Thanks for the Memories...

Having been tagged by my niece, Chelsey, as she travels to Belgium to be with her sister in the midst of a challenging pregnancy, I have tried to ponder the past to my earliest memories; a difficult task at best, given present circumstances, as things are still somewhat in a haze as to sequence and timing. Please extend our prayers and love to Heather and Aaron.

For you Chelsey: some 50 years ago (I think), we lived with Grandma Coles in Torrance while my dad was early in his career. I am not sure whether he was working for the Merchants and Manufacturers Association or Hoffman Electronics. Even so, there were many memories that were etched into my life from those days long ago, although I cannot recall the specifics as to dates or sequence. Several memories that linger in my mind without order of beginning are the many days that we spent in the backyard of our Torrance home. Although a large yard from memorable perspectives, we later visited to realize it wasn’t large at all; but to a small boy, most things appear large. In any event, we would on many afternoons cross the alley in back of the house to visit Mama Walls and her little dog Suzy. She was a kindly and loving woman who would always welcome us into her home. Of course, there was the time that I thought it wise to tightrope on the chain link fence between my grandma’s house and the neighbors, whereupon I fell (surprise!) and chipped my elbow. The blue cast still lingers in my mind. I can still remember hanging upside down, stuck in the fence; or there was the time that while playing in front I bonked my older brother Bob on the head the steel ladder that was leaning against the tree in the front yard; or the time we spent watching that very new and little black and white TV with the greenish screen. It couldn’t have been more than 9 or 1o inches. Grandma Coles loved to cook us meals with whatever was on sale at the store that week, most often it was hominy. To this day I still don’t know what hominy is! She wasn’t known for her cooking, although an outstanding pianist. We spent many days at the park down the street in the center part of the main business district. But perhaps most memorable were the days spent playing army or Davy Crockett in the yard with my brothers. Perhaps the most memorable was when my mother put me down for a nap (I must have been about 4 or 5), and feeling too old for a nap, climbed out of the bedroom window and snuck off to my friend’s house (Alex) a couple of doors down the street. As a father, I can certainly now appreciate the horror I caused my mother as she checked on me and I was nowhere to be found. I can still remember looking out from the bushes with the police cars in front of the house and the policeman and my mother talking with great animation. Sheepishly I approached them only to be hugged and lovingly reprimanded. Then again there were also the church retreats to Idyllwild. Many joyful memories, in reflection, occurred while we lived in Torrance. Thanks Chelsey, the reflections are pleasant.

It would be interesting to have each of our kids pen their childhood memories; those things that mattered, those things that were humorous or impacted their lives, etc. What a great treasure it would be to see our lives together through their eyes. There is nothing better than reliving experiences shared together through the eyes of your children. You are all tagged, and not just for the blog!

Boston...

We have spent a lovely three days in Boston. We arrived on Thursday and checked into the Four Seasons Hotel overlooking the Public Gardens. On Friday we walked the Freedom Trail and saw the Old North Church and Paul Revere's House.

We also revisited Faneuil Hall and the Bostonian Hotel where we stayed will all 6 kids about 12 years ago. Friday night we had dinner with a certain Governor and his wife, and eighty of his closest friends. Today we had breakfast at the hotel and lunch at Fenway with him and the very capable team that he has assembled. It will be very exciting to be in at the beginning of what could be an historic candidacy, at one of the most critical times in our history. Tomorrow we are off to home in socal and onto to Indy early Monday morning.

Peoria and Springfield, IL

See if you can find the black Volvo in front of Oxford's latest acquisition in Peoria, SVI Hotel Corp. Although home again in California; we just returned from our trip to Houston, Carmel, Peoria and Carmel again. Our time in Carmel was far too brief!! Even so, it was great to spend what short time we had with Sophie, Emma, Ethan and Andrew. They are all so huggable and cute! While engaged in Oxford Board meetings, Mom trundled off to Springfield to visit the home of one of her favorite historical figures. Pictures of Carmel to come later, as we are off to Carmel a week from Monday, following our trip to Boston.



Lincoln's writing desk.

Houston Chronicles - There is joy in Texas!

We had fun yesterday with Parker and Audrey in the park! The weather has been great, but seeing the Horn's has been phenomenal! They are all so cute!