It only seemed like it was yesterday –

Taylor and little Cassidy –

Carrying her umbrella!

Both had their name tags on –

and they were on their way to the school bus!

Cassidy and her cowgirl boots!

Taylor with her shy look-

and she still does that today!

Now they are 14 years old –

and in the eighth grade –

And little Cassidy is catching up to Taylor –

who is 5’8″ tall!

Takes after their MORMOR –

who is 5’10” –

Cassidy cheerleads –

and Taylor rides horses.

Cassidy does gymnastics –

and Taylor works in a horse barn.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME!

Here are two of my oldest buddies –

Buck – on the left –

we were neighbors in WNY –

many memorable times –

Buck and I took his wife Cindy –

and Sherry golfing!

They had never golfed before –

and made fun of us for cleaning the balls!

They wore mittens –

a lot of fun times

and since then –

we have traveled the world on vacations with them.

They moved to N.C. –

and when we moved to OIB –

we ended up 38 miles from them!

In the middle is Jimmy –

who also grew up in the same town as I did –

in NWPA – ELDRED!

We played softball together all those years ago.

He worked for the same company as did Sherry and I.

After we transferred to NVA –

He transferred to Va. Beach –

with the same company as we did!

Now – we are all retired –

and he and Dottie –

also moved to N.C. –

although 3 1/2 hours away.

We all still get together 2 or 3 times a year.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME!

A look at the KINZUA VIA DUCT RAILROAD BRIDGE –

just outside Mount Jewett, Pa. –

Where Sherry was raised.

Today it is a state park –

once when it was built –

was the tallest RR Bridge in the nation!

Today it stands as you see above –

It was almost destroyed by a Tornado –

Now it is a state park –

and you can walk out to the end –

A thick glass floor allows you to look down to the valley floor –

over 300 feet.

The other half of the bridge lays where it crumpled down-

as a testament to the construction back in the 1800’s!

Sherry’s father used to ride his snowmobile across it –

after the trains stopped using it!

This is the Allegheny National Forest-

and the Kinzua Valley –

An Indian name –

and the Seneca Reservation are about twenty miles away!

Today – hunting for bears turkey and deer.

A segment of FINDING BIGFOOT was filmed here!

Also, wild Elk herds are nearby –

And the town of Mount Jewett –

Has a Swedish yearly festival.

This whole town was settled-

and built by Swedish immigrants!

Mount Nebo Cemetary-

and the church still stands –

built in the 1880s by the men of Sweden.

Sherry has many relatives in that cemetery-

along with her mother and father.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME!

Second from the left – MY FATHER – Clarence Russel Fitzsimmons –

Known as BOB or FITZ.

A member of the school board –

and the town council.

Part owner of the Western Auto store –

and A supervisor for the South Penn oil company in NWPA!

An avid golfer and bowler.

Coach of the Eldred Town Team baseball.

He graduated from High School-

as a Sophomore-

But his father –

a teacher and superintendent –

Kept him in school for two more years –

as there was nothing he could do being so young!

He was a “DOWNHOMER” –

A term given to people –

who was from the Brookville and Corsica area in PA.

He met my mother –

who also was from that area-

and they married.

She was an Aiken –

IRISH CATHOLIC –

My dad was an IRISH PROTESTANT –

His mother was a Kennedy.

Made for many dynamic interchanges at the family dinner table.

But – although he was six feet tall –

and her a little over 5 feet-

She ruled the roost.

He passed away at 59 –

when I was but 19 from cancer.

Gone but not forgotten in my mind.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME!

Papa and Sherry on the ICW in Little River – Vareen Gardens – S.C.

Thank you for reading my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

It is but a little look back in time of our family –

friends, and places we hold dear in our hearts!

PAPA” ‘S WORLD – A LOOK BACK IN TIME!