Being married for 41 plus years and together for 43 years – you have to have a sense of humor –
which both of us have! LOL!!!!!
We dated for over a year before the engagement led to the wedding on 6-25-1982!
We had no money – both divorced – her two daughters – me two sons – who stayed with their mother.
A lot of road traveling in the early years to share custody both ways.
Our wedding day was on June 25, 1982.
We lived way out in the country – farmland all around us – very private – about two acres of grass to mow and the driveway was 1/10 of a mile long – that had to be mowed 8 feet on either side by hand that first Summer!
Debby – Sherry’s eldest – and Sherry’s father – Bill – first granddaughter of his to be married!
Today Debby has three daughters – Maddy – 23 – Ella – 20 and Sarah 17 –
Mike and Debby have been married for 28 years –
Her father Bill was like a second father to me as I lost my own father when I was 19.
Here we are with five granddaughters – taken before the only grandson – Bode.
Sarah – Maddy – Ella – Cassidy and Taylor – before they could walk.
Today Bode and his mother Tammy – Bode is nine years old.
Sherry with Tammy and Debby and Maddy’s boyfriend – Kendrick and all the grandkids.
Sherry with my sons and their partners and daughter – family!
PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
BODE – CASSIDY – TAYLOR – SARAH – ELLA and Maddy – LIFE WITH SHERRY!
PAPA and SHERRY – LIFE WITH SHERRY – living our dreams since 6-25-1982 – PAPA’S WORLD!
I have always been a history buff – ancient history – but also family history.
My sister and brother were fifteen and ten years older than me.
So when I came along I had missed the family fishing trips to Canada each year.
And my sister became the family photo taker and camera buff.
All the family history was passed down to my sister’s daughter and then suddenly she passed away.
Unknown to me – a friend of their family cleaned out everything and threw it away.
Everything was gone except the few pictures I had and my brother had.
I decided that what happened there would not happen for me and my family.
So – by being encouraged by my wife Sherry – we set up this blog – where all the family history and pictures can be in one place for all to see and read.
Sherry and Papa ( Tom)
She has encouraged me to write it down along with pictures for future generations to look back on.
Our family before Bode
I have two sons from a previous marriage – Troy and Shawn who still live back in NWPA.
Shawn runs an energy company contracting out to the state and large power companies.
Running state audits and working through state grants to insulate senior citizens’ homes from the harsh winters.
He covers the entire western part of Pa.
Troy – built homes from the ground up – anything you wanted he could do.
After years of doing this ( he was in high demand) Shawn talked him into coming to work for him –
His business has grown to almost seven days a week.
Troy runs the insulation and energy side while Shawn concentrates on the Audit side.
Troy is learning that side and taking tests and courses to also step in and help.
I am very proud of both these boys and trying to talk them into taking a break and coming down for a visit.
Shawn and Trisha ( our daughter-in-law)
Winterizing homes in Eastern USA for the elderly has become big business – conserving energy
on the power grid for major corporations in order to provide heat and electricity –
He has tapped into a business that for him is seven days a week.
He constantly is looking to hire people and train as auditors.
Troy started working for him a couple years ago.
If anyone is looking for a career out there – contact me – fitztdf@aol.com and I will put you in contact with him – he travels the whole western part of Pa. North to South.
Shawn ( young one ) and Troy – my sons back in NWPA!
For them I write – post pictures and give them memories that I still have in my head.
Ryan – our oldest grandson
Ryan lives in Tenn. and we have stayed in touch with him – he manages a hotel
and recently opened a bar – restaurant business with two other partners.
We attended his wedding a few years ago in Nashville, Tenn.
He has visited us once a few years ago – he served his country
and is like his father(Shawn) making his own way in the business world.
Dylan Shawns youngest son
He just spent four years in the service and is now out – living with his mother or in that area.
He reminds me so much of Shawn.
While we do not often get to see either one – both are in our memories and hearts.
Hoping they can come and stay with us in the future.
Bode – the youngest grandchild from Tammy – is the only boy with five granddaughters.
He is all boy – cars – trucks – bikes – and always without shoes and socks – even in winter! LOL
Bode’s parents and sisters and their puppy Marley.
Debby and Mike and their three daughters – Ella – Sarah and Maddy
This is my “WHY” for writing this blog – my memories put forth in words and pictures for all these grandkids and our children to read in the future.
Life in pictures in words – memories – past – present and future to come.
I want to thank my wife who is the driving force behind this blog.
SMILES – LAUGHTER – PEACE – HARMONY and POSITIVE THOUGHTS!
That is WHAT PAPA’S WORLD is all about.
THANKS FOR READING and being member of PAPA’S WORLD: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
The sunrise on Sherry’s birthday – 7-5 looking like a wonderful day.
Before we celebrated I said ” YOU READ ME THE DIRECTIONS” and I will follow – three hours later we were done!We decided to go to Sharky’s just off the causeway bridge to Ocean Isle Beach with views of the little harbor and ICW!This is just outside of Sharky’s – sheriffs dock and ramp. Sherry did not know NO TRESS-PASSING until I spotted it!
Before we ordered a little selfie.
The wait was not long and the view was boats coming and going – refueling or picking up to go dinners!
This is what she wanted for her birthday dinner – fish tacos!
It was a very good day – from unpacking to putting the first of two desks together for our home office
We had stopped here over the weekend – as we have driven by it hundreds of times!
Two entrances and finally I just turned in and followed the road for about a mile.
And then we were there – EAGLES NEST GOLF COURSE!
What we found out later – was this is the longest course in S.C.
and maybe the longest I have EVER played!
The back tee box – if you play that – the course is over 8200 yards long!
And full of beautiful scenes such as these!
There are many marsh areas such as this – did not see any snakes or gators!
It was more like this most holes!
We were teamed up with a father & son.
We introduced ourselves – we had not planned on playing with anyone.
But – after the first hole awkwardness
It turned into a fun day!
A view down the fairway!
I had watched my wife and how she was hitting.
I noted that she was doing everything right except two things!
I told her to tee her ball up a little back in her stance –
and to always tee it up the same height.
She was coming over the top on her ball – still hitting it good but not as far as she has.
This green – she hit the cart path – this hole for her was 299 yards – after I adjusted her stance and tee height – she ripped one down the right side and it hit the cart path and followed it toward the green – we searched and searched where we thought it had gone – the two guys we were with found it! It was laying just off the green on this side along the cart path. It had gone 299 yards!
And – I might add – she beat me by FIVE STROKES on the front nine!
So much for me showing her what to do! LOL!
After I showed her the adjustment – with her ladies tee – she was out driving the rest of us!
And she continued her good play – she also beat me the second nine!
Just a word to our friends – Cindy and Buck – the ladies have to give us strokes from now on! LOL
They are just too darn good!
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WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY
FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS!
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Before I showed her a new stance – moving the ball back and then letting her swing take it!
I did not get a picture after – I was too busy trying to keep up with her shots! LOL
Our volleyball team after I quit playing softball – Back row – next to me – Steve and in front of him next to Sherry – Elaine. This couple are some of our oldest friends – and we still stay in touch today.
We are blessed in that we have so many dear friends.
Some – for me – go back to childhood.
Sherry – Papa – PJ – and Bob!
We have been friends since first grade – Bob and I.
We played sports together – stayed at one anothers homes.
Ran the streets after dark – drank a few beers together
and still – to this day – meet up and share old memories.
They will stop in on their way back home to N.H. in May.
HUGS TO P.J. and Bob.
Fred and Lynda – Sherry!
Freddie and I go back to 7th. grade
Playing sports together – card games – there were four of us that paled around
Freddie – Bobby and Jon ( deceased)
Lynda and Fred are the oldest couple still together as our friends.
Sherry – Buck – Cindy and Papa.
We have traveled the World together –
Spain – Gibraltar – Morocco – Canada – and numerous states on the East coast and the West coast
and in between.
Always planning new adventures.
Friends as neighbors since 1987!
Papa Jim Sherry Dottie – they have been married 40 years – and I knew them both before that – Jimmy and I played softball together for two teams in the late ’70’s!
Jim – Dottie and I all grew up in the same town in Pa. called Eldred.
Jim -Sherry and I all worked together in Olean N.Y.
It has been a long and rewarding friendship all these years.
When all the kids were young – we would vacation together at the beach.
Carol and Mike John, neighbors for 12 1/2 years in WNY!
We were neighbors and they were Buck and Cindy’s friends.
We lived beside them for 12 1/2 years
We would race our ride mowers up and down the street! LOL
We would play jokes on each other.
It was a great time in our lives and the McBrides and us left the hood
shortly after they left and moved South.
The John’s own a painting corp that travels the USA
painting various structures and energy companies pipe lines.
We will spend a long weekend with them at the lake house in WNY!
The Browns and McBrides also.
Jo Paul Peterson and Sherry
Jo graduated one year behind me
Paul graduated with Sherry from Smethport.
We got to know one another through reunions
and have traveled to their home in Phoenix and them to ours before the pandemic.
We have maintained that friendship for the last ten years or so.
Here we are at the WALL in DC.
Reflections of the soul I call this.
Gerhard and Jennie – our son in laws parents
For the last 14 years or more – we have bonded with his parents.
Always visiting them when we lived in NVA.
They have come down to visit us in North Myrtle Beach.
In laws and friends – FAMILY!
Our little group get together to golf.
There are times we try to bring us all together to golf.
Wish it would happen more often.
But when it does – it is fun and guys vs. gals!
If we are not on our game – they will beat us! LOL
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WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY
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Sherry’s FAMILY & FRIENDS of Juice Plus. Her network marketing business – http://www.sf.juiceplus.com SSC QMND
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It is with in mind – I record our lives one day at a time –
hence my blog: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
In a little over one year – thanks to my wife Sherry –
I now have a following of 362 plus followers!
Of which I only know four of them!
The rest are from all over the USA and the WORLD!
Screen shot on a normal day – I never though this would happen – but I guess projecting good thoughts – happy family life and adventures of two 70 plus year old’s must appeal to people!
Sherry and Papa – (Tom) living our life one day at a time. Each day I am alive is a blessing! I do not take it for granted.
Sherry is the driving force behind my blog –
” YOU HAVE TO WRITE AND PUT IT SOMEWHERE – A PLACE WE CAN FIND – WHEN YOU ARE GONE”
That is the reality and I am okay with it!
I write for family – I write to record for future generations so they know who I was!
Each day I open the site – answer the comments and push on!
I include lots of pictures – they all tell a story.
Each day I start out not knowing what I will write about
I see a picture I have taken – a event we did – or where a day has taken us.
Then – I start – so far I have scheduled a month ahead in stories –
That way – is we are going someplace – all I have to do is share it to face book!
On here – it is automatically scheduled!
My hope and desire is to bring inner peace to those that read this – and to see – when adversity hits home – when death knocks on your door – there is a life beyond and each day is a blessing – one that had it gone the other way – well – I am happy it didn’t – and that is going to be my legacy – living life doing it my way – blog!
This is so true I remember my mother buying me what was then called “Blue Jeans” They were so baggy and the “IN” style then was skin tight black or red socks and high top black and white tennis sneakers!
So – I signed up for my site
and began writing short daily happenings
I called them ” JUST ANOTHER DAY IN MY LIFE”
And numbered them from the day I started in sequence!
This is true in our oldest daughters house open a cupboard and there are all these containers with no lids!
I started to accumulate “Friends” outside my old friends.
And they were from all over the Country
and some from the World!
Most I did not know personally
But through our “Home Business”
I was too much for some people but I wrote about my life and the lives of my loved ones and the lives of my closest and dearest friends.
I determined that from reading the daily paper
and watching the news
That I would bring POSITIVE – FUNNY
and GOOD thoughts to my site.
There fore I very seldom do anything Political.
I keep it pretty much as I stated
Which is getting hard to do with
everything going on.
I so believe this and hope one day that we all can be nice to each other
Then – my wife found a site that will publish
your face book writings for certain time periods
and publish them in a book form.
My one desire is to write a book on memories I have.
She choose a six month period and had it printed
It is so cool – with my picture on the front –
However – I had written so much –
That if I had them all printed –
there would be TEN full books!
I most likely in my younger years could of truthfully stated this! LOL
And she said this would be too expensive
You need to write and put it down
where we can all read it!
So , I did , eight years ago –
I started a blog – I wrote a lot but then for some reason
I quit and believe it or not – I LOST IT somewhere
IN THE CLOUD!
I could not find it again and had never written down the site!
All those things were gone but she told me she had met a friend through networking named Belinda who could get me started again on a new site and a new blog! A BIG HUG TO BELINDA
So – we met – and she was talking me through the startup!
When lo and behold – we found one of the two old sites!
Yes – I had two sites and we stumbled over one of them.
It had 4 blogs and I was on my way!
That was last April – and today –
I have written over 200 blogs
and have accumulated 180 FOLLOWERS!
From all over the WORLD!
I have finally found my passion writing – family – friends and sharing my life
The main thing is –
When I am gone – my memories will linger on.
I have no one left that I grew up with as family
except two niece’s – three great niece – and great – great niece and nephews.
My two sons – but the rest are gone.
No one remembers that life of or came before!
Today I am the eldest the one whom they call when they want to know about family Today I am all that is left to remember to put it all down
So – I write – everyday – I put down thoughts
I put down memories
I put down current events and family
THIS IS MY BOOK !
Sherry and Tom 2019 70 years old
I have lived a good life – ups and downs –
Almost gone
but still here.
I record trying to stay true to my beliefs
FAMILY- CHURCH- GOD – FRIENDS – COUNTRY
” DO THE RIGHT THING”
” DO ALL THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT – AND THE BIG THINGS –
WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES”
That is how I have lived my life.
Yep – this would be me!
I leave you with a quote –
“It’s not for me to question why? But for me to do or die”
When you get married – I think you both need to think about this!
I 