Graduation and Father's Day

I'm trying to find that cute picture of Chris in his kindergarten graduation hat. It was taken against the privacy fence Glen constructed out of wood that he took from the big old barn he tore down on that Sheridan St. property we  had back in the late fifties. Chris maintained that confidence throughout school and has displayed the steely nerve his dad had, both on the highway in a big semi, or in the air dealing with unstable weather in a responsible manner. He has turned into the kind of father anyone would be proud of. Happy Father's Day, Chris!

This morning I hugged my uncle Jack Anglin. We were reminded that 70 years ago today he was in Germany crossing the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen which had just been captured by his company (the U.S. army's 9th Armored Division). It was the last of 22 road and rail bridges over the Rhine River still standing after German defenders failed to demolish it. This was Germany's last major natural barrier and line of defense, and caused Eisenhower to alter his plans to end the war; which likely shortened the war in Europe. We are so fortunate that Uncle Jack  got over that bridge safely and is with us now. The Allies were able to get six divisions across the bridge before it collapsed on March 17th, 1945, ten days after it was captured. The collapse killed 18 US Engineers.

This past Presidents day week reminded me of the Presidential History trips we took in the 1990s.
when we started we were just interested in giving our grandson Nick Johnston a little more history than he might get in school.We had a small motor home,Nick was just the right age and Glen loved to travel.
Virginia was a place we had vacationed before and we knew it had 8 presidential sites.Ohio also has 8 so we decided to visit all of them with Nick, It didn't hurt that all the motels we stayed in had pools. I am trying to research my files to match times to places. This might take a while. There were also trips to Independence Mo. and Abilene Ks.  Stay tuned.

Valentine/President's Day Historical Facts

My Favorite Presidential Courtship Stories
The presidents courtships were as interesting and varied as the population at large. Most of them were conducted long before the prospect of their presidencies could be entertained as serious thought.

George Washington fell in love with his neighbor's new wife .She was beautiful and sophisticated. He was young and unsophisticated. Even though she helped him polish his image and may have taught him to dance (he loved to dance), he was too honorable to try anything else.

One day while he  was walking toward Williamsburg on business, a friend invited him to dinner and there he met the widow Custus. She was petite and pretty and had two small children. George loved children. He may have realized then or later that the lady had a large fortune and needed help. George always tried to help.

John Adams exchanged "Love " letters with Abigail Smith in his college years. The most improper they got was when Abigail wrote requesting a list of what John would change about her. He wrote back that she should stop crossing her legs (covered with voluminous long skirts) because it was thought to be an unhealthy habit. She shot back that he should not be thinking about her legs.

They wrote over a thousand letters to each other most of which are on line at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

A gangely, up and coming, Illinios lawyer named Lincoln  was persuaded to go to a dance where the bell of the ball was Mary Todd. He had little knowledge of the wiles of ambitious women and was surprised when she seemed interested in him. Did she see something that others did not? Or was she like some of the teens of today, trying to shock their family.She was South. He was North.Anyway she took him on as a project. After they were engaged he had second thoughts and bolted twice. Had she truly seen into the future with its tragic presidential end, perhaps she would have let him go.

 Lets start on a positive note. One of the small but so telling things I love about my daughter-in-law is that although she does not really like sweet potatoes she mashes and spreads them on taco start ups before the vegies beans and meat and cheese. While keeping everything in place this punches up the nutrition  and makes for a great meal. We are so lucky to have her in our lives!!! Happy Birthday, Sunday, Jen!!!!
   Zoomba has replaced ball-room dancing now that I have a fantastic area in which to practice.
My Zoomba instructor has picked me as one of her demo dancers to drum up interest for the Y,ect. This shows sedentary folks that you do not have to be young and in great shape to do Zoomba.  Zoomba is pro
mental and physical acuity. Everyone should try.
I have a line on some Long family facts that I will be reporting here as soon as Carol Long Ellis touches base with her cousin Norma who should be able to shed some light on some situations.
It is time to go to the Library, take back my over-due book and see their new carpeting.

It is supposed to be a beautiful day today so I am rushing to get this out early.
According to my grandmother Grace Anglin we have not had "Indian Summer" yet and
it will not happen today because we have not had "Squaw Winter" yet. These are her words
coming out of her era and not suitable for this era of political correctness. I am sure that is why
the Chicago Trib. discontinued their annual front page depiction of the old man telling his
grandson the traditional settlers version of this event.
My father Don "Wop" Anglin subscribed to the Sunday Chicago Tribune and we always looked
forward to the October edition that had this well illustrated story on the front page.
Grandma Grace Anglin  maintained that we need to see a few snow flakes before we can experience
true "Indian Summer" Some people think that you only need a frost. Read the story -I think you will
know it when it comes. Go ahead and click the link below.


Dad's Injun Summer

Here it is the fifteenth of may already and I am not writing in my blog at least weekly as I thought.
Sunday was a good Mother's day (May 13, 2012). I drove to Ft. Wayne and went plant shopping with Grace.
I bought Scented Geraniums and other hard to find herb plants. Then we went to Panera  for lunch. We stopped at the Co-op so I could replenish low sugar dried cranberries. I got to sing "Sweet Rosie O'Grady to the kids the way Glen used to sing it.They were polite enough to laugh. Words are " Sweet Rosie O Grady : She was a blacksmith by birth. She got tired of living on this grand old earth. So she swallowed a tapeline, went out and died by the yard. That was the end of miss Grady who took this life so hard.
Last week Kerry and I took dad's Koscuisko County Fair picture up to the Courthouse to the curator there. He will restore the frame and hang it  where the public can see what the fair used to be like.
We need rain- hope it rains tonight.
I am soo looking forward to dancing in the park this summer if that ol 'coot I dance with doesn't fall off a building or something before that. Wish me luck!