“Everybody Needs a Hug and a Kiss”

“Brother Tommy sent over a notice… that we all need a HUG and a KISS… so I am posting some things to put  all of us  in the mood … to get busy with the Hugging and the Kissing!”

It must now  be quite some years ago… and lots of people would have a small business size card … which read what you see above.

It seems that some Doctor must have started a trend back then…. to  help people that were not feeling as good as they should  to carry this card and when not feeling up to par… hand this card to someone that will give you that most needed hug!.   That great big HUG… which will help you to have much better HEALTH!

Just remembered that I have a “HUG PHOTO”… as you see  posted in the middle of the above… that is my husband, Lee and ME … when living in Florida… Donny wanted to take our picture as Daddy was going to take a quick nap… before going back to the Restaurant to work… and…  I sure am glad that I have the above photo!

Guess that I should call this photo …my forever lasting hug and kiss… to last for all the rest of my days… as Lee is no longer here on Earth… he is now in Heaven!

All creatures large and small on Earth LOVE a HUG or two…too!

“I guess that is what we should say to the person that we feel that is in need of a very warm hug and kiss!

And for another  point of view!

Prayers never fail…they are so  very powerful and become such a Blessing to all of those…  that are in dire need of them!

“Sometimes we need a poster to tell us the whole story … as we can get so tongue tied, sometimes… we could end up saying the wrong things… and mess up just doing  all that which really  comes naturally!”

We learn and remember so much better when we  have a song or two… so that those words will just so nicely settle into our brain… into  that  which is a very soft spot where  only the “Hugs and Kisses” are  to be remembered…  now and forever.

And this next…  is nice and easy to remember… but here it is for “Mother’s Day”  …but then…

… after you hear it a time or two… you can change the words for Daddy… Brother and  or Sister … and make it … to and for the  personal name…  of the LOVE of YOUR LIFE!              D.V.


Posted in Grandma and tagged with no comments yet.

“Just one Memory that I will never forget”

“Remembering Lee Aldrich, Sr.”

“Love and take good care of your FAMILY… as  we will never know … what tomorrow will bring!”

“Billy Graham seen at Southern Funeral Home”

If you are like me… you certainly do not want to be going to the Funeral Home… You want all of your friends and relatives to stay well and alive!  “And forever… if possible”

But, with LIFE …  DEATH also comes and when it comes…  you sure did not want it to happen to you and your FAMILY … but it did!

In the 1960’s…  my husband, Lee Aldrich had to have several surgeries due to having been  shot,  when he was on the Saint Louis Police Department. Some of the surgeries were in Saint Louis and then after retiring and our going to Florida… he still needed more.

While in Florida and having one of these surgeries to help him,  to be able to walk… the Doctor cut some arteries… so that some other better arteries could get the blood to his feet. When I had asked this Doctor what we could expect,  he said, “Lee has about 5 or 6 months.”

After  having this surgery,  and Lee was not doing any better than before this surgery, I was so upset,  that I blurted out, “The Doctor said you only have a couple months to live!”  

And I continued, “If I were you… I would call your Saint Louis Doctor and tell him to check your records from down here and we will go back to Saint Louis!”

So, that is what we did. Lee had to have two more surgeries… but since there was  still a small fragment of a bullet near the heart… these surgeries were just getting the best of  LEE, and his health was going downhill,  fast.

We finally made a temporary moved back to Saint Louis, but we still kept the house in Florida…  just in case everything would work out for Lee and evidently… that  just was not,  to be.

One night, Lee decided to sleep on the sofa… since he had such a bad day… while I was at work and he thought that Donny’s bedroom was close by and surly Donny would hear him… that is,   and if,  he would need  some  help?

Lee did not want to wake me, because I had to be at work in the morning. I did hear Lee, so… I ran down the hall to the living room… he could hardly breathe…  so I helped  Lee…  into the wheelchair and rolled him to the kitchen and called the POLICE!

The POLICE Officer that arrived… had an empty oxygen tank…  I could not believe what was going on…  I was ready to lose my mind.

The neighbor next door, heard the Police car come  and  he came over as they had already knew of our situation and that at any time they would be needed to take care of the younger boys.

The ambulance arrived… and Lee and I went to the hospital as fast as possible. After being at the Hospital Emergency Room for about an hour or so, someone came out and said “Lee died!”

I’m crying and wanted to know if they did anything at all to save Lee? This Doctor said:  “If – we were able to do anything – Lee would only be a vegetable – you would have to take care of him – the rest of your  and his  LIFE!”   And then he added, “You are too young to do it!”

You have no idea the misery that I had to go through that night.  It was  so unreal, as to  what was happening…  so I  had to find a “PAY PHONE” and then,  called my brother Tom McClarren – as I was without a car and needed his advice as to what to do… NOW? 

 Tom told me about the Southern Funeral Home… so  then… I had called them to make all the arrangements. The POLICE Department was called as they would be paying the bills that would  soon be coming in?

At the SOUTHERN FUNERAL HOME… they had my husband,  Lee  set up in their largest room…  as there would be besides  our large FAMILY and FRIENDS… lots  of POLICE OFFICERS and people who knew Lee before I ever met  and married him!

There was standing room only of people, and my Mother-in-law Louise Stanley-Vosmeyer- ALDRICH, nearly (90) ninety years of age … was so over excited…  and asking me if I knew that…  THE – “BILLY GRAHAM”  – Preacher,  was here to visit her son, Lee?

Well, I knew that Lee had had  lots of FRIENDS… but “BILLY GRAHAM” – no way – where is he???  So, Lee’s MOM took me through the crowd and then…  she got close to where my brother TOM was standing… and she pointed to my brother, TOM!

I took “Louise” by the arm and we went over to where my brother,  “TOM” was talking with friends…  and I said “Tom, you are  being mistaken as…  “THE ONE AND ONLY” …“BILLY GRAHAM” …  do you want to say a prayer or two, as this is “Lee’s MOM, Louise” …  all evening, there she was, just so excited that  “BILLY GRAHAM”  came to pray for her son, LEE! 


Posted in Grandma and tagged with no comments yet.

“Safe in the hand of God”

“For those that did inquire as to the name of the SINGER…I do not and could not find… as someone sent this information to me… and they were not able to find out either.  Thanks for your interest and if you  do find out the name of the Singer… let me know.”

Jun 28, 2020 Posted By  In Articles Tagged  Comments 0

Church Concert – The Sagrada Familia Expiatory Church in Barcelona, Spain

 

“Brother Tommy sent this over for all of  us to enjoy”

This song is performed in The Sagrada Familia Expiatory Church in Barcelona, Spain, and is a remarkable performance.

It also gives you a look inside the Church designed by the Famed Architect Antonio Gaudi … look up this church. It is spectacular and has been under construction for almost 125 years.

Inspirational……….

Bagpipes……….

Wonderful soloist…….

Even more interesting is that the song is being sung in Catalan. This is the language of the “Moors” or Muslims and it is being sung in a Catholic church. Also great to see and hear the bagpipes.

Gaudi’s Masterpiece Cathedral…Sacred, awesome, inspirational & unbelievable!!

Concert held at the Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona, in memory of the victims of terrorism.

“Safe in the hand of God” sung in Catalan; (Amazing Grace) watch/listen to bagpipes entering the church.

 


Posted in Today and tagged with no comments yet.

“Get READY for Lee’s BIRTHDAY on Saturday”

“Lee, Sr.’s BIRTHDAY coming up, soon”

“Remembering Lee Aldrich and his brothers”

“This is a memory of Lee, my husband… when we came to Missouri for our vacation a long time ago…  also in this PHOTO  are  Lee’s brothers… and NOW they are all together and in HEAVEN…  and I’ll bet…doing the same thing  just enjoying being together!

           “PICNIC TIME in MISSOURI”

The weather  right NOW in Missouri  is just  HOT enough, so that everyone who wants  to have a good TIME, will pack a lunch and  some assorted cold beverages in the  trunk just to keep the “Whistle wet” … not forgetting  all of the best of  meat and vegetables  to put on that  “Bar-b-Que” with any and all kinds of  extra special side treats!

We all plan on having lots of Fun … catching up on all of  the NEWS  of the day… as  some stuff we did not take time to pass on…to each other while on the phone (back then…it cost an arm and a leg… for long distance telephone  operators… to connect you to the called party).

And as  always…  for our Picnics… there were  some games we have planned on playing, and finally,  the “OUR”  just personal  resting time,  after all of the hard work and overworked bones,  we will be  sitting in lawn chairs comfortable,  to eat in the shade of the trees,  and every so often,  take a running leap into the Lake,  and just having   lots of TIME, to make memories, to remember forever,  of our having  lots of  FUN!

img053

The men in the ALDRICH  FAMILY are doing the  heavy unloading of all of  the cars,  putting food and  drinks into those areas,  for the right person to take care of,  and as  they will be needed …  for  our guests, as well as for all of the cooking and prep work!

Starting on the left, and with a cap on his head is Ralph Stanley, next the man with the very  good tan, since and due to the nature of his business, as  he has the “Aldrich Roofing Co.” and  is number  “one big brother”  also the sole-owner,  Harry Aldrich, and the man on the right is Lee Aldrich Sr.,  now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida… just here in Missouri for a month to visit with all the Family… that do not take the time to visit us in Florida! 

We usually plan on  spending a  Summer month in Saint Louis … that includes a Holiday… for at least a full month…for visiting  time with all of the FAMILY.

The first of August is coming up…  so have to wish “LEE,Sr.,”   a very “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”  and hope that he and his brothers are planning on having a big “BIRTHDAY” celebration and more  FUN… just like we have had to do… each year…  when we all got together,  so many years ago,  on  all of our trips, back and forth,  to Saint Louis from Fort Lauderdale, Florida!  D.V.


Posted in Grandmawith no comments yet.

“These Songs have the WORDS” “Can’t Say More”

If you live long enough… sooner or later… you will hear and learn a thing or two!

“See if these songs…  their words – the music – the voice of the Singer… these songs sound like Prayers.”

When someone can  sing and play an instrument like you see and hear,  in these songs that I  have selected…  I feel that every child,  should have the same opportunity  to start at a  very early day  in  their LIFE,  with a chance to sing and be heard by the world… and or at least…  by their own family…  because “Having a DREAM” –  will make this  “A Wonderful World!”

 

“Just sit back… relax and listen while dreaming of me and ME dreaming and remembering… YOU!”     D.V.

 


Posted in Grandma and tagged with no comments yet.

“From Back then Remembering Some Good Times”

“Just One More” before…

Some days… just require “you” to look good in your uniform… as there will be persons that you  may not really know…  but they want a PHOTO remembrance of that day… that they were somewhere extra special… and they were able to entice a good looking “POLICE Officer” to just be in a PHOTO with them…  so that they can tell all of their friends…  that this “POLICE OFFICER”  was the best thing that happened into their LIFE… “he” was so very nice, cool, calm, collected, courteous and not bad looking and someone to remember… for always!

 This is at the old “Ball Park”

Are…  YOU old enough to remember? 

 “The old …Sportsman’s Park …  at the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street, on the north side of the city.

Originally called the Grand Avenue Ball Grounds and later, Sportsman’s Park, the ballpark was opened as early as 1867. It was first used as an open lot for baseball in the 1860s, and as a result, many different parks have called this place home.

The site hosted the St. Louis Brown Stockings in the American League(later the St. Louis Browns, before the team moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles) and the Cardinals in the National League. For more than a half-century, the city of St. Louis was home to both professional baseball franchises, and they shared Sportsman’s Park for 33 seasons.

 

 

Here is another of those job assignments that our POLICE OFFICERS   partake of … since we have large crowds of people to attend different  functions in and around the Saint Louis area… and at all times of the day and evening… we do need to have someone  with authority to direct the driving traffic and have streets open for walking traffic… otherwise how in the world would the  “special Attraction” be attended in an orderly manner…  without good and correct direction to where and how to PARK vehicles and  also have safe ways for the walking traffic.

“Without our good POLICE Force…  we would have  “Mass Chaos”  so in order to enjoy good entertainment  and  other large gatherings of large crowds of people… we really do need the best POLICE FORCE to make our “Day of FUN” … remembered as a day that was so enjoyable…  we will keep PHOTO memories…  forever!

“Day after… Tomorrow is the big day, LEE… “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”  as we will be remembering you… forever!”     D.V.

 


Posted in Grandma and tagged with no comments yet.