a new life 37 years ago. I am the most lucky man in the World or so I believe – and I am WINNING OFF THE FIELD ! Thank you – enjoy & HGD !
If you would like to be a part of her team – Sherry Fitzsimmons
We just returned from picking up the packets for Saturdays run for Cancer!
Since I do not run ( I WALK ) – I am in charge of the little ones until my wife – son in law and daughter finish their run – FIVE K !
But as soon as they are done – then it is the little ones turn to flash their own styles ! They will run the kids mile.
The two oldest are twin girls – both eight years old – and the little one is four years old ! ( you would swear he and one of the twins are twins )
He is a runner jogging with his mother and MORMOR ( my wife) – which is Swedish for MOTHERS MOTHER !!!!
They have gone on 2 1/2 mile jogs and he is there step by step with them ! The parents bring them up in the healthy life style promoted by MORMOR !
She is a certified health coach and is the main reason 13 years ago – we as a family – other daughter – husband and three kids – turned away from the process food – the fast food – soda’s – and as much as possible – gluten – dairy and sweets !
LIVING LIFE TO THE PLUS as I call it ! Anyway – tomorrow – at 8 am. I am ON DUTY so to speak – and cheering everyone on . I have done this numerous times when they ( adults) ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in D.C.
I wish I could run but the last couple times I ended up with injury – my wife says I am a very HARD RUNNER as in THUD THUD PLOP PLOP !
Which causes a lot of stress on joints and leg issues !
So I walk for one hour each day -usually 3.10 miles at a steady but doable pace – WORKS FOR ME and my wife chooses to walk with me !
Which is awesome ! Our lifestyle changed along with members of our family – and this all is because of my wife which we both will reach a major milestone in a few months – 70 YEARS OLD !
I hope you enjoy my blog – I have written for years and years on face book daily – about myself- family and friends.
I wrote for two other blogs but my computer crashed and I lost everything only to a few days ago – by accident – finding this my second blog site from 2014 !
I enjoy reading about my followers and am trying to figure out all the in’s and out’s – trying to become followers of anyone who follows me.
With all this being said – enjoy – read – follow – comment – If I can find it I will answer !
Our Patio Marcus Bode Taylor Cassidy and Sherry they call her MORMOR Swedish for Mothers Mother
Sadly – almost all our flowers in the Patio are gone-
Thrown away before we get a frost
It is cool in the mornings
mid to high 40’s low 50’s
That is cool for me
As you can tell – I am not a snow and cold person
My idea of weather is low 60’s at night
low to mid 80’s in day time.
Cassidy Tammy Taylor all three have the same BIRTHDAY !!!
We celebrated birthdays –
Korean Wall MemorialThe Vietnam Wall Memorial Reflections both Physical and mental remembering our classmates in a very use less war.
We took friends on tour of D.C.
The Ghosts of Korea with Sherry walking among them THE FORGOTTEN WAR
We were busy – that is how we live life –
always looking ahead – planning –
when you quit – is when you are done
that is how I feel.
Every Sunday morning in our community is a Farmer’s MarketSherry ( MorMor) and Taylor she is only 9 years old but I can tell she is going to be tall like her MorMor at 5′ 10″
Thank you for reading Papa’s World
livinglifedoingitmyway.blog my site
fitztdf@aol.com my email for contact
Sherry CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH for health and nutrition contact her at http://www.sf.juiceplus.com for the business contact her email ssherrylynn49@aol.com She is a SSC for the Juice Plus CompanyOmega’s
I never imagined – back when – as I neared retirement – I would sometimes not remember what day of the week it was ! Nor – would I ever wonder – with the hours of each day – “HOW DID I EVER FIND TIME TO WORK”?
You want to stay Young ? You want to stay active ? To do that – at least I find – the way I remember – is that Monday night is put out the GARBAGE – and pick up is Tuesday ! Now – that I remember for some reason. Also – I know it is Monday – because that is the day Tammy – our daughter – closes her store up , Kids 529 Consignment shop ! So – she does not work that day – and in the school year – I do not pick up the twins from school.
Bode – Cassidy and Taylor- Tammy & Marcus little ones.
The rest of the week – each day – I go and wait in a car line to pick up the girls – and I get there early – so I am usually second in line – and the line when school is out is about 70 or more cars ! So – I am prepared – I take my water -maybe a snack- a pillow – and leave the car on – it is a Hybrid so it mostly runs on the battery. I kick the seat back and turn my favorite radio show on – 106.7 – the Sports radio show that covers the D.C. area.
Sometimes I even drift off for a power nap!
Cassidy – Bode & Taylor 8 – 4 – 8 years old.
That takes me up to Tuesday – garbage day and pick up the girls day. Wednesday is take the twins to choir day – and meet Granny -( Jennie )- Marcus mother – who picks up Bode every day from preschool.
She takes him home and when Marcus is done – he picks him up and then will come to our house and pick up the twins.
But – Wednesday is church choir and all three sing – even Bode who can not read but will memorize the words and they are good singers.
We now have covered Monday thru Wednesday . Thursday – I start preparing again for garbage day – but also recycle day – by setting everything out for pick up on Friday !
At National Harbor – Washington D.C. Sherry’s shirt says it all!
There are also days that we will journey into D.C. for special trips – taking all the grand kids – we took the two oldest – Maddy and Ella – and got off at Arlington – took in the Tomb of the Unknown soldier and then walked across the 14 th. street bridge and spent the day at all the memorials – walking the Mall and having lunch. We walked miles that day and they loved it.
So – that leaves Friday – the day the GARBAGE & RECYCLES are picked up. I count the days by that format – very seldom do I know the exact date – I can look at the top of the paper – or my phone.
On Oahu – North Shore NO CARES – NO WORRIES #livinglifetotheplus
But to be perfectly honest with you – being retired – it does not really matter – I also count down days by what we have scheduled coming up ! Yes -we PLAN- put it down in writing – search and research – add names of visitors to come – the dates and what we are going to do. Some people can not do that for whatever reason – but not us – WE DO IT! Such as so goes our life – we live life to the plus one day at a time – but we know what is ahead – after all – for us – that is part of the excitement – just like little kids – “HOW MANY SLEEPS ARE LEFT PAPA ” ?
And then the early morning comes and you head out – all part of that special time – now I look back – and I wonder – JUST HOW DID I FIND TIME TO WORK ?
RETIREMENT – YOU COUNT THE DAYS BY GARBAGE – the weekends – well they are just another day -most times you just do not care !
On our recent get together – a beer tasting in a old house with a fake library !
Try as hard as we can – life gets busy – but for over 35 years – we have stayed in touch – getting together at each others houses – every 4 or 5 months.
We are now spread out – Wilmington N.C. – Va. Beach and D.C. area – but we remain good friends.
Last Fall – our golf outing in Va. Beach – guys vs. gals.
Last Fall – we all got together – to play golf on several courses in the Va. Beach area. The format was GUYS VS. GALS – and I advocated ” NO STROKES ” as some of us have done this before and ” THE GALS” are just too darn good to give up STROKES !
Well – I was right – they had a STROKE a hole and they kicked our butts ! Even without the STROKES it was almost even ! Now we all are not PAR golfers – they ended up minus par with the strokes – and we were a little over par – but the jest of the whole thing was we had fun ! Plus I think they were nipping the FIREBALL more often than not !!!!! LOL
This was taken in Oahu – when the four of us went and played golf.
My wife Sherry – has the perfect form and swing – always straight down the middle of the fairway – can not remember the last time we had to look for her ball. Cindy – hits it a ton – going out into the fairway – neither one gets into trouble – the guys – not so much – never know WHERE my ball will go ! That is what makes them so good – straight and usually on the green or close on the second shot – depending how long the hole is.
Yep – that is me on Oahu – the valley over from where they shot Jurassic Park.
We try to play golf where ever we go – but – we also do Karaoke – well – I try to – but that is the only time I sing ! Cindy has her own Karaoke machine and all the songs – she brings it to most get together’s. Our theme songs are Desperado and Friends in low places. We get pretty involved in New York – New York. I have video’s but I promised I would not share them !
On our golf outing back home in NWPA – Sherry and Cindy .
Now I am not much of a Wine drinker nor much of a hard drinker – I stick mainly to light beer – and only on special occasions. However – I will take a nip of Fireball and as sometimes – well a lot of times when we golf together – I will join the others on birdies and sometimes long pars – with a little toast of the fireball. All in all – we do have a lot of fun.
Keeping in touch – friends – beer and fireball – living our lives to the plus.
Hope you enjoyed – keep the good health up – and keep in touch with friends
In the early years of us being in Northern Va. , a couple of things happened. First , Tammy followed us down. Then a year later Mike and Debby and our new baby grand-daughter , Madison Margo Myers , known to us as Maddy , joined us.
I often thought if I were to open a bed and breakfast or a Cafe – I would give it the name of “THE BEAR AND THE FOX!” Why, I don’t know except that it sounded cool and I could envision a picture of a Bear and a Fox having dinner together at a table with some wine!
Now I see the picture of Maddy & her Father , our little Fox being carried by her father , The Bear of the woods, as he loves to hike the Northern woods of New York State. kinda out there in left field , but that is how I see it!
Teaching the ways of life to their children and bringing in the Health & Nutrition – showing how you EXIST TO LIVE & LIVE TO EXIST – always molding a way to blend their lives into harmony with nature.
The Bear and the Fox. A little girl and her father – hiking into their lives of Existing to live – Live to Exist.
