Memories – Page 12 – The Dackel Princess

Sun Burns

Saturday began with light snow. So much for the weather forecasters being right around here! As the morning wore on the snow stopped, so I grabbed my purse and out the door I went to get our mail. I called my mom and talked with her while I drove over and back.

My oldest girlfriend called and she needed my shoulder. We talked for over and hour and I hope I helped her just a little.

While we talked I was looking through old pictures taken long ago, when I got that really terrible sunburn. I’m pretty much convinced that burn is what has caused my current Squamous Cell skin cancer.

I was 13, and did not understand what the sun could do to skin. Looking back I can remember the pain I felt from that burn.

This is me with my brother in-law, Ron. He had a nice normal tan, while I was definitely overcooked!

burn 2

Here I am with the little boy I babysat for. You can see the blisters on my face. Raymond had nice normal skin.

burn 1

I had blisters all over my face. They eventually broke and my face was a mess for a while.

The point of this story is: Don’t lie out or do anything in the sun without a good hat and lots of sunscreen!

In fact I plan to buy stock in a couple of sunscreen companies! Talking to people I realized how common sun induced skin cancers are!

Scary!

Now the search is on for a good sun hat for this summer. I’d also love to buy one of those swim tops that has a built in sun shield.

My Grandma Honey

I was thinking about all the people that I have crossed paths with over the years. Some people, like my grandparents and Aunt and Uncle, were very special. They taught me so much, and made me feel loved and cared about.

When you’re young, you take for granted that people will always be there. Then sadly, one day you wake up and they are gone.

My Grandma Honey was sort of the one who held the family together. She insisted we all gather at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and the 4th of July.

And we all came. Not because we HAD to, but because we wanted to!

Grandma Honey, whose real name was Mary Frances Daniel Prussman, was just a plain nice woman. She loved us all, and although she didn’t say it very ofter, she showed us in so many ways.

Tea time was one of those ways. We all got linen napkins, china tea cups, and usually a few cookies. On a special day, Grandma would a make treat. Cookies, brownies, or lemon squares.

I don’t recall her wearing pants until she was well into her sixties, and then she wore dress up pant suits. The pant suits were a modesty thing. At 65 she had trouble crossing her legs, so it was pant suits to the rescue.

The loved long haired cats, and Boxers, but in later years she opted for mixed mutts. Teddy was a cockapooh, and he was the bane of Papa’s existence! Teddy had terrible allergies and just scratched and scratched and scratched. But since Mary wanted it, he put up with it!

Grandma kept a tight control over her money. Back then telephone calls were very expensive. Grandma kept a 3 minute egg timer next to the phone. She told me once that if you couldn’t say it in 3 minutes then you should write a letter! She did that too.

When I was really young, I would run through the woods to her house and stay there to escape from things at home. Later, I was lucky to live with her and Papa.

She loved to hear me sing, and we loved to sit with our heads together talking. I remember one time I visited her after I got married and we were having tea and talking. She was smiling broadly and I asked what she was smiling about?

“I have missed you talking, and telling me all about your days.” I didn’t realize, but I had missed her too.

It’s been 28 years since she died, and I still miss her, but I like to think of her waiting for me, having a few cookies and sipping her tea.

Remembering September 11, 2001

I think we all can tell you where we were, and what we were doing on that fateful day, ten years ago.

September 11, 2001

It was a beautiful day here in New Hampshire. Sunny, bright, clear with blue skies. I was taking a shower getting ready for a dental appointment, while Hubby was working on shingling the house. It was a day like any other here.
Hubby had the TV in our bedroom pointed out the window so he could listen to the morning news.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm and Hubby told me I had to get out of the shower now, something was happening. I was a little dazed and confused. I shut the water in the shower off and grabbed my towel.

Hubby and I sat in our family room watching Fox News, ABC, and CNN. A plane had hit one of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in downtown New York City.

While we watched, suddenly another plane came in and hit the other Tower!
We were both in shock. We listened to reports. No one was saying terrorism, not at first. But both Hubby and I knew.

I look at this picture, and I know that none of those innocent people got out alive. That thought brings me to tears each time.

We watched the Tower’s come down, one and then the other. We knew people had died. We just didn’t know how many.

At 12:30 I drove to my dental appointment. There was not another car on the road. Not one. I got to my dental appointment and found that I was the only patient that hadn’t cancelled that day.

When I got home we watched the TV all day. I called my family and my close friends. Just to hear their voices.

It doesn’t matter your political affiliations, or how you feel about the war. What matters is on September 11, 2001 innocent people died in New York City, In Washington, DC and in Shanksville, PA.

People like you and like me. Just because they were Americans.
That was the day I learned that we are no longer safe here at home.

I also learned that when our country is attacked in such a manner, we pull together and unify.

God Bless all who lost their lives that day, to their families, who will never be the same, and all who serve this country each and every day to protect and defend us.

September 11, 2001: Basic Facts

Chronology
8:46 AM Plane crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 AM Plane crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center.
9:17 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shuts down all New York City area airports.
9:21 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halts all flights at U.S. airports. It is the first
time in history that air traffic has been halted nationwide.
9:38 AM Plane crashes into the Pentagon. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45 AM The White House evacuates.
10:05 AM The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:10 AM A portion of the Pentagon collapses.
10:10 AM Plane crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
10:22 AM The State and Justice Departments, as well as the World Bank are evacuated.
10:28 AM The World Trade Center’s north tower collapses.
10:45 AM All federal office buildings in Washington, D.C. are evacuated.
1:44 PM Five warships and two aircraft carriers are ordered to leave the U.S. Naval Station
in Norfolk, Virginia to protect the East Coast.
4:10 PM Building 7 of the World Trade Center collapses.

The Flights
American Airlines Flight 11
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 92 people on board
Crashed into North Tower of World Trade Center at 8:46 AM

United Airlines Flight 175
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 65 people on board
Crashed into South Tower of World Trade Center at 9:03 AM

American Airlines Flight 77
From: Washington, D.C. (Dulles Airport)
To: Los Angeles, CA
Lives: 64 people on board
Crashed into the Pentagon at 9:38 AM

United Airlines Flight 93
From: Newark, New Jersey
To: San Francisco, California
Lives: 44 people on board
Crashed into rural Pennsylvania (southeast of Pittsburgh)

Victims
Victims came from more than 90 countries around the world.
The following are the number of people who died at each site:

World Trade Center 2,823 (includes airline passengers)
Pentagon 125 (not including plane victims)
Flight 11 – 92 people on board
Flight 175 – 64 people on board
Flight 77 – 64 people on board
Flight 93 – 44 people on board

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m, the times the Towers were hit. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.

Fact Sheet
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
August 15, 2002

The Annual Greek Festival

Today is the Annual Greek Festival here in my part of New Hampshire. Although I am not Greek myself, I go every year to help out my neighbor, who runs the goodie table. It’s a long line of every sort of pastry and bar imaginable. I usually am in charge of the Fig, Lemon, raspberry and date bars. I scoop them up and serve them into boxes for the customers.

I guess I have been going to these for the last 6 or 7 years now as a worker. I love it! You see the same people from the community each year, and it’s the sort of festival that reminds me of what much of the country has lost. That small town, good old fashioned festival of food, crafts, and fellowship.

When I was growing up on Cape Cod, my church sponsored the Strawberry Festival. Because we were on Cape Cod, and the festival was held at the end of June, the booths with food would have finger sandwiches of Lobster! Every year we would go and get our Lobster Roll, and Strawberry Shortcake. I always knew most of the people attending, and many years I actually worked the festival.

I guess that’s why I value the Greek Festival so much. It reminds me of home, family and community!

So Long, Dick Clark

Yesterday, Dick Clark passed away. To millions of Americans he was the man who brought us musical acts each week. Dick Clark made us all feel alive and happy and full of fun! I remember watching his show and learning all the new dances.

A few years back, Barry Manilow wrote a song about Dick Clark and American Bandstand. It brought back so many memories of my youth I promptly memorized every word.

So, so long Dick Clark. May you rest in peace, and may the Angels sing when you enter through the pearly gates!

Happy Anniversary

Today, 24 years ago, Hubby and I become man and wife.Where has the time gone? Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!

What To Do…What To Do?

About a year from now, on April 9th, Hubby and I will celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. It really is quite an accomplishment. Many people think that marriage is easy. It’s not. Many days it was down right difficult, but the one thing that never stopped, was the friendship, the love between us.

It’s funny how things worked out for Hubby and me. Hubby was my best friend for a long time. Long before we ever dated or fell in love. He made me smile and he made me laugh. I’ve known him since our daughter’s were 4 and 5 years old, and became playmates. Friends.

I think it’s important to be good friends first, because at the end of the day, in good times and bad, you need to know that you are friends and can rely on each other.

In the early years of our marriage, things were tough, but we handled it by deciding on a coarse of action. Hubby had his pilot’s license, so we would look at each other during those days and say, “There’s always Alaska!”. And we knew there was. Together it wouldn’t matter. We could get through anything. Even Alaska!

I have been thinking about what Hubby and I can do for our 25th Anniversary. Our family is very small, so a party seemed silly. I was thinking more along the lines of a trip. A romantic, relaxing trip, next April, someplace warm for Hubby and me.

Any ideas?

Imagination

When I was a little girl, my parent’s didn’t have a lot of money. Although I do not recall truly being without, I do know that my imagination was able to grow and expand in ways it might not have, if my parents had given me everything I wanted.

I loved my Barbie dolls, and I actually had a few, but my parents could not afford the clothes and the Barbie houses, so early on I learned what to do in order to have beautifully clothed dolls. Just let my imagination run wild!

I moved my bed so it sat just under the window in my room. In those days we had heavy storm windows. So, I would open the regular window, sit in my jeans and a sweater and socks and rest my feet on the heater below and play Barbie. My sister, Melodie, and cousin Janet would join me and in that window sill, we were Mick and Bianca Jagger, or Paul and Linda McCartney, etc.

I would take old pieces of cloth and by cutting them up make my dolls the most glamorous outfits! A tissue could be the most beautiful wedding gown imaginable! Also, by not having the doll houses, and doll clothes, my imagination let me see into another world. Kleenex boxes became beds or sofas, and paper towel rolls could become table bases. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have the real thing, in my mind, I had it all.

Imagination!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate?

No. I decorate our kitchen/family room. That’s where we live.

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why?

Norway. Because I have friends there I would like to meet.

3. What does the word faith mean to you?

Believing in something you can’t necessarily see, but knowing is out there. Whether it be God’s love, my family’s love or the things I believe.

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day…what day and age would you choose?

Childhood? I think, perhaps the day I changed schools in fourth grade. I was so traumatized and that started a vicious cycle of self doubt, and so much fear. I wish my mother had been gentle with me that day and helped me.

5. When did you last have ‘punch’? If it’s not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.

A couple of years ago when we had friends with kids over. My recipe is simple. Orange Sherbet and Ginger Ale.

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?

Sadly, no. We no longer do that. But once the baby comes, I know Santa will be stopping at my daughter’s home!

7. What takes your breath away?

Today my Kindle Fire arrived! After opening the packing, and the inner box, I held the kindle in my shaking hands! Today, that is what took my breath away! lol

In real life, the days my daughters were born and I first beheld their perfect faces! I was just telling Hubby about that today. As I looked at Mandy for the first time, my heart skipped a beat and took my breath away! Such beauty!!!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Do you know how in October or even November, Christmas seems such a long way off, and then the next thing you know, CHRISTMAS IS HERE! Mandy and I are meeting up this weekend for a little mother-daughter time and some shopping. I sure am looking forward to that!

What I Did This Past Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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In the last four days I have made 4 batches of tomato something. Three spaghetti sauces and one batch of chili. All of these were made from tomatoes we are growing in our garden. I sure hope the tomatoes stop growing. I’m literally running out of freezer space!

I did get my report written and it was only 4 pages. Still I have to figure out a way to take shorthand, and get all the information I need each month to put into the report, without losing track of what is being said. People just talk to darn fast!

My doggies and Husband let me sleep in both on Saturday and Sunday! Wow! That is always welcome!

My classmates and I are still in the partying mood from our reunion. Facebook is a great place to chat with everyone about the things that made my hometown of Falmouth, Massachusetts such a great place to grow up.

Friday and Saturday were beautiful days. Sunday…rain. Oh well.

I’m going out with my daughter this week to shop! I love this, as we shop well together!

And to end this post I want to share this funny story with you all. It is totally true, I assure you.

When I was in High School, we literally moved into a brand new school with all sorts of high tech things, which back in the 1970’s included closed circuit TV. Each day our fearless Principal would send messages out to us either in person, or he would have the news kids read the messages. But here is the wonderful part of the story. The theme song was by Elton John, and somehow I always laughed a little when I listened to it playing!