“Big ONE – fought – now Caught!”

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“Hammerhead” puts  up a good fight   – two fishermen in a small boat  – off the coast of the  Atlantic Ocean  – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida – May, 1960  –  (Photos tell the whole story.)

The two men pulled the small boat up  – right into the area where we were enjoying the sun and  lots of sun-bathers had to scramble in a hurry  – the “HAMMERHEAD” was putting up the  fight  for it’s life!  All the while  – this was taking place  – I was taking pictures.  Have pictures  of the struggle  with “HAMMERHEAD” and finally being hung from the over-head “PIER”  –  for all to take close-up pictures  – as this one my husband took of me with his Mother  – standing next to me.

When Grandma Louise Aldrich Stanley gets back home to St.Louis, Missouri – she will have lots of  “BIG FISH”  stories  to tell family and friends  with pictures to prove –  this was no “PIPE DREAM”  –  “the day she got to feel and touch a “HAMMERHEAD SHARK!”


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“Gone Fishing!”

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Al left a note for me to find   –  “Gone Fishing” – we will be catching a “BIG ONE”  for you to  fry or cook for dinner  – whatever you enjoy doing  – since you like fish???

When I look at this picture – I can see that you really need what I do not have a whole  lot of  – “QUITE PATIENCE” –  just look at Little Al and his big brother Lee  –  –  must be thinking of something that will be real fun to do  – as soon as the “BIG FISH”  pulls on their lines – the “BIG ONE” that will feed a family  of (5) five!

If you keep repeating to yourself – “the big one is pulling on my line, now ” – “the big one is pulling on my line”   “NOW” – it will happen! Try it out next time  you go out to fish and see what pulls on your line?  (Good Fishing to you, too!)


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“Daddy” is always remembered!

The day after “Father’s Day” – do we still give “Daddy” a second thought? When you get older like me – more than likely your Dad is no longer here and I know in some cases all that is remembered are those memories that were not too  “happy” back then and today only those sorrowful memories linger. As in every family – not all members feel treated correctly and things have happened that we wish would have been much better – but let’s face it – so far this is not a “perfect” world?

As a kid, the WWII was in full swing and just having our Country – decide to enter into, and also muster up men to train and entice women to take the place of men in the ammunition plants – don’t forget we also were using those little coupons to buy gas, sugar and shoes and could only buy in limited amount – if at all? It was a time of complete  “chaos” – but – and unless you lived then –it would be hard to remember how families quickly learned how to do without and also took part in doing their part to help in every way possible that our service men had what they needed – to bring “HOME “ a victory! A “VICTORY GUARDEN” was one of the things we had,  also the garage was used to keep chickens – but the laws have changed, today – and I doubt you could do that now just when it could possibly help some people.

One of the best memories of those days – my DADDY would make candy in our kitchen – and would send it “over-seas” to our service men and women. He was a CHEF when he was in the ARMY – and he could cook and bake – and candy making was the best time that my brothers and I ever had – since we were really needed to do our part. We were the “official testers” and everybody knows that when you are making candy – there is the soft ball stage and the hard boil stage and someone has to determine this – and that was so good to do this type of “WORK” – because your work tasted so good that you want to do it for as long as possible!

Is there a better job or “WORK” that kids will hang out with you all day and night just to be sure the best ever job is done – it is almost like being in “HEAVEN?” The kitchen smells so good because my DAD is making Divinity candy and Fudge candy and every flat surface has sheets of wax paper and pieces of Divinity candy setting up – waiting to be wrapped and packaged and put into prepared boxes for the service men and women fighting “OVER-SEAS” – also pans full of fresh made fudge is also cut into bite-size pieces and wrapped in wax paper and put into the prepared boxes – everything masterfully done in just the right order – a job well done and very much appreciated by those who needed to be remembered!

“Memories like this one and so many more of  “DADDY” and my family – make living worthwhile – no matter – whatever good and or bad times we may have also shared!”


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“Happy Father’s Day”

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This is 1990’s at   Al’s Airport Port  – in the latter part of the day – we are just hanging out – looks like Jaime is already taking 40 wink’s till bed-time? 

This looks like a very “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY” – family all around  – son Alan taking pictures  – Father, Mother and children and even  good old “Grandma ME” in the picture! 

This is what I call the “GOOD LIFE” – when all the “FAMILY” celebrate being a family every day and,  that you can breathe a good  fresh breath of  “LIFE!”

Can you read “HAND-SIGNALS” –

looks like Alyssa is sending a hand-signal to Daddy?

They must have some  kind  of special  message  sending  going on…

that… the rest of us do not know??

What about you???


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“Heroes Day – Fathers’ Day!”

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This is the 1940’s and in front of the German St. Vincent’s Orphan Home. Must be a visiting Sunday – My Father, tell’s  by the look on his face  – that I, Mary Ellen, taking the picture may not be doing  – or may not be following his instructions  “completely” in the taking of this picture?

L-R  Tom McClarren,  our Father,  Denny H. MCClarren, Sr., Denny, Jr., and our Mother,  Marie McClarren.

If you have ever watch the Movie – “Any Number Can Play” with “CLARK  GABLE”  – you are watching my Father’s twin look alike   – look at this picture and the movie   – let me know what you think???


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Flag with Perfect Message!

This “FLAG” is for all Americans!” “It has rhe ‘good’ word for all of us!”


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