“To Fly and Fly for Ever More”

Sometimes when you look at a PHOTO… You just have to stand back and admire for  some reason or the other, as there is just that something,  you just  can not figure out what… but you just have to stand and start the brain … so you can figure out…

…”what in the world is making me stand here forever, admiring and wondering?”

Just take some time as I am doing, and give the above  Photo  some of your time.

When I first saw this Photo… a good many years ago, I was so pleased to see my son Al standing with a plane behind him, and that he will be taking it up and fly into the wild BLUE yonder  of those warm Arizona skies.

One thing for sure that my eyes were noticing is… Al does have a wonderful tanning of the skin, because he has the time to do so much more outside in that wonderful state of Arizona, where everything that you do decide to do… you have weather that will agree with your outside activities… and almost as much as the wonderful Sunshine of South Florida… where he was born, and when the time is right… Al does plan on returning back to the State of his birth, when there is an end to his living anywhere else!

With the working with Airplanes all of his life… Al is one person who did love to do his work.

So often in Life you will hear of friends and family that take up a lot of their time complaining that the work that they are doing is too hard,  the hours are too long… and half of the fellow employees  would rather being doing something else, but do not know what to do with their time, and also will not take time and spend the money to train for another or better occupation, that they would be more suited for and would work out better for them and their family!

Just have to hand it to our “AL” … from a very young age he knew that he enjoyed playing with Airplanes, and just as soon as he was old enough… he marched himself to the nearest  “AIRPORT”… to check out…exactly,  what he would need to do to get a Pilot’s License… and with the information he received…AL started on that road and never left.

Like everything in LIFE… You will need to be able to read, because you will start out with Books and Maps.. and need paper and pencils and plenty of time is needed for you to study and plan on being just the best of best pilots.

When you receive that License and can go to the Airport just as often as possible… YOU will soon get  that  “something” inside of YOU feeling… I must  have my  own Airplane and figure out… just exactly what you like and will be proud to own forever  and a day.

Of course so much more will be appearing in your plans for the future … just to make your dreams all come true!

How does the picture come across to you?

That number “38” on this plane stands out so big … just had to let the brain wonder as to what is would mean to our,  “Dear AL and his life?”

The answer is… 38 years of  some wonderful flying… and  then, “Flying with the Angels above forever and forever more!”


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“With LOVE,” We Say Our “GOOD BYE”

One of the best things in our LIFE TIME is to learn to say “GOOD BYE” …

But… and there is always a “BUT”  about something … and that is when it comes to saying “GOOD BYE” … and meaning  a forever  more “GOOD BYE”…

This is Grandpa Al, himself and with him… in his  very strong arm, that arm is so mighty strong to be able to build Airplanes and all those things  that are needed to FLY, as we all LOVE to FLY, as we all are  in such a hurry to get to that spot on the map just as fast possible… from this little ole spot on the map and then in no time at all… we find that we have changed our mind… and we have to start all over again!

That is our most favorite Grandson LEX, sitting in the arm of his great and  most wonderful  Grandpa Al , and they are at the Airport… and what do you think that  “Grandson LEX” is learning to do?

In looking at this photo, you can see that both Gramps and Grandson are doing exactly the same thing!

“They are saying “GOODBYE” to someone, that will soon be flying so  high into that wonderful BLUE sky above!”

This kind of  “GOODBYE” is a good …”GOODBYE”… because we will be expecting them to came back to us, and very soon again!

BUT… As I am looking at the above PHOTO… I kind of detect a little type of sorrow in our little LEX… as his face kind of has a disappointed look about him… maybe I will see them again and maybe not… as they are definitely leaving and I am just standing  here with GRAMPS… should I be Happy or SAD… since I really do not know what to expect next?

My Gramps is smiling and waving and saying all kinds of good things to me… and for me to say, as I also wave… but I just can not figure out this “GOODBYE” stuff?

When we are smiling and saying our “GOOD BYE” to all of our best of friends and family … Is it for sure… that we will all return to this same place of our goodbye,  and then once agin with so many more smiles on our faces, and with our arms open for many and  all kinds of HUGGS  for all of us, to start receiving… will that always and forever be the case, for all of us… now and forever more?


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“Al and Lee Receive So Many Blessings”

Just ran across this old PHOTO and… I am guessing, that when you accidently run across something… that there is for sure a message to think about, and or a very good reason to give a second thought to  remember… once again.

Also, YOU can tell that this a location in Florida, by some of the background. We are at a side entrance to a Church… of which I have forgotten the name… as this was so long ago. 

Since we live in Fort Lauderdale, it just has to be somewhere  nearby, back in the year of 1962.

Baptism Day 001

“TODAY is the day”

Looking from the left…the lady standing next to ME and my husband Lee, Sr., I just can not remember her name, but she did have a child to be Baptized  and needed Sponsors … so since I was having my children Baptized also…I was able to arrange for two Sponsors for her baby, also!

Next to my husband Lee… our son Lee Jr., and right behind him  is his Aunt Thelma, and she is holding  the baby of the lady standing next to ME.

Holding the hand of our little Lee  Jr.,  is his  uncle Al… and he is the brother of my husband Lee, Sr. and Thelma standing  behind him somewhat is Al’s wife.

Uncle Al is holding our new born baby boy “AL”… as he is being Baptized also on this occasion  and  we decided to name him after his Uncle Al… just a most wonderful person.

Little AL.. is up high in the arms of his Uncle Al, and it looks like Little Al is trying to see what all the fuss is all about… and just another time in his LIFE … that little Al is high in the SKY… and learning to love being able to FLY above all of the EARTH,,, as it is so cool and so much FUN in being able to fly  way above all the clouds of this world. 


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“You too, Will Want to FLY Today”

Life is kind of funny…

When you first start out in LIFE… as a very small baby… you just have no idea of what you will  end up doing… where you will live… and what kind of a family you end up with.

Just so LUCKY for  our Al Aldrich, that he was born in Florida… a mile from the Ocean, and his older brother, Lee was born up in the north part of America… Saint Louis, where it is so cold at some times in the year… that those folk that can…will visit Florida during those cold months,  just to have some extra FUN… swimming in that great big  and warm Ocean!

Sometimes in Life,  there will be things that happen and they may not be the best… but at the same time you are in that family and that just could be that extra special good thing for you… as an experience, that just does not happen to everyone!

Little Al’s father had been shot while working on the Saint Louis Police Department, and now needed more medical treatments in the Hospital there  and right away.

Well now, the family has lots of changes and arrangements to make and fast.

The most important  and first concern was baby Al at the age of eighteen months of age.

DADDY Lee, will be in Hospital for several months, and MOMMY will need to go too!  So right NOW… we need to find someone to care for our little  “baby Al” for maybe a month or so, till we find a place to rent on a temporary basis, while we will be living  there … which will also… be as near as we can get to the hospital.

This story is about our dear Al… as seen in the Airplane below.

How does one get the thought to “FLY”  when there are no Pilots in the family?

This came to me while thinking about “KING AL”… he  has books published and he is “KING” in every way possible.

We did find a family which would care for our son, AL and one of the questions that she ask me was, “Is he “Potty trained”?  Of course, he is as we do have a “POTTY chair” for him, but at the age of eighteen months… nothing is ever perfect?

So Al stayed with this family almost a month… as his Dad Lee was now in the Hospital and I have a rental place and it is pretty close to the Hospital.

The family in Florida makes all the arrangements with Eastern Airlines for our 18 month old son to Fly, and all alone… as I will be at the Lambert Airport in Saint Louis, to receive him… when he arrives.

It was so wonderful to see our little AL, all dressed so nicely and standing so nice and tall… and I took pictures of him in the brown suit of clothes he had on… I do have photos of him at the Airport… if only …I could find  those photos  and in a hurry to also post right now.

Since this “Airplane” trip took place so early in LIFE for “AL”…I  just feel that it made a forever lasting  impression on him … that he just had to take up FLYING at the tender age of seventeen … and he continued to Fly and purchase the plane you see him sitting in.

There are so many very good things, that I can tell you about FLYING… that I do believe, that you too… all readers of his story… will want to start to FLY right NOW… TODAY!


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“Remembering “AL” just the best to be”

When I take the time… to think about this  PHOTO… I am starting to think about the beginning of our little baby “AL” which will be born  in the next day!

Lee & Al 001

In this Photo you see Grandma Lulu sitting on the sofa, far right  and son Albert  pointing his finger toward “ME” taking this Photo.

Little Lee, Jr. is sitting on the floor, and paying attention to his Uncle Al telling him … “That in the next day or so, his MOMMA will be bringing home a new little baby brother… so that he will have a very little new baby brother to play with …real soon!”

When a new baby is being expected soon… seems that all of the family start coming over to see … what is going on and… what in the world is taking so long for the new little baby  to decide when and where to come to EARTH and become a part of the ALDRICH family?

When an “order” for a brand new baby is put  into the mix of all of the family operations of things to do and expect in the next coming nine months… the whole  family has to add a few of their  “to dos” and don’ts… and sometimes, I just wonder who is right… most of the time with their free advice?

Daddy Lee, Sr., is sitting on the Floor with son, Donald leaning on him and Tommy boy the older son is  halfway in this photo as  he is halfway sitting on something and maybe he is on one knee?

Just took another look at this PHOTO and just noticed that Little Lee  has his  right foot on his Daddy’ s left hand. Just wondering what that could mean?

Something funny must be going on…  and or somebody must have said said something to make “DADDY”  laugh…  as it looks as if … he is enjoying what is going on… all the while with a foot on his hand?

Uncle Al with his finger pointed at me… I’m guessing… as I must be the only other  person around… and then, we also see  DADDY LEE, Sr.,  kind of laughing at something that maybe “ME” the person with camera is telling them… what to do and how?

When “YOU” are the camera person and trying to get some real good pictures that will last a life time or two… “YOU” the camera person has to say something  and or make some kind of a joke  … so that  in doing some entertaining… you will  be able to get everyone to look nice and also face the camera …. while at the same time look so very  happy and excited to be having their photo taken!

This photo was taken with a Polaroid camera…  a good sixty years ago. When you used that type of camera … there were several things that you did need to do… just to be sure that this photo would turn out correct and also last forever…

Sure good guess… that we did everything almost correctly… and that we do have a remembrance of this time…. way back in the year of 1962 and on film… for all to share and LOVE!


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“Al… In the Beginning, the BEST of Times”

  Just looks like is as any old ordinary day of the  week …

Every so often someone will show up…. just to see what I am doing… and sometimes they will offer a helping hand… and then again they might just have a word or two and go on there merry ole way…

As you can see… I also have my “A #1 Helper with ME… today

As you can see… I have my work cut out for me… on this day…

It is a “HOT” day, and I will do the best that I can… just as fast as I can…

because… I have some more exciting plans for this day…

than to just  work on this Plane … all day

It just seems that I … as lots of others that I know…  always remember  that the “DAY” was made for just so much work and then…  like all good PILOTS… they  remember that they will be taking the “LADY of the HOUSE” up and into that great big  wild BLUE yonder …

As all young couples just love to see… all the world and make plans for their own special  part of the HEAVENS… above!

 


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