TBT: Arnie & Anneliese

I was looking at old puppy pictures this week, remembering when Greta had her first litter. Arnie and Anneliese were her first babies in that litter, and our relationship with them is unlike any other we have had with our dogs.

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Arnie is on the bottom with the blue collar, and Anneliese is on top to the right in the green collar. The yellow collar was Anita, and the pink was Angelika and the perky red collar was Anja. All are still living good lives, except Anja. She escaped her owner and was hit by a car the first year. Too bad. She was a sweet puppy.

Jan. 20 Anneliese and Arnie

Anneliese & Arnie

 

Anneliese Age 8 3/4

 

Anneliese age 9.  IMG_6964   Arnie age 9.

TBT: Me Age 10

Mom said, I was always bringing home strays, and here are the kittens from one of the strays I brought home.

I was walking home from school, when I saw a dirty, but fat cat in the road. I spoke to her and she followed me. She seemed very hungry and so, when I got home I fed her milk and some of the cat food we had for our Siamese, Smokey.

About that time, Mom came in and questioned me about the cat. It was determined that the next day we would bring her to the animal shelter. Mom suspected she was not fat, but expecting kittens!

Sure enough, that night, the cat had three kittens, and then she passed away. Mom, Mel and I all took turns feeding the babies and they all lived. We even had two of them with us for a while.

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The two we kept were Ebony and Endora, which I am holding.

I still look out for, and rescue critters when I can. I sure hate to see anything lost or suffering. I guess it just was in my genes, and started very early.

TBT: Berlin, Germany, Before Reunification

The summer of 1989 Hubby had a temporary assignment in Berlin, Germany with Pan Am. He and two other pilots flew over this A-300 Airbus to be used to bring vacationers out of Berlin to various European destination. It was before the Wall came down, so essentially, West Berlin was a closed city.

This is the A-300 Air Bus that Hubby was flying back then.When he flew it across the Atlantic from New York, the company allowed me to accompany them. It was one of the most amazing times in my life, as I was able to prepare their meals, like a Flight Attendant, and witness St. Elmo’s Fire.

The plane we flew over.

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Here we are at Spandau, having a meal and of course, a wonderful German Beer!

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The Girls standing against the Wall in a fairly safe place. Since they were both out of school, we brought them over to Berlin for a month. I am so glad we did.

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The girls, Mandy and Hubby’s daughter Jessica, looking over the Glienicke Brucke. This famous bridge was used as the back drop in many movies made about the Cold War. In “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold” the bridge was used as the back drop where Spies were exchanged.

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At Check Point Charlie, when it was still active.

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I grew to love Berlin. I told Hubby if he ever had a chance to get transferred there, I would gladly go. We had a flat near the downtown area, and it was wonderful.

In my heart, I will always be a Berliner. I think my German Grandfather would have loved that!

TBT: Shubi

My darling Shubi! She was the very first wire-haired dachshund that I owned. She was the dog of my heart and I loved her deeply.

She came from Landshut, Germany, in 1996 and lived to be 10 years old before passing over to Rainbow Bridge. She was everything one could want in a loyal companion and more. I imagine I will miss her until the day we are reunited.

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But for today, here is a photo of Shubi playing in the snow and then down at the beach, playing fetch the stick. She swam out to get it and bring it back. That was one of her favorite games.

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TBT: The Fox Theater and Stan Kann

Stan Kann (December 9, 1924 – September 29, 2008) received national recognition in the 1960s when he was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show and daytime television talk shows, showcasing his collection of vacuum cleaners. Kann also was known among theatre organ aficionados for his 22-year tenure as resident organist at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missour

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Kann, a native of St. Louis, began playing the organ at age 4. He majored in classical organ at Washington University in St. Louis. In the late 40’s, he convinced the management of the Fox Theatre in St Louis to allow him to refurbish the 4-36 Fox Special Wurlitzer which had lain idle for twenty years and became official house organist in 1952. Kann served as the theater’s resident organist until 1974, four years before the Fox closed.

The theater was rebuilt and refurbished in 1981. And immediately upon reopening, Stan Kann returned.

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When we attended an Army Reunion in September of 2008, it was arranged for us to tour the theater and to have Stan Kann play for us! He was amazing, and we all enjoyed the concert, his comical anecdotes and cheery smile.

Later that month, Stan Kann died from complications of open heart surgery. We were so blessed to have met him and heard his concert. He was amazing and looking back, what a priveledge!

TBT: My Uncle George

This weeks TBT is all about my Uncle George. Uncle George was my Mom’s first cousin, and they were so close. Just like brother and sister.

I was raised calling him Uncle George, until I made a stupid joke one day, and called Aunt Betty, Uncle Betty, and after that everyone called him Aunt George.

He loved Betty so much he allowed this nickname to be used for years and years. It wasn’t until after her death that he asked me to call him Uncle George again. Which I did, until the day he died.

Growing up, Uncle George was the one who taught us all to swim, dive, bowl, ride a bike, play badmitton, or give us the keys to his car, so we could listen to America’s Top 40, on the car radio.

When I was at the beach one day, I stepped on glass, and Uncle George walked, carrying me the entire way home, and then helped Mom get me to the doctor, where my dangling toe was stitched up.

Over the course of my life, he was always there for me. Which is why, when I married for the second time, he walked me down the isle, while my father played the organ.

I was really happy about this, as it somehow just seemed right to do it this way. Me with the wonderful man, who meant so much to me, all of my life.

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Getting his bouteneer.

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Walking me down the isle.

He has been gone a while now, but I still miss this wonderful and important man. He truly was one in a million!

TBT: Memories Of Old Cape Cod

Summer Memories

I grew in Falmouth on Cape Cod and my summers were always full of sun, sea and soft, cool, cotton sheets after a long day at the beach. My sister Melodie is in the back on the left. I’m the bold one in the blue bikini!

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I swam almost before I could walk, dreamed of magical kingdoms, built in the sand, and lay on my towel watching the clouds drift by in the afternoon. I remember thinking that time went so slowly as I lay there, that things would always be like that.

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I ran barefoot all summer long through the sweet grass, and the scent of lilacs and roses and the ocean were always there. (Or so it seemed)

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The feel of salt on my skin, the taste of it on my lips, and the laughter in the air, as I climbed the jetties along the Surf Drive Beach.

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Melodie on the left and me at home on Clipper Lane. When I didn’t walk to the beach, I rode my trusty Schwinn Bike all over town.

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Fireflies, cookouts on the grill at Goodwill Park, with marshmallows too. My Uncle George, cousin, Janet and Aunt Betty with Grandma Honey.

Telling stories in the dark, movies at the drive-in and ice cream cones at Dairy Queen!

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Pop cycles and root beer floats, fried clams and frozen Milkyway bars. Lobster and butter, and strawberry shortcakes at the church festival.

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At the Clam Shack in Falmouth.

Sunshine and happiness, visiting with relatives who flocked to our house and the beach. Summers are full of some of the best memories in my life!

TBT: Potsdam, Germany 2004

Postdamm

Here is Hubby holding 8 week old baby Greta! Our friends brought us down to Potsdam to tour the city, and poor Jack was really having trouble with the walking. That was before he had both of his knees replaced.

Now my bionic guy can walk around with no pain to his knees! That was all the way back in 2004. May 7th to be exact! So long ago now, but I can remember this day like it just happened!

She weighed all of 6 pounds then, and was as light as a feather. Now our Greta is eleven years old and a 24 pound senior girl!

That was such a  nice day. The sun was shining, and we went to a little restaurant and had wonderful Wiener Schnitzel and German beer!