Random Whispers

I need to learn to listen to random thoughts that pop into my head.

A lot of these thoughts fly thru my head while driving.

If I would listen to them...I would not be so surprised at news...both good and bad.

I cannot count the times that a random thought...in hindsight...has acted as a harbinger for what is to come. It's not always that way...but I'm seeing more and more...it is true.
Nevertheless, I'm always shocked....at the news.
Until I remember that I was warned.

Sometimes it's a thought, sometimes it's a song. A stranger's face that reminds me of another face I know. Sometimes it's a scent that is locked away in my brain...and when it is in the air, it reminds me of a place, a person, a thing. Random stuff. Random whispers.

I came up to Lowell on the 25th for Erin's Birthday party.
I can't remember if it was on the way up or on the way back that I thought of Pauline, but I know it was while I was driving.

Maybe it was because I was thinking about calling Ruby to see if she was still planning on coming in August.
Anyway...there she was...in the forefront of my thoughts.
I reflected on my and Ruby's trip to the nursing home to visit her.
I pondered that it had been over one year ago.
A whole year...
and she was still there. Still sitting in her wheelchair. Still holding on.
I thought a year is a long time...
a year is a long time to live there.
Yet, in the state that her mind was in...who knows what a year seems like? A day? A week? Forever?

I made a mental note....
I should print a photo of Grandma Tilton to show her.
I should go and see if I could make sense of her rhyming stories.
I should find out if Carolyn is still able to visit.
I should find out how Carolyn is doing.
I should go visit her the next time I am in town....it wouldn't take long.
I should do that.
I will do that.

AND right there...
 I should have known that there was a REASON that she came to mind.

And if I had listened, maybe I would not have been so shocked when I read of her passing on Facebook.

I suppose I am not alone in this.
Help us all to listen, take note....and hopefully act.

You never know what those random whispers may be telling us.

Ruby Tuesday...Goodbye to our oldest cousin.

I was hoping the first Ruby Tuesday story and post would be adding a birth to the family genealogy record, but it looks like it is an obituary instead.


I was getting ready for work and checked Facebook and our cousin Barb Lindemer (Aunt Lulu's grand daughter) had posted that Pauline Sirois had passed away on Sunday and the visitation was happening in one hour.

Pauline Sirois, 98, of Lake Village, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2012 at Lowell Health Care Center. 

She is survived by daughter, Carolyn Brownfield of Morocco, grandchildren, Kirby (Kelly) Brownfield of Mishawaka, Kim (Tina) Brownfield, Otterbein and Kerry (Terrie) Brownfield, Morocco, 9 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by husband Bertram "Jack".
Visitation will be Tuesday, May 29, 2012, from 1-2 at Sheets Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 604 E. Commercial Ave. in Lowell with Graveside Services following at 2:30 at Lake Village Cemetery. 

I'm sad I was not able to attend. Thank you Janet for representing the Vandercars.

Pauline was Dad's first cousin. 
She is related to us on the Vandercar/Tilton side.


She was the first born of Aunt Lulu (Vandercar) and Uncle Fay Tilton.


She was one of those cousins that were related to us twice over...meaning she was a cousin to us on the Vandercar side and the Tilton side.


I know, Dave, confusing, right? See me, and I will draw you a picture.


Pauline LOVED to talk and tell stories.
If you closed your eyes and listened to her, you would swear that it was Aunt Lulu talking. They had the same unique high-pitched sing-songy voice.


She was our oldest cousin on Dad's side of the family.


Oh, the stories that flew away with her!

Til we meet again, Pauline...

Happy Labor Day, Cousin Bill !!

We had a nice surprise at Sunday Dinner....!!!!

Cousin Bill and family's visit which we thought was taking place on Labor Day weekend...ended up being on Memorial Day!

Bill had emailed Susie about driving thru Indiana and staying for a few days on Labor Day weekend.
Susie, of course, said that would be fine, just let her know the details when it got closer.

Bill called the Saturday before Memorial Day and left a message saying, "Okay Susie, see you tomorrow!"

Apparently, Bill had a Senior moment and had typed Labor Day in his email, when he really meant Memorial Day!

I hadn't planned on coming to Sunday Dinner,
but Scooter can never pass up the chance to see Sniffer,
so I got in the car and came up for dinner.

We had a great time with the Cobbs...

and the Chari's Columbus gang...and their tiny dog...

and we got to help Matt blow out his "40" candles.

Happy Birthday Matt!!

Happy Labor Day, Bill!

 Come back on Labor Day and we will celebrate Memorial Day!

Flashback Friday...2012 minus 1972 equals....

Pssst!!!!!..........

....................This was taken in 1972

You do the math!

Someone's about to have a Big Birthday!!!!

What's your first name....???

Adventures in Bookland

In the Stranger than Fiction Chapter

Okay.
This is a open invitation to all the Todds that I know,
(which by the way are not many)....to do some explaining to me.
What is it about your name, Todd....
that compels you to spell it out for the rest of us?


I don't expect an answer, really. 
It will probably remain one of the mysteries of the Stranger than Fiction scenarios that play out everyday, all day in Bookland.


If you haven't heard the original story, here goes:


I buy and sell books.
If you are selling, the first thing I ask you is:
"What's your first name."


One night, a 20 something guy is selling and I start the process:


Me: "What's your first name."
Him: "Tee, oh, dee, dee."


Now, at the time, I was working with a girl and her husband's name was Didier...pronounced Dee-dee-aye...so I'm wondering if this guys name might be, Teodede and hesitate when I start to write it down....


Me: "Tee, oh, dee, dee?" with a question mark on my face.


He very slowly starts over with....the letters like he's hitting the keys of an old manual typewriter.


Him:   "T."    "O."   "D."   "D."   


Me: (hestitating and squinting of the eyes)...."so, Todd?"


Him: (incredulous...shake of the head) "uh, yeee-ah."


By this time...all the oxygen leaves the area and I can feel the eyes of my co-workers staring at the back of my head...trying not to burst out laughing.


Me: "Okay, ....Todd.....come back up when you hear your name paged.


Dude!
Why didn't you just say Todd?
Do I look like I don't know how to spell it??
(don't answer that).


When I called him back to the counter, it took everything in me to refrain from paging him over the loud speaker as Tee, Oh, Dee, Dee
.....snark, snark.


So, it was one for the books.
We've had a lot of fun with it.


It becomes code for "W.T.F." when you can't say "W.T.F."


Someone says something I don't understand?


I respond: "T.O.D.D.??"


Weeks, months go by.


Another T.O.D.D. incident with another buyer.
We aren't sure if it's the same guy, but it's the same name and the same spelling.
(because...you know...that's how you spell Todd).


Another incident on the southside store...with an employee that transferred down there.
Seems to be a different description, but same spelling.


I refuse to believe that there are Three Todds that do this...


Until today.


Me: "What's your first name?"


Another/different/older senior citizen Him: "Tee, Oh, Dee, Dee.....Todd." Smile.


I swear, I almost laughed in his face.


I have resigned.


I'm filing it under Stranger than Fiction.

If anyone can enlighten me, especially any Todds...

please go ahead and SPELL IT OUT for me in the comments!

One Done

Year One Done!

Happy Birthday, Erin!!

 Happy Anniversary

 

David & Whitney!!!

Prom Date for Life

Here's a couple who went to Prom together and decided to make every night Prom Night!

Happy Anniversary to Luke and Tammy,

 The King and Queen of the Eternal Prom

Flashback Friday....Prom Night

Just finished reading this book:

And thought we could add a few shots to it!

I don't know where Patty's Prom pics are or if she went to Prom?

I did not go because I was dating a Sophomore (scandalous)!!

...and it was against the law for a Junior or Senior to take a Sophomore to Prom. 

Not sure if these are all Prom pictures....but they have young love written all over them!!

Enjoy!!

Helen Jean Bryant on Prom Night??

not sure, but she looks lovely

Janet Rae and me.

I stayed home.

Probably the one night out of the year that she didn't have to stay home and watch her baby sister!

High School Sweethearts

J & J

TLA

 Susan Jean
looking very sun kissed and shimmery.

 Oh...and is this your GTO ??

Robert Michael 

looking very Mad Men (ishly) Dapper

Precursor to THE PEACH Ruffle shirt.

(rethinking this one...it may be a wedding...Dave's hair looks to short for his High School Days)

What say you Sandy??

Mother's Day

I love my Mom.

Happy Mother's Day to all who are called "mom"

Happy Birthday Chari!

Happy Birthday

'Lil David!

Flashback Friday....May Day

The Eighth Day of May.

If you ever talked to my Dad on Eighth Day of May, I can pretty much guarantee that he would tell you that it was one of the most important dates of his life.

He would tell you about three events.

I would tell you them in chronological order, but I will tell you about them in the order that he would.

Not because one is more important than the other,

but because there is one event....

that if it did not happen...

he may have not been around to continue to celebrate the other two.

My Dad would tell you that he would never forget the Eighth day of May,

because it was the day he and his fellow POW's and soldiers were liberated 

from a German Prisoner of War Camp in Markt Pongau, Austria.

He never talked much about the war, but this date and this day was burned in his memory.

He would then go on to tell you, that the memory of this day...

made it easy for him to remember and celebrate his sister, Gladys' birthday, on the Eighth Day of May.

And later when his daughter, Patty was born on the Eighth Day of May,

he would never have trouble remembering her birthday.

How grateful we are that the 1944 Eighth Day of May....

....made future celebrations possible.

Birthday Twins

The Birthday Girls

Happy Birthday, Patty!

Happy Birthday Aunt Gladys!

It's back!

Today's Yesterday 

is back and has a new home (with no ads).

Hopefully will keep scanning and posting.

The link is on the side bar, to your right.