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A Note to Fred
(August, 2015, after our decision to SELL & MOVE from 2425 Avenue A)
Hi Fred,
I'm sort of in a 'nostalgic' frame of mind at the moment. I
just came inside from sitting out under the Gazebo, and found myself wishing
you could have been there visiting with me.
I found myself thinking
back to when the kids were very young and enjoying the yard, the swing, and
the tree that used to be here that they built their 'tree house' in... the
windows they broke with their BB guns, and so much more.
Realizing that in a short time all this property will be drastically changed,
it actually caused some physical pain along with the emotional effect it's
having. Who knew it would be this hard to leave this all behind?
Of course, the memories travel with a person but they are so easily triggered
by sights and sounds that are right here to re-kindle those memories so
easily.
The old tree that I mentioned was pretty close to the
boy's bedroom window. You can guess what two ornery,
mischievous, energetic boys did to take advantage of that situation!
They removed the screen from their bedroom window and would crawl out, to step
onto the roof of the back porch, then from the roof, to their tree house in
that old tree. Of course their sister would 'tattle' on them, (unless
she was invited to join them!) More good memories.
Then there was
another tree that we planted in the middle of the back yard, and a pretty wild
storm toppled it over to where it was almost leaning on our neighbor's (the
Smiths), garage. Donna, Joey and I began cutting away on it 'till we had
it down to just the main trunk, then we continued whittling it down to size.
Little Joe and I dug and dug to expose the roots and then we'd hand-chop at
them 'till they freed that portion of the tree.
Finally, I secured a
huge rope to the remaining stump of the tree, maneuvered the old car, ('60
Olds I think), across the alley and tied the other end of that rope to the
frame of the car. After several attempts we finally pulled that tree
with its remaining roots totally out of the ground!
What a job that
was, but it still leaves some very fond memories, and even more humorous ones
like when that same tree literally threw me out of it while I was trimming
some branches way up high! Donna couldn't stop laughing, but finally did
when she learned I was serious, explaining I couldn't get up on my own.
(twisted knee.) She said I 'sailed' through the air like an awkward
Superman! More good memories!
Well, the kids grew-up and are on
their own and it's Mary and me in this big 'ol house now. She and I also
made some great memories here. We enjoyed our swimming pool just off the
back deck. Of course we were so much younger then and really enjoyed
that old pool, especially on those hot summer days of August and September.
Our friends, George & Denise Cuffe often shared that pool with us.
Of course 'ol silly Larry Cook was around more often than sometimes you wished
he was, but now that we don't see
him anymore, Mary & I find we do miss him in spite of his corny jokes and
crazy actions, and never ending, “There You Go!”.
Then there were all the great camping trips Mary & I were able to enjoy
together while based at this old place. It's so special to both of us because
we've grown older here, along with this old house. Boy, those HOT
September days while camping sure trigger some fantastic (and funny) memories,
especially when Mary & I wet-down some huge towels with cold well-water at
Lake Arrowhead, then retired back to
inside the tent, and fanned ourselves with the wet towels to cool-off, as we
each sat on those old squeaky cots. We recorded that incident with the
little portable tape recorder we had. Well, WE remember what that
squeak, squeak of the cots sounded like when we played that tape back, don't
we, Mary?
Mary & I started a custom well over 30 years ago of
hanging-up a Christmas globe with the date on it each year. We hung them from
a chain in the living room and it began with one with the date of 1981 on it.
Each year we added another. The last one on the chain is dated 2014.
Will there be a 2015? Don't know.... but even that string of 'dates'
triggers so many great memories made possible by the wonderful wife that Mary
is.
We'll sure miss adding to that string of globes, but we also may begin some
new memories in the new location... wherever that will turn out to be, so I
guess that pretty well describes life itself, doesn't it? We just move
on from one experience to another, but to move into a new experience, you have
to be able to step-away from some of the old ones I guess.
Like when I moved from the grocery store on 18th & Broadway after being there
for twenty years. That sure was hard but I still cherish those memories,
since that's where I spent much of my childhood, and growing-up, first
marriage and having a family years. Before that there was 2013 Pierce
St. in Omaha, Ne. Spent my early years there from my birth to age 11,
when we then moved to Council Bluffs, Ia.
Obviously, we've survived all
those past moves, years and experiences to get to where we are today, so
moving ahead (hopefully) won't be so hard, now that I've re-capped so many
great memories. I'll just take 'em with me and enjoy making some NEW
ones, eh?
Sure wish you could manage to come over and spend some choice
time with us, just sitting under the gazebo and discussing.... well, who knows
what, to add to those memories? C'mon over Fred, before they wipe-away
all this paradise with bull-dozers.
Sorry, guess I should have just
said that, instead of getting so carried-away, eh?
God Bless,
Joe
--
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Never Give Up ...
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