Out Of The Box

        The much faded, now, not so white envelope, containing my keep-sake memories (mostly patches) continues with the following:  

                                                 From my junior life saving days -

                                                  To my senior life saving days -

        Teaching many of my hometown folks how to swim, remains a rewarding experience of my much younger days. Just how many total individuals were involved remains a mystery but, here is a sample of such activity at our community pool in 1969!

        Just me, for almost a decade, each summer along the flow of time. Splish-splash, blow those bubbles and float away.

My Keep-Sake Box

         Memory facilitation seems to help my recall in these years of being greater than 70 such or so. Having recently rediscovered a memory box of much younger days, the content of these various activities helped fill the valleys of my past travels. How about that! Here is a scan of the inter lid of these carefully placed items it contained.

         "Dutch Masters" it is. Can you believe it? In my younger days, the cigar was a status of success if you could hold one between your fingers while you walked around town. Two for 25 cents it proudly states above. What a deal! Lucky to have a nickel in my own pocket at any street crossing.

        Raising this lid, what was first found first, belonged to an aging, fading and, well-worn envelope. It was filled with all kinds of cloth patches, representing many of the pathways travel along the way. What a deal! Had to spend some time sorting through such a heap of cloth memories all jumbled together. Here's some of the unravelling to this cloth of time!

         Troop of 84' ... a lasting memorial and, the major role it impacted on my growth and development during these years of travel.

       "Be Prepared"! A motto of life it became. Will-power and self-control ... what can one say against all those hormones of adolescent swimming by? Here's the crew of one of those days. [see post of December 2, 2011, titled of course "Adolescence"]

        Old Lord Baden-Powell would be satisfied and happy in his grave. Boy Scouts started in America February 8, 1910. What memories!

Splendor

        For 2026, may splendor begin each new day for all those out there in this blogging world. Wishing you success with each endeavor and, satisfaction to all the hearts. A new sunrise each day. 👍

                  The sun in splendor from my favorite stain glass. May yours keep rising.

Pile It Up

         For most folks, closing out another year above ground is generally considered a good thing. Anyway, a thought written down by a good, old, Celtic friend of N.W. Wales, during his "good old days" states -

                                               "I have made a heap of all I could find."

          His contemplation has generated laughter among my own thoughts of time along the many hallways of history we have travelled. What a hoot! Pile it up for 2025. Onward to 2026!

From: Nennius, Historia Brittonum (History of The Britons) ca. 829 A.D. when my own ancestors were just getting planted among those mountains. His file is found in my research notebook # 203 [RN #203].

P.S. Here is a scan of the part of an early map drawn during the 1200s A.D., showing "Wallia" and, the part of my ancestor's world, as seen from this hallway of time. Original is held in the British Library (Cott. Cloud D.Vl Folio 12v). 

Birthday Wishes

         Happy, Happy Birthday to that fellow named "John" [Lk 1:60] born so many years past (ca. 4 B.C., during the reign of Caesar Augustus, 27 B.C.- 14 A.D.!) [Lk 2:1] What a Deal! Somehow, wise women and, wise men still seek to understand the why and, the what fore.

Ref: The Ryrie Study Bible, New American Standard Translation, Moody Press, Chicago, 1978. (p.1545)

'O Tannenbaum'

        "Over the river and, through the woods, to grandmother's house we go..." at least in my memory this day of December 2025. A lifetime of memories indeed it is. [see post September 5, 2010] Anyway, here is a scan of one of those "Christmas Decorations" tree before 2010. [see post December 27, 2010]

                                                                  'O Tannenbaum'

PTA ... Long Overdue

 

       Parent-Teacher-Association it is, Hickman Street School, 1957-1959. The pin shown above, was given to my Mom, as the President during this duration of its existence. She never wore this, thank you pin, that my recognition brings to the surface. First grade to the third grade (for me) this contribution was made among the many others not recognized during the events of the day. Now, long overdue, is the "Thank You"! 

        The only image contained in my memory box is shown above. Many days spent in these hallways of time. See past posts: January 26, 2012; August 12, 2010; August 8, 2010!   

        Tardy Indeed!