LOVE IS ALL AROUND US...

PART I

This post will be in two parts. First, I want to put in some of the recent feedback on the photos posted on previous blogs. Maybe if I put the addresses on the pictures, it would jog someone's memory. Reckon? I received the following from MIKE FOY, right before JIMMY COWLISHAW identified one house as his. Even though MIKE was wrong about JIMMY's house, his response was so interesting I thought I should include it:"I was born September 5th, 1938 in the old hospital that used to be on the hill overlooking the Coleman highway. Spent all of my years growing up in Ballinger and enjoyed every minute of it. I don't think that I realized how much I did enjoy it until my parents both died and I don't really have anything special to come back for except for reunions. I was amused at the pictures of houses in Ballinger and the people who probably did not know where they belonged in the history books of our class. The picture I believe that no one could figure out who grew up in was the old AMARINE place on 8th street. The person mentioned that lived in that house with the AMARINE family was your ex. Can you imagine how crowded that must have been? They only had one bathroom and besides the twins living there, they had an older sister and older brother that grew up in that house. Hope I'm right. Sure looks like the AMARINE place. BOBBY and I used to back his mom and dad's Dodge back and forth in the backyard practicing how to back. Good old days. Thank you for the information on Irene. Love all of you and hope everything goes well with all. To answer the question you posed, no, I had by-pass surgery in '98 and stents in 2003. Thanks for asking. Keep up the good work on the Blog." Mike

Of course, I had to tell MIKE he was wrong. The duplex that the AMARINES and BOBBY BURTON lived in burned down years ago, according to JANICE. Now this from VIRGINIA HARRAL EGAN (by the way, VIRGINIA, we were sorry to hear that Mike injured his back, and we really missed having you with us to visit with SUSAN.):
"I think the first house on the blog dated June 27 is the house I lived in from 1941 to1958. It was located at 1001 10th St. I am having to use my imagination, because there was a big porch across the front of the house. I spent many happy hours making mud pies and playing jacks on that porch. Sharon Cook Dankworth lived across the street, and JUNE HASH CURRY lived on the other end of the block. I have very pleasant memories of walks home after school with JUNE.I do remember the rationing that JIMMY talked about during the war. Our parents made it look easy to deal with those hardships. I'm not sure that today's society would be able to cope as well if confronted with these sacrifices. I have always felt very blessed to grow up in a little town in West Texas." Virginia

Yes, VIRGINIA, there really is a Santa Claus, and you qualify for a surprise present from him for correctly guessing the photo of your former home!

Now, there are still two "old homeplace photos" unidentified. Before I put any more of those on, here are the addresses of the two unidentified photos: 400 Largent and 901 9th Street. Did you live there??


Recently, JAMES HAYS emailed me that he is now Brown County's "Health Authority". I wrote back and asked him just what exactly is a Health Authority? Here is his answer:

"In this case, it is a joint city/county health department, can be either or a combination of governmental entities, and a physician is designated to advise and give medical direction to the health department nurse, sanitation inspector, etc. in regards to public health issues -- most recently the notorious St Paul strain of salmonella or whatever pops up. I suppose I could go to a restaurant and count cockroaches. The salmonella thing is mostly copy for an otherwise ignorant and bored media. It reminds me of the story of the government form that asked 'how many employees do you have broken down by sex?' to which the respondent answered 'actually booze is a bigger problem here'.

Re: TERRY'S UFO, while about 14 years old, I read PROJECT BLUE BOOK by Edward Ruppelt, who had collected UFO reports for the Air Force and wrote the book after leaving the service. Very interesting and I have been looking unsuccessfully for a UFO since. I don't discount some of the reports, but keep an open mind. As a semi-trained aircraft accident investigator/aviation medical examiner I was informed that pilots, cops, and military folks make the most reliable reporters of accidents and aerial phenomena. Many pilots and others do not report such sightings until it no longer adversely affects their careers.

Cheers, Salud!, and Here's to You," James

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PART II (This is where the "love" comes in!)

Have you ever been around what I call an “energy vampire”? You know, someone who, when they enter the room, seems to suck all the energy out of the room, leaving it flat and cold and loveless? I’ll bet you have. If so, then you also know when life seems to abound with loving energy. All kinds of love. That is what I have experienced lately. Sometimes it leaves me in awe.

Familial love… The only child who sleeps all night in a chair beside her mother’s hospital bed. Who drives many miles for hours to and from far-off medical appointments for that parent; anguishes when both parents are having health problems at the same time and she cannot be in two places at once. One who puts her own life on hold to be there for the parents she loves.

Agape or altruistic love… The person who sees a need for a young person – not related -- to realize a dream they could never realize without financial and physical assistance; and steps up to the plate to give not only money, but a huge chunk of their time to help.

The love of friendship… So many examples! Prayers, warm wishes, cards, emails, and telephone calls for those of our friends and former classmates facing health challenges. Whether one is the giver or the recipient of any of these, love just spills over.

The ailing friend who sorts and prepares photographs to send to former classmates before her surgery. 

The friend who takes time to drop by a nursing home to help a childhood neighbor celebrate their 100th birthday; who shares an abundant, home-cooked meal or tomatoes from their garden with someone who lives alone.

All of the above is about some of our former classmates. You know who you are -- or who has expressed one or more of these ways of love to you.

The circle of friendship drawing in old friends and making them fresh and new again… I had the pleasure of experiencing that yesterday, as did some who came to visit with us and exchange some of that loving energy while SUSAN (HERRING) STAHL and her wonderful husband Sid drove to Ballinger to reminisce. 

And last, but never the least, romantic love… It was so evident that SUSAN and her husband of 30 plus years are very much in love. The kind and gentle way they spoke to one another. I believe the love and caring were very obvious to all of us in their presence. 

Perhaps I should mention here the love of precious animals. So many of us have loving pets that delight and amuse and even comfort us. Even the stray kittens I started feeding (and naming) provide me with so much pleasure, and assure me that although I am living alone in the world, I am very important and loved by them!

Too often, we are so caught up with the negativity in life that we fail to recognize all these little instances of love. All of us can think of the many times love is all around us, stop a moment, and feel the sheer pleasure of being a participant in the expression of love. Our love or someone else’s. It’s all the same. And it does make the world go ‘round!

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As some of you know, SUSAN HERRING STAHL and her husband Sid decided to swing by Ballinger after visiting with her sisters Lynn and Ellen over this past weekend. Some of us met them for lunch at the Main Street Sandwich Shop in beautiful downtown Ballinger. Sarah Chandler (Class of '58 and a cheerleader in high school with Susan) stopped by and joined us at lunch, also.
(Nancy, Sarah, and Susan at right)
(Sid Stahl and James Hays below)

Afterwards, we came to my house for more fun conversation. SUSAN and JAMES were neighbors for a time in their childhood, and SUSAN shared some funny stories about growing up here. One of the funniest stories was about how she and her sisters always loved it when a next door neighbor went on a rampage. It was summertime and there was no air conditioning at the time, so all their windows were open. When the man next door got angry, he shouted obscenities. When he started that, SUSAN's mother would quickly hustle all three girls to the movies!

Marilyn and Susan

We had some good laughs listening to James tell two Halloween stories. One was during their childhood, and the other was his version of the 1955 Halloween Pickup Chase. I am practicing using the video portion of my camera to capture some of these moments to share with you all on the blog. This time, the videos were too dark, and frankly, pretty amateurish. I'll work on that!

Glenn Smith and Susan

Susan's husband Sid told of his recent, ongoing difficulties getting passports in order for them to take their granddaughter on a cruise. The new Homeland Security rules border on the absurd at times! (For the most part, we realize the necessity for some restrictions, however, this is a twelve year old girl we're talking about!)

The next time a classmate comes to town, you really must try to join us. Such fun. Anyone else who wishes to be host or hostess is welcome to offer their home. Between emails for some and telephone calls by my trusty assistant, NANCY THOMPSON BAKER, we tried to let everyone in the area know about SUSAN's visit.
That ought to be enough for this time around. Until next time, y'all come and share the "good stuff" with us!

Marilyn

Marilyn Moragne and Susan Herring Stahl