Look Back and Look Forward

Last day of  January  –  may as well look back quickly  – over the past month  –  check out if the plans made on the  first   –  are still on track?  Now is the time to review  my plans for this year –  I can still make corrections  –  can not make more time but I can  delete negative  consumers of time.  So,  if I start using my time more wisely  – my resolutions that I started   – will be accomplished!

January is the  – look forward  and backward month  – so having done my backward look can now  move on to the forward look?

Now  to  check my list  for the plans  I have made  and listed on my calendar –  approximate  month and dates for  each activity. One of the first on my list  for this year   –  have scheduled two trips  –  so I will have to make  “Lists” for packing  –  telephone numbers (updated) for everyone  –   most important to me  are books , pens and paper  –  can not forget to stock up on stamps and postal cards and envelopes to mail stuff back and keep everyone back home informed of where I am and what I am doing. Almost forgot the most important thing  must have two (2)  pair of walking shoes.

How can anyone  “travel”,   if they can not walk miles and miles –  and must be able to stand around  while someone else  is telling us  all about where we are and what we are doing?  Sometimes they suffer from  “run off of the mouth disease?” 

The most important part of making a full new year of plans  is  the asking of   God   – for His blessing over the plan and the trip  – He already knows!   Some times we  may run into “detours”   along the way    –  meaning   –  a better opportunity is just around the corner!


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“Hold on to Your Hat – Dear”

If you don’t  hold on to your hat  –  today –   you will be running  faster than you have,  in a heck of a long time!  The wind is cleaning up the streets in our neighborhood – blowing everything not tied down  –away!

A man across the street was running after  his  trash can  – what caught my eye was a big white floating  bag  –  must have loss half of its  stuff  – and floating up and down,  as he  went to grab,  for it  – down it went,  and back  –  out of reach. Looked like a ball team at practice  –  throwing a ball here and he would just  miss it,  and then,  up  and over there, till   finally he got it,  and threw it  – swiftly  into  the can!

That’s what happens,  when  you are  too much of an  eager beaver  in following  after  the putting out  of your trash, too early.  Have to give the  guy  credit on his report card at home –  doing the right thing  – get the trash out of the house, and  in to the cans  –  and  then to the curb –  should just  have waited for a  later time!   Wind blowing at almost 65 mph –  even the snow flakes were having fun – slapping each other  up and down and around  – why hit the ground – when you can have so much more fun flying around  – as if you have some place more  important to be?

Even  the Birds  took cover – do not see the usual suspects  that are invited to my  back yard  – must be staying in their   “bird house”   or in a  much safer place in the Park  – taking  good cover  – safely?  If,  only I could put the  “roar of the wind”  on paper  –  so you could  just hear it a  wailing  – away !  No trash cans out here,  at our location  –  “Dear!” – just not  in the mood – to run up and down the street!


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High School Days

Thinking  about  Beaumont High School days in the early 1950’s!  Two girls  I remember  – Gloria Starr and Linda Evans, they worked in the school lunch room  and talked me into working – you will get your lunch free and get to see everyone .  Gloria Starr  was the gal about and around school  – she just knew everyone!

Those were the days of high energy – with a good lunch –  I was able to work almost every day after school at  Woolworth’s 5 & 10  on the corner of Grand and Olive.  That was a very busy area with the  Fox Theatre  just down the block.  Anyway, I was working in the  “Toy Department” on the second floor,  till 9;30pm  and on Saturdays  and really enjoyed working there.

After working awhile, and sizing up the area  that I was in charge  of  – saw that most people did not notice or see the merchandise that was above eve level.  Also, the large items hanging from the ceiling areas – items   kids would like to have,  if  only  –  they could see and get their hands on.  So, one day when the Floor Manager and Big Boss were walking around my area  – I stepped out from behind he counter  – took a breath of air and  thought I would put in my 2-cents   –   for all its  worth!

I just ask them if they could see everything  and if they notice the items up high out of sight? Also, said that those larger items could be sold if anybody could see them?   The answer that I got back was – the customers will ask for what they want or can not find? Bust my answer was,  “why make it difficult to sell?”

Saturday came and there   were extra people in my work area  and just like that –   “eye level” merchandise made all the difference  –  I was immediately busier!


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“Karen and Kathleen”

Have to remember my sisters,   Kathleen McClarren and her identical twin, Eve Karen Francesca McClarren Scott (01-31-1996).  Life here…   just too  short  –  also, to remember both of you  –  had Masses said at   St.Francis Assisi on Telegraph road.  Have to believe that you are both with the Angels and Saints, spending time   with  the  Almighty Yahweh!

Will have to post the pictures of you and Tom when we went bowling, and when we went ice-skating  I think Tom was home on military leave at the time?  It’s  good to take pictures to help remember all the good fun times   –  so long ago?

Also…  was looking at that notebook that  you used to write all of your stories,  and  so… Alyssa  my Grand-daughter will have to do all the art work and help to get that published for you. Alyssa can work wonders illustrating the stories, and with an original work like your book…  it is just what the  “writer’s market” wants today!

So, Karen, and Kathleen,  just so you know   – neither one of you will ever be forgotten! Everyone  who ever met you  and even everyone I tell about you… always ask for more information, since you have a real story  that needs to be told!

I can only say … “you”  may be absent from the body, but I do   know…  you are both in the presence  of  the   Almighty our Creator.   May blessings… be with  you both…  forever more! 


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Downtown on Sunday!

When ever My Dad  – right after work  – would call from downtown St.Louis  –  for a last minute  “Happy Time”   – the magic words  were “Forum Cafeteria!”   This Sunday, my Mom and I caught a bus and met my Dad a couple of blocks from the  Forum Cafeteria and in the 1950’s  –   there usually were  “Street Photographers” taking pictures as you walked by. My Dad could pass for  “Clark Gable’s” double, and the photographer was really trying to get  a picture of my Dad. I wish now that she was faster or more determined  –  would have been nice to have today!

Anyway, there we were  – you really did not need to know the address for the  Forum Cafeteria,   –  the  “nose” knew the way  –  the smells were so good  –   it was hurry up and get in side and in line –  with your tray in hand – slide it along and stretch your neck to see what looks like the best choice to try today!  Something new  to try – just to get ideas of combinations of foods to make when home? I was in  “High School” at the time and always like a piece of pie and scoop of ice cream.  Those were the days when I was thin and ice cream was a favorite at anytime available? Find a table for all of us and take our time enjoying.

We knew how long we could take our time  because we would be going to the “Theatre” and it was only a few minutes away! So with about “10” minutes to walk and  get our  Theatre tickets – these quick get-together  were the best!

This was top drawer living for me!  –  I sure miss the Forum Cafeteria!


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Autograph Memories pg. 10

June 13, 1975   –  A 10-day celebration of the 50th Anniversary of St.Vincent’s Home in Normandy, Missouri  – took place with  several of the Nuns  writing in  my Autograph Book. Have a picture of  Sister M. Alvira,  Sister M. Celestine, and Sister M. Luitrard  enjoying an ice cream cone!

Sister Jane Frances  was the Nun in charge of health care and the Nurse, with her own office area and infirmary. She was the one that saw to it that  we each received a liquid doze of Epsom salts with a glass of water to wash it down. This would take place early morning  “Monday” following a  “Visiting Day”  – even if you did not have visitors  –  you may have eaten something that a friend gave you  –  and we all needed to be clean  inside!

Sister Maria Aleppia   was in  charge of Kindergarten children and was also the Nun in charge during the Breakfast time in the  girl’s side  dining room.  This was a Nun  that  would not let anyone  leave their  “oatmeal” in the bowl  –  you ate it  – or she would spoon feed you  –  no matter what   –  you never got to leave food   –  uneaten!

Sister M. Columbo  was the Nun in charge of everything in the care of the Chapel.  She had two boys and one girl to help her,  cleaning, flower arrangements and the making of the communion hosts  and she took care of the priest garments and the linens – you name  it she saw to it that everything was spic and span.  I worked for her for six (6) months and did a lot of sewing in my spare time and when she made the communion hosts  –    I got to eat the communion hosts   –  “leftovers”   –     and  those not finished baking  – these I really liked!


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