History Buff's Dream Date Night

The Mr. and I attended a dinner/lecture last night sponsored by the Idaho Humanities Council at the CDA Resort. Guest speaker was the New York Times Best Selling author Andrew Carroll. He spoke about the importance of preserving our nation's history by protecting wartime correspondence before they are lost or destroyed. Many of these letters have made their way into his books and PBS documentary War Letters. If anyone would like to contribute a photocopy of a personal war time letter, find further information at www.warletters.com

A New "Ann-e-ism"

Ann-e-isms are off the wall sayings that spew out of my seventeen year old daughter's mouth. Some of them are gems ... from younger years ... but her most recent verbiage was: "Did you get my channel-of-mind-link? " This being said after we both started saying the same thing at the same time last night. Her most famous line was part of a middle school report about creation -vs- evolution. It went something like this: "People have the need to know the true believings and the real happenings." After I read it, she handed the paper to her dad to review. He happened to be watching a football game on TV and glanced it over once, handed it back to her and told her "good job." My jaw dropped and I asked him what he had been smoking ... and to please read it again. At age eight she told my mom: "Grandma, when I grow up I want to look just like you ... but I want my own skin." (I'm sure this was said in reference to my mom's wrinkles). At age 12, while she and I were walking from the far end of the Target parking lot, commented how "those handicapped people are so lucky, they get to park up front." For this she got a tongue lashing from dear old mom. And last but not least she she told my grandfather when he turned ninety: "Grandpa, you're almost out of your numbers." Art Linkletter was right when he often said, "kids say the darnedest things." What are some of the funny sayings you've heard your kids or grandkids say?

To The Airport (again)

Mr. Mac is returning home around 1:00 today, so I'm off to the airport in about an hour. Three whole wonderful weeks of a helpmate (manservant) to take care of my growing honey-do list. After he's settled in then I'll be back to posting.

Wordless Wednesday

Choosing Not (To Swallow The Pill Of Bitterness)

Yesterday found me with two sick children at home. One child is small and for the first five of his eleven years had fragile health. The other (adult) child was teased growing up that she was 'too mean' to get sick ... she somehow escaped 95% of the nasty germs our family passed around. My adult child, Ann, will head back to school today, none for the weary ... feeling better. The small boy, Nathan, that calls me MOM (from the top of his lungs) will hang around another day ... sick. He has a throat infection and is being treated with antibiotics and should be fine in a day or so. He has Down syndrome ... a genetic disorder that can wreak havoc on a persons body and mental capabilities ... it will not go away and I've come to terms with the associated problems. Those terms sometimes include sleepless nights on both our parts. Last night was one of 'those terms' and I must have gotten up at least 11 times with him. Eleven times woken from sleepy dreamland to comfort him. Eleven times to change his pants because he needs help. Nine of those times I almost lost my patience ... and two of those times I remembered that he is only a small child, a gift from God, and needs extra protection and help. We chose life for him .... a high percentage of parents would have 'thrown him away' before birth. My inconvenience is short lived ... his 'inconvenience' is never complained about ... he takes his condition one day at a time and in his best efforts, makes beautiful music. Bitterness? Not on my watch.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Last Week In Pictures

Pictures: A visit to Hansen's Orchard, Sunrise from my front porch, "Mangy Moose" painting discovered in an antique shop ... begging me to buy it ;), Mr. Nathan tending the fire with his mutt, the fabulous baby Jake, salsa..salsa..salsa ..yummy!

Are You A 'Manly" Woman?

So I'm having a conversation yesterday with my seventeen year old daughter, Ann. She is the epitome of all things girly (since birth) and is not suited for the "snakes and snails and puppy dog tails" type of existence. Having a way with word faux pases (and I having a list a mile long of the hilarious verbiage that has spewed from her mouth) she said, "Mom, have you always been a manly woman? Did you ever wear ribbons or skirts or dress up?" I, all the while flabbergasted, dropped to the floor laughing. Most days I wear comfy jeans, roll up my sleeves, mow the grass, gather firewood, put up canned goods, burn leaves, and enjoy both typical male and female type of work around the house. Her parting comment: "I don't know what dad would do without you." I love you too, sweetie.

(help me with my French .. is faux pases the plural of faux pas?)

A Walk Through Time - Part III (at last .. my feet hurt)

Final tour of duty: SS Lane Victory. U.S. Merchant Marine Navel Ship launched in 1945. Used to haul supplies to troops during WWII. This day trip included our son, Patrick. He's currently active duty U.S. Army and is a tank crewman. His vintage uniform for our outing is that of a WWII tank officer. The day began with a cruise around Catalina Island, involved espionage (a spy aboard ship) ... and was supposed to include a 'dog fight' with a bomber plane ... but it was foggy for part of the cruise ... so no plane ... but the big guns were fired. Lunch and a harbor cruise rounded out the day.

A few of these photos are from the Living Time Line at Ft. MacArthur. The military vehicle and women's military uniform 'museum' belong to Bob and Kathy. The gentleman standing in between Mr. and Mrs. Mac is R. Lee Ermey.

Well, it has been fun walking my way through history. Can't wait to find out my next assignment. Stay tuned.
Photos:


click on photos to enlarge
Edit: The charge up San Juan Hill by the three rough riders, left Mr. Mac a casualty of war :(

A Walk Through Time - Part II

As with any hobby, money can sometimes be involved. And putting together a vintage uniform (or reproduction uniform) can set a person back in the wallet. Dh and I have been fortunate to be friends with two ultimate wheelers and dealers of all things vintage. Our friends Bob and Kathy have extensive knowledge about EVERYTHING ... down to the correct buttons and patches, and they know what makes a good substitute if original is impossible or too expensive to use. Some of our uniforms are quite vintage ... moth holes included ... and some of Terry's were used for Hollywood movies. They have graciously supplied us with everything, otherwise, I don't think we could afford the selection that we have. A few of our outings, such as dinner on the Queen Mary, and a dinner/murder mystery (Murder of The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) aboard a vintage train were not of the re-enactment category ... just fun date nights.

For the past several years we have attended a Living Time Line at Ft. MacArthur which is a weekend outing with re-enactments going back hundreds and hundreds of years up to the Korean era. There are pirates and swash-bucklers, Civil War encampments, Spanish American battles, MASH units, all set above a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

For our twenty-fourth wedding anniversary, Dh and I traveled to Mackinac Island, MI for a three day weekend at the Grand Hotel that included the Glenn Miller Band. For the formal night, we wore vintage WWII uniforms. In attendance were many WWII veterans and their spouses to hear "their" music. Seeing us in "their" uniforms brought smiles to their faces and gratitude for preserving part of "their" history. We were asked to be dance partners with several of the elderly guests so they could reminisce about their service years.

While reading a local newspaper some time back I saw there was to be an opening of a hobby shop/museum just up the road from our home. Their specialty is model airplanes and battleships from bygone wars. Dh and I attended and met a WWII rescue pilot, Bill Clutterham, who flew B17's during the war. These two hit it off and became best of friends with much in common. Come to find out they were both stationed on a small remote island called Ishima off the coast of Japan some thirty years apart. Bill was a rescue pilot for the infamous Enola Gay plane that dropped the A-bomb and was flying at the time of the bombing. This was a top secret mission and he didn't even know what was going on ... but witnessed a blast from the corner of his eye. Something never before seen and hopefully never to be seen again. If he had looked directly at it, he would have gone blind. I have a book he wrote about his Christian faith and his recollections of the war. Sadly, he passed away this past April. Terry and a few of Bill's close friends and family made a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. a short time before his death to see the National WWII Memorial. There's one more day of time travel ... so stay tuned.

Photos: (click on pictures to enlarge)

Top Row: Left - Mrs. Mac "Somewhere In Time" at the Grand Hotel's vintage phone booth, 2004
Right - Mr Mac and Bill at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.D., 2006
Middle Row:
Left - Mr. Mac & Bill at hobby shop opening, 2005
Right - Mr. & Mrs. Mac at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI, 2004
Bottom Row:
Left - Mr. & Mrs. Mac aboard the murder mystery dinner train
Right - Mr. Mac at Ft. MacArthur, 2006

A Walk Through Time - Part I

Several years ago my husband asked me to go on a double date. We were to eat out at a five star restaurant called Sir Winston's aboard the Queen Mary ship with the best man from our wedding, Bob, and his (at the time girl friend) wife, Kathy. I jumped at the chance ... then he informed me we would be wearing authentic WWII uniforms. I said, "out in public in a restaurant, eh??" I reminded him we didn't have any WWII uniforms hanging in our closet so what gives? It seems Bob is a procurer of all things having to do with war reenactments ... probably all the way back to the pirates (no kidding). Putting aside my oft times shy nature ... I agreed to go. Seems there is this whole sub-culture of people that dress in period uniforms, street clothes, etc. and go out to vintage style clubs, dances, restaurants, reenactments, you name it. Who knew? After the first course of the dinner, I let my composure relax a bit and started to 'get into the mood' of the evening. Afterwards we took a stroll aboard ship and ran into a group of vintage attired people wearing street clothes from the 40's that we joined (complete strangers). They had the whole gig down to their vintage zippo lighters and cigarette cases. Even their speech was from another time. Thus began my adventure as a participant in military reenactments. Some of our best friends have been made at such events, and this week I'll share a few snapshots from several of our 'outings'. Stay tuned to see more of Mrs. Mac walking her way through history.

Photo left to right: Mr. & Mrs. Mac, Bob and Kathy