Happy Veterens Day

Just a note to all of you to salute our veterans, many of which were our own family. I used to kiss Joe goodbye in the train station and never know if I would see him again. In order of age---there was my brother who served in WW2 as a pharmacist mate and a little while after the war was over. Mike while never in a combat zone that I knew of served 30 years in the navy. Tom was in the army and coast guard until retirement and served in Vietnam Josh was in the marines and served in Kosova, Jennie went through boot camp and served time in the national guard Shalyn and Kess are still in the Military ----Megan attended military school My sister Anne's grandson just graduated from West Point with honors and is set to be deployed to Afghanistan-----so to those known and unknown to me I salute you for your courage and bravery and dedication to this great country . God bless you all and god bless America.

New Years

Camp King Officers Club Oberursel, Germany
I may be on line, I don't know. I had a college kid studying computers come to install my printer yesterday and because it was getting late and I really don't like driving after dark I took him home and was going to get him today to finish but the weather set in so I told him I'd come get him when the weather clears up. He is the youngest son of my heat and air conditioner man and that family is really good to me. His Dad comes anytime I call and his Mom makes apple butter that is spectacular and plays the flute for the nursing home residents----she also rides her own motorcycle. He got my printer hooked up but was going to get the computer set up with some more stuff and hook up the Skype. He is a little like the absent-minded professor but he really knows computer stuff. The people around here charge a dollar a minute. This kid was delighted with 20 bucks and didn't really expect anything so as soon as the weather clears I'll go get him to finish and also get him to put in some light bulbs I can't reach and really don't like climbing on ladders anymore. I did get out today and took Maggie's gift to her and picked up some groceries so I'm set now. Annie has been sick--she and Stuart got hung up in a snow bank the other day on the way to work and it took them an hour and a half to dig out and she only had on scrubs and a light jacket plus her kidney is still bothering her. No I don't have plans for New Year's Eve. Dad and I have had some terrific times on that night. We used to go and stay in the hotel or nearby so we didn't have to drive and party like there was no tomorrow or surely you remember the parties we had at Camp King. Susie Jonk used to have the evening party and I would do new years day or visa versa----at any rate it was great fun. We went to Spain one year from Portugal to the Valpariaso Restaurant. Took a Mercedes cab up from the little Hostel in Fungerola to Km 4i/2 up the mountain towards Mijas. It was really pricey but worth it .We had a whole lobster, a small leg of lamb with vegetables and for dessert half a pineapple carved out filled with fruit. An open bar, special wines with the meal. An Irish band and we danced til 4AM and took a taxi back to Fuengirola. Dad introduced me to those kind of things and then I would plan something special for us and he was usually as happy as a gooney bird----one night in Spain we were in Alicante and after we got home we sat on the floor and watched the light house light shine in the window and drank Cointreau and just enjoyed the pleasure of our love. So when I really start feeling low I try to pick out a beautiful memory like that and go with it. It might be fun to go back as far as I can remember and just write about our New year' celebrations and Patti used to call us nearly every new year's she loved that holiday. It is really painful to think of Patti, Mike and Dad not being here anymore but I do Thank God for the time we had together and the memories we shared together. Thanks for writing me-----Josh took his "Tater" and baby Case home today. I'd like to be a fly on the wall as they make it through the first night with new baby but he seemed confident he could do it. I need to get off this back porch as something is wrong with the heating unit and Jack is going to come fix it tomorrow. I Love You---Stay in touch---MOMXO

God Bless America

To my family and friends on this great holiday--A note to wish you a blessed day and remember that today is not about hot dogs and bar-b-cue as great as that is but about freedom that was (and still is being) paid for in blood and sacrifice for many years-----while it appears at this point in time our country is going to hell in a bread basket I do believe that the courage and faith of the average American citizen will prevail. When times are tough---the tough get going and the American spirit is incomparable. I have lived abroad and know this is a great country but we must keep the basic tenets of our forefathers and the principles to which they adhered. and upon which this nation was founded. May God bless and keep you in his warm and loving care and give you the strength to overcome any adversities and enjoy the enormous blessings we have. God Bless America and our troops who are minding the watch while we sleep and keep them safe from harm. Sincerely, Helena, Mom, Oma XO

Meltdown

I am going to get a note book just for instructions. I am also going to start writing every day. I made it through today and had a meltdown after wheel of fortune. The yard man was here and sat patiently in his straw hat and sweaty t-shirt as I told him some of my adventures with Dad. He laughed pretty hard at some of my stories about my life when I was 18 and during the war years. I have got to get things on paper while I am still blessed with a good memory. I love you MOMXXOO

D-Day

Good Morning to all. I am due at work but nothing that can't. wait. I was watching the D-Day ceremonies coming from Normandy beach. There were quite a few of the men who survived, Dad did not go on D-day even tho he shipped over about a month later. It is still very vivid to me. Dad was in Tennessee getting ready to go overseas and I was in Detroit with his Mom and Dad when news of the invasion was broadcast. Patti was born June 30, 1944---Joe came up for her birth and left on July 10th to go back to camp. I was still in the hospital. A couple weeks later he called and ask me to come and spend the weekend with him and I was not to ask any questions. I left Patti with aunt Annie and literally chased the train but got on to spend the weekend-------I was nursing Patti ----forgot to buy a breast pump. It was a weekend in Tennessee and no place to buy a beast pump. By the time I got back to Detroit I was a mess running a fever, actually pretty sick but that didn't matter-----I was with my JOE for a weekend and nothing seemed to matter except we were together. Joe left for overseas shortly thereafter and I didn't see him again until Thanksgiving 1945----Patti was walking and hid behind the couch because she didn't know who he was. Grandma Thomson had fixed a feast and we partied and celebrated the return of our hero and love. Grandma was beside herself with joy that her "Big Lug" had returned to her safe ,maybe not quite so sound because that is a tremendous amount of trauma for a 2o year old to go through but as I heard later at the Airborne conventions---he more than did his share of defending his country---Of course you all know that your Dad was a true Scottish Warrior and remained so in his heart until he could no longer remember. I need to go to work now. Have a blessed day all of you.Remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. God was good to us to bring your daddy back from Europe and I was so happy to see him and also brought our Tommy back safe from Vietnam. I cried for days when he was leaving and felt a tremendous JOY when he climbed out of the cab there on Chisholm Trail. My love to all of you and God bless and keep you in his warm and loving care. MOMXXXXXXXOOOOOOO

Easter

A note to my children and friends to wish you a blessed Easter. I am not computer literate enough to make you one of those lovely colorful cards all decorated. However simple the appearance, my note to you is just as meaningful. Easter is a new beginning and joyous that Christ arose and watches over us at all times. Keep the faith--- means just that. Sandy and Terri and Tommy, I really enjoyed your visits and thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to come and honor my 85th (WOW!!!!) birthday For my friends who sent me greetings-----Thanks for remembering. The nursing home where I was director gave me an awesome birthday party complete with a bouquet of Yellow roses and a cake that was Gynormous, iced like a golf fairway----complete with a little golf cart with two sets of clubs and an 18th hole flag. There was enough food cooked by the staff to feed all three shifts and some of the residents. It was pretty awesome. Jennifer, You and sweet Emma have brought a lot of Joy to my life, lately--even tho Jenny I know you have met yourself coming and going lately with your school and work and all-- bringing stuff for rootbeer floats and chips to cheer me up when I was having a meltdown and missing Opa. I feel truly blessed to have the family that God entrusted to my care--and the friends to walk a mile or two with me on my life's journey I love you guys-------I have had a really bad Upper respiratory malady and have been taking it easy the past few days and now I'm going in and watch the finish of the Masters, God Bless and keep you in his loving grace, Helena alias MOM/OMA

Econ Crisis

Hi out there my terrific children-----how' s it going. I'm still in my p.j.'s but felt the need to communicate some thoughts. I made myself some bacon, pancakes and a cup of coffee and sat down to watch T.v and have breakfast. I really enjoy watching Cspan primarily because it's live and what is said or done is there! After awhile I get a little weary of watching Who's your Daddy and 17 guys show up-----used to if you turned up " in the family way " unmarried either you were kicked out' sent away or some fella had a gun at the back of his neck and he took care of his responsibilities. As sure as "hell" we didn't expect uncle Sam to pay for our frivolities.Now we ---never mind I don't want to get side tracked from my original thought and so back to Cspan. There was a senator from Vermont , unfortunately the phone rang before I could write his name down, but he was talking about what this great and beautiful country did in 1941 when we got prepared for a war in Europe and in Asia . I was 18 years old and had lived through a depression where my Mother and Father "made do" with what they had and provided for us as best they could with whatever talents that were honest and true----you know I have told you that Mother picked cotton to pay tuition for daddy's education through Pharmacy school and we went to the cotton patch with her at somewhere around the ages of my little brother was three or four and I was five or six.but that is also another story. Generally' people have so much today they have forgotten what the BASICS are-----Tom and Sandy I know that you can pull up a few memories as you were brought up when your Dad's income and my supplemental income left a lot to be desired. In order to achieve what we have to achieve what we must to get this country back on track and really look at what is going on. The major change has to come from changing the whole mentality from a ME society to a We society. Think about it???????In 1942 lots and lots of things were rationed---Sugar, bedsheets, tires all sorts of things. We adapted to what we had to do to win the war and keep this country free and honor the blood that was shed and about to be shed in order to do so. When I followed Dad to Germany In 1946 things were rationed . The Officers had a different set of rations than did the enlisted based on an honor system of achievement. In other words there was a sense of reward when you worked hard to better your circumstances in life. We are created equal as we are born into this world naked and go out basically the same way . What we do with what the Good Lord provided us is up to us. The infirm,crippled and elderly should be taken care of up to a point They too should be provided the opportunity to maintain as much dignity and privilege to provide for themselves as opposed to the dependency society we now have. FDR was a great president and created the WPA and CCC so men could work and feed their families and feel some self respect. Used to if the wife worked it was an insult to the husband. It meant the man was not taking care of his responsibilities. The Woman's movement was good up to a point as it provided a way for women to achieve things and go places they had never been before. However from my perspective it has been carried much to far. For the most part Men no longer have the opportunity to be a " Cavalier". Look the word up. It may only exist in the European dictionary. Obama wants change----we need to change but from what I saw that the money was going toward is a farce----why do we want to refurbish the "Mall" in DC. ----that won't put food in the stomachs of the working class who's money they are stealing to provide more perks for some crooked politicians and CEO's and There's a certain Ms. P. that is the 3rd strongest person in our government that I personally would like to tell to put a sock in it as she has no clue what the average American is dealing with I would not trade for the time in which I was born and raised and the principles and beliefs with which I was raised. I should have left your Dad alone in what he was trying to teach you--He told me he was trying to prepare you for a cold world out there so you could survive when you left home no matter what. I have to go now --sorry if I have clogged up you computer. Is it going to take the survivors of previous times of disaster in this country to hold the mirror up to those in control and say to them "hey, this isn't working." I love you guys and respect you for your strengths to endure.MOMXXXXXXXXOOOOOO