OCT. 7TH

 So, I'm practically 85 yrs old.  That makes me born in 1940 before the big war #2.   My parents were born in 1910 - both.  Mom near Kaw City, Oklahoma (now under the Kaw lake) and my father in Temple, Okla.  I suppose both had good young lives.  They never said.  I never asked.  After they were gone, I inherited a big box which included stuff from their senior years in high school - that would have been 1928.   

Apparently, in them thar days, seniors created a scrapbook of their senior year - these were pre-printed scrapbooks to be completed.  Not surprising, my mother did hers beautifully.  What is surprising is that my father completed his too.  I enjoyed reading through them and would never discard.  That makes them nearly 100 years old.  I fear that none of my children, much less my grandchildren,  will be interested in them; and, eventually, they will be discarded in the trash.  A shame really....

My mom's father was the local barber.  How good?  Back in those days, I think they used a bowl to trim hair.  Shaving was extra.  Who knows if he dealt in leaches.  He had an old, used barber chair in his backyard that we could play on.  You could get real dizzy twirling around and around (with help) on the chair.  It's a wonder we never were maimed.   

My father's father worked for the city of Temple, Oklahoma.  I understand he invented something that went into their water system that made everything better.  Water system in the early 1900s - that's a think-it-through.  Anyway, as a reward he received free water for the rest of his life - which was fairly long.  They lived out in the country most of the time by the creek which fed water into Temple.  He ran the equipment.   [I use to think this was spelled  "equiptment" until a fellow teacher in Sudan, TX corrected me one time - forever greatful / grateful / grrrreeeatfully   I  wuz/am. ]

I might mention that my grandfather had a taste for the beer.  He made his own forever and drank it with gusto.  Yes, that would have taken him through the prohibition era.  I have no real proof that he ever sold it...rumors abound.   At least 2 of my uncles on that side enjoyed way too much alcohol.  Always figured it was an inherited trait.  My own father never touched the stuff.  I find that interesting.  Even when my mom would bring some into the house - or - we were visiting other relatives, he never messed with it.  I saw too many drunks in my day. I was always afraid to even taste the booze.  You never crave what you never have had.

More on this subject later.  Today is my father's birthday.  He would have been 115 years old - I think.  He was known to my grandchildren as  Mr. Grandpop.  We were trying to decide on a grandfatherly name back in 1962; &, he proclaimed,  "Mr."  So it was with all of his future grands.  

I ended up being a  "Papa."  The Mister never seemed to work for me.

and to conclude this one-sided conversation conclusively  -- 

Today I ordered my 2026 calendars from Calendars.com.  They have a 30% discount today with the Code  THISISBIG.  I do like to order the calendars early; then, it is over.  Ready for next year.  Not that you asked:   I get a dachshund engagement calendar for the kitchen cabinet - really helps me remember not to forget what I seem to not be able to remember.  Then I get one of those daily, tear-off dachshund calendars.  365 different doxies to smile at.  We use to get an Owl calendar for my wife.  But, things are different now, and owls have slipped back into silence.   I have added a Basset wall calendar for my live-in daughter.  I believe it makes things a bit better around here.   30% off - not a bad deal.

Love ya, later

m