THANKSGIVING

It was a busy week. The house needed some major cleaning. It certainly looks better than it has in a long time.

Colleens family came this year. The first time since ?????? They weren't able to get on the road until Thanksgiving day, so our big dinner wasn't until Saturday. I had thought to have it Friday, but there was the matter of the Nebraska - Colorado game. Just can't cook, have a house full of kids and a game at the same time.

Due to lack of oven space I had to use my Hamilton counter top roaster. Only the second time I have used it. First time was ok. Didn't like it as well as oven roasted. This time I really didn't like it. I had a 22lb. bird and from the minute I turned the roaster on it sounded like it was frying the bird, not roasting it. It cooked in record time, but any dressing touching the pan burned. I just finished cleaning the pan yesterday afternoon. I would scrape a while, put fresh water in it and let it soak until time to scour again. No idea how many times I did that. I am calling it good and putting it away! (Until Christmas.)

All went well and the girls helped get everything on the table. The carving job has officially been handed down to Dan, who I might say, did an excellent job.

I added a cake to the desserts this year, as Colleen had just had a birthday. Denny helped and we managed to get ALL those candles lit before the first ones melted away. Looked more like a bon fire than a birthday cake. Don't know why the smoke alarms didn't go off. Maybe because we had the doors open. The kids loved it.

The kids had a blast playing. No fights. Peyton even managed to keep up and fit in. He is the youngest but wasn't about to be left out.

While we were all gathered here, Shannon and Kevin were busy moving into their new home. First one ever, and I do mean new! It looks like a nice house and I can't wait to see it. After years of base housing and small apartments, they deserve it!

Everyone is home safely now. Casey followed Ken and Collen back to Michigan for a few days vacation. Everything is put away.

Next: Christmas.

NOVEMBER 21, 1973

My 'baby' has a birthday!

She decided to make her appearance when I had a houseful of company for Thanksgiving, three toddlers and a 10 month old.

Thinking back, I don't know how I did it.

Happy birthday Colleen !

STATUE OF LIBERTY

I am sure some of you got the e-mail a while ago that was going around about this. I thought it was a fascinating e-mail.

July 1918. Camp Dodge, Iowa. This is when and where 18,000 soldiers were staged to form the shape of Lady Liberty. The why of this was to promote the sale of war bonds. The photo was never used for that purpose.

Conditions that day were less than ideal. July, temperature was over 100 degrees. These men were wearing wool uniforms. I can't imagine what it must have been like.

Snopes has an article that can tell you about it better than I can. It has a lot of the dimensions and how it was laid out. There is also a photo on this site you need to enlarge and look at. Amazing!

You absolutely must follow this link (don't forget to enlarge them) to similar images that were created, many from this era.

Why am I posting about this? Because the above photo is actually my great uncle, Corey Hartford. Had I never got involved with my project, I would never have known I had a relative who took part in it. The minute I saw this picture, I knew the story behind it. Sorry to say, when I got the book about our family history, I quickly looked at it and went directly to "my" generation to do most of my reading. Then I put the book away. Until Project. (I now consider myself to be an expert on this book.)

I would like to know more about how his photo happened to be taken. What were the circumstances? Did all of those present have individual photos taken in this manner?

I don't think I will ever have any answers to those questions. I don't think there is anyone still living who knows the answers.

DATE NIGHT

Friday night. Date night. Mom and Dad dropped the boys off and we had a sleep over.

The boys have a routine when they come over. They wait until the folks are gone and then declare that they are starving. This night was no different. (I know for a fact that they ate before coming over.) We went through all the cupboards and checked out the top of the fridge. Chocolate Marshmallow Mateys were decided on.

Again I made a huge bed on the living room floor after I brought all of my blankets down. (That means I just dropped them over the railing from upstairs.) They are always impressed by this. At 8:30, lights out and their favorite video started. At 9:30 I turned to the cooking channel thinking that would put them to sleep. Didn't work. Damien held out until 10:30. Raidyn until just before midnight and I have no idea when Peyton fell asleep as I didn't make it much past midnight.

Raidyn. Awake at 6:15. Had Peyton awake soon after and Damien by 7:00. Waffles were the unanimous choice for breakfast. Before you all think I am 'Super Grandma', they were Eggos. Frozen, pop in the toaster and presto! Waffles. The boys thought they were great.

About this time Raidyn decided to give me some hints about monsters. He wanted to know if I knew how to get rid of monsters. I should have seen something coming but I totally was blind sided. I said "no, how?" He said. "Well, Grandma, you just hit them in the balls". I said "WHAT?" He said, "You know Grandma". Right here", while showing me just where he was referring to.

I struggled to keep a serious face and Grandpa sat at the table laughing behind his newspaper. I thought to ask him if that meant that only boys were monsters, but coming from a family of all boys I wasn't sure if he knew about the haves and the have nots. I didn't think I could handle anything too detailed so I went no further on that subject.

About that time everyones favorite, Uncle Casey, came home from work. No more 'quality' time for Grandpa and Grandma. Two hours rough housing and playing with Uncle Casey! By the time Dad got here to pick them up, it was obvious to all that three little boys were in need of naps.

So was Grandma!

CHAPTER SEVEN

As the truck groaned out of sight, Jerry and Bob returned to bed and laid very still. Nothing was said for at least ten minutes.

"Jerry!" ..."Jerry" ..."Jerry !!" ..."The name is Gerald!" ..."yeah, Gerald." "What?" ..."Let's don't dig no more tank traps." ..."Yes, No more tank traps"

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