“I’m Outside and ready to go for a SWIM!”

“Looks like it is a real nice day… to go for a “SWIM” down on  the “Ocean Beach” where you usually  take all of  us!”  “So… How much longer do we all  have to wait… to get into the car and leave?”  “As you can see… – -I’m ready in a minute!”

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“Can we take my friend, Arthur – – you know him – – he lives down on the next block?”  “Arthur likes to go with us, too…  especially…  if it is to SWIM?”  “If it is  OKAY…I’ll run on down and tell him – – we are all ready to go!” “Sure does look like  – – we are all going to have lots of FUN… today!”img103Nothing like having the “OCEAN” within a mile to drive. This is Fort Lauderdale, Florida – – and as you can see  –  there are always lots of people that like to just sit on the warm “BEACH SAND” – – and then when you feel like it…  make a running dash into the ocean water and see…  just how far out you can swim?

“Just doing the “arithmetic” – – when you live in “FLORIDA” –  and you are “LUCKY” – – that’s Lee, Sr’s name – – – really “LUCKY” to have the “Atlantic Ocean” in your  “own”  backyard – – giving you all the TIME to enjoy having …   FAMILY just  all  together and resting  – –  just doing what comes naturally  and easy in the “SUN” – -we need to give “THANKS”  – – to our “CREATOR”  –  – for this most wonderful of  gifts  – – – and it is all…  for  FREE!


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“We all Scream for ICE-CREAM!”

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In the above  “NEWS-PAPER PHOTO” – – the Sisters of German St. Vincent Orphanage – – are enjoying the one thing … an  “ICE-CREAM CONE”  – – which will make all of  us  be  – – more able…  to half -way … enjoy this very hot weather – –  that – – we are having   NOW…  so early in the season.

In the PHOTO… that is “Sister Mary Alvira” sitting on the left and she is enjoying that “ICE-CREAM CONE” – – and that is what I am going to do – – just as soon as I get to have a few free minutes – – and head straight to the   freezer in the kitchen! I know that there are two (2) bricks of   ice-cream – – one is chocolate and the other is chocolate-chip – – you now…  know – –  that I like “Chocolate”   – – but,  when I was younger – – there was a “Swiss Chocolate ice-cream”  and that was    my  ‘best and only’ … A#1 favorite!

 Why – – do they not make  “Swiss Chocolate ICE-CREAM” – – when it was the #1 best!?  So…  today I must suffer…  and do without the best – –  I must make myself “feel”  better with something not as good – – but.  when It is as  “HOT”  as it is NOW – –  –  good ole “CHOCOLATE CHIP”   will do wonders for me – – and my brain is going to be told that – –  this is NOW – – the best – – so long as they continue to make  “ICE-CREAM!”

Sister Mary Alvira is the younger sister of “Sister Mary Emeline”  – – and both of these NUNS were always favorites of mine – – until they left  this part of their   journey here on EARTH – – but, have   NOW moved on to the better part of our  journeys – – and are enjoying the realms of HEAVEN!

Just thinking…  I’m  betting – – that – –  we do not need “ICE-CREAM ”  – – when we reach HEAVEN!


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“Grandma Louise Aldrich-Stanley born 1881”

How could we forget… GRANDMA Lulu” –   the grand-children always have a way to shorten the “GRANDMAS” name – – to something simple and easy for them to say.  So… with  “Grandma Lulu” – – we also have … “Grandma GoGo” – – and everybody knew exactly who the Grand-children were referring to…  as they were learning to talk and connect to the different adults.

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This is “Grandma Lulu” – and she is holding our brand new baby “AL” – and we were then … living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Have a quick guess “Grandma Lulu” would be “82” years old. She did like to travel by “Greyhound Bus” – – and whenever there was a newborn in the FAMILY – – she always wanted to be there to HELP!

So… this trip by “BUS” was a long one – – – coming from Saint Louis, Missouri – – –  I  just had to ask her,  “WHY  Travel… by BUS?” HER  answer left me  really “thinking” – because her answer was, “I just LOVE   to talk to lots of people and when you are traveling by BUS – – you have more opportunity to meet people and learn about things – – that you never knew before!” Lee & Al 001

This … was very  HARD for me to believe – – as all the years that I knew her – – she was very “HARD of HEARING”  – – and whenever I would be talking to her – – I had to talk so LOUD that usually – – everyone,  but her  – heard and knew what I said.  BUT…let me whisper something to someone – not wanting her to hear – – you guessed right – – she heard every word!  – – – – The above FAMILY get- to gather – – and just weeks before “BABY AL”     was to arrive!

This next PHOTO is   – – just a few weeks later,   Grandma Lulu – with Grandsons… Lee Jr., and new baby AL!

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“Is ‘MISS’ Opportunity… knocking?”

Someone made the comment – – that “TIME” – – is not as it used to be… “TIME” is passing by faster  – – than ever before.  Have “YOU” also noticed – – that the “TIME” to do certain chores… today –  –  is requiring more “TIME” to do?  But – – and,  it also seems that just yesterday… “YOU” did have a much longer day – with even enough “TIME”  to take long walks during a day – and even to spend some “TIME”  talking…  to your neighbor on the other side of the back yard fence… when…  you both were able to hang that week’s  ‘wash’ outside on the  “clothesline” – to soak up  – – some real fresh air and Sunshine!

With the “TIME” just flying by – – are our people able to catch an opportunity – – the electronics age – -is an advantage over what we had  – – years ago.  When in High School – – my Aunt Irene – -would call me – – and ask, “DID you find an after school job, yet?” Then… she would add, “YOU –  know that your MOTHER is getting older – and you need to start  taking over paying the bills!” So.. I got that message “loud and clear” – – get out and WORK, NOW!

After school was over for the day – – school books still in hand – – I would stop at each little “business” and talk with the “owner” or whoever was in charge of the hiring. There was nothing –  that I really had any special talents – to do – – but, I sure did not mind asking for any kind of work – – because…  I would tell  them, “I am a fast learner – – and that there is no work – – that “if you show me  – – HOW you want it done  – I can do!”

I could say that and mean it – – because,  if you are a young child and are in an “ORPHANAGE” – no matter what your age – – you will work – – and you were told what and how – and you did it – – or else! Lucky for me…before even going to the “ORPHANAGE” – our family went to the MOVIES – – and we saw  “SNOW WHITE”  – “WOW” what a  MOVIE   for  “me”  to watch.

My MOTHER was expecting   “TWINS”   and as she is a very small person – – I could see even then –  that – –  she needed help with the cleaning of the house. After seeing how “SNOW WHITE” went about scrubbing the floors – – I was only seven (7) years old – but – I knew that I could do our kitchen floor and so one day – – while MOM was resting in bed – – I went about getting the bucket and brush and cloth – and started in one corner of the room. I hardly got started on the floor – – and my MOTHER called out to me, “Mary Ellen… What are you doing?”

Well… I went  into her bedroom and told her,  what I was doing  – – and MOM said – – “Just leave everything where it is – I will take care of it – YOU should be playing and not working!”  When…  I went to the “ORPHANAGE”  –  every child had a job – and you did it for six months and then you would get a change to another job – – and the girls would also work in the laundry  – ironing and then there were the older girls  – -folding the sheets and large items – – coming off the industrial size machines. – –  Looking back – – all the different jobs that I did – help to prepare for some kind of work – – that  – you will do at some time, or maybe later in LIFE.

Every kind of WORK and or INSTRUCTIONS we learn early in LIFE – – helps us for the day – – that we have our own   HOMES and  FAMILIES – – and are able to help our children in the future … find out what they can do – – and sometimes even find a faster and easier way to solve problems – – and over “TIME”  making LIFE easier –  for our older… senior citizens – – of which…  I   also and   NOWquaify!

Just another thought…

“Too often, we miss out on opportunities  – – -in this life because we were too busy…  waiting for them…  to fall into our lap – –  that we missed them tapping on our shoulder.”

And then – – how is this – – just to complete the above thoughts…

“Look in my face;     my name is…  Might-have-been;  I am also called…  No-more…  Too-late… and  Fare-thee-well”


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“June BIRTHDAYS”6th – 21st – 23rd

June…   sure is a good month to have a BIRTHDAY – as the weather is NOW getting nice and “hot”  – – at least here in  MISSOURI – – and just because of the “SUMMER”   starting – –  officially  – – a few “marbles”  in this old brain – – started to click together – – just can not  forget to mention  – – to those that – –  I know – and others … who just might also  remember  some of my good old  “FRIENDS”  – – that had BIRTHDAY in JUNE! 

Have to say… “HAD”  – – as these “FRIENDS” – – – are  NOW  – –  celebrating much better TIMES – – since their journeys here – – have ended and they are NOW… in a far better place – a place that we are all working on  attaining … after our work here on earth  – – is also  completed – – and we did do our best – – at following the word of TRUTH – – which we have all received from our CREATOR – –  the ONE who sends to us all of  the LOVE – – that we receive… in order to share.

JUNE 6th…is the BIRTH DATE for my good FRIEND and CLASSMATE – –   “STELLA M. SANTOYA”  while we were at the GERMAN ST. VINCENT ORPHANAGE – – way back in the 1940’s.

If you look back into some  of the previous writings about “STELLA” – – you will read about some of the things we did – – and if you also know STELLA – – please add your comments and or ask me about – – some of the things that I might have to give everyone an update on. You can pull up her PHOTO – – all of us when we graduated – – there is posted a “Class Graduation” photo!

JUNE 21st…  “Sister Mary Emeline” – – this is one NUN – –  who was also an “orphan” with her four sisters  – – in the same “ORPHANAGE” and she and three of  her sisters – – at the different times – – decided to enter into the Convent and become NUNS of the “Sisters of Christian Charity” – – and as “LUCK” would have it – – Sister Mary Emeline – – was assigned to serve so many years at the same “ORPHANAGE”  that she was when a child – – and also she was there…  during some of the years that I  – – as a young girl – -would  also  be there – – during the 1940’s.

During the years … that I was at ST. Vincent’s – and Sister Emeline was there – – I was to be under her charge – – working in the “BOYS DINING ROOM” – and that is where I was able to become good “FRIENDS” with her – – as she was so very nice to all of the children – – guessing that she knew how it was  – – there  – and that  to show a little LOVE to the children – – we all live a much better LIFE.

Some years… after having left the Orphanage – – decided to get back in touch with Sister Emeline – – and until – – she left this earth – on her trip to HEAVEN – – we always kept in touch – just like a good FAMILY member would do!

JUNE 23rd… “KELLY UZZETTA” – –  – she was just like   my above  FRIENDS – – once you met  “KELLY”  – – you were immediately a good friend! – There must be something in the “STARS”  – – for this period of TIME in “JUNE” – something about making a good friend – – and once you do  – – you are “GOOD FRIENDS” for ever!

Sometime in the 1970’s… I started working in the “REAL ESTATE” world of selling homes – and that is where I met “KELLY” and two of her small children. They had a large home in the Saint Louis area – – but for her husband, Al’s business – – they were needing a home with property – – for  the extra large equipment – – that her  husband  would need to work on – – and to have home and business on the same piece of property …  well – –  that  – would  just be – –  the best thing in the world! 

Just as if the “STARS”  were all in the right place – – I had just listed – – the perfect place – – – this was one of those “DEALS” that were made in HEAVEN – – every thing worked out just fine – – and ever since that date  – we were very “GOOD FRIENDS” – – something that just clicked –  KELLY and AL and their seven children – –  

Some TIMES… in LIFE – – so much seems to be accomplished – – and every thing just seems to fall into the right place – – but  – –  there  are things that happen to all of us – – and for the wrong reasons – – things that some others cause – –   serious tragedy happens – –  so …  this is where you will find the “rest of the story”  – – posted some  time ago – – check the search bar – – for KELLY — –  let me know if you can not find – – and I will write more.

 


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“Alyssa and Grandma Aldrich”

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Sometimes…   when you come indoors – – why do we leave  the    ‘sun-glasses’  – –     still on???


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