We were “the stick” in case the “talk softly” part was not successful. When the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV A-42) was towed toward the oblivion of the scrap yard in 1978, she consisted of some 65,000 tons of obsolete steel and equipment–but she left many more tons of memories with the tens of thousands … Continue reading Memories of the Fru Dee Roo
Midnight transit by Aircraft carrier through the Straits of Gibraltar Navigating a U.S. Navy attack aircraft carrier throught the Straits of Gibralter–at 25 knots–at midnight. Not just another day at the office for this Junior Lieutenant. When Navy friends and ship mates get together to relax, invariably the topic gets around to “sea stories.” All … Continue reading In Dire Straits of Gibraltar
Portraits of well-dressed women in the late 1800s often show them in hairstyles that highlighted beautiful spiral curls, ringlets in a variety of arrangements. Because they were so popular during that period, they are often called Victorian Rag Curls. The name also reflected how the curls were created. The most popular way of creating these … Continue reading Rag Curls and Broomsticks
Lots of folks work from home these days, including me. I like making cookies the old fashioned way. So after finding a shoebox full of Granny’s Recipes, I’m starting out on a Real Loose Shoestring Budget for buying ingredients so I can make as many of Granny’s recipes as possible. Starting today, I want to … Continue reading Jenny the Housekeeper: Stir Crazy
“Slowing the spread,” through on-going covid quarantines and social distancing are leading to “insteads,” at least to author Faith Raymond Connors–many up close and personal, hands-on activities and relationships have changed. In this first “Instead,” FRC shares a hyperbolic letter from “Jenny,” the now some-time, maybe cleaning lady. Due to the Stay at Home rule, … Continue reading Jenny the Work from Home Housekeeper
Author Ginny Brinkley entertains her grandchildren during the Covid quarantine with rhyming lines, true doggerel in this case, that reflect how many of us feel during this period of stress and frustration. Doggerel Days of Quarantine At first it was a doggie’s dream— The family all at home. T’was like a party all day long, … Continue reading Doggerel Days of Quarantine
Author Ginny Brinkley entertains her grand children during the Covid quarantine with rhyming lines that reflect how many of us feel during this period of stress and frustration. Today Each day’s the same day as the last. I don’t know how much time has passed. My school work, it just goes so slow. Guess I’ll … Continue reading Quarantined Lines from Cowpen Lake
Never let a crisis go to waste As the nation approaches what we earnestly hope is the turning point toward victory over this unseen threat, we are frequently reminded of the cynical Machiavellian political axiom to “never let a crisis go to waste.” We are already hearing speculation about the “new normal.” This phrase is … Continue reading Saving A Crisis: “New” Normals?
I value the local Publix for many reasons – from fried chicken to fresh baguettes. However, it would not be my first choice as the place for an epiphany. But that’s what happened. Living in a college town, not far from The Swamp, the grocery checkers and baggers will almost always be college students. And … Continue reading Major Mumbling: An English Epiphany
Estelle Stephens was my first grade teacher. The First Grade Classrooms were on the first floor to the right of the main entrance to North Shore Elementary School— PS #70 — in Jacksonville, Florida. Our classroom was right across from The Office–the Principal’s Office, at the time, Mr. E. L. Loundsbury, an older (with silver … Continue reading My First (deliberate) Sin…