Carl wonders/Oaths & Pledges

Carl wonders how many people can finish these -- or at least know where they come from------
1. I pledge Allegiance to.........
2. On my Honor.........
3. I do solemnly swear (at least 2 places)..
4. O God, The Eternal Father.........
5. O say can you see............
6. I hereby declare on oath......

The Little Angel"s Motorcycle Club

     "THE LITTLE ANGEL'S MOTORCYCLE CLUB"

   I am sure you have all heard of the "Hell's Angels" motorcycle club-- Well here is a picture of the newest motorcycle club---- "The Little Angels". Note- They got their motorcycles before they got their license to drive. I am not sure if that is good or bad. I guess we will wait and see how much the furniture gets moved around, when motorcycle meets chair, table or other object? 
   When I first received this picture, the first thought I had was, "well, well this must be the newest recruits to a motorcycle gang".
   I'll bet their parents go nuts, even though the kids look like they are having a great time.
   The Mom's & Dad's are probably 'worrying & stewing'. The Grandma & Grandpa just sit back and say "Oh my they have a lot of energy" and the Great Grandpa sits in a chair and snickers or even actually laughs, because he remembers when the tables were turned and the Mom's & Dad's and even the Grandma & Grandpa's were the 3 or 4 year old's running around, yelling, bumping into each other and as kids are prone to do--they were just having fun. 

   MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL POST THIS PICTURE that recently made the rounds.
                    

W.R Baldwin Jan 2016

A Nightmare-Not a Dream

A Nightmare
    Not a Dream




   I woke up about 5:30 AM, sat up on the side of my bed, just as I have done for many years-----AND I WAS INTRODUCED TO MY NIGHTMARE.
 As I went to stand up, the room started spinning in one direction and my head started spinning the opposite direction. I also got the feeling that I was falling into a deep dark tunnel that was going very, very deep into the floor of my room. Both sides of the tunnel were spinning one direction and and I was spinning the opposite way and I was becoming sick to my stomach.
   It was the most debilitating feeling I have ever had in my life. I could do NOTHING.
   Everything was dark, the tunnel was deep and the last thing I remember, was that I had no sense of reality. I did not know where I was. I thought I had fallen down. However I was in my bed when my daughter found me. She was standing by the bed, trying to wake me up. 
   I don't remember it but she says I called her and told her I had fallen and I could not get up.
   I had been Introduced to, and had my first experience with what is known as (BPPV), or as it is known in Medical Circles as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Of course I did not know what it was and had never heard of it before. 
   My daughter and I both thought first of a stroke, heart attack and then perhaps my organs were shutting down.
   She bundled me up, put me in the car and we made a quick trip to IHC. There I was poked, prodded, and scanned by a couple of different machines. 
   After about six hours of testing I was told that  nothing could be found of a neurological nature and no blood problems. The problem was not life threatening and I was being released to go home. HOW COULD THAT BE??? HOW COULD I BE SO MISERABLE, and nothing be wrong?
   When I was twirling around and rolling like a marble in a tin can, I actually thought I was on my way to dying.
   Fortunately the Doctor in the emergency room suggested I go to a Hearing and Balance Center as soon as I could and also see my ENT Doctor.
   The Doctor at the Hearing and Balance Center took one look at me and listened to my explanation of what happened, had me move my head around a bit and immediately diagnosed  me with BPPV. 
   I was told that my feelings and actions of the night before were caused by some small calcium crystals in your inner ear canal. They also told me that the actions that I thought happened the night before probably did not happen but the feeling was caused by BPPV.
   GIVE ME A BREAK!! How can that be. I was twisted around and bounced around so much that in addition to all the other things I was very nauseous, and believe me it was REAL. I did not know where I was, I could not stand up and I was not cognitive. Now I am told that all this is caused by some small crystals in my ear!!
   I was told I could have a treatment today and it would probably fix the problem, but perhaps I might have to come back for up to three.
   I had the treatment. NO it was not fun. I walked out of the clinic with no headache, no dizziness. I almost could not believe it.
   YES I NOW REALIZE HOW GREAT OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM IS. Yes I realize I really did have BPPV. Yes, I do hope it is my first experience and I hope my last.
   YES IT WAS A VERY, VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE.
W.R. Baldwin
January 2016
               

FAMILIES & TRAX

          

              FAMILIES & TRAX

         

   He was sitting in the TRAX station waiting for the train when a young boy (probably about nine) came in and very nervously looked around. He could tell the boy was uncomfortable, so he slid over on the seat and asked the boy if he would like to sit by him. He told him he had a grandson about his age.

   The boy looked around and finally said, “yes I guess I would” and sit down. They sat there a few moments without saying anything, the boy looking at the floor, and the man watching him out if the corner of his eye, without making it obvious.

   Finally the man said, “So I guess you are going up-town today, since school is out?” The boy thought for a few minutes and then told him that yes he was going up-town to have lunch with his Mother, as it was a special occasion today, because his Mom had got a new job with her company and they were going to have a fancy lunch to celebrate. “We are going to Lamb’s Grill. It will cost a lot of money, and I have to put on my best manners.’’

   They sat for a few more minutes and the boy said, “Are you going up-town to work?” Well the man thought about that for a few minutes and then told the boy he was going to the Family History Library, and yes he kind of worked there but it was not a job that he got paid for. He tried to explain he was trying to find the names and information on all of his family members as far back as he could. That interested the boy and he told the man that his grandma used to do that. They chatted about that for a few minutes then the boy said, “I’ll bet that is real boring.”

   After they had just sit a few minutes the boy said, “I’ll bet you are about as old as my Grandpa. Of course then the man asked him how old his Grandpa was. The boy told him he really did not know because every time he asked him he just told him that he was older than dirt, and then he would laugh. My Grandpa thought that was funny, but I didn’t because I never did know how old he really was, but he looked like he was about the same age as you are.

 The boy said, “My Grandma was REALLY old before she died. She told me a story once about riding her horse to the post office to get the mail and to the store to get groceries. One time when she went to the post office the horse “pooped” in the street and she didn’t even get in trouble. She said it happened to a lot of people so it was no big deal. The man laughed and told the boy he was sure that was a true story because he remembered those days also.

   The man asked him if his Dad was going to meet him and his Mom, for lunch. The boy said “no, my Dad got killed in a plane crash two years ago in a place called Iraq. He was in a war over there. A lot of his friends were over there also. The old man told him he was very sorry about that and thanked him for telling him such a personal thing.

   Then the man said, “Do you have a name? Well of course you do that was a dumb question for me to ask,” The boy told him his name was David Caleb Levi Johnson, but people just called him Dave. The man snickered a little and said, “I can see why you prefer just “Dave”. My name is Wally and that is what people call me, so you can call me that.” The boy then explained that his Mom wanted him to call older people Mister and Mrs. and if it was OK he would call him “Mr. Wally”.

   They talked some more and Dave told him that his Dad was pretty old when he died. He was born way back in 1979. Wally almost chuckled but realized this was not the time or place to do that.

   Dave also told Wally that he remembered that his Dad was fun to be with. Sometimes he got to spend ALL DAY with just the two of them doing things. He told him that one day they got to spend the whole day at LAGOON and Dave ate so much cotton-candy that he “threw-up” on one of the rides. (It seems like he did not remember being sick near as much as being all day with just his Dad.)

   He told Wally that another time he spent all day fishing with his Dad. They did not catch many fish, but they skipped flat rocks on the water, he waded in the lake. They ate a lunch that his Mom had fixed and they spent all day just talking and laughing and having fun.

   Then on one special day we went to an Air Base Museum and they had all kinds of planes you could look at and some you could even touch. There were some that were really, really big and some that were so neat looking that they even looked like they were flying when they were just sitting there on the ground. When the guys that worked there found out my Dad flew one of the planes it was a big deal. Everyone gathered around and wanted to talk to him. I was super proud of him. That was a real fun day.

   Of course my Dad died flying one of those type planes, but I did not know that would happen when we were visiting the museum.

   Mister Wally asked Dave if he kept a journal or a diary like his Grandma had suggested. Dave told him he had one but mostly he forgot to write in it. They chatted a while about how a journal was part of Family History and if he kept one he would, for sure. Remember all the fun things he and his Dad had done. He would also remember when he and his Mom went out for something special, like today. And he would actually remember that his Grandpa always told him that he was older than dirt. Dave told him that was a good idea and he would try and remember to write and would have his Mom remind him.

   They were not so far away from Dave’s stop on TRAX so Mister Wally asked him if he gave him a note for his Mom, would he promise to give it to her and not read it before she did. He told Dave he wanted to tell her what a great young man she had for a son and to tell her they had talked and let her know who he was. If course Dave smiled a mile wide smile that only young people can give and assured Wally that he would do that.

   Mr. Wally opened his briefcase got out a piece of paper and an envelope and wrote a note, put it in an envelope, sealed it and gave it to Dave.

   A few minutes later TRAX stopped, Dave waved to Mr. Wally and started up the street to a young mother who was hurrying toward him. They hugged and Dave handed her the envelope and quickly explained what it was. His Mom looked toward the train but it had started and was going on up the street.

   Dave and his Mom went to lunch, and yes Dave was on his best behavior. As they were paying the bill Dave’s Mom saw the envelope in her purse. She took it out and opened it and saw a $100.00 bill. The note was simple---You have a wonderful Son. I hope this will pay for your lunch or take him out and spend a full day with him doing something different.  MR. WALLY

   Tears were running down Mom’s cheeks and she asked Dave who the man was that talked to him on the train? He told her it was Mr. Wally, but he did not know his last name. He also told her he was a lot like Grandpa Johnson; He even said he was older than dirt.

   They watched whenever they rode TRAX but they never did see Mr. Wally again--- At least not that they knew of???

W.R. Baldwin

1 January 2016