One is the oldest granddaughter while the second is the youngest granddaughter with her twin sister.
One is in her third year at University of Lynchburg – Enviromental Engineering major.
One is in the fifth grade – so caring she calls or zooms her grandmother almost every day.
One starts at the attack front position for the ranked lady soccer hornets soccer team.
And had played in 13 games as a freshmen – started her Sophomore year and again as a junior.
One moved to sit beside her older cousin at the soccer game.
Both are dear to our hearts!
Cassidy with MARLEY – the newest addition to her family!
Always smiling – always caring – always protective of her brother – just who she is. Cassidy
Maddy – a junior at the University of Lynchburg – Environmental Engineering – playing soccer and carrying above a 3.80 GPA! Next to Papa in the picture.
Number 13 – left front attacker – crossing a dribble with her left foot to get around a defender. On a top 25 team in the Division III national polls.
Granddaughters – oldest to youngest – youngest admires the oldest – both exceptional to us –
Thanks for reading Papa’s World – WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY – FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS!
MY SITE: PAPAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog MY EMAIL: fitztdf@aol.com
My very first memory of school – sitting on my grandma’s lap on the front porch –
“Grandma – when can I go to school”? I asked.
We had just watched a neighborhood boy walk past on the other side of the road –
His name was Denny and I later found out he was two years older than me!
So – I am thinking I was about four years old and I can still see him in my mind and me asking her.
The old Eldred school
I attended this old school until the fourth grade!
It was at that time – we merged with Duke Center – Rixford and Eldred to form OTTO-ELDRED.
At this time a brand new elementary school had been built right across the street from the ballpark!
I would not have to walk a mile to school in the mornings!
But – I remember that old school and my teachers and the classrooms.
The very first class was in the front and face the main street and I had Mrs. Shields.
We started off spelling the normal way – sounding out the words –
but soon after – we switched to the new way – MEMORY!
That went on for a couple years but it left me and others I know – very poor spellers.
The Alleghany River
The floodwaters of 1972
Across the main street and the railroad tracks – lays what we called THE FLATS!
And just beyond that the Alleghany River!
It seemed growing up part of life in the Spring were floods!
In 1954 or 1955 or thereabouts –
I was told not to go near the water flooded on the main street – I was maybe 6 years old.
But – I had made a raft and was sailing it on the main street – standing up and poling my way around
in about two feet of floodwater.
Unbeknown to me – a photographer from the local Bradford Era Newspaper – took my picture!
I was caught – standing on my homemade raft – poling my way around the main street –
ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BRADFORD ERA!
But – I also shared that front page later in life with my dad!
He made a bet on the heavyweight champion of the world fight and picked
FLOYD PATTERSON – the bet – the loser would wheelbarrow the winner down Mainstreet
To Slavin’s Bar – my dad won and made that same newspaper front page being pushed by HERKY!
A WWII bomber pilot who had been shot down and made it to the allies’ lines!
The brand new Eldred Elementary School
This sits right across from the ballpark and tennis courts –
I was the first class in there in the fifth grade – Miss Cawley!
Mr. Harrington was my sixth-grade teacher and Principle!
Many games of RED ROVER RED ROVER please send ???? over!
Was played right there on that circle drive in front of the doors.
Later in life – I walked my youngest son down to those front doors and inside to enroll him in Kindergarten – and standing in the lobby with all those parents he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a bunch of dirt and worms!
He had stopped on our walk and without me knowing – stuffed his pocket with dirt and worms!
THAT I shall always remember!
OTTO – ELDRED H.S.
We were bussed every day from the seventh grade on seven miles to school in Duke Center, Pa.
Three communities combined to have one single H.S. but each community had its own
grade schools and one township grade school.
We had to find our own way home after sports practices if we did not ride the bus.
My good buddy and I – later in H.S. road with his dad to school.
We had a science teacher called CB SAWYER – who had his own music system in his lab.
He would play up to date 45 records of music between classes all day long.
His favorite back then was PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS – “GLAD ALL OVER”
and it was everywhere in the hallways – piped through the loudspeaker system!
OTTO-ELDRED H.S.
I have always said someday I would like to go back and rewalk those halls to that blast of music!
It was across from here I watched a fight between two seniors – and I was one of a hundred people!
I still see it in my mind and they were about three years older than us.
Their names were Ron and Jim!
My senior picture
Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog fitztdf@aol.com
On Wednesday – it marked the first day of school for fifth grade for Taylor and Cassidy and first grade for Bode.
It also was the first day for Marley – the new goldendoodle – to walk to the bus stop!
I think she has become Tayor’s to walk as she takes her all the time.
Taylor – Marley – Bode in the back and Cassidy!
At first Marley would not walk just plopping down in the middle of the sidewalk – where Taylor would pick her up and carry her – but I think she has gotten over the puppy stage now – and Taylor seems to be the one who controls her!
The three plus the dog walk a couple blocks down the street to where the school bus stops and picks them up.
We are headed there and by the time you read this will already been and came back home again.
The parents are going out of state to a wedding and we will fly home( using a few vouchers we had)
to stay with the kids and Marley.
It will be a extended weekend – and looking forward to seeing everyone including Deb – Mike and Sarah.
The other two oldest are now in college.
To think one year ago – we did the same thing – only we had sold our home and stayed there for two months until we moved to S.C. – going back and forth to Winmchester and Leesburg.
We helped out with the home schooling due to the pandemic.
The kids did well but need to structure of school and friends and classmates.
Taylor in the lead with Marley and then Cassidy followed by Bode – walking to the bus stop.
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