My step father John – my mother Mary and my brother in law Bill.
John was a decorated WWII hero – with the purple heart and numerous other medals.
He captured a castle and a Nazi officer out of uniform – there is a story in a military journal
that is in the WWII museum in Eldred Pa.that chronicles that event.
He took from that officer a automatic machine gun pistol – vintage WWI – that also resides in the museum
and is worth upwards in the thousands of dollars. They keep it locked away as it is so valuable.
He was wounded several times and went back into action.
Bill was a vet of the forgotten war – Korea – he seldom talked about it but while I was growing up –
he gave to me his sleeping bag that he used in the cold winters there.
I admire his stamina as all it was is a wool blanket inside a canvas liner!
I would get very cold while sleeping outside on the ground in it!
He was more to me than a brother in law – he was my friend and like a brother to me.
One time I was out with him on patrol in the cop car – he was the town cop –
We drove down across the tracks and out past the old pipe building –
he saw a woodchuck and said to me –
“Do I get him”? “Sure I said”!
He pulled out his gun and from the front seat shot that old woodchuck –
I almost went deaf from that gun going off!
I said ” JESUS CHRIST BILL” and then we both just burst out laughing!
Lesson – never fire a gun from inside a car – you can barely hear for like 10 minutes!
John and Mary ( my mother) holding pies that she made from scratch!
Mom was known all over the town and county and into NYS for her baking.
She would bake rolls – bread – pies and cakes. Sweet rolls and sticky buns.
There was not anything she could not knead and bake and all from memory!
She did not need a receipt – she just did it after almost 85 years of her life baking!
She baked as a child learning from her mother who passed at 85 years old.
Mom was next to the youngest of 11 kids and was almost 98 years old when she passed.
She supplied pies and cakes and rolls for a diner in town.
She was so kind and loving – warm and gentle – but she also was a strong women – way before her time – she believed in equal rights and taught me that – she would come up with these sayings that made me laugh – ” You are as useless as a two petered billy goat”
Or she would say ” You are as useless as teats on a boar hog”! She had me in stitches –
she also played the accordion my father the spoons and sang and my uncle jack the wash board.
They would do this at family picnics and if the beer was free – at social events.
When she was young – she traveled with my grandma in the logging camps of Pa.
Making breakfast – lunch and dinner as a way to make money in the depression.
My father passed away in 1969 after a long battle with cancer – leaving mom a widow and my younger brother just entering H.S. After about ten years she met John – and they remarried – both of them.
They were together until he passed away at age 81.
She called him “JOHNNY BOY” and he was so good to her – just what she needed after ten years losing my dad.
He could fix anything and construction was his forte.
His cars and trucks immaculate even though they were ten years old – showroom condition.
He fixed up and remodled the house which she had kept going all those years .
That same house today is still in the family after almost 78 years –
my great niece lives there today.
Mary ( Mom) and John ( her Johnny boy)
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WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY
FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS
MY BLOG SITE: livnglifedoingitmyway.blog
Just another memory of my family gone but not forgotten.
If you are interested in good health and nutrition –
Our grandaughter Taylor with her mother – soon to be a teenager – she has grown up riding horses!
A beautiful young lady to be – she would clean stalls and groom horses every day if she could!
It all began with her – she could barely walk – yet she knew what she wanted and today she rides so gracefully – here her mother helps to steady her on her first ride!
Now she is a regular at the riding stable and volunteers to groom and take care of the horse’s stalls!
Tall in the saddle – little Taylor does not need any help – becoming an accomplished rider.
Her dream is to someday own her own horse – she is so graceful and an easy learner.
LITTLE TAYLOR LEARNS TO RIDE! PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedooingitmyway.blog
Taylor and her MORMOR ( Swede for grandmother) walking hand in hand – PRICELESS!
Main Street and Beach Blvd intersection of North Myrtle Beach – during our nine-month condo stay here – we walked this almost every day – heading for the beach – you can see the stage at the entrance to the beach.
The radio station 94.9 THE SURF is on the left along with HODO’S Beach Club and the Old Arcade on the right.
The parking lot on Friday nights is full of beach chairs and the streets are closed off for concerts on the stage.
Turning around from the intersection is Main Street and you can see Sherry walking up the street.
We were here at the beginning of the Pandemic and this was a ghost town – although the stores were open.
Our favorite nightclub to go to where we finally learned what THE SHAG was!
A dance that came from the Rythem and Blues of the 40s and became a cross-over called Carolina Beach music.
And has become the state dance!
This scene has been ongoing for 80 years!!!!
“ENTER THROUGH THE JUKEBOX DOORS” so goes the advertisement heard on the radio.
This club is full of history – pictures and items from the past 80 years!
The dance is like the STROLL-JITTER BUG – SWING where you never lose contact with your dance partner.
Yearly competitions are held here and every four months SHAG comes to town –
Bands – music- dancing in the streets!
Like the Hollywood Walk of Fame – the sidewalks are full of plaques from all through the years of people and dancers and dates!
The big water tower that overlooks the town has a picture of a couple dancing THE SHAG!
On the beach from the beach entrance – we walked this every day while we lived here!
Sherry walking North Myrtle Beach – one of the widest beaches at low tide I have ever been on!
Exiting the sixth street beach entrance and looking up the street to where we stayed at the back entrance to Ocean Keyes.
Over 700 condos and a huge lake with six water fountains.
Six pools – tennis courts and a workout room.
Loved living there but no garage and no storage space – or else we might have stayed there.
Looking back from sixth street beach parking to the main town of North Myrtle Beach – our old neighborhood.
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PAPA’S WORLD – REVISITED OUR OLD NEIGHBORHOOD – NORTH MYRTLE BEACH! livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
Cousins – Sherry sisters daughter and her family – the JONES – and Debby and two of her daughters – the Myers!
We journeyed to Sunset beach – to catch the sunset – it so happened that the JONES was visiting and the Myers were also here at the same time.
Through the years we have tried to be all together – but families spread out and lives are different – so many things going on in each family.
Grandmothers and granddaughters. On the beach in Myrtle beach – after some shopping at the outlet mall and some dinner all together at Barefoot Landing.
The little ones are growing up so fast – years seem to go by before we meet up.
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PAPA’S WORLD – COUSINS COMING TOGETHER – MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
June 25th, 1982 – Papa – brown suit – Sherry – as tall as me – our wedding day – The tall young girl – Debby – Sherry’s daughter -next to her – with her arms around the little girl – Tammy – Sherry’s youngest daughter.
We combined two sets of children – my two sons and her two daughters – in the early years – not much money but we made it!
Last summer – Papa and my two sons – Troy – with the beard – my oldest and Shawn – my youngest – still lived back in NWPA!
They visited last summer and will be back!
This is me! LOL If only I could putt!
Debby with her family – three girls – and husband Mike – Tammy with her three kids and husband Marcus.
The grandkids are growing up – Maddy graduates from college this spring – Ella will be a junior in college in the fall –
Sarah will be a junior in HS in the fall – Taylor and Cassidy will be in their teens next birthday and Bode will be nine on his next birthday!
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The six grandkids – Maddy – Ella – Sarah – Taylor – Cassidy and Bode – Cassidy always watching over Bode!
MEMORIES OF TIMES GONE BY – GRANDKIDS – and PAPA’S WORLD! livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
Troy – Shawn – Autumn – Andera – Trisha – after a week of good times and fun – will be back! The salt life!
The yellow pollen was everywhere – so happy that we had the back lanai enclosed with EZ-BREEZE – allowing us to keep
it outside and not all over our furniture indoors!
But – the outdoor patio was covered as were the outdoor window screens and the screens to the lanai!
So – out came the water hose – and I moved all the furniture off the patio as well as the rug.
I began to wash everything down – starting with the siding and the screens.
I gently used the shower feature on the hose to rinse off the Tower Garden – and the big chairs which are too heavy to move and are connected.
The chairs are really heavy and connected – hard to move for Sherry and me!
I also gently showered the flowers – which we have grown since last spring and the Solo Stove fire pit!
Now on such a nice day – I would rather be out golfing – but this yellow pollen from all the pine trees is everywhere.
I have even seen it in the ocean!
When done and everything is back in place – glad to have it over with and nice and clean – however – this will have to be done again as the pollen season lasts for a while.
When the wind blows it is like a yellow dust cloud floating in the air.
A good rain will wash a lot of it down onto the ground but it forms a yellow scum on the water in the ponds!
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I am always up before sunrise – I love that part of the day – quiet – good nights sleep –
of course by 8:30 pm. I head for bed – so I get to see every day Sunrise and Sunset!
The sunrise at our family’s home in Leesburg, Va. Early morning hustle of kids getting ready – the youngest Bode is the first off to school – heading out the door at 6:50 AM.
Along with both of his parents to walk him to the bus stop!
Of course, Marley – the Goldendoodle – on her leash – leads the way!
The sky is getting lighter at this time – this was the sunrise before they headed out the door.
Then – after the late afternoon – the sunset out the front door!
The ever-changing skies of NVA – a beautiful wide expanse – in their neighborhood which is country!
Sunsets here are also beautiful – after dinner – kids are in from outside –
The TV is on – the dog sleeping – Taylor is reading –
Family time.
Thanks for reading – PAPA’S WORLD my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog IN LEESBURG, VA. SUNRISE-SUNSETS!
PAPA and BODE – living life to the plus – one day at a time – each day is one more day – thank you for reading!
My day always starts off with humor – smiles and laughter on my social media page – setting the tone for the rest of the day!
A positive outlook on life! I will drink to that! LOL
WHAT is THIS? Why – to protect it from the low temps below freezing – a metallic cover for our Tower Garden – and it does just fine – but to me, it looks like something from “ET” or “STAR WARS”! LOL
A good thought for the day – one to think about – positive vibes!
HHHHHMMMMM – and here I thought it was the JUICE! LOL
Sherry with Cindy and Dottie – friends that make friends laugh – smile and just have good times!
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PAPA’SWORLD – HUMOR – SMILES – and GOOD THOUGHTS! HGD!
Our friends of years and years – bought this lot just outside Edenton, N.C. – at the far end is a canal and access to the bay.
On the far side of the bay – is the Outer Banks. The canal is 800 feet straight back.
Looking across the bay to the Outer Banks – this view is less than a half mile to their lot.
A dream coming true in a little over 1 1/2 years when Dottie retires and construction begins on their dream home.
Right across from their lot sits the number two hole – a par three! I see lots of sitting on the front porch watching the golfers trying to hit the green!
View back up the road to their building lot from the yard at the clubhouse – golfing with a view and boat access to the bay!
Dottie gazing out over the bay to the Outer Banks – her dream coming true – I envision walks here with chairs in the early evening!
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PAPA’S WORLD – BUILDING A DREAM NEAR EDENTON – GOLF COURSE – AND BAY – OUR FRIENDS – THE BROWNS.
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!
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.
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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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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