Monday, March 7, 2011

REMEMBERING TIMES

Good times and bad times, I remember many, going back over 50 years. Last night I received a phone call from probably my oldest living friend, Harry Z. from Atlanta, Ga. We spoke for about 20 minutes of many memories and what's going on in our immediate lives.

Naturally, during our conversation we started talking about our physical problems and our medications until my wife yelled at us to stop talking like two old farts, we both laughed and dropped the subject.

After the call, I started thinking of the things that I remember from my childhood until the present. Growing up on Division St. in Chicago, walking the eight blocks or so to grammer school through 6 feet of snow as I guess most everybody has experienced.

During those pre teen years I remember my Mother taking my Sister and me downtown to Marshall Fields during the Christmas holidays to see their 3 or 4 floors of toys. A great childhood memory.

Four years at Roosevelt High, a semester at Jr. College, two years in the Army, moving to Kansas City and getting married. Raising two children, getting divorced after 18 years and staying single for 10 years.

Moving to Hawaii, Aruba and working for a short time on the Windjammer ships. During those 10 years I had many experiences that I wrote about in my memoir "Making Happy". Two of those stand out in my mind. The first, when I was backpacking in the Smoky Mountains and believed that I had a conversation with the almighty. The second, when I was on my sailboat in Hawaii and we spoke again. Two very vivid memories.

Getting remarried to the most wonderful woman I have ever met and sharing almost 27 fantastic years together. Enjoying our combined family of children, grandchildren and great grand children.

Lucky to have many friends that we travel with, dine together, play and cry together but most of all laugh together.

This last week was another event added to my list of memories when a friend took me to my first KU game in Lawrence. Thanks Arnie, it was a blast and as I mentioned in Facebook, it was right up there with going to Marshall Field's.

No comments: