June 25th. 1982- on our wedding day.

Our life together started with two sets of children.

This was the second marriage for both of us.

Sherry had two young daughters –

Debby – the oldest – is 7 or 8 years old.

And Tammy is 4 years old.

My two boys were Troy – the oldest – 14 or 15 years old –

And the youngest – Shawn – is 9 or 10 years old.

The boys stayed with their mother while the girls stayed with Sherry.

We lived way up at the end of the East Windfall Road.

About ten miles to the school and just over the hill from Olean, N.Y.

But we were in the far corner of the Portville school district.

The driveway was 1/10th of a mile long.

Good for sled riding in the winter –

But the rest of the time, I had to mow it up and down both sides.

That first year was with a gas push mower, and then we bought a ride mower.

All told, over an acre of lawn to mow, up and down, and part on a side hill.

That first year- it would take me three days – rest one day –

And start over again.

Way up back – we had a fire pit.

There were only two neighbors –

One we could see across the valley and hill-

And one at the very end of the driveway.

There was another family up the hill out of sight-

They had a couple of children who were friends of the girls.

Other than that, country living.

Any events or church –

Was at least a ten-mile drive.

The girls became involved in sports, and I would pick up the boys every other weekend.

Which was a 18 mile drive one way.

Money was scarce-

So we planned day outings to parks – state parks –

Packing food –

Looking back, we did not seem to care that we had no money –

We made the best of everything!

We were busy with work, the kids, church, and the church youth group.

All four were in the youth group.

We took camping trips with the youth group.

A canoe trip down the Alleghany River –

The boys went, but the girls did not go.

Church became a big part of our lives.

Many activities for us as a family since the divorce-

We had each other, and to this day-

We still have church in our lives and each other.

We lived out in the country for about five years.

But – we yearned to get closer to the church and the school and to my sons.

We found a house in Pleasant Acres Drive just three miles from the school.

We were still in the Portville school district.

We were also about three miles from the church.

My oldest son had graduated from high school.

But we still did things as a family with my youngest son.

Here is where we met our decades-old friends –

The McBrides – Buck and Cindy!

Cindy, Buck, Sherry, and Papa.

We were neighbors until mid 90s, they moved to the Wilmington, N.C. area.

We stayed in touch –

We visited them in N.C. several times.

Then we started touring the country with them.

Eventually out of the country.

During these times and after –

We transferred to NVA!

The kids had all graduated and from college.

We were empty nesters.

Within two years –

Both girls had followed us to NVA.

The boys stayed in NWPA.

Debby had married, and they had Maddy –

Less than a year old.

They all stayed with us until they found their own homes.

We still visited Buck and Cindy and were still friends with Dottie and Jim

Both from Eldred and I had known them before Sherry.

To the left- Debbie, a friend of Jim and Dottie.

Then Cindy and Sherry- Buck and Papa.

Cindy and Buck knew Jim and Dottie before us.

But I grew up with Jim and Dottie in Eldred, Pa.

Jim and Dottie met Debbie after they moved to Va. Beach area.

Sherry – Jim and I all worked for American Olean Tile-Dal Tile.

We are all still to this day –

Get together at one anothers homes.

Jim and Dottie have since retired and moved to the northeastern coast of N.C.

FRIENDSHIPS that have lasted for decades.

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Here’s to you!!!

FORTY FOUR YEARS LATER!

Our road is well-traveled.

We have since bought, sold, and built houses.

We now live in SENC-

Ocean Isle Beach – Cameron Woods Community.

Close to the border of S.C.

WE ARE 38 miles from Buck and Cindy-

Time goes on.

Thank you for reading –

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