AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

(I know this is long, but I could not make it flow if I cut anything out)

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

   The elderly man was pumping gas into an old beat up Chevy truck and his partner, a black Labrador Retriever, was hanging his head out the window. His tongue was also hanging out and it looked like it was a mile long, but of course it was just normal. Max just kept flicking his tongue in and out as he slobbered down the side of the truck.

   Pete, the rancher, had just finished topping off his tank when a shiny black Lexus SUV pulled up to the pump next to him. It sat there for a few minutes and Pete wondered what was going on. Nobody got out, they just set there by the gas pump with the engine idling.

  After a few minutes, the horn honked a couple of times, but still no one got out. Well Pete could not figure out what was going on, so he walked over to the big fancy car and gave a couple of taps on the blacked out window. The window came down about two inches and a woman’s voice said, “don’t they pump the gas for you here?” Well Pete told her no, that it was self-serve, but if she wanted him to he would do it for her. She asked him if that would cost extra and Pete laughed and said, “nope I don’t charge nothin.”  She handed Pete her keys and opened the gas tank without getting out of the car. Pete saw the gas tank lid cover pop open and said, “Well I’ll be darned, you opened that from inside your car?” Pete took the key and unlocked the inside lid and started filling her tank.

   He also got a squeegee out of the bucket of water and told her he might just as well wash her windows while he was at it. The lady put up a fuss and told him she did not expect him to do that, but he just told her that he did not have much else to do, so he might as well do it while the gas tank filled.

   As Pete walked around the car he noticed that the rear passenger side tire was as flat as a pancake. Although the tread looked like it was a brand new tire.

   He walked around to the driver’s side window and tapped on the window, (as she had rolled it up again). When it came down a few inches she poked a credit card at him. Pete told her that he did not work there and she would have to take the card inside to pay.

   He then asked her if she knew she had a flat tire? She started yelling, the door flew open and out she stepped.

   As Pete described it later, he said it was a sight to see.  She had on skin tight and skin colored pants and top. Her shoes were like stilts. They were about six inches high and the same color as the pants and top. Her fingernails were about 2 inches long and painted flaming red. But the worst part was as she stepped out the door she was yelling, “A FLAT TIRE, how could I have a flat tire? These are brand new tires on a brand new car.” Whiles she was still yelling Pete walked around then car and saw several horseshoe nails in the side and bottom of the tire. He went back around and told the lady that it looked like a “local” must have lost a box of nails from his truck and she had unfortunately come by right afterward.

   She was still screaming, “well who owns this place, or who is the manager?”  How can I get hold of the “cops?” Pete told her the manager was in the office. It is the little building with the snack store in it.

   The lady went marching over to the office, waving her arms, yelling and digging through her purse for her cell phone. Pete watched her through the office window as she continued to wave her arms and pounded on the display case as she alternately combed her fingernails through her hair and kept pounding on the display case as she continued to yell. At least it looked to Pete like she was yelling. And his thought was that he sure was glad he was not INSIDE THE little office.

   Well Pete decided he might as well get on with his business, so he went over to shut the door on the Lexus. Just as he touched the door handle he thought he heard a little voice from the backseat say something. It took Pete back a little so he opened the back door and there was a boy, who appeared to be about 6 or 7 years old. Pete was almost flabbergasted . He said, “gracious me son, are you OK?” The boy told him he could not talk to him because he was a stranger –but he REALLY was thirsty.

   Just then the office door to the convenience Store/office flew open and the lady came flying out with her arms waving  and yelling do you know where I can find a guy named Pete?

   Pete said, “I am Pete but the most important thing right now is that you have a very thirsty boy in the back SEAT OF YOUR CAR.” The woman told Pete that they needed to talk, and Pete told her the boy needed a drink first. Pete told her that he knew the boy was not supposed to talk to him because he was a stranger, but he made him do it. He also told her he was going to get him a drink and should he get water or something else? She told him water would be fine and Pete hustled toward the store.

   When Pete came back the woman was still yelling and waving her arms at anyone that was close by. Pete asked the boy if she did that all the time and he said, “yes, but she had done it for so long that now nobody listens to her, or pays any attention to her,  but it still makes her think she is the boss.”

   Pete walked over to her and told her if she would quit waving her arms and yelling and calm down and tell him her name, he was sure they could figure something out.

   Well she calmed down somewhat, and told Pete her name was Jill, and her son was Robert. He ask her if she wanted him to call her Jill and she told him that would be fine. Jill also told Pete what went on in the store, but actually I suppose he already knew. After all he had lived in that small town for 55 years, he was the Sheriff and the Mayor. He owned the gas station/convenience store and probably helped in some way on every project that was done in the town. He also knew there was no store within 100 miles that would have a tire that would fit her Lexus.

   They talked a few minutes longer and Pete told Robert to get out and stretch his legs while his mother was in the store. Robert told him he could not as he was not allowed to get out of the car. Pete looked him in the eye and said, ”If the Sheriff told you to get out, would you be able to then?” Robert “supposed ” he would have to under those conditions.

   Pete took out his wallet and flipped it open and showed Robert a very large, well used Sheriff’s badge. Then he asked  Robert if he could keep a secret . He said, “yes sir I sure can.” So Pete asked him to not tell his Mom about the badge.

   Pete told Robert to go over by the pick-up and he would let old “Max” the Labrador out of the truck and they could watch over each other. Robert was a little nervous and asked if he was friendly. Pete told him that he was, but to just be sure that Max did not lick him to death.

   Jill did not seem to know if she liked that or not, but she bit her tongue and did not say anything. Pete just kind of snickered as Robert was trying to fend off Max and his licking.

   Jill told Pete that the man in the store said there was a nice lady just outside of town that took in people for a night or two if they got in trouble out here in the “boondocks.”  Pete told her that would be the Thompsons and he would be glad to drive she and Robert out to see if it was OK. He told her they have a large home and only the two of them lived there. He also told her that they had an old “land line” telephone there if they need to make any calls. She already knew that a cell phone did no good out here.

   Jill got some stuff out of the Lexus and they took it over and put it in the back of the pick-up. Pete suggested that Robert and Max could ride in the back of the pick-up, and Jill almost had a heart attack. Pete explained that all kids should ride in the back of a pick-up sometime in their life and Max would take good care of him. With Pete persuading and Robert jumping up and down yelling, “please say yes, please say yes," Jill finally consented. Pete lifted Robert in and then let the tail gate down and Max jumped in and they took off down the road.

   A little less than two miles out of town they made a turn and there sitting on a hill, across the valley was a small group of homes situated about ¼ mile apart. Pete said, “well that is where you will be staying if Mrs. Thompson takes you in.” As we approached Jill could see it was a large rambling log home, that sat up on a little hill on the edge of the valley.

   Jill said, “Oh it is beautiful, but why do you think they built such a large home way out here in ”no where?” Then Jill took a big breath and said, “I’ll bet they are snooty, living like the King and Queen on a hill and overlooking and owning everything as far as you can see!”  Pete assured her that Mrs. Thompson was a real Angel, but he was not so sure about her husband. Jill thought about that for a minute then said, “ya that is usually my luck, I’ll bet he is a real dragon."

   They stopped the truck in front of the home and Max and Robert both jumped out. Max headed up to the front door and Robert just followed him. Jill called Robert and told him he better wait for Pete to make sure they were going to be welcome. Just as she said that the front door opened and a pretty, petite lady stepped out on the porch. She held her arms out toward Robert, and said, “You must be Robert, come in before Max licks you to death.”

   Jill looked at Pete and said, “Well she seems to be really nice, I hope her husband is the same?” Pete looked at Jill and told her that he reckoned he probably was.

   They stepped into the living room and the lady of the house took Jill by the arm and told her she presumed she was Jill and that little one must be Robert and I am Angela, but everyone just calls me “Angie” or “Angel” take your pick, I answer to both." Then she turned to Pete and said, “Of course you have already met my husband Pete Thompson.”  "He thinks he is the big boss around here" and she looked at him and giggled.

   Well the look on Jill’s face was indescribable. She turned to Pete and stuttered a couple of words, but he was laughing so loud he could not tell what she said. He finally said, “yup I guess I am the old Dragon.”Robert laughed and said, “yup we rode all the way out to the boondocks with Pete the Dragon, Ha Ha.”

   Pete and Angie were just one of those couples you could not help but like. Angie asked Jill if she wanted to go up and change her "costume", which she did without a word (even though Pete did not think it was a costume. He thought it was her everyday wear.)

   When she came back they had dinner. After dinner they sat and talked and even laughed. Jill told them about her profession, which was, as she called it, a stage performer and that she was headed for Las Vegas when the tire episode happened. She told them that she was sure her manager would cover up for her when he found out she would not make it tonight.

   Pete told Jill that one of his grandsons was coming over tonight to have a sleep over with Robert and Max. Jill wondered about the sleep over thing, but did not comment about it.

   He also told her he had made arrangements for his son “Tim” to pick up a tire for her car in the morning at the cross roads.  It was a place where two main roads hooked up. It really was just a big box with a padlock on it where neighbors and businesses could drop things off. He told her Tim was going early and she could be on her way by noon tomorrow.

   They were all tired and ready to go to bed when they heard a clatter on the back porch and “Joe Bob”, the grandson burst in like a hurricane. With one foot in and one out he yelled, “Where is Robert I cannot wait to meet him.” Well they met and talked and Angie commented that everyone must be tired and they better get to bed.

   Robert and Jill started for the back of the house but Joe Bob said, ”we need to have prayer before we go.” So as if it happened every day, they all knelt and Pete asked Joe Bob to say an evening prayer. Joe Bob prayed and they all stood up and Jill thanked them profusely for all they had done. Robert, Joe Bob and Max headed upstairs and Angie and Jill went down the hall to make sure everything Jill needed was in the guest room.

   The last thing anyone heard that night was Max giving a small bark as if to say good night and then all was quiet.

   The next morning they all had a country breakfast. ( Both Jill and Robert said they had never eaten so much at one sitting in all their life.)

   Tim got an earlier start than he planned, so he ended up driving up in front of the house at 10:00 AM to tell Jill that the tire was on the car and ready to go so she could go into town and get it anytime she was ready.

   After many expressions of thanks and almost arguments over how much Jill and Robert owed for the nights lodging, food and running them around Pete said they could pay for the tire and he would pay for the rest.  Then Jill and Robert got in the old pick-up and left to drop off their new friends to pick up their car.

   All the way from the ranch to town all Robert could talk about was how much fun he had and how living in the country was like a “real life” and not a pretend one like he and Jill lived. Of course Pete did not have too much to say but he smiled all the way to town.

   As they stood by the Lexus ready to leave, they all hugged (which seemed like a normal thing for the Thompson's, but something new for Jill and Robert.) Jill told Pete that she did not think she could ever repay him for his kindness.

   They thanked Pete again and he told them that if they ever got out this way again to be sure and drop in. As if an afterthought Pete told them about a family get together they had every year in July. Not only did the entire Thompson Family show up there. So did all the friends they had made over the years. It seems there have been many people, over the years who had received help from Pete and his Angel Wife.

   It was time to go, they rolled the black windows all the way down and waved as they pulled out on to the road. Robert yelled. “I hope we see you in July.” Then he looked at Jill and said, “Do you really think we can come back in July.” He looked at his mom for an answer and she had tears in her eyes. Then she said. “I really hope so Robert, I really do.”

   When Pete got home, Angie told him she was glad he had found some new friends, and she supposed he invited them to the family party in July. He told her that yes, he had invited them, and he knew she enjoyed having them there and it was so fun to see the change in Robert in just two days.

   Then she reached over and took Pete’s hand and they sat in the porch swing and reminisced about their family and the friends they had made over the years and how fortunate they were.

   Angie looked at Pete and had a big smile on her face, as she told him how cute that “Bob” was and she was sure they would see them again in July. Pete jut grinned and said, “Yup I am sure you are right.”

   That night four different thoughts went through the minds of four different people. JILL: I really did not know that there were people in the world that lived a life like that—I am so jealous. BOB: It would be so great to live a life like Joe Bob does. ANGELA: Well Pete has added a couple mere people to his annual reunion list. PETE: Ain’t life great. I have made two more friends, cheered up two more mad or sad people and it made me feel so GOOD to do it. And MAX: He just settled on a “rag rug carpet” by the front door and gave a couple of barks, then put his head between his front paws, and went to sleep.

W.R. Baldwin

18 Dec 2016

Families Are Forever

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER

HOPEFULLY FRIENDS ARE ALSO

   We have a saying in our Church, ”Families are forever.” Also in our family we love to have what we call, Family Get Too Gathers.

   This past month we have had several of our get to gathers and at each one I have set off to the side in or on a chair and observed and thought about the past and the future. Many times the thoughts that kept coming to me were like a song from Fiddler On The Roof---“I don’t remember getting older.” Then later on they sing, “Swiftly fly the years.” (In fact the whole song seems to fit me. The title of the song is, Sunrise, Sunset.  But I digress-------

   While I sat on my chair in the corner or off to the side, during our last few get to gathers and reminisced, I thought it had not really been that long since I was sitting and holding my own children on my lap and telling them stories. Many of those stories were made up “fairy tales,” that I made up as I went along. However now my children have all grown up! They have married. They have their own children. (When did this all Happen? How fast it seems they have grown up. And now the Grand Children have children. The cycle just seems to go on and on and on. Our children grow up and leave home, and have children of their own, then their children leave home and do the same thing—and then the cycle starts again and goes on and on.

   A couple of thoughts that went through my mind, at our most recent family gathering were: when each of our children married and left home OUR own lives changed a little. At the family gathering, where I started thinking about doing a blog like this, there were four generations gathered together. Was it a coincidence that starting with the oldest (Me) did each younger generation become more active and noisy and vie for more attention? I am not complaining because I love being there watching and trying to understand what they were saying. Yes there was PLENTY of noise and my hearing aids have a hard time filtering it all out, but just being there and “snickering at it all “ is really worth it.: Some other changes that are interesting  are when the “empty nesters,” my generation, sit and watch our own children , who have become, “empty nesters” them self.” And it goes on and on and on from one generation to the next forever.

   When our children leave home, our life changes. Imagine that? Of course I cannot speak for others, but I know that there are many different reactions when children leave home for marriage, to go to school, or for any other reason. Some stay really connected to their children, whether they move across the country or just down the street. I also know some who just relax to be on their own.

   When someone leaves the family to get married, we get new relatives, that become our in-laws. Hopefully it is a good relationship and the families have similar life styles and become friends.

   Of course many times as you get older, you develop new friends. This happens both to the newlyweds and the Mom and Dad left at home.   

It is not always easy for Grandpa and Grandma to end up at home alone. And it is worse yet if one of them winds up REALLY ALONE. However it seems that is the natural thing that happens sooner or later to all of us Grand Parents.

   We end up in our Family home with our favorite activities. When the children have all left home we each seem to come up with our favorite activities. We each seem to have a favorite chair, our favorite hobbies and our most enjoyable individual activities. We also seem to develop favorite types of books, T.V. Shows and outside activities. This, like everything else does not seem to come naturally, we have to work at it.

   Sometimes it is not easy. Perhaps one turns into an extrovert and one ends up being an introvert. Sometimes even after many years of having children, being married and doing things together we find out there are things we like to do ourselves and in our own way. But that is OK— remember absence makes the heart grow fonder.

   Divorce, Deaths or just moving--- whether it is across the country or just across town changes many things as we get older.

   It seems to be so easy to get together as a family for any occasion when, with a few phone calls everyone showed up at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Of course things are different as each family grows. And of course time marches on and every family grows and matures.

   It seems as families become larger, one person either becomes or is chosen to be the cornerstone for keeping a family together. That is very important in a family that wants to stay close to each other. Of course it is not always successful.

   A lot of changes come to a family as we all grow up and change and the kids have families of their own. One secret is to stay in touch, daily if possible, and if not at least as often as you can.  As I said earlier, one person will usually emerge or be appointed to be the spark-plug. (And guess what, sometimes it is a thankless job, but in the end it is well worth it.)

   Old friends either become more important or just disappear from our lives. I don’t think it happens because of a real effort on anyone’s part, but we just seem to grow apart from all but our special friends.

   Back to Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye, looking at his daughter says, “Is this the little girl I carried?” Then Golde says, “Wasn’t it yesterday when they were small.” Then in the end they all sing together, ”One season following another, Laden with happiness and tears.”

   If you have not watched the movie or read the words from Fiddler on the Roof, (One of my favorite movies), you should.

   Like I said when I started this blog; families can be forever and I hope , and believe that the vast majority have more happiness than tears.

Merry Christmas

W.R. Baldwin  December 2016

    

TO MY GIRLS

TO MY GIRLS

Edited to use as a blog on 12 Dec. 2016

                                                TO MY GIRLS  

I don’t know if this is a good thing or not, but never the less I am going to put some thoughts here on how I have been feeling recently. This is not a note for my blog. It is just a personal thing that I want you girls to know.

   First I love you more than you can imagine. Since Mom has gone my life revolves around you. It still breaks my heart that we are not all close as a family like we used to be,  However I think I have come to grips with that and realize I have done all I can do and I keep hoping we will eventually become close again if we all work at it.

   I know I am getting older.  I have a lot of small aches and pains that I don’t even discuss with anyone, so if I seem to be out of it, or seem not to be my regular self be patient with me, I still love you I have already passed up the average life expectancy, which is 76. I am not complaining about that but just making a comment. As I get older I make some mistakes. Please forgive me and again have patience with me.

   I am very much aware that I do not hear well. Please try to explain to your children (my grandchildren) that I do not ignore them, but I just have a hard time hearing them. Even though that may be hard for them to understand, I still have plenty of love to go around. I hope that they remember I helped teach them a lot of things when they were young, and many times I am sure they could not hear and understand me--- tell them to be patient with me.

   I know sometimes you may think I am stubborn when I say I don’t want help when I do some things--- but it is not because I am stubborn it is because by using my muscles and my thought process they may last another week, month or year and that will benefit all of us. Please be patient.

   When I want to drive my car and it makes you nervous, please let me! I will tell you when I don’t think I should drive anymore--- and remember who taught you to drive on the mountains and back roads around my little home town. I loved you and was patient with you so you please do the same for me.

   You can’t imagine how dumb I feel when I have to come to you, or one of your families, to help me with a problem with one of my electronic toys. Please don’t be impatient with me as it embarrasses me. Just remember there was a time, in the way distant past, I used to sell, install and work on hospital equipment that cost tens of thousands of dollars. So be patient and try to understand how I feel when I can’t do things myself anymore. Just smile and show me how and we can “chuckle” about it later on.

   I know older people sometimes frustrate younger people. We forget what we were talking about, right in the middle of a sentence, or we go in the next room and forget what we went for. When this happens do not worry about it because the important thing to me is not what we are talking about. The important thing to me is that you are here with me to talk and to reminisce; being together is what is important. I cannot imagine being old, sick and alone by ones-self.    

   It seems I am rambling, so to sum this all up---it sounds like a “cliché”, but I love you girls more than you can realize. I think as I have become older and feebler, I know what true love really is. Patience and love seem to kind-of go along together.

   When my old feet and knees really give out, they have not yet; I hope you don’t think I can’t do anything anymore. Yes there will be things that I will not be able to do, but as Doctor Parkin keeps telling me I am a tough old guy. One thing I will always be able to do is love you and give you a hug, even if you have to bend over for the hug. Just be patient with me, yes I already understand what is happening to me in my old age.

   I hope I do not become cranky, but if I do I hope you will understand and be there with me during the hard times.

   As I said in the beginning, I love you very much; I love the time you take to spend with me.

   It means a lot to me that you are here for me when the “little things” happen. A light bulb to be replaced, or to run to the store because you think my refrigerator looks empty, take me for a Doctor appointment (of which there seem to be a lot more here of late). I love going to lunch and of course then there are the FAMILY GET TO GATHERS, for any reason.

   So remember when I say I love you and give you a hug, it is not just a figure of speech, I really mean it and it is really something special between us.

DAD

9 January 2016

Carl on Winter

Carl thinks this is one of the best. or worse

cartoons he has seen recently. 

3 December 2016

GIFTS

                                               GIFTS

I woke up three days in a row, a few weeks ago to a beautiful blue sky, with not even a trace of a fluffy white cloud to ruin that beautiful scene.

The thought came into my mind. "That truly is a gift." Of course I did not order it and I did not have to pay for it. Never the less it was a beautiful gift and unexpected.

I have to admit, I did not think of it as a gift at first, but the thought kept running around in my head and I could not stop it. It was somewhat like when you get a line of a song in your head and it just keeps going around and around and cannot stop it.

The more I thought of the blue sky as being a gift, the more I realized we have a lot of gifts given to us that we just do not acknowledge. Sometimes we do not even realize we have RECEIVED a gift.  

I think things happen every day that are actually gifts, but we do not realize they are gifts or they really happened.

Sometimes just a memory is a gift. Sometimes just being with Family or Friends is a gift. Many times we do not acknowledge these gifts until sometime in the future, when they come sneaking into our memory bank.

Patience is surely a gift! I know it has taken me many years to accept this gift and I am sure I am not finished developing it yet.

Have you ever just felt really good and smiled and were in a happy mood to everyone you met. It is a special gift to be happy. At first people see you smiling and they want to know, "what is wrong?" Nothing is wrong--the person is just happy.

As I sit here and ponder a thought come to mind. Perhaps we could classify gifts into four categories. :All kids enjoy a gift when they are young, and usually it does not make much difference what it is. :The second group might be young adults, and it takes more thought and money for those. :Next might be older/young adults and if they get a gift they hope it is something useful. (And of course useful can be many different things to many different people. :And then there are the Ancient ones, the class I fit into. I do not care if I get a gift or not. I do however love to get a great big bear hug. A big hug has become a tradition in our family, just like Birthday gifts. However to get a hug you do not have to wait for a birthday or holiday to come along to get one.

I think we all realize we have many gifts each day. Some we recognize and some we do not, but just because we do not recognize them as gifts does not change the fact that they are.

When I first started thinking about a blog about gifts I thought I would write down a gift a day. However I did not persevere so that may have to wait for another blog on another day.

Trying to put some thoughts together for this blog has made me realize that one of the biggest gifts of all might be, knowing  that we have received a gift when we get one.

And of course, "we who are Christians" realize the Greatest Gift Of All is the one given by our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us.

And then finally in James 1:17 we are told: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

W.R. Baldwin 1 Dec 2016

  

Thanksgiving in a small town-2

i WROTE THIS BACK IN 2014 BUT i WAS READING IT LAST NIGHT AND A THOUGHT IT WAS STLL APPROPRIATE. sO i THOUGHT i WOULD GIVE IT A 2ND GO AROUND.

Tanksgiving in a small town

Thanksgiving In A Small Town

   When I try to remember Thanksgiving growing up in a small town many things come to mind and of course almost all of them are different than they are today.

   The first thing, and maybe the most important is the family and real friends. I lived in a small town and I had close cousins who lived there also. Probably just as important as cousins and perhaps more so was that in our small town, USA many years ago people developed friendships that were very close and in many cases lasted for a lifetime.

   My hometown was in the mountains over 7000 feet in elevation so by the time Thanksgiving rolled around there was usually snow someplace to sled on or ice on one of the ponds nearby.

  One thing I distinctly remember is that every winter I wanted a Flexible Flyer sleigh. It seemed like every kid on town wanted one but there were not too many of us that got one.

   Of course as we got older we used to slide down the hills around town either on a scoop shovel or the hood of an old car we had “scrounged” up and I think maybe that was more fun than a sleigh.

   While the Mom’s and Dad’s were putting together the big Thanksgiving feast, we, the kids were usually off sledding, skating or as we got older we would go rabbit hunting in the morning making sure we were back in time for the feast.

   The town I grew up in had people from many different countries and my Mom was a very good cook so our Thanksgiving dinner was usually different than the plain old fare.

   The turkey was pretty much the same as any Thanksgiving turkey. The one difference I remember was we put pine nuts in the dressing which gave it a distinct taste different than most dressings today, (which many times just come out of a box from the store.) The other thing that was usually cooked different from year to year was the sweet potatoes or yams.

   The real big difference was the deserts. Because of all the different nationalities and the fact that my Mom was a great cook we always had an abundance of different deserts.

   We had Greek Honey Cookies, Belgium Waffle Cookies, Patisa, Butter Squares, divinity, fudge and several other types of candy. We also had Fruit Cake wrapped in wine cloths and the ever popular Sugar Cookies.

   When the family was finished eating everyone would help clean up and card tables were put up and some headed for a favorite spot on the floor as we got out the game boards and cards to settle in for the rest of the evening. The adults usually played cards and the kids usually game board games. It seems like Monopoly sometimes went on for days?

   When we had all had enough games and eaten enough “goodies” we would call it a day and all head for our various homes.

   Of course we all knew there would be plenty of left over’s the next day—and of course the next day we could start looking forward to Christmas and New Years

    I just wondered as I sit here reminiscing how many others out there remember the Holiday’s  or the 1940, 1950 era and if they were as enjoyable to you as they were to me?

A STORY

  

What if you received a letter like this----------

Dear Wally,

You do not know me personally but you and I are related. I live in a peculiar place. The picture of my humble abode is shown above. It is a granite mountain some 20 or 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah. We are a fairly large family. Actually there are about seven million families, which make up more than a billion of us. I have been waiting since 1776 for someone like you to find me. I have only lived in my present location a short while comparably speaking. If you were to find me and add me to your Data Base a lot of great things could happen to my family and I. It is not really a difficult thing for you to do, because I am trying to help you find me. It is just something I cannot do myself. It is just a matter of gathering up my vital statistics and putting them in your Data Base or giving the info to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Many times you have started working on what you call “my line” but something always seems to get in the way. I have learned that “Families are Forever” while I have been studying here, while I wait for someone like you to find me. All I need is a little help from you. Of course some people think of a family as just the people living with us, but you and I know that family means ALL of our relatives, all the way back------. Well Wally you know I need your help and I am ready, so I urge you to do this as soon as possible. I am sure that you are aware that there are hundreds, or even thousands of people on mine & your family line waiting here for you to find them.

I sincerely Thank You for your help!

William John Baldwin

Born 12 Dec 1722

Died 17 Jun 1776

                                                A STORY
   When I first started blogging I tried to write a blog every two weeks, but in the long run that did not happen. I ended up doing several in one month and then none for a month or so.
   Since my blogs are not on any specific thing it seems it ended up that I would write a blog about what ever I was thinking about at any time I was prompted. I suppose that is why my blog is entitled "Wally,s Musings."
   For several weeks now I have been dealing with some health problems and I used that for an excuse to do almost nothing but sit around and read.
   I finally decided that doing genealogy might be more productive, and that turned out to be a good decision. 
   I was talking to a friend and they told me about a Journal they had run across, that was about a Civil War soldier in 1864, who was related to them and there also was several places where a Baldwin was mentioned.
   Well there were only a few pages of the Journal and I could not connect any of the Baldwin names to my line.
   However I got just interested enough in Journal's, Diaries, Blogs and Life Histories to do a Blog, that perhaps might get my family interested in them.
   I am a LONG TIME Journal keeper and Blogger and I love to read Life Histories and Life Stories, which may or may not be the same thing? Every chance I get I try to influence my EXTENDED Family to keep a journal or do a blog. I hope everyone is aware that you can make a Blog or a Journal (PRIVATE) if you want to do it on your computer?
   One important thing is to start it NOW!
   So if you are already a Blogger does this mean you don't need a journal? NOPE! They are not the same thing. Well of course all the things I have talked about are interconnected, but in my opinion they for sure are not the same thing.
   A BLOG may not be an actual happening. They can be a compilation of several things. It could be an actual experience you have had and it may be embellished a little. It may be a little "tongue in cheek" thing. It could even be something that was written by someone else that you want to pass on. (Try to give the original person credit.)
   A JOURNAL is of course true happenings about you and your life, that you update on a regular basis. Perhaps daily, weekly or monthly, whatever you feel comfortable with. So if someone lets you read their journal and it is all happy, smiley and upbeat, does that mean they live a fairy tale life? Nope I think that is just what they want someone else to know about them.
   For the most part I write my journal for myself and my Blog's for other people AND myself. I always tell my kids they can read my journal's but only when I am gone!
   I did an interesting thing when I read the few pages of the  1864 Civil War soldier's journal. I read what he wrote about and I presume that is what he was interested in at the time. He talked about Mud-- The moaning of wounded soldiers night and day-- He was hungry a lot of the time-- He was anxious for the  War to be over--He misses his family and the girl he left behind.
   Then the comparison as to what I wrote in the 1960's, which must have been on my mind. I was attending the Temple in Idaho Falls with friends-- I was called to the Bishopric for the first time-- I talked about Halloween and how my wife sewed all our kids and OUR costumes. They went from house to house all over the neighborhood and brought back more goodies than they could eat in a week.--- We lost our first Baby in 1965-- I talked about Deer Hunting in Joe's Valley and the fact it had become a tradition.
   I just found it interesting that I could read out if a 1864 journal and that I had one written 100 years later that I could compare it to.
   So in my own opinion, I think people write in their journals mostly for themselves. --What we do--what we see-- What is happening in the world-- What would we like to be doing that is different-- Every Day things that go on in our life.  I even bought a full newspaper the day my grand kids were born and I think I was successful at least in some cases, as I gave it to them for a B-Day present when they turned 12 or 18 or some other age so they would know what was going on the day they were born.  
   Just let your mind wander and you will think about a lot of things you might want to recall 20, 40 or 60 years from now.
   A Journal or a Blog, and especially a Life Story is a wonderful thing and the magic of it is that "only you" can write it correctly. No one can know your life story like you do!
   Is there anything you would like to know about your Grand Parents or Great Grand Parents? Were they Farmers, Mechanics, Clerks, Truck Drivers, Lawyers or Preachers? Were they Tall or Short, poor or well-off?
   Believe me you will be more curious as you get older than you are when you are young. 
   Well it seems like I do not know how to end this Blog. Perhaps a couple of feelings I have had as I try to arrange my thoughts to pass on to my extended family? 
   No journal is always thrilling all the time. However I think I can honestly state that if you keep a journal or a blog they will be a source of enjoyment for someone in your family, long after you have passed on.
   Perhaps I should leave a caution or a gentle warning---You will not be able to sit down for a couple of nights and write your life story from beginning to end. Obviously we will not know if we are writing the final chapter?
   It took me two years to write mine- up until 1988 and then five addendums after that and I am still not current. (You know the old saying--So little time-so much to do.)
   So I am still Blogging in 2016--And as I said my blogs are for anyone to enjoy OR NOT. The paragraph at the beginning is a short talk that I wrote to give at a Genealogy Lesson to try and encourage people to get involved. 
   THE REST OF THIS BLOG IS TO TRY AND ENCOURAGE ANYONE IN MY FAMILY TO GET STARTED---OR ANYONE ELSE I CAN MOTIVATE!
Wally
7 October 2016